The printer publisher A.D. Willis was a pioneer of colour printing in NZ. The Christmas cards printed in the 1880s were, as he said, to
“supply the special want long felt by residents of the Colony who may wish to send their friends on the other side of the world pictorial illustrations which .... convey an adequate idea and a tasteful realisation of the land we live in.”
In William Potts, A.D. Willis employed a highly skilled lithographer to help fulfil his ambitions. During 1882, Willis had brought out a set of floral Christmas cards hand-painted by “a Wanganui Lady” (probably Lydia Harding). In early 1883, he followed this by producing another line of cards, hand-painted by a number of local artists. He also used designs by Margaret Olrog Stoddart, then a high-profile graduating student at the Canterbury College School of Art.
Reference:
The cards generally came in two sizes:
Larger: 5 5/8 x 4 1/8 inches (14.3 x 10.6 cm) approximately.
Smaller: 4 3/16 x 2 13/16 inches (10.6 x 7.1 cm approximately.
New Zealand Chromolithographic Christmas cards
DESCRIPTION
A D Willis Publisher
Issued: 1883 - 1886
CARD SIZE:
Larger: 5 5/8 x 4 1/8 inches (14.3 x 10.6 cm) approximately.
Smaller: 4 3/16 x 2 13/16 inches (10.6 x 7.1 cm) approximately.
Frame size: 12 x 10 1/2 inches (30 x 27 cm) approximately.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
CONDITION: Very good.
THE POSTCARD PHOTOS: Brightness and colouring are dependent on the camera as well as the settings of the device used to see these cards.
SHIPPING: Price includes shipping.
(1883) Christmas card titles :
Select any image to access a larger images and card backs.
- (The following five cards from the 1883 issue are available for sale)
- 1) Pohutakawa
- 2) Mount Egmont
- 3) Lake Rotorua (small card)
- 4) Karaka (framed)
- 5) Rangitoto Island (framed)
- Houhi;
- Karaka; (card 4)
- Karamu;
- Mock Orange;
- Ponga Fern Kareao;
- Poroporo;
- Tawa;
- Titoki;
- Tutu: Nikau Palm;
- Black Mairie;
- Lake Manapouri;
- Lake Rotorua; (card 3)
- Mitre Peak;
- Mount Egmont; (card 2)
- Pohutukawa; (card 1)
- 5Rangitoto Island;
- Ruapehu;
- Whero-whero;
Full list of Christmas card titles published in 1883.
(Reference: Peter Giderdale)
(1884) Christmas card titles :
Select any image to access a larger images and card backs.
- (The following two cards from the 1884 issue are available for sale)
- 6) Mt Cook, N.Z.
- 7) Lake Mavora (Otago)
- On the Dart River (Otago);
- Mount Campbell;
- The Kaikouras (Marlborough);
- Entering Milford Sound;
- In Milford Sound;
- Paikakariki (Wellington);
- Waitangi Falls (Bay of Islands);
- Waitakere Falls (North of Auckland);
- Lake Taupo;
- Lake Mavora (Otago); (card 7)
- Among the Ranges, Queenstown (Otago);
- Wellington Heads;
- Lyttleton Harbour;
- Timaru Breakwater;
- Port Chalmers and Otago Heads;
- Ocean Beach, Dunedin;
- Breaksea Sound;
- Otira Gorge;
- Tararu Creek;
- Bowen Falls, Milford Sound;
- Entrance to Dusky Sound;
- Mt Cook, N.Z., A Merry Christmas; (card 6)
- On the Dart River (Otago);
- Mount Campbell;
- The Kaikouras (Marlborough);
- Entering Milford Sound;
- In Milford Sound;
- Paikakariki (Wellington);
- Waitangi Falls (Bay of Islands);
- Waitakere Falls (North of Auckland);
- Lake Taupo;
- Lake Mavora (Otago); Card (7)
- Among the Ranges, Queenstown (Otago);
- Wellington Heads;
- Lyttleton Harbour;
- Timaru Breakwater;
- Port Chalmers and Otago Heads;
- Ocean Beach, Dunedin;
- Breaksea Sound;
- Otira Gorge;
- Tararu Creek;
- Bowen Falls, Milford Sound;
- Entrance to Dusky Sound;
- Mt Cook, N.Z., A Merry Christmas; Card (8)
Full list of Christmas card titles published in 1884.
(Reference: Peter Giderdale)
Full list of Christmas card titles published in 1884.
(Reference: Peter Giderdale)
Larger Card (6)
Mount Cook, N.Z., A Merry Christmas
| $200.00 USD |
Larger Card (7)
Lake Mavora (Otago)
| $200.00 USD |
- On the Dart River (Otago);
- Mount Campbell;
- The Kaikouras (Marlborough);
- Entering Milford Sound;
- In Milford Sound;
- Paikakariki (Wellington);
- Waitangi Falls (Bay of Islands);
- Waitakere Falls (North of Auckland);
- Lake Taupo;
- Lake Mavora (Otago); (card 7)
- Among the Ranges, Queenstown (Otago);
- Wellington Heads;
- Lyttleton Harbour;
- Timaru Breakwater;
- Port Chalmers and Otago Heads;
- Ocean Beach, Dunedin;
- Breaksea Sound;
- Otira Gorge;
- Tararu Creek;
- Bowen Falls, Milford Sound;
- Entrance to Dusky Sound;
- Mt Cook, N.Z., A Merry Christmas; (card 6)
Full list of Christmas card titles published in 1884.
(Reference: Peter Giderdale)
(1885) Christmas card titles :
Select any image to access a larger images and card backs.
- (This card is from the 1885 issue and is available for sale)
- 8) Tii (Cabbage) Tree, N.Z.
Larger Card (8)
Tii (Cabbage) Tree, N.Z.
| $200.00 USD |
- Nikau Palm;
- Lake Wakatipu;
- Tii, Cabbage Tree; Card (8)
- Picton;
- Pitau Fern;
- Rangitata Gorge;
- Lake Mavora;
- NZ Flowers (Manapouri);
- Pink Terrace, Lake Rotomahana;
- View of Wanganui;
- Floral Design;
- New Plymouth Breakwater;
- NZ Flowers;
- Stewart’s Island;
- NZ Berries;
- Lake Kanieri, West Coast;
- Docharty’s Bay, Dusky Sound;
- Lyttleton Heads;
- White Terrace, Lake Rotomahana;
Full list of Christmas card titles published in 1885.
(Reference: Peter Giderdale)
(1886) Christmas card titles :
Select any image to access a larger images and card backs.
- (The following four cards from the 1886 issue are available for sale)
- 9) Akaroa Harbrour, NZ
- 10) Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu, NZ
- 11) Kiwi & view of Lake Wakatipu, NZ
- 12) Grahamstown Goldfields, Thames, NZ
- Lake Wanaka;
- Akaroa Harbour; (card 9)
- Rotokakahi (Taupo);
- Manawatu Gorge;
- Napier;
- Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu, N.Z.; (card 10)
- North Shore (Auckland);
- Te Aroha;
- Mount Arthur (Nelson);
- Waitukere, Lower Falls (Auckland);
- Coromandel;
- Grahamstown Gold-field, Thames, NZ; (card 12)
- Kiwi & view of Lake Wakatipu, NZ; (card 11)
Full list of Christmas card titles published in 1886.
(Reference: Peter Giderdale)
