[Editor: This postcard, which incorporates a poem, as well as an illustration of some kookaburras, along with some embedded wattle blossoms in an outline of a heart, is estimated to have been published in the early 20th Century. The postcard is undated.]
Best Wishes
[Front of postcard]
Best Wishes
May this wattle’s fragrance sweet,
Secure your happiness complete,
From bright to brighter days in store,
With memories of the days of yore.
[Description: An illustration of some kookaburras, along with some embedded wattle blossoms in an outline of a heart, as well as some flowers, and a ship; a horseshoe, with the words “Best wishes” and two hands clasped in a handshake, appears in the top left area.]
[Reverse of postcard]
Post Card
Atlas Press
Marlborough Series
— Printed in Australia —
[Handwritten text, in italics]
Dear Hasel,
Just a card wishing you a merry Xmas and a happy New year.
I will not be down for Xmas, as we can not get anyone for the harvest.
I am doing a man’s work at present.
Charley
Source:
Original document
Editor’s notes:
Dimensions (approximate): 140 mm. (width), 89 mm. (height).
It is estimated that this postcard was published in the early 20th Century A similar postcard (part of the same series), which is dated 10 December 1917, can be seen via the following link:
Best Wishes [postcard, 10 December 1917 (during the First World War)]
The golden blossoms of the wattle tree, which are embedded in the postcard, have turned brown with age; this is not surprising, considering that the postcard is over 100 years old.
The subject matter and text on the front of this postcard was printed on a bit of a slant; therefore, the reproduction of the postcard has been presented so that the subject matter and text are correctly aligned (which means that the postcard itself is not correctly aligned).
Whilst “Hasel” is a recognised female name, it is an unusual spelling; considering that the writer of this postcard incorrectly spelt “merry Xmas” as “mary Xmas”, it is possible that the spelling of the name of this postcard’s intended recipient is actually “Hazel”.
Hasel = an alternate spelling of the female name “Hazel”
See: “Hazel (given name)”, Wikipedia (“Variations include Hazell, Hazelle, Hasel and Heizle”)
Xmas = an abbreviation of “Christmas”
[Editor: For ease of reading, the original text has been separated into paragraphs, and punctuation has been inserted as deemed appropriate.]
[Editor: Changed “mary Xmas” to “merry Xmas”.]
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