Canadian Postcards with Emblems and Rhymes
Auguste Vachon, Outaouais Herald Emeritus
The postcards reproduced here illustrate a number of phenomena that characterized Canada’s past. The freely adopted devices that once identified many of the Canadian provinces and territories have been replaced by officially granted arms. The old Dominion shield, made up of provincial and territorial quarters, has given way to the present armorial bearings assigned by royal proclamation. The Union Jack and the Canadian Red Ensign have been supplanted by the Maple Leaf Flag. “The Maple Leaf Forever” is no longer a contender for a national anthem. The reality of a British Empire has yielded to the idea of a British Commonwealth of Nations. While they may have changed in orientation, some preoccupations remain such as the struggle for national unity and the battle against toxic or mind-altering substances. The fight against tobacco has known surprising success, but the abusive use of alcohol remains a problem. A number of postcards depict Canada as an emerging giant; a persistent reality that still relies on continued immigration to populate and develop its vast territory.
The naive type of heraldry on many of the postcards cannot be compared with the beautiful and imaginative designs produced now by the Canadian Heraldic Authority, but emblems of a bygone time can still reveal a great deal about the mentality, beliefs, struggles and aspirations of a period. The cards below express patriotism with both emblems and rhyming lines. Their message is strengthened by the fact that they can be grouped under various themes with a minimum of overlap.
The type of postcards illustrated below present a small sample of what exists. Bringing together all the verses that heraldic postcards include would constitute a substantial anthology. Birn Bros. postcards published under the designation “B.B. London Series” dominate the scene by their quantity. The company’s main factory operated in London, England, but it had several branches in Canada. Another prolific publisher, Valentine & Sons of Scotland, had subsidiaries in Canada and Dublin, Ireland, although not many of its Canadian postcards featured both emblems and rhymes. This type of cards enjoyed its greatest popularity at the beginning of the twentieth century and during the Great War.
N.B. All the illustrations come from the heraldic postcard collection of the author and his wife Paula. Where the print is faint or small, the verses have been enlarged separately for easier reading. In a few cases, they were transcribed in the caption because of special circumstances (figs. 14, 24).
The naive type of heraldry on many of the postcards cannot be compared with the beautiful and imaginative designs produced now by the Canadian Heraldic Authority, but emblems of a bygone time can still reveal a great deal about the mentality, beliefs, struggles and aspirations of a period. The cards below express patriotism with both emblems and rhyming lines. Their message is strengthened by the fact that they can be grouped under various themes with a minimum of overlap.
The type of postcards illustrated below present a small sample of what exists. Bringing together all the verses that heraldic postcards include would constitute a substantial anthology. Birn Bros. postcards published under the designation “B.B. London Series” dominate the scene by their quantity. The company’s main factory operated in London, England, but it had several branches in Canada. Another prolific publisher, Valentine & Sons of Scotland, had subsidiaries in Canada and Dublin, Ireland, although not many of its Canadian postcards featured both emblems and rhymes. This type of cards enjoyed its greatest popularity at the beginning of the twentieth century and during the Great War.
N.B. All the illustrations come from the heraldic postcard collection of the author and his wife Paula. Where the print is faint or small, the verses have been enlarged separately for easier reading. In a few cases, they were transcribed in the caption because of special circumstances (figs. 14, 24).
Territorial Integrity
Cards 1-4 below stress the difficulty of keeping a geographically vast and ethnically diverse country together. Bringing the provinces to join into one confederated state was an important step in establishing dominance over the territory. In the nineteenth century, many canals were built and railroads connected the provinces from sea to sea. But there had been challenges to the country’s very existence. The United States had attempted to invade Canada during the American Revolutionary War and during the War of 1812. With the help of the Americans, Canadian rebel exiles in the United States had launched raids into Upper Canada during the Rebellion of 1837-38, and the American-based Fenian Brotherhood had raided Canadian territory from New Brunswick to Manitoba between 1866 and 1871. Besides the 1837-38 rebellion in Upper and Lower Canada, there had been the Red River Uprising in 1869-70 and North-West Rebellion of 1885. By the turn of century, most of the boundary between Canada and the United States was firmly established, although several points of contention remained as to its territorial limits such as its claim to the Arctic Archipelago. Moreover, Newfoundland had yet to join Canada. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the political situation in Canada was generally stable, but the cards still express the need to safeguard the unity of the country, a preoccupation that remains today.
