[Editor: This postcard, which incorporates a painting, by James Alfred Turner (1850-1908), of three men facing a bushfire, is postmarked 16 November 1911.]
[Front of postcard]
The Enemy
J. A. Turner
Bush fire
[Description: A painting, by James Alfred Turner (1850-1908), of three men facing a bushfire.]
[Reverse of postcard]
[Handwritten text, in italics]
per English mail
Wishing Auntie a happy Xmas
from David, Moslyn & Rees
[Addressed to:]
Mrs J. W. Morgan
Xanthus House
Aberdovey
North Wales
United Kingdom
[No obvious identifying information about the manufacturer was included on the postcard.]
Source:
Original document
Editor’s notes:
Dimensions (approximate): 137 mm. (width), 87 mm. (height).
Although no obvious identifying information about the manufacturer was included on the postcard, there is a logo situated at the top-middle of the reverse side of the postcard. The design appears to be a diamond, with the text “& Co.” placed inside it. In the absence of any other information, it is hypothesized that the postcard may have been published by “R. A. Diamond & Co.”, booksellers and stationers, of Maryborough (Queensland); however, it should be noted that this hypothesis is purely speculative.
See: “R. A. Diamond & Co.” (advertisment), Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser (Maryborough, Qld.), 2 August 1909, p. 3 (column 3)
Even though this postcard was sent after the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia (1901), it has a Queensland postage stamp; nationwide postage stamps were not produced until 1913, with the introduction of the “Kangaroo and Map” stamps.
Regarding the address to which this postcard was sent, some photographs of Xanthus House, in Aberdyfi (also spelt “Aberdovey”), Wales, can be seen at:
“Portfolio: Xanthus”, Dyfi Renovations (Aberdyfi, Wales) [says that Xanthus House was built in the 1800s by Captain Morgan]
See also: “Aberdyfi”, Wikipedia
The “J” in the signature “J. A. Turner” (in the bottom-left of the postcard) is partially obscured due to some minor damage of the card.
J. A. Turner = James Alfred Turner (1850-1908), artist; he was born in Bradford (Yorkshire, England) in 1850, came to Australia in 1873, and died in Canterbury (Vic.) in 1908
See: 1) Shirley C. Jones, “Turner, James Alfred (1850–1908)”, Australian Dictionary of Biography
2) Shirley Jones, A Quiet Painter: James Alfred Turner, Kilsyth (Vic.): Shirley Jones, 2009, p. 4
3) “James Alfred Turner”, Wikipedia
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