ARTS AND ARTISTS

This postcard has two N.S.W. stamps, the ½d green and 1d. red and they are postmarked with a faint Sydney suburb MARRICKVILLE/ AU 7/ 10 PM/ 04/ N.S.W duplex cancel. The SYDNEY/ AU 8/ 5.30-AM/ 04/ 43 duplex confirms the former date. The postcard is addressed to a Honolulu, Hawaii address (Figure 1)

ALBERT & SON MUSIC STORE ADVERTISING COVER

This advertising cover "From Albert & Son, Largest Stores in Australia, Head Office 137 & 139 King St. Sydney" is in a pale dull green print, shows a picture of a three level store and on the front of its awning 'ALBERTS MUSIC STORES SYDNEY'. A total of 2½d NSW stamps are attached and postmarked with 2 copies of SYDNEY/ FE 22/ 11-A-M/ 04/ 10 N.S.W duplex. It is addressed to Mr. Sam Davis, Music Jobber, 6 Eddy-street, SAN FRANCISCO, Cal (Figure 1).

ALBERT HENRY FULLWOOD (1863-1930), ARTIST

This illustrated cover has two N.S.W. lilac 1d ‘View of Sydney’ stamps, postmarked with the duplex SYDNEY/ AP 4/ 11-AM/ 95/ 32 with the N.S.W obliterator. It is addressed to Mrs Bradford, "Hillside", Lower Sandy Bay, Hobart. The cover shows a black ink sketch of a man peering through a telescope, steps, and a sailing boat with 4 men watching the scene (Figure 1).

ANZAC CLUB CINDERELLA, NEW YORK & ACTOR NOLA LUXFORD (1895-1994)

ARCHIBALD JOHN (“JACK”) PEAKE, WATERCOLOUR and PEN & INK ARTIST

First Day Covers (F.D.C.) are not usually interesting to me, but these three (of more than ten covers by the same artist) were of interest on account of the water colour illustrations by a South Australian artist, that they range from 1948 until 1971, and they were all self-addressed. The first was postmarked KAROONDA/ 9A 15 NO 48/ STH.AUST. on the 2½d red Scout stamp, and was addressed to Mr A.J. Peake, Karoonda, S. Australia (Figure 1).

AUSTRALIAN CONNECTION: KATHERINE HEPBURN, SHAKESPEARE

CAPTAIN EDWARD CHARLES FROME, ROYAL ENGINEERS (1802-1890)

The cover is stampless with a manuscript ‘8' crossed-out with a manuscript PM’s endorsement of ‘P.O/Clare’ and a manuscript ‘O.P. Service’ with a postmark of G.P.O ADELAIDE/[crown]/ MA 6/ 1849/ SOUTH AUST. and it is addressed to Captain Frome R.E., Victoria Square (Figure 1).

DOLLY CASTLES, SOPRANO: BENDIGO GIRL MAKES GOOD OVERSEAS

The postcard had been produced from a photograph taken by W. Vincent Kelly of Bendigo, Victoria shows a demure Dolly Parsons as Phyllis in Iolanthe (Figure 1).

DOLORES COSTELLO, a.k.a. DOLORES COSTELLO BARRYMORE [USA]

A very ordinary cover, with no postal history value, has a pair of red 1½d KGV heads cancelled with an ADELAIDE/ 5 AM/16 JLY/1928/ SOUTH AUSTRALIA postmark (Figure 1).

ERROL LESLIE THOMSON FLYNN, AUSTRALIAN ACTOR /PLAYBOY (1909-1959) USA]

This unpretentious cover is addressed to Mr. Errol Flynn, c/- Warner Bros Film Studios, Culver City, California, U.S.A. and it bears a copy of the blue 3½d KGVI stamp, postmarked with a roller cancel with a boxed SYDNEY/ 25 OCT/ 1946 and LIFE IS PRECIOUS/ HELP/ TO PREVENT/ ACCIDENTS, a warning unheeded in the actor’s life (Figure 1).

