War Trophies or Curios?: the War Museum collection in Museum Victoria 1915 - 1920

Showcases a unique and rarely seen collection of cultural objects from New Guinea. Referred to as ‘war trophies’ during the German possesion of New Guinea, before the takeover by Australian military forces in 1914. The Australian War Museum received the collection from the Department of Defence and later, donated it to the Melbourne Museum when they were also acknowledged as cultural objects and objects of traditional use, rather than ‘war trophies’ or'curios’.

A description of each piece includes where it was made, its usage and cultural importance. Information about how the collection was accumulated is included along with a brief account of the WW1 German possession of New Guinea.