Royal Reels: Gambling

Postmarks

THE CARTILAGE COMPANY, ROCHESTER, N.Y. ‘A TALL TALE’

This registered cover uncovers the gullibility of the writer who presumably wanted to increase his height. It is addressed to The Cartilage Company, Rochester, New York, U.S.A. It has three coloured Queensland stamps, the green ‘ONE HALFPENNY’ showing QV in widow’s weeds, and two ‘Four Corners’ stamps, a blue 2d and a brown 3d, for a total cost of 5½d. The stamps are cancelled with FORTITUDE VALLEY/ 21 OC 10/

Read More »

STUART ALEXANDER & CO. SYDNEY and THE EXCHANGE, N.S.W. POSTMARK

This advertising cover for Stuart Alexander Co., Sydney has several interesting features including ample evidence that it was registered (red N.S.W. EXCHANGE registration label, red handstamp ‘REGISTRATION’ and the crossed red crayon lines. It was sent ‘per S.S. Orvieto’ to Paris, France. Postage and registration of 6d was paid by 4 single copies of the 1½d red KGV stamps and was postmarked rather exuberantly with 5 examples of EXCHANGE (placed

Read More »

SPEIDEL & CO., GERMAN KEROSENE & MERCANTILE CO., FRENCH INDOCHINA

The red embossed ‘ONE PENNY’ Queen Victoria cover has a roller cancel with MELBOURNE/ JUN 24/ 3 PM/ 1907 as well as a ‘flag’ inscribed with VICTORIA. It has a red handstamp Per ‘GUTHRIE’ via Sydney and it is addressed to Messrs Spiedel (sic) & Co., Hanoi, Tonkin (Figure 1). The reverse has a transit postmark SAIGON-CENTRAL/ 4(-) 5/ AOUT/ 07/ COCHINCHINE as well as an incomplete cancel for (TO)NKIN

Read More »

TWO COMPANIES, AUSTRALIAN & SWISS, THAT BECAME GLOBAL GIANTS

The two companies, one in Melbourne and the other in Calcutta no longer exist as such. Two covers were sent from Robert Bryce & Co. Pty. Ltd. to Messrs. Volkart Brothers, 8 Clive Street, Calcutta, India from Robert Bryce & Co. Pty. Ltd., Melbourne, Australia, the first pre-WW II, the other during WW II. The first was sent airmail and had a total postage of 1 shilling and 2 pence

Read More »

TIN CAN ISLAND MAIL, TONGA to MASTER W.M. SCRYMGOUR, ADELAIDE

Philatelically inspired mail of this type is not uncommon, but this cover is somewhat unusual for the addressee is a good starting point for researching a family that was associated with a printing company that had a history of 100 years, from 1875 to 1975. The front is adorned with a total of four hand-struck stampings, one in black script, another in green made up of three parts, a purple

Read More »

WALTER HUSSEY VIVIAN, EXECUTIVE COMMISSIONER for N.S.W.

This On Public Service Only stampless cover has a faint blue impression of ‘Exhibition of Launceston’ frank stamp plus a LAUNCESTON/ K/ AU 5/ 92 with a duplex TASMANIA obliterator. It is addressed to W.H. Vivian Esq, Executive Commissioner of N.S. Wales, 93 Pitt Street, Sydney, N.S.W. At the bottom left hand corner there is a printed TASMANIAN EXHIBITION, LAUNCESTON 1891-92. The reverse has only a partial SYDNEY reception postmark

Read More »

NICHOLAS CHEVALIER, PAINTER/CARTOONIST, of SWISS/RUSSIAN HERITAGE

This battered partial cover was addressed to Louis Chevalier, either the father or brother of Nicholas, care of Mrs Jones & Thomas, 222 Lonsdale St, East, Melbourne, Australia and the stampless envelope was hand-stamped ‘PD’ for ‘Paid’ and it had a routing manuscript ‘Marseille and Overland’, as well as a double ring LUSANNE/ 5/ (?)/ (?)/ SOIR. There was a red unframed reception postmark G.P.O. SHIP LETTER/ FREE/ JY 12/

Read More »

H. P. BROWN, P.M.G.’s DEPT, MELBOURNE: LETTER from ALEC A. ROSENBLUM

The letter was addressed to H.P. Brown Esq., Director-General of Posts and Telegraphs, P.M.G.’s Department, Melbourne, C.2. and it was sent by A.A.Rosenblum, from a P.O. Box, Melbourne. There was a late use of 2d Pictorial stamp of Tasmania, cancelled by a roller postmark of MELBOURNE/ 2 15 PM/ 25 MY/ 1932/ VICTORIA with a slogan ADDRESS MAIL TO / PRIVATE BOX NUMBER/ IT EXPEDITES DELIVERY. The reverse was not

Read More »

TAXED CARTOON POSTCARD from INVERELL, N.S.W. to PEKING, CHINA

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

Read More »

THE MELBOURNE EXHIBITION of 1880 – 1881

The cover was addressed to Syracuse, New York, United States and the blue 6d Laureate stamp of Victoria was canceled with the barred numeral MC/97 (Type 11A which was in use from 20.8.1880 until 30.6.1881) and the cover was also postmarked with an unframed EXHIBITION/ MY 17/ 81/ VICTORIA (Figure 1). The reverse was not seen but was backstamped with Melbourne, a red transit mark of San Francisco and a

Read More »