Cards 1-4 below stress the difficulty of keeping a geographically vast and ethnically diverse country together. Bringing the provinces to join into one confederated state was an important step in establishing dominance over the territory. In the nineteenth century, many canals were built and railroads connected the provinces from sea to sea. But there had been challenges to the country’s very existence. The United States had attempted to invade Canada during the American Revolutionary War and during the War of 1812. With the help of the Americans, Canadian rebel exiles in the United States had launched raids into Upper Canada during the Rebellion of 1837-38, and the American-based Fenian Brotherhood had raided Canadian territory from New Brunswick to Manitoba between 1866 and 1871. Besides the 1837-38 rebellion in Upper and Lower Canada, there had been the Red River Uprising in 1869-70 and North-West Rebellion of 1885. By the turn of century, most of the boundary between Canada and the United States was firmly established, although several points of contention remained as to its territorial limits such as its claim to the Arctic Archipelago. Moreover, Newfoundland had yet to join Canada. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the political situation in Canada was generally stable, but the cards still express the need to safeguard the unity of the country, a preoccupation that remains today.
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1. The Goddess of Freedom brandishing the Canadian Red Ensign holds a ring in her right hand to which are attached cords that join together the provinces represented by their armorial shield. Ontario, at the centre of the background map, is the only shield placed vaguely on the province it represents. Although the name of the publisher is not mentioned, the card reproduces the same image and verse as several greeting postcards by B.B. London Series (Birn Bros.), England. It can be dated from 1907 or later from the provincial arms.
2. The image and the rhyme plead for unity from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans on the vast Canadian territory. The animal depicted is no doubt intended to be a beaver, although it looks more like an otter or mink. Postcard from the B.B. London Series (Birn Bros.), England. An identical card sold on the Internet was postmarked 9 December 1913. The armorial shield as depicted here appeared on the front page of the Canadian Illustrated News of 5 December 1874, a clear indication that this particular version of the Dominion arms is not reliable means for dating (see also figs. 4, 16, 18).
3. The provincial arms are all granted officially on this postcard by B.B. London c. 1910.
4. The words “Dread Nought” refer to the Dreadnought battleships of the Royal Navy. B.B. London. Series No 1910. Printed in Germany, c. 1912.
Hands Across the Sea
The South African War commonly called Boer War (1899-1902) made clear that Great Britain needed the support of its colonies in times of crisis. The slogan “Hands across the sea” along with two clasping hands, usually one feminine and one masculine, are favourites on many postcards including some hand-painted leather postcards. They not only represent Canada and Great Britain, but also Great Britain and other colonies as well Great Britain and the United States. They mostly precede the First World War. The two below were published in Ireland and show the relationship between Canada and Ireland, with clasping hands but without the “Hands across the sea” slogan. On card 6, “Come back to Erin” almost seems an invitation for Canadians of Irish origin to immigrate back to Ireland, but it is likely aimed at tourists. Many other postcards of the period express the same idea of cooperation across the sea by showing the Canadian Red Ensign with the Union Jack and sometimes with the flag of Scotland or Ireland.
The South African War commonly called Boer War (1899-1902) made clear that Great Britain needed the support of its colonies in times of crisis. The slogan “Hands across the sea” along with two clasping hands, usually one feminine and one masculine, are favourites on many postcards including some hand-painted leather postcards. They not only represent Canada and Great Britain, but also Great Britain and other colonies as well Great Britain and the United States. They mostly precede the First World War. The two below were published in Ireland and show the relationship between Canada and Ireland, with clasping hands but without the “Hands across the sea” slogan. On card 6, “Come back to Erin” almost seems an invitation for Canadians of Irish origin to immigrate back to Ireland, but it is likely aimed at tourists. Many other postcards of the period express the same idea of cooperation across the sea by showing the Canadian Red Ensign with the Union Jack and sometimes with the flag of Scotland or Ireland.
