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My wife and I have just been cleaning out her mothers home as she has gone into a nursing home and have come across a small cache of personal postcards among a large shoebox of mixed photographs. They date from 1909 to late 1940's. Studios such as
Southey's Studio 106 Elizabeth St. Hobart (This is a good one of WW1 soldier,my wifes great great uncle)
Vandyck Studios Launceston
G.T. Taylor Ulverstone
Arslonga (most unfortunate moniker) Studios Devonport
Bert Robinson Studio Devonport
The B.A.P. Co
M.F. Nicholls Burnie
W.A. Skinner Ulverstone
Plus the usual Spurling, Rose series and Ash Bester.

At this stage I will be able to put a name to all the subjects/people, and some are already named. My question is apart from the personal interest because of family connections is there any interest in these postcards in the wider community.

If anyone can let me know it would be appreciated. And for those that attend meetings I have just had to change my subject matter for the February presentation. We have back up photos back to 1870. Will be in touch with you Pete to discuss this.

Regards to all JC

Hi John,

It sounds like an interesting 'find' - I am certainly interested in portraits .... when on a postcard, I collect them. I started to collect as a result of finding them interesting but somewhat hard to sell (excluding military and sporting portrait) ...now I'm hooked and later this year I will be displaying some of my collection for the Devonport Stamp Club!

You list work by some very interesting photographers ...especially Melmer F. Nichols who had a most interesting life. The unfortunately named ARSLONGA Studio was operated by Elizabeth Finlayson who is referred to by Chris Long as a photographer whose work was "done with more than average taste and style."

Perhaps you can post a few examples of postcard types below or regular photos in the subforum 'Tasmania - Photographs' at http://tps.org.au/bb/viewforum.php?f=31

cheers ... Ross

Thanks for the reply Ross it is appreciated.

Identification on these type of postcards is crucial and I am lucky it has been done on most. Will post some images later but will show them to members at the Feb meeting as part of the "Tasmanian double bill" with Pete. Will also have a new Waratah Photographer and Postcard producer as part of that.

Agree you can get hooked on this type of postcard and dredging through the archives/photos/postcards I have found out that my wife's great great uncle was involved in the skirmish in the Boer War that led to the first VCs being awarded to colonial borne Australians. The family was unaware of that fact. Thank goodness for philately. It was Gaels great great uncle (Corp. Edward (Ned) Brown) that Lieutenant Wylly gave his horse to so he could escape. Ned had been shot and so had his horse. Ned's brother Geoffrey was captured by the Boers and died of his wounds, and Trooper Bisdee was also awarded a VC for his actions in the same conflict. Wylly had to make good his own escape as best he could.

More to come watch this space.