F.A. PACKER, HOUSE of ASSEMBLY, HOBART (1839-1902)

This illustrated humorous cover was addressed to F.A. PACKER ESQ, House of Assembly, and was stamped with the 1d sideface which was postmarked with a duplex HOBART/ SE 24/ (18)82. The illustration is quite complex and the key figure is a large plump screaming baby, associated with a basin of boiling water, a candle stick, a book of sketches with one sketch lying on the ground, and the fleeing legs of a man. The address is highly stylized with multiple thin streamers and there may be a pipe at extreme left and possibly a long cigarette holder at the fleeing man's feet. The artist is not identified and the meaning of sketch is open for discussion. The vendor gives his interpretation as "an amusing satirical illustration of a famous Packer 'dummy-spit'", a term unbeknownst to me. I am assured it is an Australian colloquial term, interpreted by the Macquarie Dictionary as to throw a tantrum, deriving from the image of a baby spitting out its dummy when it is feeling cantankerous (Figure 1).

FRANCIS HUMPHREY WILLIAM WOOLRYCH, ARTIST [USA]

This mourning cover postmarked Croydon/ 14 AP 08 10 30 AM/ N.S.W. on the blue-green ½d (Scott #109) and the blue 2d (Scott #111) stamps and was addressed to F. Humphrey Woolrych Esqre/ Artist/ 3855 Hartford St./ St. Louis Mo/ U.S.A. (Figure 1)

FRIEDRICH CHARLES KRICHAUFF, STAMP COLLECTOR, PHOTOGRAPHER & ARCHITECT

This unusually addressed cover apparently found its way into the hands of the addressee, F.C. Krichauff, Esq, Stamp Collector, South Australia, in spite of the inadequate address. The ½ anna green embossed stamp from India was up-rated with a blue 2 anna stamp of India, and both were cancelled with the squared circle BOMBAY/ F/ AP 2/ (18)97. The reverse, not seen by me, had Tuticorin, India and Colombo, Ceylon transits and an Adelaide, S.A. receiver mark (Figure 1).

GEORGE LEAVIS ALLAN, MUSIC DEALER, PUBLISHER & TEACHER (1826-97) to GERMANY

Two covers with very faint identical background advertising were found, both addressed to Germany and having similar but different travelling post office postmarks, were found at the same auction site. The first had 3 stamps of Victoria, the green-blue ½d ‘bantam’, the green 6d and the pink 1d, cancelled with 2 copies of the double circle ENGLISH MAIL T.P.O./ OUT/ 24 MA 09/ ---- postmark (Figure 1).

GRISHA GOLUBOFF, ANOTHER VIOLIN PRODIGY 1919-2002 [USA]

This redirected cover reveals an interesting glimpse at yet another American violinist prodigy who performed around the world with a short visit to Australia at the age of twenty. It is addressed to Grisha Goluboff Esq. and there is a re-direct label from the downtown Wentworth Hotel Sydney to the Australian Broadcasting Company, Market Street, City with a further re-direct to C/- Australian ( ) Theatres , 51 Castlereagh St., Sydney. The red 2d KGVI stamp is postmarked at a suburb of Sydney: LIDCOMBE/ 9¹⁵P- 13 AP 39/ N.S.W. [Type 2C(T) 1936-49] (Figure 1).

HUGO WERTHEIM'S SEWING MACHINES & HAPSBURG PIANOS

J.W. PLOOS VAN AMSTEL & Co., MELBOURNE, SENT to FRANCE

JAMES CHARLES WILSON NICHOLSON, MUSIC PUBLISHER, NICHOLSON & CO.

JANET GAYNOR, AMERICAN FILM STAR, FIRST IMAGE ON AUSTRALIAN T.V. [USA]

This somewhat battered cover was sent to Miss J. Gaynor, C/- United Artists, Hollywood, California and has a roller cancel on the green 1d Queen Elizabeth and the red 2d KGVI stamps, ASHFIELD/ 9⁴⁵ AM/ 19 JUL/ 1941 with the slogan MINIMUM LETTER/ RATE TO U.S.A. 3^D/ ADDRESSEE PAYS/ DOUBLE/ DEFICIENCY. In addition there was a delay in sending as shown by the handstruck ASHFIELD/ 22 JL (41)/ N.S.W cancel. The probable reason for the delay was because of a purple boxed instruction: RETURNED FOR/ ADDITIONAL POSTAGE/ ( )ORT PAID 1d (in pencil)/ Postal Department/ Cmwlth of Australia, which has been pencilled out, perhaps when the slogan was read by the postal authorities, and the letter was sent on its way (Figure 1).

