J.C. Wilson RSS Feed

Royal Canadian Regiment Soldier's Mail

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2024-12-16T16:25:26-05:00

I’ve finally gotten around to another update on this site, this time with a J.C. Wilson Soldiers of the Queen WLS-E09 Type I E-4 cover with Song Back 14 “Pass the Hat for your Credit’s Sake, and Pay—Pay—Pay”. The cover was postally used from the British Army South Africa Field Post Office on July 17, 1900, with an FPO cancellation, to Ontario, Canada. The cover has the notation “No stamps, on active service”. The cover also bears the Canadian Contingent oval hand stamp dated July 21, 1900 in South Africa.

J.C. Wilson 1882 business cover

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2023-08-26T13:25:06-04:00

It's been a couple of years since I last updated this site, which has now been around for 16 years. After 38 years of running a business as my day job, I've just recently become "semi-retired", meaning that I should finally have some more time to devote to updating this website.

Here's the first update, with hopefully more to come. This 1882 J.C. Wilson & Co. cover was used from Montreal on August 8, 1882 to Collingwood Ontario, with a Collingwood August 9 1882 cancel on the reverse.

Boer War to Belgium

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2021-08-22T13:25:13-04:00

This cover was mailed from the Boer War to Belgium on July 5, 1900. It appears to have been from the same prolific writer who mailed several other J.C. Wilson covers from O’Okiep, CGH during the war.

J.C. Wilson ad on postcard

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2020-10-11T15:13:38-04:00

This copy of a WLS-P06 Type I Anglo-Saxon design postcard has an ad by J.C. Wilson for their four postcard designs available (at that time) for purchase. The card, not postally used, would presumably have been used as a mailing to stationers to promote their cards to resellers.

1878 Postal Stationery card

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2020-08-30T13:38:00-04:00

An 1878 example of a J.C. Wilson postal stationery card has been added.

Sports Series card 13

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2020-08-30T13:35:25-04:00

Another example of a postcard from the elusive J.C. Wilson Sports & Pastimes series has been added—card no. 13 showing vignettes of The Saddle and Wheeling, not postally used.

Sports Series card 15

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2020-08-02T11:24:17-04:00

A new example of a postcard from the elusive J.C. Wilson Sports & Pastimes series has been added—card no. 15 showing vignettes of Canoeing and Yachting, postally used December 28, 1898 to Belgium from Montreal.

WLS-P03 London Daily News

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2020-07-11T11:33:26-04:00

An example of a WLS-P03 Type II postcard has been added showing business use by The London Daily News newspaper on June 2, 1898.

Navigation update

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2020-06-21T13:15:03-04:00

I’ve carried on with some additional navigation updates between pages on the site in order to make navigation easier.

Old Glory update

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2020-06-13T19:24:27-04:00

In addition to updating the WLS-P04 “Old Glory” page, I’ve begun a site update to improve the site navigation, to allow you to click from page to next and previous pages based on the menu hierarchy, rather than needing to rely on returning to the menus. It’s something that has irked me for a long time, and I’m finally getting to improving it.

What We Have We'll Hold

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2020-04-19T16:13:36-04:00

The page featuring WLS-E07 Type I has been updated to provide additional examples in the current site format.

The Royal Review, 1901

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2020-04-11T15:21:50-04:00

This OHMS cover, postmarked October 11, 1901 at the Toronto Army Post Office, was on the occasion of the Royal Review at Exhibition Park Camp. It was addressed to L.H Irving, Esq., “Overbrook”, Mineral Springs, Ont. via T.H.&B. Ry.

The tour in 1901 by the Duke & Duchess of Cornwall and York included South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the Colony of Newfoundland. Its primary goal was to reward the dominions for their participation in the South African War of 1899–1902.

While in Canada, the Duke presented newly minted South African War medals to veterans of the Boer War in a Royal Review ceremony in Toronto on October 11, 1901. The Canadian leg of the tour started in Quebec on September 16th, and also included Halifax, before departing from Newfoundland.

WLS-E11 Tattered Flag

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2020-04-04T11:48:20-04:00

A copy of the WLS-E11 Tattered Flag design has been added. This is a P-2 variety with song back 2, with the lyrics of “It’s Only a Bit of Bunting”. The envelope has been postally used May 15, 1900 to Northport, NS with a W-149 Souris & Regina (with E, & No. 2 markings) RPO cancel on a 2¢ QV Numeral stamp. This is the earliest date of use I have encountered on this cover.

