Domestic items and personal effects
Buda Historic Home & Garden retains many of the Leviny family’s household and personal belongings dating from the goldrush era of the 1850s up until 1981, when Buda was opened to the public after Hilda Leviny’s death.
Domestic items and original furnishings, decorative art objects, artworks and books remain on display in the house.
Personal effects such as clothing and accessories as well as documents, correspondence, diaries and photographs offer visitors a wonderful insight into the family’s lifestyle and interests, giving an enhanced understanding of the era in which they lived.
Silver
Noteworthy is the collection of silver objects made in the mid-nineteenth century by Hungarian gold and silversmith and owner of Buda, Ernest Leviny, who arrived on the Castlemaine goldfields in 1853.
In addition to this, items made by the Leviny daughters in the Arts and Crafts style are also a feature, with articles of embroidery, woodcarving and metalwork displayed throughout the house and garden.
Original artwork
Of further interest is the collection of artworks, dating mostly from the early twentieth century, by well-known Australian artists such as William Blamire-Young, Margaret Prestion, Lionel Lindsay, Mildred Lovett, Ursula Ridley Walker and Alice Newell, to mention just a few.
Decorative arts
Decorative arts include studio pottery from the 1920s and 1930s by Klytie Pate, Philippa James and John Campbell, along with hand-printed textiles from the 1930s and ’40s designed by Melbourne artists Michael O’Connell, Frances Burke and Lucy Newell.