5. Here wheat and the maple leaf are associated with Canada, while the harp and shamrocks represent Ireland. The three flowers, which appear to be pansies, and the five swallows seem to be purely decorative. Postcard published by Valentine & Sons of Dublin, Ireland; postmarked 19 June 1910.
6. The same publisher as 5 and with a lot of the same design. On the roundel inscribed above “It was and shall be” appears the Bank of Ireland building, which until 1800 was Ireland’s Parliament House.
Imperial Unity and Defence
With the passage of the British North America Act on 1 July1867, Canada officially became a self-governing Dominion, although its complete independence only came with the Statute of Westminster in 1931. At the imperial conference of 1897, the proposal of Neville Chamberlain, prime minister of the United Kingdom, to create a permanent Imperial Council of delegates from the colonies was rejected because it would in effect have established an imperial parliament with powers binding the colonies on imperial matters. Like the Boer War, the First World War brought home Great Britain’s need for aid from the colonies in times of crisis, but participation in the conflict induced Canada to seek greater autonomy.
With the passage of the British North America Act on 1 July1867, Canada officially became a self-governing Dominion, although its complete independence only came with the Statute of Westminster in 1931. At the imperial conference of 1897, the proposal of Neville Chamberlain, prime minister of the United Kingdom, to create a permanent Imperial Council of delegates from the colonies was rejected because it would in effect have established an imperial parliament with powers binding the colonies on imperial matters. Like the Boer War, the First World War brought home Great Britain’s need for aid from the colonies in times of crisis, but participation in the conflict induced Canada to seek greater autonomy.
7. The British lion mingles with the Canadian beaver and the maple leaf with the rose of England. The rhyme acclaims the protection offered by the seas, a geographical feature common to both Great Britain and Canada. The pronoun “ourselves,” the central portrait of Queen Victoria and the emblems of both England and Canada convey the notion of a strong bond between the two countries. The card is not dated, but surely belongs to the Boer War period given that Queen Victoria died on 22 January 1901 and that the publisher (C.W. Faulkner & Co., London, England) issued other postcards that can be dated to that period. The words are those of Hastings from Shakespeare’s Henry VI, part 3, act 4, scene 1.
8. This postcard also published by C.W. Faulkner likely belongs to the period of the Boer War. The lion of England upholds the Canadian Red Ensign to exemplify the bond between the two countries. The stanza from Keats’s poem “To Hope” is easily found on the Internet.
9. The Royal Standard and the Canadian Red Ensign are conjoined in saltire behind a nine-province shield (all officially granted) with the royal crown on top. The song “The Maple Leaf Forever” was composed in 1867 by Alexander Muir. Postcard from the B.B. London Series, England, printed c. 1912.
10. Postcard from the B.B. London Series, England, postmarked Dec. 2, 1912.
11. This postcard displaying a four-province Canadian Red Ensign is dated 27 January 1919 by the sender, but was published during WW I by W. N. Sharpe of Bradford and London, England.
12. The first stanza refers to Great Britain’s struggle during the Great war. The second stanza praises Canada’s participation in the conflict. The last verse mentions the song “The Maple Leaf Forever.” Postcard by M. Morrow, St. John, New Brunswick, dated 1 October 1914 by the sender.
13. Rotary photo of England produced over a dozen postcards with verses and Canadian symbols as part of the “Rotary Photographic Series.” The poems sought to encourage Canadian soldiers fighting along side Britain during the WWI to save the monarchy and empire. Among the Canadian emblems on this card are the maple leaf, the Canadian Red Ensign and the inscription “The Maple Leaf For Ever.” The swastika appears on many pre-World War II postcards as a symbol of good luck as is the case here. In the same period, Rotary published at least six cards referring to Canadian participation in the war and displaying a swastika to express good wishes. These war cards date from 1914 to 1916 given that the Rotary Photographic Company closed in 1916.
Praising the Union Jack
Many postcards, including Canadian ones, extol the exploits of the Royal Union Flag or Union Jack, but not many are accompanied by verses as are the ones below. Shortly after Confederation, both the Union Jack and Canadian Red Ensign were viewed as Canadian national flags.