Remember the Maine Business Use

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2020-03-29T16:42:15-04:00

A postally unused copy of a J.C. Wilson WLS-P05 Remember The Maine patriotic postcard has been added. The card was printed for by A.A. Palmer, Bookseller and Stationer, 1009 St. Catharine Street, Montreal for their business used. The WLS-P07 Type I and Type II pages have also been updated.

Soldiers of the Queen Type II envelopes

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2020-03-22T16:23:05-04:00

The page showing J.C. Wilson’s WLS-E09 Type II Soldiers of the Queen design has been updated to the current web site format, with additional examples provided.

Soldiers of the Queen Type I envelopes

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2020-03-22T13:22:28-04:00

The page showing J.C. Wilson’s WLS-E09 Type I Soldiers of the Queen design has been updated to the current web site format, with additional examples provided.

Business Use postcards

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2020-02-02T16:36:16-05:00

The page listing patriotic postcards used by business and other enterprises has been updated to the current web site style. It is a work in progress, with more content to be added.

Varieties expanded

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2020-01-11T17:28:32-05:00

The Varieties page has been updated to add a more detailed listing of cover song backs and printer’s inscriptions.

Remember the Maine with Map stamp

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2020-01-11T14:39:00-05:00

A copy of a cover has been added showing a “Remember the Maine” WLS-E05 design mailed from Toronto with a Flag C cancel to Gloucester, Mass, USA on February 22, 1899 and received on February 23rd. The WLS-E05 page has been updated to the current web site format.

Remember the Maine to Spain

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2019-11-22T13:17:18-05:00

I don’t often collect J.C. Wilson material used within the USA unless there is something more interesting. This card struck me as one of those cards—a WLS-P05 Remember The Maine design on the subject of the Spanish-American War sent to Spain—a very provocative use.

Rule Britannia Type II update

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2019-08-01T11:20:06-04:00

I’ve done an update of the WLS-P03 Type II page to the current format, adding some additional material.

Rule Britannia Type I update

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2019-07-31T12:59:06-04:00

I’ve done an update of the WLS-P03 Type I page to the current format, adding some additional material.

J.O. Labrecque & Cie.

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2019-06-02T09:44:15-04:00

A cover has been added from J.O. Labrecque & Cie. The company specialized in the sale of “Diamant Noire” coal from their premises at 83 Rue Wolfe, Montreal. The image on the cover, by A.S. Brodeur, who had also illustrated the company’s 1898 ad in Le prix courant, Volume 22, Numéro 1, Page 10, shows a polar bear holding a black diamond over the heads of a gathering of South Africans & Boers with the caption ‘Les Boers en extose devant le “Diamant Noire” (célèbre charbon)’.

The cover was mailed December 16, 1901 with a Montreal Flag A postmark to M E.S. Parker, Bethlehem, P.A. US., with a Bethlehem receiving cancel on the reverse.

Sam Richey Boer War cover–coloured

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2019-05-18T13:57:15-04:00

Another example of a cover contemporary to the J.C. Wilson series, a Sam Richey “Soldiers of the Queen Canadian Contingent” cover. This one has not been used by a soldier in the Boer War, but appears to be a locally released variation with the text added “Used by the Soldiers in South Africa As Supplied By The Canadian Government”. This copy is a colour printing, unlike the black & white printing posted from actual use in South Africa.

1894 J.C. Wilson stationery envelope

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2019-01-05T15:17:36-05:00

Another example of J.C. Wilson’s business stationery has been added, dating to 1894. The envelope illustrates the addition of another pulp and paper mill to J.C. Wilson’s stable of facilities since the time of their 1892 stationery.

WLS-P08 Type I business use

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2019-01-02T10:16:21-05:00

A business use of the WLS-P08 Type I Maple Leaf For Ever patriotic postcard has been added. The card was mailed from Sackville, NB, with a Dec 15 1899 split ring cancel, to Moncton NB, by the Post Printing Co., acknowledging payment for a subscription to the Sackville Post until December 1900.

