Summary
This is a colour postcard of flower beds in the Exhibition Gardens, circa 1905. The postcard, which was printed in Germany, was sent to Mabel from Lottie Hudson but has no date or postmark.
The Exhibition Building was built for the 1880 Melbourne International Exhibition, which opened to visitors on 1 October 1880. On 9 May 1901, it hosted the opening of the First Commonwealth Parliament of Australia. By the early 20th century, picture postcards of the Exhibition Building were a popular Melbourne souvenir.
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 Australia until 1905.
Physical Description
A colour tinted postcard showing parterre garden beds, trees, a fence and the top of a fountain visible through the trees. This is most likely the Hochgurtel Fountain located to the south of the Exhibition Building. On the reverse of the card there is a handwritten inscription. There is no date, stamp or postmark.
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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Place & Date Made
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Place & Date Depicted
Royal Exhibition Building (REB), Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, circa 1905
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Sender
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Inscriptions
Obverse, text: The Flower Beds, Exhibition Gardens, Carlton. Reverse, text: POST CARD; This Space may be used for Correspondence.; This Space for Address Only.; Printed/ in/ Germany/ 155/81445 Reverse, handwritten: Dear Mabel tell Bay that/ any day he likes to come/ up the Blankets are/ ready for him. Hoping you/ are all well. I remain/ Your Sincere friend/ Lottie Hudson
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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
140 mm (Width), 90 mm (Height)
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Keywords
Civic Mementoes, Correspondence, Exterior Views, Gardens, Postcards, Royal Exhibition Building, Souvenirs
