Ruby Corrick's double French horn

Have you heard of the Marvellous Corricks? They were a family of entertainers who delighted Australian audiences with presentations of music, comedy and film in the early 20th century. Albert Corrick taught his children to dance, sing and play various instruments, including piano, violin, cello, viola, flute, piccolo, clarinet, saxophone, cornet and the organ. This double French horn was played by Ruby Corrick as part of their act and is a reminder of how Australians experienced moviegoing in the early 20th century. The Corricks screened silent short films on a bill with musical numbers, dancing, bell ringing, comedy sketches, poetry recitals and sing-alongs accompanied by lantern slides.

Vaudeville-style entertainers, the Corrick family toured extensively through New Zealand and Australia in the early 1900s. Starting with just a suitcase each, they ended up transporting seven tonnes of equipment! In 1907, they took their performances to the world’s stage and toured South Asia and Europe. While the family finished performing together in 1916, their love of entertainment lives on in the collections of the NFSA and the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery in Tasmania.