Sam Richey Boer War cover

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2018-08-26T10:14:33-04:00

Another example has been posted of a cover contemporary to the J.C. Wilson series, a Sam Richey “Soldiers of the Queen Canadian Contingent” cover sent from G.P.O. Capetown to Ottawa on Mar 27, 1900, with an Ottawa receiving cancel dated April 28.

WLS-E10 update

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2018-08-05T12:41:44-04:00

The formatting of WLS-E10 Soldiers of the Queen Redesign has been updated to the current site format.

Hotel Carslake cover

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2018-08-04T13:17:15-04:00

A copy of the Hotel Carslake use of the WLS-E12 “The Queen” design has been added. As is consistent with other examples found of this business use, the cover is the E-3 variety, with the uncoloured beaver on the front and song back 16, with the lyrics of “God Save the Queen” on the back. This example has been used from Montreal, with a Montreal flag cancel dated December 22, 1900. The back bears a December 24 receiver from the destination of Haydenville, Mass. USA.

I’ve also updated the WLS-E11 “Tattered Flag” page to the current format.

Registered What We Have We'll Hold cover

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2018-07-22T14:07:50-04:00

A new J.C. Wilson patriotic cover of the What We Have We’ll Hold design, WLS-E07 Type II, has been added. The cover bears a Toronto split ring cancel on the reverse that was used briefly between July 1, 1900 and December 6, 1901.

Map Stamp dated December 16, 1898

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2018-07-01T16:16:43-04:00

This example of a J.C. Wilson pioneer patriotic postcard of the WLS-P06 Type I bears a 2¢ Map Stamp postmarked with a Montreal Flag cancel dated December 16, 1898, mailed to Glasgow Scotland.

Maple Leaf For Ever to Italy

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2018-05-26T16:32:09-04:00

A J.C. Wilson patriotic pioneer postcard mailed to Venice, Italy on January 6, 1900, has been added to the site. The WLS-P08 P-1 card, with a 2¢ QV Numeral stamp, bears a Venice receiving cancel dated January 30, 1900.

J.C. Wilson Ad on postcard

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2018-05-05T18:05:32-04:00

This example of a J.C. Wilson ad for their patriotic envelopes occurs on the back of an Anglo-Saxon League patriotic postcard. As the card has not been postally used, the date is unknown, but would be at the outset of the publishing of J.C. Wilson’s line of patriotic envelopes, which seems to have lagged behind their postcards. The WLS-P06 Type II page has been updated to the current site format.

J.C. Wilson Sports No. 20

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2018-03-03T09:50:37-05:00

A new instance from J.C. Wilson’s Sports series has been added. The new card is number 20 in the series, which expands the series by two cards from the previously know card 18. This card was postally used from Windsor, Ontario to Wilmington, Ohio, USA on August 23, 1900. The card shows Water Polo & Quoits as the featured sports.

J.C. Wilson Advertising

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2018-02-17T13:31:07-05:00

A new page has been added featuring some of J.C. Wilson’s advertising mailing inserts, postcard-sized items which were likely added to envelopes to alert customers to new wares.

J.C. Wilson Samples

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2018-02-10T12:31:30-05:00

This J.C. Wilson Rule Britannia cover was mailed to Stephens & Son In San Diego, California with a 1¢ QV Numeral stamp, cancelled wth a Montreal roller cancel, paying the rate for samples, rather than the 2¢ letter rate. The cover bears the rubber stamp “Samples from J.C. Wilson & Co. Montreal”. The back bears a partial receiver cancel. The Covers Rates page has been updated to the current web site format.

WLS-P02 Type I P-9

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2018-01-20T14:29:03-05:00

A very scarce variety of the J.C. Wilson pioneer patriotic postcard, WLS-P02 Type I P-9, has been added. This variety has uncoloured address panels with rounded ends instead of square ends. The variety was not known to Henry Gates, but had been previously identified by another dedicated J.C. Wilson collector, and is something I have only recently acquired.

Boer War impact on Candians at home

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2018-01-14T16:22:24-05:00

This example of the WLS-P09 Type I “Soldiers of the Queen” design has been used by St. Luke’s Church Bible Class, on Montreal on March 1st, 1900, commemorating the involvement of classmates injured in the Boer War. The card states:

“Fall In! Dear Friends, Scholars, Past and Present Members of the Class, will kindly attend at ___, on Sunday, March 4, to express our sympathy and admiration for the three members of the Class who fought in the late action at Paardeberg, South Africa. Two of the Scholars are reported wounded. Come, and bring a friend!Yours Sincerely, Henry J. Dart. God Save the Queen!”