KARL LEWIS, AMERICAN PAINTER & PHOTOGRAPHER, BASED in JAPAN

This colorful hand-painted cover by the renowned artist Karl Lewis has the green 1d, orange 2d and chocolate 1½d KGV heads with the C of A watermark, postmarked with two NORFOLK ISLAND/ 30 SP 38/ AUST postmarks, addressed to Toledo, Oregon U.S.A. In a recent auction it has an estimate of AUD 1,000 placed on it (Figure 1).

LADY JANE SHELLEY, BOSCOMBE PLACE, RINGWOOD HANTS, ENGLAND

LADY RODWELL, WIFE of a FORMER GOVERNOR of SOUTHERN RHODESIA [ENGLAND]

This envelope was addressed to Lady Rodwell, C/o The Forum Club, Grosvenor St., London, W.1, England and was readdressed to 82 Avenue Rd, Regents Park, NW 3. The sender was The Melbourne Little TheatrE. There was a manuscript ‘ALL AIR ROUTE’ and the 1/ 6d ‘Hermes’ air mail stamp was postmarked SHIP MAIL ROOM/ 1-P 8 DE 34/ MELBOURNE as well as by a LONDON arrival postmark. The reverse was not seen (Figure 1).

LYDIA YEAMANS-TITUS & LESLIE HARRIS, SOCIETY ENTERTAINERS

MAUD EVELYN CRAVEN JEFFRIES, ACTOR, with STRONG AUSTRALIAN CONNECTION [USA]

The address side of this postcard has the N.S.W. red 1d ‘Shield’ stamp postmarked with a duplex NEWCASTLE/OC 11/ 12.15 P.M./05/ N.S.W with the barred numeral ‘55', and it was sent to a Hobart, Tasmania address (Figure 1).

MINNIE TITTELL BRUNE, MOST POPULAR ACTRESS IN AUSTRALIA in 1904-09 [USA]

This postcard was sent from BRIGHTON STATION/ SP 7/ (19)08/ TASMANIA to Elizabeth Street, Hobart and the personal message was of no consequence (Figure 1).

PACKET BOAT COVER to JOAQUIN, a.k.a. CINCINNATUS HINER MILLER

PADEREWSKI, POLISH PIANIST & PRIME MINISTER, AUSRALASIAN TOUR

POSTCARD to WILLIAM A. TOPLIS, SARK, CHANNEL ISLANDS, ENGLAND

There are four main islands (Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark) in the English Channel that are called the 'Channel Islands'. These islands are dependencies of the British crown (although strictly not part of the United Kingdom), having been so attached since the Conquest of 1066 when they formed part of the Duchy of Normandy. The smallest of the four is Sark. The islands were occupied by the Germans in WW II. The total area is only 194 sq km and both English and French are spoken, and Norman-French patois survives (Figure 1).

RACHEL HENNING, LETTER-WRITER (MRS. DEIGHTON TAYLOR) (1826-1914)

Two covers appeared on Ebay addressed to Mrs. Deighton Taylor and it was soon obvious that Deighton Taylor, the husband, took a back seat when compared to the significance of his wife, Rachel Henning. The first letter was addressed to her at Green Mount, North Shore, Sydney, N.S.W., and the 2d blue N.S.W. stamp was postmarked with rays ‘102' of Stroud as well as an adjoining STROUD/ DE 1/ 1870/ N.S.W. (Figure 1).

ROBERT BROUGH & DION BOUCICAULT, COMEDY COMPANY, SHANGHAI

SILENT MOVIE STARS: POLA NEGRI & LAWRENCE GRAY [USA]

Australians have been bitten by the fan club bug, but not to the same extent as film goers in the U.S.A. Covers sent to these actors are usually quite inexpensive, and the postal markings are rarely of interest. These two covers were sent to two silent movie stars both at the Lasky Studio and they like many others did not make the transition to stardom in the talking movies.

SIR IVOR ATKINS, FAMOUS WELSH ORGANIST, FRIEND of EDWARD ELGAR

SIR JOHN MILLAIS, PRESIDENT of the ROYAL ACADEMY of ARTS, & ‘BUBBLES’

The ‘Post Card For Inland Postage Only’ has a pair of the bantam green ½d Victoria ‘Postage’ stamp canceled with the duplex MAFFRA/ MR 18/ 07/ VICTORIA postmark with the barred numeral ‘477', is addressed to a school girl in Bendigo (Figure 1).

