Postcards

ADVERTISING & CHRISTMAS GREETINGS CARD from G.P. FITZGERALD, 1907

The front of the card shows an imposing two-level building clearly labeled G.P. Fitzgerald & Co. in colour, and the reverse is addressed to a lady living at Constitution Hill, Tasmania. The stampless card has a POSTAGE PAID/ 1/ DEC 20/ 1907/ HOBART TAS postmark, as well as a reception postmark for Constitution Hill (now, Dysart), Tasmania the same day. The printed message reads: “With all Good Wishes/ for a/

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BEER & BACCY — VICTORIAN ADVERTISING POSTCARD SENT to BOSTON 1895

This 1d blue ‘Reading Stamp Duty’ postcard was the first and only Victorian postcard with advertisements, and it could be sent to all Australian Colonies, New Zealand and Fiji without additional postage.  It had a very short life for their was a furious response from conservative elements in the community, its day of issue being 1 November 1895 and it was withdrawn on 19 November 1895.  During the three weeks

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LYDIA YEAMANS-TITUS & LESLIE HARRIS, SOCIETY ENTERTAINERS

This postcard with the bluish green Half Penny stamp of New South Wales was postmarked with the duplex WILLIAM STREET/ FE 20/ 12- ( )PM/ 06/ N.S.W and the numeral ‘697′, and also had a MORE TO PAY/ 1D / [maltese cross] handstamp.  It was addressed to Andrew Smart Esq, “Weekly Mail”, Wellington, New Zealand.  The printed advertising matter reads: Opera House, Wellington,  commencing Saturday, Sept 22 1906   Prices:  3/-,

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J. KITCHEN & SONS PTY. LTD., MELBOURNE POSTAL CARD 1931

This used printed to private order postal card is said by the vendor to be “very rare, perhaps two exist” and it was sold at auction AUD 1,100. It was listed as a 1928-36 KGV Oval 1½d brown HG K8 on a bluish advice card. It was addressed to ‘Mr V. Hay, Storekeeper Chelsea (Victoria) and was postmarked MORWELL/ 11 FE 31/ VIC. The item was sold AUD100 above the

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PATERSON, LAING & BRUCE LTD, WYNYARD STREET, SYDNEY to APIA SAMOA

Examples of the present postcard appeared on 2 Australian auction sites. The company has an interesting history which may never be fully told, as the records were lost in the bombing of the London, England company during World War 2. To add further interest, the son of one of the partners had a significant impact on subsequent Australian history. The front states that it is a Private Post Card, issued

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THE AUSTRALIAN WIDOWS’ FUND: BOOM & BUST

This unassuming NSW 1d pink Queen Victoria mint Post Card reveals a story of Melbourne’s past (late 1800’s). The front has not been illustrated, but the reverse shows it is from The Australian Widows’ Fund, Life Assurance Society Limited, with Offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane & Launceston. “Notice is hereby given that an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Members of the Society will be held at the Society’s head

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AN UNUSUAL WW I POSTCARD to a SOLDIER in EGYPT

This home-made postcard was made from cut-outs of red Australian KGV heads and postage due stamps pasted to the front of a blank “Graphic’ post card that was sent, presumably under cover (as there were no stamps for postage nor postmarks), to an Australian soldier in Egypt on leave from fighting at Gallipoli in Turkey. The design was drawn in black ink, but the red and green colour was filled

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GENERAL JOHN FRENCH, HERO in the BOER WAR [SOUTH AFRICA]

This Boer War recruitment publicity postcard with ‘General French War South Africa’ has a portrait of the general on a medal, shows British flags, a crown and crossed swords, plus an inscription ‘We Conquer Step by Step”. It is postmarked with a partial squared circle ALDGATE/ 2/ JY 30/ 00/ S.(A). There is an additional faint circular cancel confirming the JY 30/00 date. The message dated 28th July 1900 reads

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POSTCARD: V-PACIFIC DAY ADMIRALTY ISLANDS, SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC

The postcard has a manuscript ‘V-Pacific Day Souvenir Air Mail Card – Mailed Admiralty Islands South-West Pacific’. It has a red 6 cents USA air mail stamp, postmarked with a fine A.F.P.O./ 15 AU 45/ 203 and it was addressed to E.D. Cash, 21 Victoria Square, Perth, West Australia (Figure 1). The reverse was a stark black & white depiction of the American flag and an eagle with outstretched wings,

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No 4 AUXILIARY HOSPITAL, ABBASSIA ARTILLERY BARRACKS, 1915 [EGYPT]

This may well be a one of a kind illustrated World War One postcard on account of the large 3-ringed postal marking with the unusual centrally placed ABBASSIA and the 8 11 1915 date-stamp, that originated at the No 4 Auxiliary Hospital, Artillery Barracks, Abbassia, (Cairo). It has a manuscript ‘on active service 1276 9th.. 6th Reg, and is addressed to a Mrs P.C. Mowle, Neutral Bay, Sydney. The card is

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