A hand-written notation on the card notes “one has since died”.

Updated Flag That Braved Cover section

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2017-12-27T17:23:58-05:00

The page on the WLS-E02 Type II, “The Flag That Braved” design, patriotic envelopes produced by J.C. Wilson & Co. have been updated to reflect the current site format.

Map Stamp dated December 26, 1898

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2017-12-26T13:58:23-05:00

This J.C. Wilson patriotic postcard of The Flag That Braved design, WLS-P02 Type II, bears Canada’s first Christmas Stamp, the Map stamp. In this case, the postcard was postmarked December 26, 1898, tied with a Morris Street Halifax NS CDS postmark, and mailed to Cambridge Mass USA, thanking the recipient for “dainty & pretty” “Xmas gifts”.

The Canadian Post Office announced the availability of the Map Stamp on December 3rd, 1898. Early usage of the stamp on cover or postcard is quite rare. On December 25th, the Imperial Penny Postage Scheme came into effect, allowing postage of 2¢ per ounce on mail between Britain & the colonies.

It seemed fitting to post this card on the site 119 years to the day later.

WLS-P06 Type I update

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2017-12-23T12:19:09-05:00

I’ve update the WLS-P06 Type I page to the current site format, and added a number of business use examples.

J.C. Wilson advertising postcard

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2017-10-28T10:58:06-04:00

This example of a J.C. Wilson patriotic postcard shows a use by the company for promoting its patriotic postcard line to potential resellers. The text on the back of the card states: “Wilson’s Patriotic Cards & Envelopes; (4 designs) Cards $2.00 per 1000, Envelopes $3.00 per 1000, Sample 100 assorted sent by mail, post paid, 50¢”. The text appears on the back of the Anglo-Saxon design, WLS-P06 Type I, variety P-3, with the winking lion.

WLS-P01 Ad card

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2017-10-21T12:46:33-04:00

A very nice copy of WLS-P01 has been added, postally used with a 1¢ Jubilee stamp with a Halifax squared circle postmark dated July 22, 1897, about a month after the first appearance of this J.C. Wilson postcard design. What makes this more interesting is the use of the card as a notification that W.B. Day would be visiting a potential customer of W. & C. Silver of Halifax, with a full range of their dry goods, mantles and clothing four days hence.

Patriotic Envelopes update

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2017-08-12T16:11:06-04:00

I’ve expanded upon the WLS-E08 Type I, Maple Leaf For Ever listing with its conversion to the latest site format. I continue to tweak some of the other pages as I go.

Postcard Rates

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2017-07-23T14:02:39-04:00

The Postcard Postal Rates page has been re-introduced in the current site format, with some new material added.

Overseas Destinations

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2017-07-16T12:38:45-04:00

I’ve updated the page illustrating J.C. Wilson patriotic postcards with overseas destinations to the current site format, adding additional background to the cards when available.

Rule Britannia used from Boer War

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2017-07-08T16:03:42-04:00

This example of a J.C. Wilson patriotic cover front shows a use from Ookiep, Cape of Good Hope, to Cornwall England on April 23, 1900. This is another of the series of J.C. Wilson covers used by the same sender to the same recipient over the course of several months during the Boer War.

Packet Boat cancel

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2017-06-17T18:07:47-04:00

A WLS-P02 Type II card has been posted December 21, 1901 with a 2¢ Jubilee stamp mailed from Saint John N.B. to Liverpool, England with a Liverpool Packet Boat cancel dated January 2. The image has been altered slightly in the area of the Packet Boat cancel in order to enhance legibility.

WLS-P02 Type I update

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2017-06-11T20:57:15-04:00

Another page has been updated to the current web site format. WLS-P02 Type I now illustrates more material and more depth than the previous format allowed.

Remember the Maine Return to Sender

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2017-06-04T13:09:02-04:00

This WLS-P05 J.C. Wilson & Co. “Remember the Maine” patriotic pioneer postcard has been mailed from Quebec City on December 16, 1901, with a 1¢ QV Numeral stamp to The Atlas Society in New York City. The card bears a rubber stamp noting “Returned to Sender, Cannot Be Forwarded” dated December 20, 1901. The card bears a December 21, 1901 Quebec City postmark upon its return.