SIR JOHN MILLAIS, PRESIDENT of the ROYAL ACADEMY of ARTS, & ?BUBBLES?

The ‘Post Card For Inland Postage Only’ has a pair of the bantam green ½d Victoria ‘Postage’ stamp canceled with the duplex MAFFRA/ MR 18/ 07/ VICTORIA postmark with the barred numeral ‘477', is addressed to a school girl in Bendigo (Figure 1).

The reverse shows the celebrated but criticized painting of "Bubbles" by Sir John Millais, Bt., P.R.A. ‘After the Original in the possession of Messrs. Pears.’ The controversy generated by this delightful picture has to do with the bar of soap labeled with ‘PEARS’ near the right bottom corner which also shows the date, ‘1886' to the right of the soap (Figure 2).

THE DIVINE LADY: BARRINGTON'S GREATEST ROMANCE [CANADA]

Advertising covers are very popular with collectors and come in many forms, some as simple as little more than the name and address of an important company or a significant hotel. The most exciting ones are profusely illustrated on the front and reverse and colorful ones can be quite extravagant in their design. Less common ones (at least in my own limited experience) advertise an event in an artistic field (see: Prodigy to Pariah: Guilo Bustabo) and the present one advertises a romantic book, which became the subject for a famous silent movie.

THE WORLD -FAMED FISK JUBILEE SINGERS, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Only the front of this interesting cover was seen, and it had an advertisement for The World-Famed Fisk Jubilee Singers, Box 1273, G.P.O., Sydney. The envelope was a printed-to-private-order red KGV One Penny stamp [A.S.C. Type 3 E5 issued in 1916] which was cancelled with a MOUNT PALMER/ 10 DEC 17/ WEST^N AUSTRALIA postmark, addressed to A.W. Millar Esq, Theatre Royal, Perth. W.A. (Figure 1).

THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, SYDNEY to SMYTHE, THEOSOPHIST, POET, EDITOR [CANADA]

Seven covers appeared on Ebay addressed to Albert E.S. Smythe at several locations in Toronto and Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in the 1920's and 1930's, six from Sydney Australia and one from Auckland, New Zealand. The fronts of two of these covers will be shown, as they show that Theosophical Societies existed in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, in addition to many other countries.

VIOLIN PRODIGY to PARIAH: GUILA BUSTABO (1916-2002) [U.S.A.]

Advertising covers have a fascination for many cover collectors, in that they are almost invariably not philatelically contrived, they often are things of beauty, and they frequently tell a story. The different types of advertisements are legion and collectors can specialize in a particular type such as adverts for machinery, perfumes, shoes, hotels and maps, to name but a few. The present cover caught my eye but not as a thing of beauty. I enjoy good violin music, but I can't recall seeing a cover advertising two farewell violin recitals (or any other classical music performances).

W. H. PALING & Co., Ltd., 86 - 88 QUEEN STREET, BRISBANE

Three privately printed advertising postcards and covers sent from Brisbane in the first decade of the 1900's were lavishly illustrated with musical instruments, proclaiming the virtues of this well known Brisbane musical store. One printed in red showed 3 different string instruments, and proclaimed that “Every description of Musical Instrument may be obtained cheapest and best” from the store; another in blue depicted the Edison Standard Combination Phonograph and stated that the store had “Over 20,000 Records in stock”; whilst a third in purple showed an example of the Royal Brand of Concertinas, and described “Anglo-German and English Concertinas finest in the world. Best quality, Lowest Prices” (Figures 1- 3).

WALLACE REID, DISGRACED MATINEE IDOL & #1 at the BOX OFFICE [USA]

The cover had three single copies of the green ½d KGV plus one brown 1½d KGV head stamps and they were canceled with three PORT ADELAIDE/ 6 OC 20/ STH AUST postmarks. It was addressed to Wallace Reid, c/o Lasky Studios, corner of Vine Street and Selma Avenue, Hollywood, California, America (Figure 1).

WANDA RADFORD, ACTRESS

WILLIAM FEHON, RAILWAY COMMISSIONER & MARY GAUNT AUTHOR