Royal Reels: Gambling

Advertising Covers

GEORGE ROBERTSON & CO., BOOKSELLERS, PUBLISHERS & STATIONERS

The New South Wales postcard with the red 1d ‘Shield’ printed stamp was postmarked with a duplex SYDNEY/ NO 22/ 11 30 AM/ 98/ 43 cancel with the barred N.S.W. obliterator. It was addressed to Percival Crowle Esq, Wilby, Warialda (Figure 1). The reverse showed a 4-storey business building for Geo. Robertson at 361 & 363 George St. Sydney, Booksellers to the University Association. The firm had additional addresses at

Read More »

G. AUSTEN SEED MERCHANT’S COVER SENT to SEED GROWER in USA [U.S.A.]

This Austen’s Seeds advertising cover was sent registered with five NSW stamps totaling 5½d (made up of 2½d overseas postage plus a 3d registration fee) with four different examples of the process of registration (red label, four large ‘R’s in an oval, the postmark REGISTERED/ A/ JU 8/ 09/ SYDNEY NSW as well as the blue crayon cross marking. It was sent to Messrs Comstock Ferre & Co., Seed Growers,

Read More »

HUGO WERTHEIM’S SEWING MACHINES & HAPSBURG PIANOS

The advertising cover for Wertheim’s Wonderful Sewing Machines, Hapsburg Pianos and Electra Cycles has a pair of the purple 2d South Australia stamp postmarked ADELAIDE/ 5/ MY 26/ 3.30 PM/ 02, and it is addressed to Hobart, Tasmania (Figure 1). The reverse has a reception postmark of HOBART/ A/ MY 29/ 1902/ TASMANIA (Figure 2). Hugo Wertheim was born in the German electorate of Hesse-Kassel on 12 July 1854 and

Read More »

HUGO JUNKERS, EARLY GERMAN AERONAUTICAL ENGINEER [GERMANY]

This air mail registered long cover appeared on Ebay and was franked with 3 copies of the 3d green first Australian mail stamp, one 1d green KGV Head and 3 copies of the 2d red KGV Head, postmarked with seven impressions of G.P.O. MELBOURNE/ 3/ 16 JA 31. In addition to the Air Mail vignette, there was an R.6 G.P.O. Melbourne Victoria registration label, as well as interesting advertising matter

Read More »

HUGH VICTOR McKAY, FARMING MACHINERY INVENTOR, & LAND OWNER

The H.V. McKay Pty. Ltd. Famous Farm Implements of Australian Manufacture advertising cover had 3 printed views of horse-drawn farm machinery, and it was addressed to Champion Foundry & Machine Co., 3018 West 21st Place, Chicago, Illinois, USA. The pair of red 1½d KGV head stamps had a SUNSHINE/ ( ) FE 27/ VIC postmark (Figure 1). The reverse had a return address of the company at Sunshine Harvester Works,

Read More »

HENRY DISSTON & SONS ADVERTISING COVER [U.S.A.]

Tool companies usually make good use of their envelopes to spread the word about the superiority of their tools. Although the present cover is not as flamboyant as others, Disston saws in particular have almost a cult following in their frequent listing on Ebay auctions. The front of this cover is adorned with a fairly ordinary “If not called for in five days return to HENRY DISSTON & SONS INCORPORATED,

Read More »

HENRY GEORGE, LAND REFORMER & ECONOMIST [U.S.A.]

This political ‘advertising’ cover was mailed from Sydney in 1930 to the Proportional Representation League, 131 South Juniper Street, Philadelphia, U.S.A., and it has a pair of the red 1½d KGV head stamps paying the postage. It has interesting information on it as to the sender: “The Henry George League of N.S.W.” with a “Policy – Abolition of Taxes and appropriation of Land Values or Ground Rent as Public Revenue”,

Read More »

HENRY BARKLEY MACLURE (1856-1939), THE RINGER STORES, HAY

This privately printed unused postcard has no postal history connection, but it gives an interesting view of rural Australia in the late 1800’s. The 1d red N.S.W. ‘Shield’ card advertises Henry B. Maclure’s firm, The Ringer Stores, Hay, and the small trade mark Ringer insert shows a sheep shearer. Henry named his store the ‘Ringer Store’ after the fastest shearer in the woolshed (Figure 1). “Hay is located in the western Riverina

Read More »

H.B. SELBY & CO., SCIENTIFIC APPARATUS & LABORATORY EQUIPMENT

his advertising cover for H.B. Selby & Co. at 393 Swanston St., Melbourne has the blue 3d Submarine Telephone Communication to Tasmania stamp postmarked with a roller cancel dated 25 May 38 and is addressed to Difco Laboratory, a Michigan-based manufacturer of microbiology media and supplies in Detroit, USA. The reverse shows a figure of an aneroid barometer (Figure 1). This cover intrigued me, as the Selby company was well

Read More »

GRACE BROS, JOSEPH NEAL & ALBERT EDWARD GRACE: END of an ERA

This advertising cover for Grace Bros, Merchants & Importers, Broadway Glebe, Sydney: The Model Store, was addressed to Germany with two red 1d ‘Shield ‘ stamps of N.S.W., cancelled by Sydney roller postmark Jan 1910, as well as a greenish-blue ½d QV head stamp postmarked by a Sydney c.d.s. (Figure 1). Joseph Neal Grace retailer, was born on 10 September 1859 at Winslow, Buckinghamshire, England, son of John Grace, schoolmaster,

Read More »