J.J. Turner & Sons business use

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2017-05-28T15:42:02-04:00

This example of a WLS-P09 Type I “Soldiers of the Queen” design has been used for business use by J.J. Turner & Sons, Sail, Tent, Awning & Flag M’f’rs of Peterborough, Ontario. The Boer War-themed pioneer patriotic postcard was postmarked with a Peterborough July 11, 1901 CDS cancel on the front, and bears a Lindsay, Ontario squared circle cancel of the same date on the reverse.

This is not the only example of a J.C. Wilson patriotic used by J.J. Turner & Sons for their business. A copy of a WLS-P10 Soldiers of the Queen Redesign card was sold by auction in June 1987 by Jim Hennok. That card was postmarked July 20, 1901, 9 days after this card was used.

I’ve also converted the WLS-P09 Type 1 postcard listings to the current site format and added additional material.

Foreign Cover Usage

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2017-05-22T12:36:30-04:00

A section on overseas use of covers from the old web site format has been reimplemented under the current design, with an update added.

J.C. Wilson 1903 Business Cover

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2017-05-22T11:16:31-04:00

This J.C. Wilson business cover was mailed on May 8, 1903 to Kilgour Bros of Toronto with a 2¢ Provisonal (a 3¢ QV Leaf stamp surcharged with a “2 CENTS” overprint).

J.C. Wilson 1897 business cover

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2017-04-15T11:58:34-04:00

This example of a J.C. Wilson business cover has been used from Montreal to E.B. Eddy Co. Ltd. of Hull, Quebec on May 7, 1897, with a 3¢ Small Queen stamp cancelled with a Montreal B Flag cancel. It could have contained correspondence regarding Wilson’s purchasing of paper from E.B. Eddy. The E. B. Eddy Company was a Canadian pulp and paper company at that time. It was originally incorporated in 1886 as The E. B. Eddy Manufacturing Company with Ezra Butler Eddy as its president. Eddy had begun business in 1854 making and selling wooden matches out of his home in Hull, Quebec. The company expanded into pulp and paper and in 1891, it was renamed to the E. B. Eddy Company.

WLS-P11 Tattered Flag

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2017-03-25T12:13:27-04:00

A very nice copy of J.C. Wilson’s Tattered Flag pioneer patriotic postcard from the Boer War era has been added to the site. This card, mailed from Montreal on March 21, 1902 to Crowell & Kirkpatrick Co. of New York, was received in New York on March 22nd.

WLS-P02—G.H. Lanigan

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2017-03-12T12:27:08-04:00

This example of a WLS-P02 J.C. Wilson postcard has been used by G.H. Lanigan, dealer in paper & stationery, bookbinder and printer, of 92 King Street West of Hamilton, Ontario.

I’ve been recently updating a number of the site’s pages to the most recent format, starting with the patriotic postcard section, and will continue working through with these updates.

WLS-P10 Soldiers Redesign unused

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2017-03-05T16:53:48-05:00

One of the rarest of J.C. Wilson’s patriotic postcards is the design known as WLS-P10, “Soldiers of the Queen Redesign”, which was issued during the Boer War. This particular example is unused.

Remember the Maine used to Switzerland

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2017-02-25T15:12:27-05:00

This example of a WLS-P05 postcard has been used from Brooklyn, NY, USA to Switzerland, postmarked March 17, 1899.

L.H. Betts & Co. business use

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2016-11-26T14:31:11-05:00

This WLS-E08 Type II cover has been overprinted by L.H. Betts & Co. of Wallace, Nova Scotia, for business use. What makes this cover distinct is that reverse, which carries Song Back 11, “The Land of the Maple”, lacks the printer’s attribution normally found on the standard song back printing. As part of this update, I have updated and expanded the page showing WLS-E08.

