1930 Christmas card with velvet kangaroo - Amy Johnson

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1930

Overview

Christmas card produced in 1930 made from cream coloured, textured card with gold upper case writing. The front cover reads 'Xmas 1930', while on the inside left are the words 'Australia's greetings come to you with Amy's little kangaroo'.
On the inside right is a flat piece of grey velvet in the shape of a kangaroo, facing to the right. Details such as the eye and claws have been drawn or painted in to provide definition.
Inside the card is a piece of paper with a typewritten message explaining the significance of the kangaroo. Pioneer aviatrix, Amy Johnson, was presented with a photo of a baby kangaroo upon her departure from Australia in July 1930.

Historical information

Whilst in Australia in June 1930 after her flight from England, Amy Johnson visited Wanganella Station in Deniliquin where she was taken on a kangaroo hunt . A baby kangaroo fell out of its mother's pouch during the hunt and was presented to Amy as a mascot. She took it on the plane with her when she returned to Melbourne. There was talk of her putting it on the ship, SS Naldera, on which she returned to Egypt, before flying back to England, but there is no evidence that she did so. The paper insert for the card indicates that she was given a photo of the kangaroo to return home with.

A brief biography of Amy Johnson is attached as a supplementary file.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-119-RoW00681

Item type

Themes

Material

Width

89 mm

Height or length

115 mm

Inscriptions and markings

On front of card:

"XMAS
1930"

On inside left:

"AUSTRALIA'S GREETINGS COME TO YOU
WITH AMY'S LITTLE KANGAROO"

On typewritten slip of paper:

"THIS IS AN EXACT REPRODUCTION IN VELVET,
OF THE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE BABY KANGAROO
WHICH WAS PRESENTED TO MISS AMY JOHNSON
ON HER DEPARTURE FROM AUSTRALIA"

Keywords

Place made

Australia

Year

1930