Material Type

Artifact

Date Range From

1850

Date Range To

1860

Materials

IRON, WOOD

No. Pieces

1

Length

38.0

Diameter

2.5

Description

WOOD HANDLE CHARRED. IRON SHAFT & TIP. IRON'S SHAFT IS RIVETED TO SOLDERING HEAD. HANDLE CRACKED. SEE CONSERVATION REPORT.

Subjects

METALWORKING T&E

Historical Association

TRADES

History

MADE BY DONOR'S FATHER ABOUT 1850-1860. *UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF ART OBJECTS, INCLUDING FOUR PAINTINGS CREATED BY THE DONOR, CHRISTIAN GIBSON. THE FOLLOWING BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ON GIBSON WAS EXCERPTED FROM HIS LETHBRIDGE HERALD OBITUARY: CHRISTIAN GIBSON WAS BORN IN BELFAST, IRELAND IN 1887 AND EDUCATED IN LONDON, ENGLAND BEFORE ARRIVING IN LETHBRIDGE IN 1908. HE WORKED FOR THE CITY AS ZOO KEEPER AT THE EXHIBITION GROUNDS AND FOR THE ALBERTA RAILROAD AND IRRIGATION COMPANY BEFORE BEGINNING HIS 35 YEAR CAREER WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND COMMERCE IN 1913. GIBSON SERVED WITH THE 25TH BATTERY CANADIAN FIELD ARTILLERY FROM 1908 TO 1914 AND FROM 1914 TO 1919 HE SERVED IN ENGLAND IN FRANCE WITH THE 20TH BATTERY CFA. HE WAS ALSO VERY ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AS A MEMBER OF THE KIWANIS CLUB, ALLIED ARTS COUNCIL, LETHBRIDGE AND DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY, PLAYGOERS OF LETHBRIDGE, ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION, PEMMICAN CLUB, MASONIC LODGE, AND THE GALT HOSPITAL BOARD. HE AND HIS WIFE LINDA WERE HEAVILY INFLUENTIAL IN THE RED CROSS SOCIETY’S LETHRBIDGE CHAPTER, AND HAD TWO CHILDREN, FRED AND DORIS. CHRISTIAN GIBSON PASSED AWAY ON MARCH 26, 1971. IN 2010 HIS DAUGHTER, DORIS BALCOVSKE, PARTICIPATED IN THE GALT MUSEUM’S FIRST ‘TREASURES & CURIOSITIES’ EXHIBIT BY SELECTING ONE OF HER FATHER’S PAINTINGS TO BE DISPLAYED. SHE SUBMITTED THE FOLLOWING NARRATIVE ABOUT GIBSON’S ASSOCIATION WITH THE GALT AND HIS PAINTING PRACTICE: “MY FATHER… WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE GALT MUSEUM AND HELPED COLLECT MANY OF THE ARTIFACTS. MY FATHER WAS A SELF-TAUGHT ARTIST WITH OILS, WATER COLORS, AND ALSO PEN AND INK… THE FAMILY OWNS MOST OF HIS PAINTINGS.” SEE PERMANENT FILE P19694807000 FOR HARDCOPY OF GIBSON’S OBITUARY. SEE RECORD P19930031001 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE GIBSON FAMILY.

Catalogue Number

P19640150000

Acquisition Date

1964-03

Collection

Museum

Less detail