Soldier claiming medals

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2016-11-20T11:23:02-05:00

This copy of WLS-P02 Type II has been mailed on February 6, 1900 with a 1¢ Jubilee stamp by J.B. Harper of 26 Palace Street, Brantford, Ontario to Captain Stitt of Princeton, Ontario. Captain James Stitt of No. 4 Company, 22nd Battalion The Oxford Rifles (which was redesignated 3 months after this card was written on 8 May 1900 as the 22nd Regiment The Oxford Rifles), was a Private in the 22nd Battalion when he received the Canada General Service Medal for his role in the Fenian Raids in 1866. Harper asks Captain Stitt if Stitt could send him Harper’s medal, as he read in the newspaper that the medals had just come in. While the details of the medal are not mentioned, this may be a Boer-War-related medal.

Hotel Carslake

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2016-11-06T12:05:31-05:00

One of the better known business use covers from the J.C. Wilson patriotics series is the use by Hotel Carslake of the WLS-E12 “God Save the Queen” patriotic cover. This particular cover comes with the Hotel Carlake letterhead enclosed with the envelope when it was mailed from Montreal on November 9, 1900 to Afton, New York, USA.

J.C. Wilson patriotic letterhead

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2016-10-16T11:58:40-04:00

Another keen collector of J.C. Wilson’s work recently forwarded to me some scans from a recent auction that he came across featuring four examples of patriotic letterhead notepaper matching J.C. Wilson’s patriotic envelopes. If you happened to be the winning bidder on these interesting items and you’d like to share more information about them on this site, please e-mail me.

Soldiers of the Queen to France

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2016-09-17T18:48:40-04:00

Another J.C. Wilson Soldiers of the Queen WLS-P09 Type I postcard mailed to France has been added, this time mailed from Hamilton Ontario to Bastia. The card bears a 1¢ QV Numeral stamp cancelled with a Hamilton Flag A cancel, applied over the words “Printed Matter”, with the sender striking out the “Private Post Card” text of the card.

Oshawa Business Use

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2016-09-11T12:39:15-04:00

This Rule Britannia WLS-P03 Type II design postcard, a late use (September 26, 1906 South Oshawa broken circle cancel) bearing a 2¢ Edward VII stamp that may originally have been an imperforate pair cut apart from the adjoining stamp (catalog number 90a Type II, shown by the wide gutter to the top of the card, with a partial carmine line as if from the adjacent stamp), has been mailed to Scotland via New York. The reverse of the card, shown here, depicts the Presbyterian Church, Oshawa, with a printed date line.

Old Glory American use

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2016-09-10T14:44:45-04:00

This WLS-P04 shows an early use of this design, postmarked June 11, 1898. The card bears a hand notation from Buffalo, suggesting that the purchaser may have either been on the Canadian side of the border when they purchased the card, or that J.C. Wilson had US distributors in Buffalo from an early date.

Boer War to Mimico, Ontario

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2016-09-05T13:53:39-04:00

I’ve posted a series of postcards mailed from the Boer War to Mimico, Ontario, likely from Capt. Dr. Henry Ernest Tremayne of the 10th Canadian Field Hospital, mailed with Army Field Post postmarks on a series of Klerksdorp Transvaal postcards on the subject of the Anglo-Boer War, mailed to his niece.

Contemporary Uses

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2016-08-28T21:00:10-04:00

I’ve added a section on postcards & covers contemporary to the J.C. Wilson era, primarily related to the Boer War. Some of this material was brought forward to conform to the new site design, while some additional material has been added, and some previous material is still awaiting update. The largest section of new material are the “Soldiers of Canada in South Africa” pioneer patriotic postcards by W.J. Gage.

Soldiers of the Queen to France

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2016-07-17T19:15:07-04:00

An example of a use of a WLS-P09 Type I postcard has been added, mailed from Montreal on February 24, 1901, to Castres, France.

Patriotic Postcard with Song Back

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2016-06-25T17:09:46-04:00

Another example of a J.C. Wilson patriotic postcard with a song back has been added. This card is a WLS-P06 Type I card, the Anglo-Saxon design, postally used from Wolfeville NS to the USA in July 1900.

Business Card Printings

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2016-06-18T13:33:37-04:00

One of the less common variations of J.C. Wilson & Company’s patriotic postcard printings that occurs across the range of different designs is a variation know as the “Business Card” printings. This variation omits the text “Private Post Card” and the stamp box & associated text that commonly occurs on the normal card printings (with the exception of WLS-P01).

This printing variation allowed businesses the opportunity to overprint the card face with their own advertisements without interference from the postally required printed text. A selection of this postcard variation has been added to the site.

