Summary
This is a colour postcard of the Exhibition Building, showing the south west facade with garden beds and lawn in the foreground, circa 1906. The postcard, printed as part of the VSM Series by the Victoria Stamp Market, Melbourne, features pictures of Victorian postage stamps surrounding the image of the Exhibition Building. The card was sent as a Christmas greeting to Mr Will Webb of Cunningate, New South Wales.
Postcards featuring pictures of postage stamps were very popular in Australia in the early 20th century. The leading publisher of these cards was the German firm of Ottmar Zieher, but later they were produced by the Victoria Stamp Market and the Oceanic Stamp and Post Card Co. This card is likely to have been produced circa 1906 because the division of the reverse of the postcard, allowing a message to be written on one half and the address on the other, was not permitted in Britain until 1902 and Australia until 1905.
Physical Description
A black & white photograph of the south west facade of the Exhibition Building surrounded by colour images of Victorian postage stamps. There is a white border at the bottom of the card that contains a handwritten inscription in black ink. On the reverse of the card there is a handwritten address in black and space for a message. There is a Victorian one penny postage stamp in the top right hand corner.
More Information
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Collection Names
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Transfer from Trustees of the Royal Exhibition Building (REB), Sep 1991
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Publisher
Victoria Stamp Market, Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, circa 1906
The division of the reverse of the postcard, allowing a message to be written on one half and the address on the other, was not permitted in Britain until 1902 and Australia until 1905. -
Place & Date Depicted
Royal Exhibition Building (REB), Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, circa 1906
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Addressed To
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Inscriptions
Obverse, text: Exhibition Buildings, Melbourne Obverse, handwritten: Dear Will I wish you a Happy Xmas. Alice Reverse, text: POST CARD; For postage in the United Kingdom only/ This Space may be used for Correspondence; (For Address Only).; V.S.M. Series Reverse, handwritten: Mr W. Webb/ P.O./ Cunningham/ Cunningate/ N.S.W. Reverse, postmarked: MELBOURNE/ DEC 2/ 4 0(?)/ 190 (?) [date illegible]
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Overall Dimensions
139 mm (Width), 88 mm (Height)
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References
Cook, David. Picture Postcards in Australia 1898-1920. Lilydale, VIC: Pioneer Design Studio, 1986, p.91.
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Keywords
Buildings, Christmas Cards, Civic Mementoes, Correspondence, Exterior Views, Postcards, Royal Exhibition Building, Souvenirs, Stamps