About Cards

Checklists of Australian Publishers and Artists Postcards

To assist collectors it is intended to progressively add checklists of the titles of postcards of Australian publishers and artists. This will generally be partial listings, and should be regarded as works in progress.  Additions to existing checklists and other checklists are most welcome and should be sent to the WEBMASTER.

Checklist for the NSW Postcards of Geo. Rose and Co.

Articles and Comments on Cards

This articles and comments which appear below have been contributed by members to share their knowledge about aspects of their collecting interests. If you would like to contribute to this cartophilic compendium please contact the WEBMASTER to discuss the best means of providing text and and images for your item.

Douglas Pratt (artist 1900-1972)
St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney

Many of you have no doubt seen the postcards of Douglas Pratt at our postcard fairs when browsing through card boxes in your search for interesting topographicals of early Sydney. His postcards may not appeal to the “purist” collector of … Continue reading

Postcards of Sydney’s South Head
Star Series view of the Harbour entrance and cliffs c1909

There are many picturesque locations around Sydney Harbour and it is perhaps no accident that South Head has received more than its fair share of postcard views over time. The topography lends itself to broad sweeping views of the Harbour … Continue reading

New South Wales Government Tramways : The City and Suburban Lines – Introduction
Pitt St at King St crowded trams en route to Railway. c1910

The New South Wales Government Tramways (NSWGT) operated from 1879 to 1961 and was one of the largest passenger transport undertakings in the English speaking world. This system of Sydney street railway lines grew during a 50 year expansion phase … Continue reading

Carlton Studios Darlinghurst
No 292 Sydney Harbour Bridge nearing completion c1932

One of the more prolific Sydney photographic studios in the interwar years was Carlton Studios of Darlinghurst. At least 6,000 images of Sydney and suburbs appear on Carlton cards. A small selection of images follows. Carlton recorded events as well … Continue reading

Tinted Sydney 1905-1914
Little Coogee (now Clovelly)

A variety of subjects and locations have been chosen to illustrate this article. Most of these tints from the pre WW1 era are highly saturated. Tinted photo postcard views of Sydney provide a window upon the past in a manner … Continue reading

Tourist Sydney 1912

Tourism is now a major industry in Australia and it may seem hard to imagine that it, in one form or another, has been with us for well over a century. During the early years of last century the NSW … Continue reading

Central Railway Station
Rooftop view from southern edge of city c1929. Carlton series.

Central Railway Station with its slender clock tower has long been an iconic building in Sydney. The station dates back to the Edwardian era when railway investment by the State Government was substantial and around 20 % of the entire … Continue reading

Sydney Ferries

The following images show some of the vessels used on Sydney Harbour since 1900. Many of the images are colour tinted as was the practice in Edwardian days. In common with the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House the … Continue reading

Gilbert and Sullivan Parkslee Photographic Postcards

I have been collecting Gilbert and Sullivan memorabilia since I joined the Sydney Gilbert and Sullivan Society in March 1969. The collection embraces an extensive range of media including books, scores, libretti, journals, periodicals , cds, videos and ephemera and … Continue reading

Greetings from Sydney!

Greeting cards have been in use for many generations. Early twentieth Century Greeting Cards were usually posted from, and often depicted, favourite tourist locations. There are however some examples of non-tourist locations in the views selected for this article. During … Continue reading

Bondi Junction

The following images illustrate Bondi Junction – long the key retail and commercial centre in Sydney’s East. The name derives from the fact that the centre was a tramway junction for just on 76 years from 1884 to 1960. Initially … Continue reading

Transport Impacts of the American Fleet Visit 1908

The arrival of the US Great White Fleet in Sydney during August 1908 prompted massive passenger loadings on all transport services in the City. Rail, ferry and tram services were stretched to the limit carrying sightseers on the arrival day … Continue reading