REAL PHOTO CARDS SOLD ON ONLINE AUCTIONS + PRICES REALISED

[Ross Ewington]

The prices being realised on various online auction sites for real photo postcards with Tasmanian views appears to be quite
buoyant at present with some spectacular results being obtained for unusual and scarce items.

I have commenced this topic not for the purpose of proclaiming "you paid too much" or "wow that's a lot" but to create a record
of cards which are selling (with considerable competition) for amounts much higher than for your "run of the mill" RP items and to
try and work out the reason why.

For example, this card with a 1920s view of the Coronation Hotel at Scottsdale was sold recently on eBay for AU$48 (I put in a paltry
bid of $18.50!)

[attachment=0]coronation hotel ppc.jpg[/attachment]

The card (published by W.E. Rose and numbered "7") was described: "Coronation Hotel, Scottsdale, Tasmania. Circa 1923. Very good condition. Real photo. Unused"

I am uncertain why the seller dated the card as being from c.1923 (seems a little too precise for an approximation!!) but I would think it's definitely from the 1920s.

Why AU$48 ?? .... my thoughts: 1) is this card by Rose Stereograph Co, from Victoria or is it a different "Rose"??? ...if the latter it would be very rare; 2) I haven't
seen this card before which is not an infallible test of rarity but I have now viewed many 1000's of Tasmanian cards and so I am getting to be a little more confident
in using this subjective criterion and 3) hotels are popular topics, especially country pubs. The dog waiting outside the door of the bar for it's master may have been a
compelling reason to bid high as well!

Any other ideas?? ... it's a nice card.

[Mike]

A few points,

This card was published by W.E Rose who was a local Scottsdale bookseller, stationer and publisher. (See Tasmanian Post Office Directory 1928 page 385).

I do not know what is printed the back of this the card, but The Rose Stereographe company cards were published by George Rose.

I have not seen this card before, nor have I seen any cards from W.E Rose. So I would consider them a rare local publication. Real Photo cards of Hotels always bring good prices, not just Tasmanian cards. I do not know if the buyer(from Launceston) realised that the card was from a rare local publisher. I doubt if this made any difference to the final price. I think it would of obtained this price if it was a George Rose card.

This is card No7, so at least another 6 cards out there somewhere. Perhaps a set of 8 or 12?

The dog adds a bit of life to the card. Perhaps $47 worth!!

I have scanned a card which I have, c1950 now called Lords Hotel, published by Murray Views. Card No 1. My card does not have much life either, just half a car on the right!.
Just to note a F.W.Niven card c1910 has the name of the Hotel as Lord's Hotel also.

It seems to me that the market for good Tasmanian cards is being driven by a handful of very keen establised collectors. I hope the high prices does not scare off new collectors. I expect prices to go upwards. Remember the prices those Niven cards obtained in the LPS auction early this year. The other thing, once these collectors have those rare cards I would expect prices to drop off as the competition will not be so intense.

[Mike]

A King Island postcard similar to this scan has just sold today 26/7/10, for a spectacular $169.36 on eBay !!!

[Ross Ewington]

This card with view "Snug River, Tasmania' (attributed to C. Southey) was sold by
Tasmanian Stamp Auctions in their 19.2.2011 online auction for $370 + 10% GST

Could this be a record price for a Tasmanian scenic real photo card?

q204.jpg (111.47 KiB) Viewed 1408 times

[Mike]

WOW !!! Unbelievable, and I thought I knew values of Tasmanian postcards !!. Is there a RRRR postmark on the back?

I have just checked to see if I had a copy of this card. Alas I do not have a copy. I guess next time one comes on the market it might fetch $10 if you are luckey.