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Florence Broadhurst

Her Secret and Extraordinary Lives

written by Helen O'Neill

Hardie Grant Books | ISBN 9781742700595

Hardback – 288 pages

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$69.95

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This deluxe edition of Helen O'Neill's award-winning book is a must-have for lovers of design. With stunning full-page prints of Florence Broadhurst's distinctive fabric and wallpaper designs, together with gorgeous photographs of interiors from around the world using her amazing patterns, this is a beautiful book you will want to treasure. Florence Broadhurst led an extraordinary and eccentric life. She was born in 1899 to a farming family in rural Queensland and by 25 she had toured across Asia with a part in a saucy vaudeville troop. After decades abroad, she returned to Australia at age 50, claiming to be an aristocratic English woman. She spent the ensuing years painting landscapes before moving on to portraits of the rich and famous. By 58 she was a darling of the social set. At 63 she declared Australia was afraid of colour and announced a new venture - a wallpaper business. Broadhurst created over 800 hugely popular designs that defined the swinging sixties. Her designs were extremely sought after throughout the world, with long waiting lists for her work. Her extraordinary life led to a tragic end. On 16 October, 1977, at the age of 78, Broadhurst was found murdered in her Paddington wallpaper showroom. Her murder remains unsolved.

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