Royal Reels: Gambling

Business

DERWENT BANK, HOBART TOWN: LETTER to JOSEPH DIXON, CASHIER, 1842

This ‘entire’, which predates the issue of stamps in Van Diemen’s Land, has a black ms. rating of ‘4′ and it is addressed to Joseph Dixon Esq, Derwent Bank, Hobart Town (Figure 1). The reverse has red sealing wax and a rare boxed un-named handstamp dated 11 JA 11/ 1842, the date being in 2 lines, bordered by a single-lined oblong 25 x 16 mm. struck in black. This is

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DENNYS, LASCELLES & CO., GEELONG WOOL MERCHANTS

The 1876-81 1d ‘Bell’ postcard was postmarked with the duplex GEELONG and B.N. ‘2′ with an indistinct date, and it was addressed to Messrs Peterson, Lane & Co. Melbourne (Figure 1). The reverse has a short printed message: Dennys, Lascelles & Co., Geelong, will Sell by Auction on TUESDAY NEXT, at Two o’Clock, WOOL 17/ 10/ 78 and there is a reception postmark MELBOURNE / 4X/ OC 17/ 78 (Figure

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DAVID HASTIE HARVEY, MANAGER of TATTERSALL’S & FAMILY, TASMANIA

This cover was addressed to Master Horace Harvey, Manresa, Lower Sandy Bay, Hobart, Tasmania. It was probably overweight as the strip of four green ‘HALFPENNY Bantam Postage’ stamps of Victoria were insufficient postage. They were cancelled with the duplex ST. KILDA/ JL 4/ 07/ VICTORIA with the barred numeral ‘78′, and the oval tax marking of 4D was partially obscured by the vertical pair of the green 2 PENCE Postage Due

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DAVID BLACK, EDITOR of the TASMANIAN MAIL, HOBART OBITUARY

The Tattersall’s cover was addressed to Mr. D. Black, Waterloo House, Murray Street, Hobart, Tasmania. The cover was franked with a vertical pair of the pink ‘ONE PENNY’ QV stamps of Victpria which were cancelled by the duplex CLUNES/ SE 17/ 07/ VICTORIA with the stamps obliterated by the barred numeral ‘147′. The reverse was not seen (Figure 1). The editor’s domicile was better known than David Black, for it

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DALTON BROTHERS, HUMBLE BEGINNINGS, from & to DUNTRYLEAGUE

Two relatively unpretentious covers dated 27 years apart reveal, on their reverse, how the fortunes of the Dalton Brothers changed from humble beginnings in Ireland to riches in New South Wales. The first cover, a printed to private order envelope with the embossed blue 1d ‘Emu’ stamp of N.S.W. was postmarked with the duplex SYDNEY/ FE 11/ 11-A M/ 95/ 36 and was addressed to a firm in Melbourne (Figure

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CHARLES L. PACK, PHILATELIST with AUSTRALIAN COLONY INTEREST [USA]

The cover is franked with the green-yellow 3d Roo on Map of Australia stamp (S.G. 37, narrow crown watermark) postmarked BRIGHTON/ VIC, the date is not legible, but most likely is dated ca. 1915. I is addressed to Charles Lathrop Pack Esq, Lakewood, New Jersey. United States of America. A manuscript “via San Francisco per Ventura” has been added (Figure 1). “Charles Lathrop Pack was one of the United States’

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CHARLES HARPER, W. A. AGRICULTURIST, LEGISLATOR & NEWSPAPER MAN

The One Penny Western Australian postcard has no visible postmark and it was sent to C. Harper Esq. M.L.A., Guildford (W.A.) (Figure 1). The reverse was printed “The West Australian Trustee, Executor and Agency Co., Ltd, St George Terrace, Perth” and it was dated 23rd May 1895.  The message was:  Dear Sir, A Meeting of the Directors of this Company will be held on Monday 27th at 11 o’clock a.m.,

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EDWARD CROOKE, VICTORIAN PASTORALIST (1810-1873)

Three stampless entires were sent to the above in 1856-1858 at Gippsland, Holey Plains (the first two incorrectly addressed to ‘Holy Plains, which denoted’), Victoria. The first was sent p(er) ‘Eclipse’ and was endorsed ‘6d to pay’, having been sent from Hobart (Figure 1). The reverse had a frameless oval PORT ALBERT/ [CROWN]/ JU 7/ 1856/ VICTORIA and similar SALE/ [crown]/ JU 18/ 1856/ VICTORIA (Figure 2). The second cover

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EDMUND STANSFIELD RAWSON, ‘THE HOLLOW’, MACKAY MAYOR, QLD

The Queensland postcard has a printed ‘ONE PENNY’ QV stamp of Queensland which is cancelled by an unframed MACKAY/ A/ NO 15/ 92/ QUEENSLAND. It was addressed to E.S. Rawson Esqr, The Hollow, Near Mackay (Figure 1). The reverse has a printed message: Mackay, 12th November, 1892. Dear Sir, The presentation to Mr. W. Robertson, to which you are a subscriber, will take place on Monday, 21st November, at Diehm’s

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FREDERIC LASSETTER & Co., LIMITED to MISS NINA FANE DE SALIS

This red 1d ‘Shield’ stamp New South Wales Post Card is postmarked with a duplex SYDNEY/ AP 26/ 6.30 PM/ 98/ 44 cancel and is addressed to Miss N.F. De Salis, Lambrigg, Queanbeyan (Figure 1).The printed reverse reads: MEMORANDUM. Sydney, April 26th 1898 From F. Lassetter & Co., Limited. To Miss N.F. De Salis Queanbeyan Dear Madam We are in receipt of your letter dated 8th with order, which has

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