About Series : Series G-1906

 This was Walch’s second series of full colour printed postcards. It consisted of reprints of 12 cards from the B.-24,000 series, and 12 new cards.

 
Series Contents: There were 24 cards in the series.  (The numbers are the printers numbers).
 
Cards reprinted from the B.-24,000 series:
Elizabeth Street, Hobart                                  67454
Silver Falls                                        
Franklin Square, Hobart                                  67456
Shot Tower, Brown’s River Road                    67457
Fern Tree Bower, Hobart
Government House, Hobart
Murray and Macquarie Streets, Hobart            67461
Cascades, Hobart                                            67460
Hobart wharves                                                67459
Mt. Wellington, from Huon Road
Cape Raoul
River Derwent, near New Norfolk
 
New cards in this series:
Tasmanian apples                                           67466
Post Office                                                      67467
Hobart Waterworks and Mt. Wellington           67468
Falls Hut, Cascades                                        67469
Salmon Ponds, New Norfolk                           67470
Rocking Stone, Mt. Wellington                        67471
Tasman’s Arch                                                 67472
Waterfall                                                           67473
Eaglehawk Neck                                              67474
Tasmanian Fern Scene                                   67475
New Norfolk Bridge                                          67476
Hobart Harbour                                                67477
 
Date Published: The letter to the printer in Germany ordering the cards was sent on 8 June 1905. The proofs were received in London on 19 July 1905. The cards were shipped to Tasmania from Germany in September, 1905. They were mentioned for sale in Walch’s Literary Intelligencer of December, 1905. The earliest postmark date I have seen in December 19, 1905.
 
Printing: The series was printed by C.G. Röder, Leipzig, Germany, by photolithography. Röder printed the coloured image on the front of the card and the green printers number on the back. Walch’s in Hobart added the front caption and the rest of the printing on the back. The cards were shipped from Germany in sheets and cut up into individual cards in Hobart to avoid duty. There were 3,000 of each of the 24 cards printed.
 
Number in Series: 24
 
Identification: The cards are marked “Series G.-1906” on the back, but this is missing on a few that I have. But they can be placed in this series by the printer’s numbers in the range 67454-67477.
 
History of this Series
 
Walch & Sons in Hobart retained an agent in London by the name of Herbert Bishop. He had arranged the printing of the previous B.-24,000 Series by C.G. Röder, of Leipzig, Germany, and sent this new batch to the same printer.
 
The covering letter from Bishop to C.G. Röder was dated 8 June 1905 [1]:
 
We have been pleased with the specimens of your “Autochrome Substitution Process” and we are inclined to place an order with you for this style, provided that on looking over our originals you think you will be able to produce really good pictures.
 
We should require 3,000 each of 24 different views, using the same 12 views you did for us & 12 new ones.
 
For the colouring of the original 12 there will be no difficulty with as the cards gave great satisfaction. Unfortunately we have not received any coloured originals from Hobart for the 12 new views, but we give you all the hints we can to guide you. Now the question is, can you manage the colouring with the hints given you? If you cannot, we must cable for a set of coloured photos as we are most anxious to have first class pictures. No lettering whatever on cards, and to be delivered flat in sheets as before. To be invoiced as “Tasmanian Coloured Pictures”.
 
We note the price you quote for post cards printed, cut and packed is 19/- per 1000 but seeing that we take delivery without any printing back or front & not cut up you will be able to give us a lower quotation. We presume out 24 views will make a sheet.
 
Your kind attention will much oblige and we shall be glad to hear from you.
 
 
The details of colouring was in a list dated the previous day:
 
We send you the 12 Original Photographs and the 12 Hand Coloured Views from which you supplied us with post cards in sheets by your “Art Photo” style. We also send you  the Original Photographs [for a new batch] but we are not able to send you a set hand coloured.
 
We give you the following instructions for colouring and we have no doubt you will be able to send us coloured proofs that will give us satisfaction.
 
(1) Tasmanian Apples
The apples to be a brighter colour.
(2) (Large public building with rails round) Post Office
This building is entirely of light brown sandstone and the roof is slate. The Flagstaff is to be omitted. The clock is not yet erected, so the face of the clock must be drawn in, if possible.
(3) Hobart Waterworks & Mount Wellington
(4) Hut amongst ferns and trees
The Hut is covered with bark of a dark brown & so are the big trees.
(5) Salmon Ponds New Norfolk
(6) Rocking Stone – Mount Wellington
The rocks are dark brown partly covered with green & yellow “lichen”.
(7) Tasman’s Arch
The water seen through the opening is the blue ocean. Breaking into foam as it nears the rocks. The rocks are sandstone. No sky showing at all.
(8) Waterfall with 4 people at foot
The ferns to be a lighter green than the trees.
(9) Eagle Hawk Neck
The water on the left hand is very shallow. The water on the right is the sea & should be blue.
(10) Tasmanian Bush Scene
For colouring, see the post card you did for us attached.
(11) Bridge New Norfolk
Over a river
(12) Wharf in Harbour
The sea to be a good blue. The range of mountains at back are snow capped.
 
