Public Auction #187 - General Public Auction

Gorgeous bundle of 1930s to 1950s airline advertising cards of the world featuring route maps, mostly geographical but some stylised and artistic types included, mostly unused & generally very fine. A very interesting lot that demonstrates the development of aerial services, especially internationally.

Album of Donald McGill humour cards including a good range of his scarce early Christmas types x29, also flirting/saucy subjects, children, soldiers etc, condition variable, mostly used. Some noted as being Ex Robert Scott (the leading UK collector of McGill cards).or Ronnie Barker (the source for some of his material?).

Peace at Last collection of misogynistic cards (and a few anti-men) featuring methods of stopping one's spouse from whispering sweet nothings including gags, muzzles, locks, severing or nailing of tongues etc, mostly British but some French & Dutch noted, mostly good to very fine unused or used. Charming!

Anti-Fascist propaganda "Mussolini is Always Right" cards poking fun at Il Duce using his own slogans, 'CARTOLINA POSTALE' on the reverse to make them appear to be of Italian origin, a little aged, unused. Rare: examples have been offered on the internet for $US150+ each.

World War I collection with armaments & tanks, awards ("Put me down you fool. You'll get the VC & I'm getting all the bullets in me pants!"), soldiers' routines, drills & recreation, etc.

This & the next 6 lots comprise the most extensive collection of military humour cards we have seen. Content ranges from dry to hilarious, from banal to ironic, and from poignant to saucy, with numerous scarce/rare & desirable...

Recruitment, white feathers & conscientious objectors x60 + two posted "Notice of Hearing" lettersheets; and anti-German or anti-Turkish subjects x56 plus "Punch War Cartoons" envelope (faults but still attractive).

Women in Wartime including working in factories & as a postie, shaming men, "comforting" the boys, etc, many highly sexist and definitely not politically correct.

Propaganda cards including Allies, life in the trenches, air raids & searchloghts, poking fun at the Scots, finally Victory/Peace.

with numerous Roos including Third Wmk 6d blue FU x50+, 5/- mint, SMult 9d with Thin Neck & 2/- with '$' for 'S' , CofA 5/- mint etc, KGV including œd Single-Line Perf (small fault & a bit soiled) & 4d blue Horned Emu (mint), later varieties including '2œd' on 2d Medallion Flaw & 1/- Lyrebird with Roller Flaw (very scarce used) etc, also mint range of 1930s Plate Number blocks & 1940s imprint blocks to 10/- Arms etc....

with KGV Single Wmk 3d & 4d olive; SMult Wmk Perf 14 3d & 4œd (**), Engraved Kooka (used), Macarthur set (**), Hermes Perf 11 1/6d, ANZAC 1/-, 3d Die I "White Wattles", Robes Thin Paper 10/- & £1, Arms set, 5/- Cattle on White Paper (**), Navigators set; also Officials optd 'OS' 1/- Lyrebird, mixed condition.

on Scott leaves with Kangaroos First Wmk to 1/- plus mint 3d, Second Wmk to 1/-, Third Wmk £1 brown & blue plus mint 3d 6d blue & 1/-, SMult Wmk £2, CofA Wmk £1, 6d Engraved *, KGV Heads largely complete, Vic Centenary both perfs, Jubilee (*), KGVI 3d Dies & White Wattles (all mint), 'OS' Overprints complete all but the SMult 6d mint, etc, generally good to fine.