Many postcards, including Canadian ones, extol the exploits of the Royal Union Flag or Union Jack, but not many are accompanied by verses as are the ones below. Shortly after Confederation, both the Union Jack and Canadian Red Ensign were viewed as Canadian national flags.
14. Rhyme on the crosses of the Union Jack: “The Flag that Braved a Thousand years The Battle and the Breeze.” Inscription: “Entered according to an Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the year 1898. By J.C. Wilson & Co. Montreal. at the Department of Agriculture.” At that time, copyrights were registered at the Department of Agriculture in Canada. The stamp displaying the effigy of Queen Victoria matches the copyright year.
15. The Prudential Insurance Company of America of Newark, New Jersey, produced at least half a dozen publicity postcards with Canadian emblems. The verses are by the Canadian poet and author Frederick George Scott (1861-1944) known as the Poet of the Laurentians. Printed during WW I by the Montreal Lithographic Company.
16. The words “the Flag of the Land we love” is a clear indication that the Union Jack is considered by many as the flag of Canada, something that is documented by abundant other sources. Placing a smaller shield on the Union Jack seems to be an attempt to canadianize it as was done with the Red Ensign (see also card 3). Postcard belonging to the B.B. London series, dated 26 November 1912 by the sender.
A Salute to Canada
Many postcards with Canadian emblems have pictures and slogans that acclaim Canada as being the granary of the world and a giant in the making with a vast geography and abundant resources. They also extol the country’s spectacular scenery, its interesting fauna, the quality of its railways and roads and the history and importance of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The cards below praise Canada in more general terms. Since such cards were often sent abroad, lauding the merits of the land may also have promoted immigration, which Canada needed at the time and still needs to realize its full potential.
Many postcards with Canadian emblems have pictures and slogans that acclaim Canada as being the granary of the world and a giant in the making with a vast geography and abundant resources. They also extol the country’s spectacular scenery, its interesting fauna, the quality of its railways and roads and the history and importance of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The cards below praise Canada in more general terms. Since such cards were often sent abroad, lauding the merits of the land may also have promoted immigration, which Canada needed at the time and still needs to realize its full potential.
17. All the nine provincial arms are official. The scroll on the card is inscribed: “Oh Canada dear Canada None can compare with thee.” The wording of the rhyme is rather awkward, but it is interesting that the poet considered the maple and the beaver as well states to be emblems of Canada. The only states on the card are the provinces represented by their arms, but provinces are not normally viewed as emblems. Postcard from the B.B. London Series (Birn Bros.), England. The stamp on the card was issued on 22 December 1911.
18. The verses include a number of heraldic terms, namely “arms,” “sinister bar” and ‘escutcheon.” Card by B.B. London.
19. Another post card by B.B. London, c. 1910.
20. Eight mini-photographs of buildings and street scenes in Moose Jaw are folded under a flap cut into the wreath of maple leaves. The arms of the Province of Saskatchewan in centre were granted by royal warrant dated 25 August 1906. The same verse is repeated on other cards in the series published by the “Valentine & Sons United Publishing Co., Ltd., Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver.” Postmarked Moose Jaw, Sept. 6, 1923. A clear indication that the card was printed earlier is the fact that the Vancouver office mentioned on the card existed from 1912 to 1919. The rhyme is not of the type to be diffused during or just after World War I. Therefore, it is almost certain that the card was printed before the war. This hypothesis is further supported by W.L. Gutzman’s The Canadian Post Card Handbook, (1985, p. 38) which dates this “Greetings From Canada” series with fold-out views from “1913 on.”
21. “B.B. London. Series No. NY 1909. Made in England.” Postmarked: Vancouver, 2 Dec. 1911.
22. Here we have the chorus of Alexander Muir’s “The Maple Leaf Forever”, the words of which are easily found on the Internet. T.C. Howard who signed the artwork was an artist working for the publisher of this postcard: J. Salmon of Sevenoaks, England.
