Four covers, with illustrated fronts and reverses, were found at an auction site, and all four were sent from Melbourne to London, between March 1897 and May 1898. Only the first cover was sent to a private address of 4 Endsleigh Gardens London N.W., whereas the other three were addressed to the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, London W.C. Whereas the first two covers gave no clue as
The pen-and-ink drawings of illustrator Charles Gibson came to represent the spirit of the early twentieth century in America. His illustrations appeared in a number of popular magazines and they both influenced and reflected attitudes, behaviours and mores in the country. The onset of the First World War was said to have ended the public’s romance with Gibson’s images, for the collective outlook changed from confident optimism to reserved cynicism;
This blue Two Pence New South Wales stamp with a ‘rays’ type cancel is adorned with four black cartoon- like characters as well as a scroll to the addressee: Miss Dibbs, Commercial Bank, Sydney, Their is no identifier for the artist (Figure 1). This remarkable illustration has been described by the vendor as a pharmaceuticaladvertisement, but I could find no evidence for this on the front or the reverse, for
This advertising cover is not only intriguing, but it has also been unusually difficult to research, with the information coming in ‘dribs and drabs’ over the past 2 years. The behatted and bearded man catches one’s attention, while he contentedly smokes his pipe. His hat is adorned with ‘CORRECT THING’, and the rest of the inscription apparently reads ‘At Last, Petersburg Va. U.S.A’ (probably referring to the place of origin
I won this political cartoon postcard in an Australian auction in 2003, and it was ascribed to the 1930’s period. As the postcard is mint, with no date, and has no identifying company or country of production, I recognise that it has no postal history, but it does have significant social history interest. It shows a large rabbit who appears to have some political persona, (as does the man with
The top of the illustrated envelope has a black ink printing with curlicues and a partially unfurled banner which encloses a quotation “HE THAT GIVETH TO THE POOR/ LENDETH TO THE LORD/ QUERY- WHAT ABOUT SECURITY”. At mid left hand side, a very plain shield has been drawn which encloses the intertwined letters ‘I H S’. At the bottom of the cover, he reverts to the extravagant illustrative style which
This cover was seen on Ebay on sale by a vendor in England, and it was described as follows: “A scarce long vertically llustrated cover from a mariner (who was also a ships artist) to his wife in Guernsey. Franked 4d (pair 1d red swan & single yellow swan stamps of Western Australia, postmarked from Port Headland(s) (sic), correct Port Hedland, OC 12 05 (Figure 1). Perth transit postmark (19 OC) on the
A ‘humorous’ postcard has been seen recently at two different sites, but whereas the card may be comical in the U.S.A., Australia’s attitude is most certainly different, particularly at present. The card was used in Tasmania and the vendor stated (noting the missing Tasmania) that Tasmania was “mercifully off the map”. It was described as a circa 1908 colour card by Marchant & Co. with humorous illustration comprising map of
My intent with this humourous card was to find out something about this Sydney University second year Arts student who was sent the card postmarked SYDNEY/ 8 JY 05 – 2PM/ 35 on the red ‘Arms’ 1d N.S.W. stamp. To date this has not been achieved, for after 6 months I am unlikely to obtain an answer from the Registrar’s Office at the University of Sydney (Figure 1). I suspect
I am always intrigued how inadequately addressed mail is sent out into the world, and this postcard really takes the prize. It is an English postcard, identified in green print vertically placed on the left hand side as being produced by the Cyn( )cas Publishing Co., Ltd , Tayport, Fifeshire. The postcard is simply addressed to Miss Isabel Pi( )y, Pekin (sic) China! The red 1d N.S.W. ‘Shield’ stamp is postmarked