Royal Reels: Gambling

Postcards

S. KING, P.H. ENGEL, H.S.A. McCULLAGH Ltd, LATE LANGE & THONEMAN

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

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WOMEN’S WORK EXHIBITION, MELBOURNE 1907

The ‘Empire’ Post Card has the pink 1d ‘POSTAGE’ stamp of Victoria which is cancelled with the duplex EXHIBITION/ OC 28/ 07/ MELBOURNE postmark with the barred numeral ‘1197’.  It is addressed to Launceston, Tasmania and the message starts off “I am writing this from the Exhibition…… (Figure 1). The reverse of the postcard shows a picture of the Exhibition Buiding and it is inscribed with ‘Souvenir of the Women’s Work Exhibition, Melbourne

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BARONESS de KOENNERITZ of SAINT CLOUD

A single newspaper wrapper is unlikely to excite me, but this one did because of the recipient’s name and her address. There can’t be too many foreign baroness in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, but Rose Bay would be a likely locale for finding one. The wrapper, without any identifier of the sender, is postmarked twice by BENDIGO/ 2/ 6-P/ 20 NO 19/ VIC on the ‘No Inscription’ type ½d

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HUGO ZOLLER, GERMAN JOURNALIST, AUTHOR & WORLD TRAVELER

The South Australian postcard had a purple ‘ONE PENNY’ stamp postmarked by SHIP MAIL ROOM/ S2/ AU 2/ 88/S. A and it was addressed to Hugo Zöller Esq, Poste Restante, Melbourne. The reverse was not seen (Figure 1). Hugo Zöller was born on 12 January 1852 near Schleiden to a Rhenish family in Germany of foundry owners and died in 1933 in München, and he became an explorer and journalist.

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JAMES HENRY BRETT WALCH of J. WALCH & SONS PTY LTD, HOBART (1)

The cover is addressed to J. Walch & Son, Newspaper Agents. Hobart, Tasmania and the two red 1d ‘Shield’ stamps of N.S.W. have 2 copies of the barred numeral ‘1711′. There is a transit roller cancel of SYDNEY/ SEP 22/ 12 M/ 1905/ 15 overlying the postmark of origin RILEY’S HILL/ SP 20/ 1905/ N.S.W (Type 1 D (i), opened 1893, closed 1978, 29 k from Ballina. The reverse was

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GEORGE & LEO WHITNEY’s ELECTRIC STUDIO & LUNA PARK, MELBOURNE

There is no evidence that this postcard has ever gone through the post. However there are certain intriguing reasons to spin a tale about it for the 2 American brothers who were photographers in Melbourne for perhaps a decade had a significant role to play in the formation of Melbourne’s Luna Park. The postcard advertises the Whitney Bros. Electric Studios, Bourke Street, Melbourne. It also has 2 additional advertising features

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CAPTAIN J.C. WICKHAM, GOVERNMENT RESIDENT, MORETON BAY

This interesting 1855 blue paper outer was addressed to “J.C. Wickham Esqe, Government Resident, Moreton Bay”. It has the imperforate Plate I blue NSW two pence (margins just touching to large) Laureate tied by the so-called ‘piecrust’ obliterator of Sydney (Figure 1). The ‘piecrusts’ appeared in 1855 (not 1856 as stated by J.S. White [1988]) and they were used on incoming loose ship letters, and as in this cover on

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W.H. SCHMALZ, MAYOR, BERLIN ONTARIO, PHILATELIST, BUSINESS MAN

The postcard was addressed to W.H. Schmalz Esqre, Secretary, Economical Insurance Co., Berlin, Ontario, Canada and it had a blue 2½d ‘Swan’ stamp of Western Australia with 2 cancellations, a duplex PERTH/ 1/ AP 10/ 01/ W-A with a barred obliterator GPO/ D, as well as a SHIP MAIL ROOM/ 1/ AP 10/ 01/ PERTH. WA (Figure 1). The reverse has a dramatic depiction of an Australian aboriginal dance involving

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THOMAS PROUDFOOT’S BOATHOUSE on HOPKINS RIVER, WARRNAMBOOL

The postcard displays a colourful scene on the Hopkins River with the beflagged boathouse, the boats at moorings, with much people activity in the foreground (Figure 1).  The reverse has a message of love from George to Maud at Albert Park, Melbourne and the red 1d Victoria stamp has a fine WARRNAMBOOL/A/ MY 27/ 08/ VIC postmark (Figure 2).  The vendor gives considerable information concerning the postcard as follows: “Victoria

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E. OTHAMS, BOWLS CHAMP/FREEMASON to DR. J. FRANTA, PRAGUE, AUSTRIA

The South Australian Post Card has a printed 1d overprinted O.S. stamp uprated with the bantam ½d S.A. stamp overprinted O.S., cancelled with G.P.O./ S/ MY 1/ 4 OC/ 1899/S.A postmark. In addition there is a reception PRAG 1/ PRAHA 1, but the date is illegible . It is addressed to Dr. Yaroslav Franta, Prague II Marianska’ ulice 9, Bohemia, Austria (Figure 1). The reverse has a return address: Government

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