Postcard - Southern Facade, Exhibition Building, Rose Series, Melbourne, circa 1950s

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Summary:: This is a black & white postcard of the Exhibition Building circa 1950s, showing the southern facade from Rathdowne Street with a view of the garden beds to the south of the building. The postcard, which is unused, was printed as part of the Rose Series P 10713. This series was published by the Rose Stereograph Company, Armadale, Victoria.

By the late 1940s the Exhibition Building had fallen into a state of disrepair and was threatened by demolition. It was portrayed as a 'white elephant' in the press and condemned as a legacy of Victoria's 19th-century heyday. Leading public figures suggested that the building was no longer useful and that a new Melbourne Town Hall should be built in its place. However, a steady increase in exhibition frequency and attendance soon revived support for Australia's only large, indoor exhibition space.
Description:: A black & white photograph depicting a view of the Exhibition Building and gardens from Rathdowne Street. There are slender fence posts and street lamps in the foreground. On the reverse of the card there is an image of a rose as well as space to write a message, an address and to place a stamp. The card is unused.

Discipline:	History
Dimensions:	87 mm (Height), 140 mm (Width)

Tagged with:	civic mementoes, royal exhibition building, souvenirs, gardens, postcards, exterior views, buildings
Themes this item is part of:	Royal Exhibition Building Collection, Public Life & Institutions Collection
Primary Classification:	ROYAL EXHIBITION BUILDING
Secondary Classification:	Revenue
Tertiary Classification:	souvenir postcards
Inscriptions:	Obverse, text: THE ROSE SERIES P.10713/ COPYRIGHT; THE EXHIBITION BUILDING, MELBOURNE, VIC. Reverse, text: POST CARD; The "Rose Series"/ De Luxe; A Real Photograph/ Produced in Australia; Published by the Rose Stereograph Co./ Armadale, Victoria.
Publisher:	Rose Stereograph Company, Armadale, Victoria, Australia, circa 1950
Place & Date Depicted:	Royal Exhibition Building (REB), Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, circa 1950