Lucky finds

LOOKING FOR BOOKS, BUT FOUND SOME INTERESTING MORE EPHEMERAL ITEMS.

This is a tip for members and subscribers to our website – somewhat unusually Corner Lamp Books, 36 Station Street, Moorabbin, Victoria, has 6 boxes of ephemera (Australian and English).  Here are some nice items I found. There are plenty left. Shop details at the bottom of the post.

Preparing for Saturday night? You may care to consult this guide prepared in 1960 by The Australian Catholic Truth Society. The booklet, 32 pages of tips, seems to be issue 1337 of a journal published in Melbourne. The back inside cover notes it was published with the imprimatur of Daniel Mannix, Archiepiscopus Melbournensis; the diocesan censor was Bernard O’Connor.

The advice comes in the form of a discussion between teenage twins and Father Hall. The twins are named Dick and Sue. There concerns include the following (we quote):

‘Winter’s the time when it costs a fortune to take a girl out. Night clubs, hotel restaurants, cover charge, sky-high prices for a ham sandwich…’
‘And the young male of the species, not knowing how to entertain himself, starts to grow amorous….’.

This is a programme for a State Reception at the Exhibition Building, Melbourne on 27 February 1958. It includes a full length photograph of the Queen Mother: the programme; a list of the Ministers of the State of Victoria attending; and information about the music performed.

This alternative health magazine from 1941 promotes many products we still know today. It ran from November/December 1934 to February 1950. The most complete set publicly available is held by the State Library of Victoria. The magazine was published under various titles including The dietician and Here’s nature’s path to health. There are advertisements in the pictured issue for:

Soy-bev or Soya-choc – freshly made from the choicest Soya Beans in our Modern Factory, St. Kilda, Melbourne; and

the new all-purpose food product – Nuttelex- the most wholesome and delicious spread. Perfect in colour and flavour. NUTTELEX carries the seal of approval of the Victorian Housewives Association.

This is a great item and does not appear to have an entry on Trove so may be rare. It is a guide for the use of sanitary products and includes helpful illustrations about what one can and can’t do as well as a three year planning calendar.

Contact details for the shop

Opening hours: Wednesday to Friday 10.30-4.30 and Saturday 10.30-1.30. Telephone 8685 8130; email shop@cornerlampbooks.com.au. Please let the owner know you heard about the ephemera though us.

Contribution from Mandy B and Jane MB.