Please note all lettering on our originals to be taken out – that is, we do not want the tiles to appear on any of the cards.
 
As in the 12 post cards supplied last year we want the same space at the foot of each card.
 
But getting the photograph originals from Hobart had not been straightforward for Bishop. The next day, June 9, 1905, he wrote to Walch’s in Hobart [2]:
 
The photographs have come to hand and I should say they were carefully packed between stout boards and yet they arrived much crushed so a considerable weight must have fallen on them on end, doubling up the cards.
 
I thought I had clearly written you to send 2 sets of photos; one set well coloured and one set not coloured and I am sorry you have not done so in order to ensure the printing true to nature as far as possible. Your last coloured originals were not good but they gave the right colours all the same and Röder worked them up, but now he will not have anything to go on beyond the particulars given in writing, I have put the order in hand and written to Röder re the colouring and am anxious to hear what he has to say. Your photos are first class and far better that I can get from my Melbourne friends or Adelaide. I hope I get you very satisfactory work and delivery as soon as possible.
 
 
 
A week later Bishop had apparently had a reply from Röder about the price and he wrote to them again on 14 June 1905:
 
We are obliged for your letter of 10th inst. And we note what you say as regards a reduction in charges for having the cards in sheets & without any letter-press printing on & we are quite agreeable.
 
We send a further note for the colouring of the Post Office View. The “cupola” surmounting the tower is covered with lead. Your kind attention will much oblige.
 
The proofs arrived a month later, as Bishop wrote to Röder on 19 July:
 
We are in receipt of the colored proofs for the 12 cards and we have written our remarks against each card on the accompanying sheets. With a few alterations, we think the cards should be very satisfactory. Your artist will use his own discretion for the improvement of these pictures. Please give special care with the Branch of Apples. They should be brighter in colour & well defined. For this card we return the original photos plain & coloured. The apples should be more “rosy” and stand out better. We return you by “Book Post” this day your 12 proofs and your kind attention will oblige.
 
No. 1   Tasmanian Apples. The apples we think should be more “rosy” – that is a brighter colour. We notice the picture covers the whole card, without the quarter of an inch blank space at foot, or at the side. If you can easily give the space at the side do so. We return you our original coloured photo.
No. 2   Post Office
We notice that this picture also covers the whole card but possibly in this case you will consider it best to leave it as it is. If so, well and good.
No. 3   Mount Wellington
The mountain should be “snow-capped” a little more, and the sky might be less cloudy. Our Australian sky is generally blue and cloudless.
No. 4   Hut Amongst Trees
We think that the ferns are too pale a green.
No. 5   Salmon Ponds
This seems all right.
No. 6   Rocking Stone
You appear to have too much yellow to the left of the sky. This might be bluer.
No. 7   Tasman’s Arch
The blue sea you might be able to improve.
No. 8   Waterfall
Perhaps you can make the waterfall look more natural.
No. 9   Eaglehawk Neck
The sea on the right of the picture might be made to show the foam around the shore more distinctly. In the background there is a forest of trees. Perhaps you could define these better.
No. 10 Bush Scene – Ferns
Do not you think that the ferns should be darker in colour. See the post card of ferns you did for us in November 1903. [I don’t understand which one that could be].
No. 11 Bridge – New Norfolk
Over a river and therefore the water does not want to be too blue. The sky seems to us to have too much yellow in it.
No. 12 Wharf in Harbour
You might be able to improve this picture. The sky seems over coloured. The mountains are “snow capped”.
 
On 21 July 1905, Bishop reported progress back to Hobart:
 
Röders post cards: I have passed the proofs & I consider he has done the colouring well and now … we will hurry up delivery – these foreign printers are full of work & must be coining money. Why is it we have to pass English printers by for foreign – the English ones must buck up.
 
On September 15, 1905 Bishop mentioned in his regular letter:
 
Posted this day: original documents for 2 cases post cards from C.G. Röder shipped per S/S “Ottensen” from Hamburg.
 
The cards would have reached Tasmania after 5 weeks at sea. Walch’s then had to cut them up, print the caption on the front and everything on the back. This must have happened quickly, as Walch’s Literary Intelligencer of December 1905 advertised them for sale at twopence each or the complete set of 24 for 3/-.
 
References
 
[1] Archives Office of Tasmania NS2870/1/1 Copies of invoices and orders to suppliers in England

[2] Archives Office of Tasmania NS2857/1/12 Letters from London