This is the second series of real photo postcards produced for Walch’s by the Rotary Photo Co., UK. They were produced in 1913. Some are reprints of views from the 1910 series, some are views seen on other series of Walch cards, but a few are entirely new views not seen on any previous Walch card e.g. Tram Terminus, Hobart.
Series Contents: There are 25 cards, not numbered anywhere on the cards. (But numbered in the letter ordering the cards). Cards 1-13 are in Style A which is plain with a narrow white margin. Cards 13-25 are in Style E which has a wider margin and the image impressed.
Style A
1. Fern Tree Bower
2. New Norfolk
3. Port Arthur
4. Cape Raoul
5. Post Office, Hobart
6. Elizabeth Street, Hobart
7. Hobart from the Springs, Mt. Wellington
8. Hobart from Mt. Nelson
9. Long Beach near Hobart
10. Hobart
11. Hobart from Bellerive Bluff
12. Botanical Gardens, Hobart
13. “Greetings from Hobart”
Style E
14. Hobart.
15. Tasmanian sunset.
16. Brown’s River Road.
17. Lindisfarne.
18. Falls Hut.
19. Mt. Wellington.
20. Franklin.
21. Huon River.
22. Cascade Tea Gardens, Hobart.
23. Tram terminus, Hobart.
24. Hobart Reservoir.
25. Russell Falls.
Date printed: The letter from the London agent to Rotary Photo Co ordering the cards was dated 11 July 1913. The proofs were approved on 22/7/13, and the cards invoiced to Walch’s on 10/9/13. Allowing five weeks for shipping to Tasmania they would have reached Hobart in later 1913.
Printing: The cards were produced by a traditional wet photographic process on a high speed photo printing machine.
Number in Series: 25
Identification: The imprint on the back is “J. Walch & Sons Ltd., Hobart. Printed in England.” which is slightly different to the 1910 Series. The card number is not printed anywhere on the cards, in contrast to the 1910 series.
History of the Series
Walch’s London agent, Herbert Bishop, wrote to the Rotary Photo Co. on 11 July 1913, as below:
1000 photographic postcards each of 13 titles (nos. 1-13) as per list herewith. Style A @ 34/0 [34 shillings] per 1000 less 2½%
1000 photographic postcards each of 12 titles (nos. 14-25) as per list herewith – Style E @ 36/0 [36 shillings] per 1000 less 2½%
All cards to bear imprint on address side “J. Walch & Sons Ltd, Hobart Printed in England”
Similar in style to those invoiced July 1910 & February 1911.
List of titles Style A
1. Fern Tree Bower
2. New Norfolk
3. Port Arthur
4. Cape Raoul
5. Post Office, Hobart
6. Elizabeth Street, Hobart
7. Hobart from the Springs, Mt. Wellington
8. Hobart from Mt. Nelson
9. Long Beach near Hobart
10. Hobart
11. Hobart from Bellerive Bluff
12. Botanical Gardens, Hobart
13. “Greetings from Hobart”
Notes:
Nos. 1-6 are Reprints. Post cards only sent for these titles.
Nos. 7-8 New Titles. Photographic post cards now sent you.
Nos. 9-12 New titles. Photos now sent you.
No. 13 Reprint. Post card sent.
List of Titles Style E
14. Hobart.
15. Tasmanian sunset.
16. Brown’s River Road.
17. Lindisfarne.
18. Falls Hut.
19. Mt. Wellington.
20. Franklin.
21. Huon River.
22. Cascade Tea Gardens, Hobart.
23. Tram terminus, Hobart.
24. Hobart Reservoir.
25. Russell Falls.
Notes:
Nos. 14-19 are “reprints”. Postcards only sent for these six titles.
No. 20 New title. Photo postcard sent.
No. 21. New Title Photo sent.
Nos. 22-24. New Titles Photo post cards sent.
No. 25. Photo sent.
The names of views as per list to be printed clearly below the views on the Post Cards.
The address side to be printed as below
Please send 2 sets of the cards to London office to keep by for reference.
The letter is annotated “passed proofs 22/7/13” and “inv’d 10/9/13”.
In the letter above, a layout was given for the back of the cards, with the imprint in two lines. But an annotation on the letter says "In one line not two. Advised Rotary 22/7/13". And indeed, the finished cards have the imprint in one line.
References
Archives Office of Tasmania NS2870/1/1 Copies of invoices and orders to suppliers in England. pp. 714-716.
