The New Nation

The New Nation was an early 20th century Australian magazine published quarterly in Sydney. Originally published under the title P.F.A. Quarterly for several years by the Pastoral Finance Association, after a disastrous fire in 1921 they were absorbed by The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. L.t.d. which retitled the publication The N.Z.L. Quarterly. In 1925 the magazine was retitled The New Nation.

The following article on The New Nation was published on the 10th June 1927 in the New South Wales newspaper The Land.

"The New Nation"

A copy of the June issue of "The New Nation" magazine, the popular, quarterly published by the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. Ltd. is to hand. The all-round and out standing merit of the quarterly Is splendidly maintained. It is full of interest, entertainment, and instruction for all classes of reader. In "The Romance of Our Times," C. Al Jeffries this time deals with Canberra., and there are opportune reproductions of portraits of Sir Henry Parkes, Sir E. Barton, Sir G. H. Reid, and Mr.'Bruce.

Mr.- Ken Austin. continues his article on the Bruce-Lowe figure system of breeding thoroughbreds, with special reference to such famous horses as Gainsbrough, Captain Cuttle, Pommern, Solario, and Phalarls. There is an article by the late Mr. E. D. E, van Weenen (who was a noted authority on wool and sheep) on "Quantity v. Quality," and on "The Hereford in Australia" by Mr. R. S. Allan. There are also interesting, articles and sketches dealing with the beauties of Honolulu, Village Life in Palestine, the Cathedrals of Sydney, the Girls of Australasia, Farming in South Africa, Dipping Sheep, and Pig Hunting in Maoriland. All the usual features are admirably maintained and the magazine is beautifully illustrated.

The Cartoons of Will Donald

Left to right: Cartoonist Will Donald with his The Gadfly magazine colleagues Percy Martin and Archie. E. Martin (circa 1907-1909)

Delayed from last year The Cartoons of Will Donald will be out in March 2015 from Pikitia Press. Collecting the first six months of Donald's political cartoons form the Worker newspaper published in 1921. The original book has been expanded to include samples of Donald's comic book work and cartoons by his predecessors at the Worker Adam Plass and Claude Marquet.

The Cartoons of Will Donald

A collection of the early work of one of Australia’s pioneers of cartooning, Will Donald.  Donald produced cartoons for socialist newspaper, The Australian Worker socialist, from 1921 -1944.  This collection reproduces in chronological order six months of cartoons from Donald’s first work in March 1921. Donald’s work like his predecessor at The Worker, Adam Plass,  depicted the growing pains of Australia’s unionised workforce and Australian people at odds with the William Morris ”Billy” Hughes led Nationalist Party Government.

Will Donald also contributed to mainstream newspapers of the period with political cartoons and cartoon strips, notably Fashion Plate Fanny. From the 1920’s to late ’40’s Donald created some of Australia’s first original comic books.

Compiled by Matt Emery

Happy 45th Birthday Kelly Sheehan

Walter J. Dowman (15th Jan 1889 - 15 Feb 1951)

Walter J. Dowman was a cartoonist and painter in the early twentieth century and also contributed to The Bulletin, Young Australia, the Daily Telegraph, the Australian Woman's Mirror, Smith's Weekly, and the Labor Daily. Dowman also illustrated book covers including pulp novels and exhibited paintings in Sydney during the 1920's - 1940's. During the depression of the early 1930s Walter set up his own commercial art business in a large studio in Hamilton Street and later in nearby Bond Street Hurstville. He maintained his own commercial rooms until his death.

Walter J. Dowman Conducting Art Tution in his Studio

Samples of Walter J. Dowman cartoons below from the Molong Express and Western District Advertiser.

Walter J. Dowman illustrated book, Australian animals : descriptions and verse by J. MacCallum.

Ian Dickson (15th January 1905 - 21st July 1987)

Updated post from the old Pikitia Press blog to celebrate the 110th anniversary of New Zealand cartoonist Ian Dickson's birth.

Ian Oscar Dickson was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, on 15 January 1905 and emigrated with his family to Melbourne, Australia, in 1913. Dickson, a self-taught artist, had work published in the Adelaide Register News Pictorial, the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin, the Brisbane Telegraph and illustrated tourist brochures for the Queensland government.

The Rockhampton Morning Bulletin 24th June 1932

Original art possibly from Razzle circa 1950's via Illustration Art Gallery

Dickson eventually emigrated to England and found work with film companies and Razzle magazine. In the early thirties Dickson spent several months in Ceylon and after a period back in Australia he relocated there to work for the Times of Ceylon and Ceylon Observer. In 1935 Dickson returned to England where he produced work for Punch, London Opinion, Men Only and Blighty. Dickson was a prolific contributor to these men's digests with some issues featuring three or four pages of his work. During the War Dickson served with the Royal Air Force.

In the fifties and sixties Dickson contributed three or four panel gag strips for Eagle, Girl and Swift Annuals from Hulton Press. Dickson's friend fellow cartoonist Australian John Jensen shared that at some point Dickson burned most of his original cartoon art. " He said they took up too much space. No value to anyone . . .There was no  Cartoon Museum when he did the deed. I still haven't forgiven him.Dickson died 21st July 1987."

Below: Selection of Ian Dickson's gag cartoons from Men Only circa 1940-1950's.

Sources: http://illustrationartgallery.blogspot.com, Men Only 1946-1954, British Cartoonist's Album, Dictionary of British Cartoonists and Caricaturists 1730-1980 compiled by Mark Bryant and Simon Heneage, http://bearalley.blogspot.com.