Royal Reels: Gambling

Business

J.J.A. BOASE, BANKER PENZANCE, CORNWALL: LETTER from MELBOURNE

The following scans were sent to me by Les Molnar who has added this cover to his ‘Emblems’ of Victoria stamp exhibit. It is unique in that a total of nine green 1d emblems stamps were used on the cover, and more importantly it had the previously unknown use of an interpanneau block of 4 stamps on the cover. The cover was sent per ‘Emeu’ via Marseilles and the 9

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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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JOHN CUMMING Junr., PROSPECTOR OFFICE, BALLART DIGGINS, PASTORALIST

The cover was addressed to Mr. John Cumming Jnr, Prospector Office, Ballart Diggins (sic), Buninyong. The ‘tiny’ 1851 cover had a ‘very fine’ ‘Ham Half Length’ 2d brown-lilac of Victoria (S.G. 16b) with ‘huge margins at left and base, and it was cancelled with a Butterfly ‘15′ of Geelong (Figure 1). The reverse had a late usage of the unframed oval GEELONG/ [crown]/ OC 14/ 1851/ PORT PHILLIP, as well

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JOHN ARTHUR MACARTNEY, PASTORALIST, HORSEMAN & QUEENSLAND PIONEER

This mourning cover had a 2d lilac ‘Stamp Duty’of Victoria canceled by the barred numeral ‘156′ corresponding to the unframed MANSFIELD/ AP 27/ 85/ VICTORIA as well as a boxed black DEFICIENT POSTAGE/ FINE (ms. ‘2d‘) and it was addressed to John Arthur Macartney Esq, Waverly, Marlborough, via Rockhampton, Queensland (the latter placed at top left of the cover), and there were three other manuscripts ‘or Mrs Macartney’ , ‘recd 5th May/ 85

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JOHN GEORGE ROBERTSON, BOTANIST, PASTORALIST (1803-1862)

This 1849 O.H.M.S. entire is addressed to John George Robertson Esq, Wando, McKinlays Post, Glenelg. It has a faint red boxed FREE/GEELONG (at upper left) and is signed CJ Latrobe/ Commissioner, at lower left (Figure 1). The reverse has an unframed oval GEELONG/ [crown]/ AU 25/ 1849/ PORT PHILLIP postmark as point of origin, a partial transit oval of MELBOURNE/ [crown]/ AU 27/ (1849) and a weak THE GLENELG/ [crown]/

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JOSEPH KRONHEIMER, PHILANTHROPIST & TOBACCO TRADE, MELBOURNE

The printed green Tasmanian stamp cover was postmarked with a duplex HOBART/ S/ 20 JE/ 1899, with the barred obliterator TASMANIA, and it was addressed to Mess J Kronheimer & Co., Flinders Lane, Melbourne. The reverse was not seen but was backstamped Melbourne, June 20, 1899 (Figure 1). Several of the Australian Colonies’ newspapers published his obituary and The Mercury (Hobart) on Monday 20 July 1914 on page 5, was

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JOSEPH BOSISTO, CHEMIST & M.L.A. RICHMOND, VICTORIA (1824-98)

This 1885 1d dull rose on buff Victoria postcard was mailed out to members of the Richmond Cricket Club as an invitation for the Annual Dinner to be held on Saturday 25 July, 1885 in the Richmond Town Hall, dinner commencing at 7.30 p.m. sharp. Although the card was sent by the Hon. Secretary, Henry Brock, J. Bosisto, Esq., M.L.A., the President of the Club, was to occupy the Chair

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