This was Walch’s 8th series of coloured postcards printed by C.G. Röder of Leipzig, Germany. The earlier series were:
1905 B-24000
1905 Series G-1906
1906 Series G
1907 Series 119,000
1907 Series 120,000
1908 Tasman Series 1908
1909 Tasman Series 1909
There are several unusual features of this 8th series when compared with earlier cards printed by C.G. Röder. There are only 12 cards in the series, but in the previous series the number of cards had increased from 12 in 1904 up to 36 in 1909. The number ordered this time was 5,000 of each card, but it had been 2,000 or 3,000 previously. Possibly the printer offered a special price for quantities of 5,000 and Walch’s opted for the larger number printed of a lesser number of views. Another difference from earlier series is that Walch’s imprint did not appear anywhere on the cards. The agent’s diagram of the back layout (see below) was very clear and did not include either the “Tasman Series” imprint or the J. Walch & Sons name; why we do not know.
Series Content
There were only 12 cards in the series, all of which had appeared in previous series. Original photos were provided and new printing plates made up. The cards, with the numbers assigned by the printer, are:
207455 Browns River Beach.
207456 Hobart from Bellerive.
207457 Browns River Road.
207458 Hobart from the Harbour.
207459 Port Arthur.
207460 Cape Raoul.
207461 The Post Office, Hobart.
207462 The Shot Tower, Kingston Road.
207463 Mt Wellington from Huon Road.
207464 Fern Tree Bower.
207465 Sandy Bay from Battery Point.
207466 Hobart from the Crescent.
Date Published: The order was placed with the printer on 18 October, 1909, so allowing two months for shipping, the cards probably went on sale in Hobart in early 1910.
Printing: The series was printed by C.G. Roder in Leipzig, Germany, using their “Auto Novo” photolithography process. The back layout was provided in the letter ordering the cards (see below). There were 5,000 of each card ordered.
Number in Series: 12
Identification: There is no mention of J. Walch & Sons anywhere on the cards. Identification relies on the printers numbers, in the range 207455 – 207466.
History of the Series
Herbert Bishop, who was Walch’s London agent, wrote to the printer C.G. Röder on 18 October, 1909 and placed the order: [1]
3000 Auto Novo Ungrained Coloured Post Cards each of the following 12 subjects
=60,000 @ 10s 9d per 1000.
1. Browns River Beach.
2. Hobart from Bellerive.
3. Browns River Road.
4. Hobart from the Harbour.
5. Port Arthur.
6. Cape Raoul.
7. The Post Office, Hobart.
8. The Shot Tower, Kingston Road.
9. Mt Wellington from Huon Road.
10. Fern Tree Bower.
11. Sandy Bay from Battery Point.
12. Hobart from the Crescent.
We are posting you today the 12 Original Photographs of the above. Also 12 coloured Post Cards (printed for us in your “Röders Own” process – 20 January 09) to aid you in the Colouring.
Chocolate colour ink preferred.
Please cut up the sheets of post cards and trim as usual. Band the cards in packets of 50 (of one card.)
Please let us have delivery as soon as possible. & when ready packed, please forward cases marked JW Hobart to the order of Mr Eugen Roüdenberg, Shipping Agent, Hamburg for shipment per steamer to Hobart.
Please post 6 complete sets when ready direct to J. Walch & Sons, Hobart, Tasmania & also 2 sets to London Office.
I have no correspondence about approval of proofs or dispatch of the printed cards, so assume they were printed and shipped successfully. They would have arrived in Hobart in early 1910.
References
[1] Archives Office of Tasmania NS2870/1/1 Copies of invoices and orders to suppliers in England. pp. 549-550