Royal Reels: Gambling

Postcards

CODED MESSAGE: WINGHAM to TINONEE, N.S.W., POSTCARD: MANLY BEACH

The coloured postcard of Manly Beach, Sydney has a red 1d ‘Shield of New South Wales’ stamp postmarked with the rays numeral ‘123′ of Wingham, New South Wales (Figure 1). The reverse message is a total surprise to the vendor and myself for it is written in an alphanumeric code, which may be difficult to ‘crack’. It was sent to a Mr. H. Gollau Jr.(Gollan?), a presumed teenager addressed at

Read More »

CETINJE, MONTENEGRO VIA SUEZ from MACKAY, QLD: 1894 POSTCARD

The Queensland Universal Postal Union 1½d postcard has the ’Rays 33′ on the printed stamp with a MACKAY/ D/ JY 21/94/ QUEENSLAND postmark alongside, as well as a transit BRISBANE/ JY 24/ 94/ QUEENSLAND postmark. In addition there is a transit SUEZ/ A/ 27 ( ) 94, as well as a partial transit of CONSTANTINOPLE (date illegible). The postcard is addressed to Frau Leonie B. Bergner, Citinje (sic), Monte Negro

Read More »

BENJAMIN DUNSTAN, QUEENSLAND GEOLOGIST, ASSAYER, PUBLIC SERVANT

The postcard had two Queensland QV stamps, a green ½d and an orange 1d ‘Four Corners’, both with the ‘OS’ perfin. They were postmarked with a roller cancel BRISBANE/ ( ). JUL. 12. 6-PM / QUEENSLAND, and it was addressed to The Public Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. America (Figure 1). The reverse was headed Geological Survey of Queensland, Brisbane, 15th July, 1912 and the contents were: The Receipt of the

Read More »

BEER & BACCY POSTCARD of VICTORIA (2ND PAPER) & CHICKEN SOUP

A previous discussion on this short-lived Victorian advertising postcard is to be found at this website in the Category: Postcard, under the title of ‘Beer & Baccy Victorian Advertising Postcard Sent to Boston 1895′. The first paragraph is worth repeating: This 1d blue ‘Reading Stamp Duty’ postcard was the first and only Victorian postcard with advertisements, and it could be sent to all Australian Colonies, New Zealand and Fiji without

Read More »

BARQUE ADOLPHE, SHIPWRECK from NEWCASTLE, N.S.W. to CORNWALL

The undivided postcard was addressed to Miss M. Bullett, “Criffel”, Trevethan Rd, Falmouth, Cornwall, England and it has two New South Wales stamps, a green ½d and the red ‘ONE PENNY’ Shield stamp, cancelled by a illegibly dated duplex NEWCASTLE/ N.S.W. with a barred numeral ‘55′ (Figure 1). The reverse of this R. H. Hunter of Newcastle postcard shows the wreck of Barque “Adolphe” on the Oyster Bank, Newcastle, 30/9/04.

Read More »

BARHAM CORONATION QUEEN OF THE GOLDEN FLEECE, JULY 19, 1916

This postcard has been enlarged, and it shows a pageant with up to 25 participants on the stage, with adults mainly in the background and children in the foreground. The adults appear to be predominantly women in costumes, with a possible male centurion, at left, holding an erect spear, and there is a shield held nearby, as well as white drawn stage curtains at both left and right sides. There

Read More »

ROBERT & ARTHUR BUNNING, W.A. TIMBER MERCHANTS & J. TALBOT HOBBS

This common Western Australian ½d postcard was postmarked with a duplex PERTH/ 1/ JL 5/ 92 with the G.P.O obliterator and was addressed to Messrs. Bunning Bros, Goderich St., Perth (Figure 1). The reverse had an interesting manuscript, as follows: Dear Sirs, The result of Tendering for Mrs. Lefroys Houses is as follows: Olsen & Hay £2,273.00. Hurst & Son (accepted) 2,560.0.0. Bunning Bros. 2,715.0.0. F. Collett 2,795.10.0. Templar Bros.

Read More »

MUSEUM, SYDNEY to ACADEMIE IMPERIALE des SCIENCES ST. PETERSBURG

The Commonwealth of Australia, New South Wales Post Card is addressed to The Secretary, Academie Imperiale des Sciences St. Petersburg: it has a printed red 1d ‘Shield’ stamp of N.S.W. with the uncommon OS/ NSW perfin, which perforates the card. There is a roller cancel SYDNEY N.S.W. AP 11- 3-PM 1912. In addition there are 2 identical ST. PETERSBURG (in cyrillic)/ -1-5-12-, as well as an additional ms. ‘Russia’ and

Read More »

MUSEUM CURATOR, SYDNEY, EDWARD P. RAMSAY, 1ST AUSTRALIAN BORN

The postcard had a pink ‘One Penny’ printed QV stamp of New South Wales postmark of the ‘Rays’ 30 of Camden and it was addressed to The Curator, Museum, Sydney. In addition there were 2 additional postmarks, an originating CAMDEN/ DE 15/ 1877/ N.S.W of Type 1 C, the earliest recorded date, as well as a reception postmark of SYDNEY/ (-)/ DE 15/ 77/ 8 (Figure 1). The reverse was

Read More »

MELBOURNE to the DIRECTOR of FIELD COLUMBIAN MUSEUM, CHICAGO

This overprinted UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION Victoria postcard with the 2d stamp overprinted with 1½d has both the reference to the United Kingdom and the long sea route barred-out when Victoria joined the U.P.U. in 1901. It is postmarked MELBOURNE/ 15A/ DE 16/ 99 and is addressed to The Director, Field Columbian Museum, Chicago, U.S. America. By 1894 the original grey card of 1891 ran out and this buff coloured card

Read More »