Royal Reels: Gambling

Business

JOSEPH BENSON MATHER, DRAPER, QUAKER, HOBART TOWN, V.D.L.

This indistinct cover front only, introduces an early immigrant to Tasmania. It has a blue VDL imperforate ‘FOUR PENCE’ stamp cancelled by a manuscript three curved strokes and there is also a manuscript applied at the left border by the postmaster ‘Swansea/ 24/11/59′. It is addressed to Joseph Benson Mather, 98 Liverpool Street, Hobart Town (Figure 1). His obituary was published in The Mercury, 19th May 1890, his death having

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JOHNSON BROS. PTY. LTD., & ATWOOD MACHINE CO., CONN. USA

This advert cover has 2 interesting points, the clarity of the slogan roller cancel ‘MINIMUM LETTER RATE/ TO U.S.A. 3d  ADDRESSEE/ PAYS DOUBLE DEFICIENCY’, which cancels the pair of the red 1½d KGV Head stamps, and the boxed description of the sender ‘JOHNSON BROS Pty. Ltd., Silk Throwsters, 281 Donald Street East, Brunswick, Melbourne’. The circular cancel of the roller cancel was MELBOURNE 18 SE -430Aand the year date is obscured.

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JOHNSON & JOHNSON, NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. to POTTER & BIRKS Ltd, SYDNEY

This cover was sent from Johnson & Johnson Manufacturing Chemists, [ Red Cross], New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S.A. to Potter & Birks, Ltd, Grosvenor Street, Sydney, N.S.W., AUSTRALIA and the red Two Cents Washington stamp with the ‘J & J’ perfin was cancelled with a fine roller cancel NEW BRUNSWICK/ OCT 19/ 6-30P/ 19   10/ N.J. with the waving US flag.  It was underpaid with a taxing ‘T/ Seattle’ and 

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JOHN WALKER & CO., MARYBOROUGH, QLD: LAUNCH of ‘SAURIAN’ DREDGE

The red ONE PENNY Queensland postcard is canceled with an indistinct Maryborough postmark and is addressed to N.S. Arundell Esq, c/o Messrs J.T. Annear & Co., Maryborough (Figure 1). The printed reverse is an invitation as follows: Launch of the New Dredge “Saurian.” The favor of your company is respectfully requested on Saturday next the 12th instant, at 10 o’clock a.m., to witness the launching of the above named Vessel

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JOHN SMITH, PASTORALIST, SHEEP BREEDER, PARLIAMENTARIAN (1811-95)

This 1852 ‘town letter’ outer with the imperforate N.S.W. Laureate 1d brick-red (SG 48) stamp is postmarked with a poor barred numeral ‘15′ of Molong and is addressed to John Smith Esquire, Gamboola, Molong, and has a Molong reception on the reverse (Figure 1). There is no doubt of the identity of the commonly named individual on account of the property named, Gamboola. John Smith, sheepbreeder, was born on 25 May 1811

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JOHN PORTER, MANAGING DIRECTOR, PROVIDENT INSTITUTE, VICTORIA

This registered cover has a single blue ‘ONE SHILLING Laureate’ stamp of Victoria and a pair of the brown-vermillion ‘Emblem’ stamps of Victoria which are cancelled with the barred numeral ‘16′ of Ballan, Victoria. It is addressed to John Porter Esq., Manager, Provident Institute Victoria, Queen St, Melbourne. There is a black manuscript ‘Registered 8th January, 1861′ as well as a small red unframed circular handstamp REGISTERED/ JA 8/ 61/ MELBOURNE.

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JOHN LEWIS CHILDS & C. C. MORSE, PLANTSMEN

Plant catalogues promoting an international trade in seeds have had no borders for at least 100 years as evidenced by horticultural trade between countries. It was no surprise that seed crossed from the USA to Canada but I was not prepared for the frequent trade in seed from the USA and Australia. The early catalogues were as beguiling as present day ones, and there are collectors of these minor pieces

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JOHN HIGGINSON, NEW CALEDONIA & NEW HEBRIDES: THREAT to THE COLONIES

The so-called ‘Ligne T’ of La Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes operated from Marseilles to Sydney from 1883 until 1903 and in the period of 1895-1903 it operated four weekly on the route of Marseilles-Port Said-Aden-Colombo-Fremantle-Adelaide-Melbourne-Sydney-Noumea, New Caledonia and return. The M.M. Australien was added to this service on 4 June 1890 and it did not sail in March of 1891 from Sydney to Adelaide, so the letter was carried by another ship.

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JOHN DANKS & SON PTY LTD, LARGE HARDWARE BUSINESS, SYDNEY & MELBOURNE

This unusual ‘SPECIMEN’ advertising cover has two red boxed John Danks & Son Pty Ltd/ SILENCE SPELLS SECURITY advertisements, one of which was inverted, POSTAGE PAID 1½ AUSTRALIA on the upright example, and POSTAGE PAID 2½d AUSTRALIA on the inverted example. It was not sent through the post but has a CASTLEREAGH ST/ 18 VI 42/ N.S.W. cancellation. The reverse was not seen (Figure 1). This major firm has existed

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