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I have noticed in recent times that postcards from King Island have been selling for very high prices in auction and on eBay. In fact just the other day a King Island card (see scan 1) sold for an incredible $169 on ebay, to I believe a very keen collector from Launceston. This is to my knowledge a record for a King Island postcard. King Island at the turn of the century had a very small population and was not on the tourist trail so the number of postcards printed would of been very small.

My personal experience during many years of collecting is that postcards of Flinders Island are alot harder to find that King Island cards. I will start a thread on postcards from Flinders Island soon, but I don't have very many!

I have scanned 11 cards (a set of 12 ??) from a set produced by Australian Enamellers (Melbourne ?) for JJ Ball Ltd. King Island. All of the cards are unused. I will add other KI cards soon.
If you have the missing card please scan and add to this thread.

Another set of King Island postcards was produced by Ricketson Bros. of Currie King Island. They are numbered, starting from 10 77501 to my highest number 10 77515. So not sure how many is in the set, perhaps 16, 24?? All my cards are unused except Number 10 77514 which was used in Melbourne 16/6/21.




77501

77502

77503

77505

77506

77507

77510

77513

7514

77515

Four rare real photo postcards of King Island views. No photographers names.



Currie Harbour. Writing on back, no date.



Parers King Island Hotel. PU Launceston 29/1/12, 1d pictorial.



Currie Harbour. PU 2 x 1/2d pictorials, postmark King"s Island 1/7/08



Edward St Currie. Church. unused.

Great cards Mike!

[attachment=0]currie writing.jpg[/attachment]
The writing on this card looks familiar ... which brand of postcard stock was
used to print the photo on?

Not sure if this helps you Ross. Not the most common of postcard stock paper.

Four more King Island Postcards.



I think this is the Radio Station on KI. Any comments ? card is unused. No photographers name.



Ross Series No 14. Not posted but written on back and dated 22/12/50



Ross Series No6 Valentines Real Photo Series. Unused



Another card published by Ricketson Bros, Currie King Island. In colour, No 11 7076.
The other cards were No10 xxxxx . Has anyone seen other cards from this series?

A modern rarity, a drop down type postcard with 11 King Island views and 1 page for the letter. Printed by Pitts (Adelaide, South Australia I think).
Postally used at Currie King Island 11/1/1969. Scans shows front and back pages.

Heres another Ricketson Bros card. This is similar to a card listed by Mike, above, and may be a second printing just more closely cropped.

Pete

Two more KI cards.



A map of KI showing all of the Shipwrecks around the Island.



"New Jetty, East Coast, King Is."

This card has just landed on my desk. Not strictly a postcard ( is postcard size) but what a terriffic item. I have never come across this card before. King Island advertising must be rare ????

[attachment=3]king island small.jpeg[/attachment]
Fascinating item Mike! Can one assume that J.J. Ball was a King Islander?

Chris Long lists two 'Ricketsons' as photographers on King Island 1910/11. He also states
that H.L. Ricketson (and a brother) were publishers of the "King Islander" so perhaps
the card was a completely local production!

Interesting too that the centre top photo can be seen used as printed and real photo
postcards by Ricketson.
[attachment=2]ricketson 1.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=1]ricketson 2.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=0]ricketson 3.jpg[/attachment]

Just to add to the list of card, although some of mine duplicate items posted, I hold the following in the Ross series:

4 Town Hall, Currie, King Island
6 Our 'arbour, Currie, King Island
7 Currie Harbour from North West, King Island
11 Main Street, Currie, King Island
13 Narrcoopa Jetty, King Island
15 Panorama of Township, Currie, King Island

If and when I find them, I will post the ones not seen before.

Interesting to note just how many cards use this one photograph! The steamer closest to the photographer is the ss MANAWATU, which was a regular trader between Melbourne, King Island and the western districts of Victoria in 1907-1910.

Card somewhere on King Island. No known photographer . Rh top corner 9 3 11.

Cheers Kerry

Same as previous card 9 3 11

Cheers Kerry

Much more intersting card. Ship unloading cattle. same as previous cards 9 3 11.

Cheers Kerry

An advertising card for King Island Agents, H.J Holloway & Co of Melbourne. (See similar card for Flinders Island on the Flinders Island thread.)
Posted 8/8/13 - Victoria.

Social History cards do not get much better than this!

"The first motor car on King Island in front of Parer's Hotel Currie" May 1st ?? (no year)
This card is not postally used but has writing on the back. Writing by a Flo Bowling.

There was some discussion a few years ago about King Island postcards. The King Island card below has just come my way and can add a little to the discussion. It is interesting for several reasons. Firstly it was produced for J.J. Ball, who apparently was a shop keeper on King Island, but his cards are rare. Secondly, the card was produced by Australian Enamellers, who are even rarer. Any more information about either would be interesting.

Des,
I have been collecting anything from King Island for some years now and have the J. J. Ball card you show above and two others in this series - images below.
I can add little except to say the '"New Wharf" card is dated 3 Jan 1921 and the message on the back refers to a "Race Ball" in the "big city of Currie".
Do you know the printing method used to produce these cards by any chance?

Pete

ROSS SERIES No.15 - PANORAMA OF TOWNSHIP, CURRIE, KING ISLAND

Real photo card with view of YAMBACOONA HOUSE at YAMBACOONA (Northern King Island)

things have change a little bit in 106 years!

I recently listed this Ricketson Bros. card for auction

Printer's index number is 10 77506 - see Mike's post above