Patriotic Postcard Song Backs

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2016-06-11T15:24:20-04:00

A variation of J.C. Wilson’s series of patriotic postcards exists that includes a scaled down version of a patriotic song on the postcard back, similar to that printed on the company’s patriotic envelopes. While Henry Gates was unfamiliar with this variation, Kenneth Rowe noted in his The Postal History of the Canadian Contingents, Anglo-Boer War, 1899-1902, that he knew of a single example of “When Johnny Canuck Comes Home” being printed on the back of a postcard, but no other instance. Needless to say, this is a rarely occurring variety.

I’ve updated the section on patriotic postcards with song backs to include a new instance found on a WLS-P02 Type II that has patriotic song no. 2 on the reverse.

WLS-P01 Type I Business Use

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2016-02-28T21:04:10-05:00

This WLS-P01 Type I card has been used for business use by J.L. Peters of Digby, N.S., and has a full card ad on the reverse of the card, as well as the text shown here on the card front. While not postally used, the card is from the first of J.C. Wilson’s series of patriotic postcards, and is quite rare.

Business Use Postcard—G.B. Herrett

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2016-01-16T16:28:02-05:00

This J.C. Wilson & Co. pioneer patriotic postcard was used by G.B. Herrett, Manufacturers’ Agent, of Fredericton, N.B., on April 21, 1900. The card design is the Maple Leaf For Ever, Patria Amamus design designated as WLS-P08 Type I. The card bearing a QV 1¢ Numeral stamp with a Fredericton April 21, 1900 CDS cancel, mailed to Messrs. Humphreys & Gates, Petitcodiac, N.B.

Business Use Postcard

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2016-01-10T11:29:39-05:00

Bell, King & McLaren of Montreal, distributors of, among other things, strawberries, made use, on May 31, 1898, of a J.C. Wilson patriotic postcard, WLS-P06 Type I, Anglo-Saxon design, to advertise the availability of Maryland strawberries due on June 2nd.

J.C. Wilson Sample Display

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2015-05-02T15:25:55-04:00

J.C. Wilson & Co. developed a sample display card for their line of Patriotic Private Post Cards just after the issuance of their “Maple Leaf For Ever” and “What We Have We’ll Hold” designs. The display card was for the use by booksellers and stationers, the primary vendors to the public of J.C. Wilson’s postcards, to advertise the company’s wares. The display card contained eight postcards, including six patriotic cards two of their Sports & Pastimes series. The cards were advertised to the public at 10¢/dozen, while selling to the stationers at ¼¢ each, plus shipping.

Foreign Usage

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2015-01-25T15:35:19-05:00

I’ve reinstated the page of foreign use J.C. Wilson postcards in today’s update, along with a series of tweaks of various other pages within the site (which I will continue to do without specific reference in this section).

Sports & Pastimes Proof

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2015-01-11T12:29:59-05:00

In November 1898, J.C. Wilson & Co. issued a new series of postcards and envelopes entitled “The Sports & Pastimes of Canada”. As a preamble to issuing the series, the company mailed out advanced proofs to potential customers alerting them to the opportunity to submit advanced orders for the new series of cards & envelopes. I’ve added a postcard to the web site that was mailed in October 1898 to Geo. F. Waldron of Brentwood, New Hampshire, alerting them of a shipment being sent to them on the date of mailing of the postcard.

The proof varies slightly from the final postcard series, in that the colour of the ink used for the printer’s attribution and Private Post Card text on the front of the card was a shade of brown on the proof, while on the final series, the colour was changed to a blue-green colour. Card numbers also varied. The number on the proof of the card shows as 1, but in the final series, the design shown, Sculling & Swimming, was issued as card 14, with the card number near the top corner rather than the bottom margin on the proof.

I’ve also seen a copy of a proof of the Canoeing & Yachting design which was half way to the final issue, with the attribution text in brown, but the Private Post Card text changed to the final blue-green colour.

New site design

J.C. Wilson & Co. Website — 2014-12-30T14:22:05-05:00

Over the last few months I’ve been rebuilding this website following a new format that increases the size and display of some of the better material that you will encounter here. As a result, other updates have been a bit thin during this period. As the full content of my old site hasn’t yet been redone, I hope to add greater depth over time. I hope you like the new format!