Summary
Black & white postcard of the Exhibition Building showing the dome and southern entrance with a newly laid garden bed in the foreground, circa 1940. The postcard, which is unused, was printed as part of the Rose Series, P10715, by the Rose Stereograph Co., Armadale, Victoria.
By the late 1940s the Exhibition Building had fallen into a state of disrepair and was threatened by demolition. It was portrayed as a 'white elephant' in the press and condemned as a legacy of Victoria's 19th century heyday. Leading public figures suggested that the building was no longer useful and that a new Melbourne Town Hall should be built in its place. However, a steady increase in exhibition frequency and attendance soon revived support for Australia's only large, indoor exhibition space.
Physical Description
A black & white photograph of the southern entrance to the Exhibition Building, showing the dome at the top of the picture and a newly planted garden bed in the foreground. The photograph is surrounded by a thin white border with the title in black below. On the reverse of the card there is space to write a message, an address and to place a stamp. The card is unused.
More Information
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Collection Names
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Collecting Areas
Images & Image Making, Public Life & Institutions, Royal Exhibition Building
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Acquisition Information
Purchase & Subsequent Transfer from Trustees of the Royal Exhibition Building (REB), Sep 1991
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Publisher
Rose Stereograph Company, Armadale, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, circa 1940
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Place & Date Depicted
Royal Exhibition Building (REB), Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, circa 1940
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Inscriptions
Obverse, text: THE ROSE SERIES P. 10705/ COPYRIGHT; DOME AND ENTRANCE, EXHIBITION BUILDING/ MELBOURNE, VIC. Reverse, text: POST CARD; The "Rose" Series/ De Luxe; A Real Photograph/ Produced in/ Australia; Published by the Rose Stereograph Co./ Armadale, Victoria.
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Brand Names
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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
138 mm (Width), 88 mm (Height)
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References
For info re Rose Stereograph Co: Cook, D 'Picture Postcards in Australia 1989-1920', 1985, p148.
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Keywords
Buildings, Civic Mementoes, Exterior Views, Postcards, Royal Exhibition Building, Souvenirs