My Grandma's Doll and HMV Gramophone (1)

I migrated to Australia as a skilled migrant in 1993 and to accompany me I brought along the toy that was given by my grandma. My grand mother was born in Yogyakarta, Central Java in 1893 (ten years after the big eruption of the volcano Krakatoa) and 100 years after that her grand daughter landed in Sydney on the first of January 1993.

Apparently when you migrate to another country it is important to bring something that reminds you to your homeland. This doll is considered to be a momento from my grand mother. I was very closed to her and she passed away in 1983 at the age of 83.

My grand mother got this china doll from an auction in 1920s. A Dutchman by the name of van den Bruin left the country to return to his homeland in the Netherlands and all his goods were auctioned (Indonesia was occupied by the Dutch for 350 years from early 1600 to 1945). Besides this doll she got among others a gramophone (His Master's Voice). I could not bring the gramophone with me but I got an original HMV gramophone as such from Cromwell's auction (Model HMV 563 or 109, circa 1913, the table gramophone contained in a rectangular oak case).