PRECIOUS BELONGINGS OF A CASTLEMAINE PIONEER

Some fabulous and rare items that belonged to Hungarian goldsmith and Castlemaine pioneer, Ernest Leviny, have been brought together for a special display at Buda Historic Home and Garden which will be showing over the winter months. Many of the items were brought out to the Forest Creek diggings by Leviny when he sailed from London in 1852, and have been treasured and kept by his descendants, who remained living at Buda until 1981.

Among the items are some rare books, photographs and mementos including a bundle of messages from his friends and well-wishers in Europe dating back to the 1840s. Some fine objects worked in metal by Leviny are displayed, along with two exquisitely carved ‘lost wax’ objects which he created while living in Paris. These items are a testimony to Leviny’s skill and attention to detail in his work, for which he was renowned. There is also a set of duelling pistols given to Leviny by a dear friend in London who thought they may come in useful on the ‘wild’ Australian goldfields – we don’t know whether he ever had cause to use them or not. ‘It is rare to find a house with an intact collection dating from the goldrush era anywhere else in Australia. We are really lucky to have retained such a unique property with a fabulous story attached to it here in Castlemaine'.