Postcard - Southern Facade, Exhibition Building, Valentine's Series, Melbourne, circa 1909

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Summary:: This is a colour postcard of the Exhibition Building showing the southern facade with the lake in the foreground, circa 1909. The postcard was printed in Great Britain as part of the Valentine's Series made by Valentine & Sons. The card was sent from Edith Hammett to Miss Nicol, a dressmaker for Love & Lewis, Richmond, and is postmarked 17 March 1909.

The Exhibition Building was built for the 1880 Melbourne International Exhibition, which opened to visitors on 1 October 1880. On 9 May 1901, it hosted the opening of the First Commonwealth Parliament of Australia. By the early 20th century, picture postcards of the Exhibition Building were a popular Melbourne souvenir.
Description:: A colour tinted photograph of the southern facade of the Exhibition Building showing the lake in the foreground. The photograph is surrounded by a white border and has the title beneath it. The sky is tinted blue and yellow. On the reverse of the card there is a handwritten inscription and address in black ink. The message is dated 17 March 1909.
Acquisition Information:: Transfer from Trustees of the Royal Exhibition Building (REB), 1991

Discipline:	History
Dimensions:	90 mm (Height), 138 mm (Width)

Tagged with:	correspondence, dressmaking, exterior views, royal exhibition building, souvenirs, civic mementoes, buildings, postcards
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: EXHIBITION BUILDINGS. MELBOURNE Reverse, text: POST CARD; PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN; This space may be used for communication; The Address only to be written/ here; VALENTINE'S SERIES. Reverse, handwritten: 17/3/09/ Miss Nicol/ Dear Madam,/ Mother thinks/ that it would be/ better to have either/ a lighter or darker (trimming)/ grey than the material/ on my coat instead of/ green./ Yrs sincerely Edith Hammett; Miss Nicol/ Dressmaker/ Love & Lewis/ Church St/ Richmond.
Publisher:	Valentine & Sons Publishing Co. Ltd., Glasgow, Scotland, Great Britain, by 1909
Place & Date Depicted:	Royal Exhibition Building (REB), Victoria, Australia, by 1909
Organisation Named:	Love & Lewis, Richmond, Victoria, Australia
Place & Date Used:	Australia, 1909
References:	See Cook, David. 'Picture Postcards in Australia 1898-1920'. pp153- 154 for info re Valentine & Sons.