Temperance
The temperance movement in Canada began in the 1820’s and extended into the first quarter of the twentieth century. It was influenced by anti-alcohol organizations in the United States. In 1875 the many organizations committed to probation formed a federation which, within a year, took the name of Dominion Alliance for the Total Suppression of the Liquor Traffic. La Ligue Anti-alcoölique, its French counterpart formed in 1906, supported restriction though not complete prohibition. During the war, in 1915 and 1916, all the provinces prohibited the sale of alcohol except Quebec which banned the sale of distilled liquor only in 1919 and revoked the law that same year. By the 1920s, most of this prohibitive legislation had been repealed except in Prince Edward Island where it lasted until 1948. Cards 23 and 24 exemplify this restrictive ideology towards, not just alcohol, but tobacco. For some years, Canadian liquor producers found a lucrative contraband market in the United States where prohibition lasted until 1933.The temperance movement and prohibition as well as the subsequent opening of a market for smuggled Canadian alcohol south of the border made the delight of many cartoonists.
The temperance movement in Canada began in the 1820’s and extended into the first quarter of the twentieth century. It was influenced by anti-alcohol organizations in the United States. In 1875 the many organizations committed to probation formed a federation which, within a year, took the name of Dominion Alliance for the Total Suppression of the Liquor Traffic. La Ligue Anti-alcoölique, its French counterpart formed in 1906, supported restriction though not complete prohibition. During the war, in 1915 and 1916, all the provinces prohibited the sale of alcohol except Quebec which banned the sale of distilled liquor only in 1919 and revoked the law that same year. By the 1920s, most of this prohibitive legislation had been repealed except in Prince Edward Island where it lasted until 1948. Cards 23 and 24 exemplify this restrictive ideology towards, not just alcohol, but tobacco. For some years, Canadian liquor producers found a lucrative contraband market in the United States where prohibition lasted until 1933.The temperance movement and prohibition as well as the subsequent opening of a market for smuggled Canadian alcohol south of the border made the delight of many cartoonists.
23. Postcard by Warwick Bro’s & Rutter, Printers, Toronto. A number of postcards titled “Banish the Bar” and with these same verses were published c. 1905-15 by various companies. Inscription below verse: “For Loved Ones, Home and Native Land.”
24. This card c. 1905-15 does not contain verse, but constitutes a pledge to abandon tobacco. It is of interest in relation to card 23 and because few Canadians know that temperance also extended to tobacco. The inscription “By this sign conquer” and the cross on the blue flag refer to the cross and motto that Emperor Constantine reportedly saw in a dream or vision. The two holes on both sides suggest that these cards with the name added were pinned to bulletin boards for all to see.
Others
Card 25 reproduces the famous stone tablet and verse popularized by the novel The Chien D’or –The Golden Dog: A Legend of Quebec (1877) by William Kirby. The tablet was originally on a house built in 1688 for the surgeon Timothée Roussel of Quebec. It is now above the main entrance to the Louis Stephen St-Laurent Building in Quebec City. The reader seeking more information of this mysterious artefact will find a more detailed article I wrote in French with an English summary on this web site: https://heraldicscienceheraldique.com/un-puissant-symbole-de-vengeance-qui-brave-le-temps.html. Card 26, which was sent in Canada and appears to have been created in Québec City, is not flattering for Canadians as it contemplates the fading away of the emblems of the countries of origin of a large segment of Canada’s population. Card 27 is a pleasant one expressing good wishes for Christmas and the New Year.
Card 25 reproduces the famous stone tablet and verse popularized by the novel The Chien D’or –The Golden Dog: A Legend of Quebec (1877) by William Kirby. The tablet was originally on a house built in 1688 for the surgeon Timothée Roussel of Quebec. It is now above the main entrance to the Louis Stephen St-Laurent Building in Quebec City. The reader seeking more information of this mysterious artefact will find a more detailed article I wrote in French with an English summary on this web site: https://heraldicscienceheraldique.com/un-puissant-symbole-de-vengeance-qui-brave-le-temps.html. Card 26, which was sent in Canada and appears to have been created in Québec City, is not flattering for Canadians as it contemplates the fading away of the emblems of the countries of origin of a large segment of Canada’s population. Card 27 is a pleasant one expressing good wishes for Christmas and the New Year.
25. The French verse on the stone tablet is engraved in old lettering and with a few spelling mistakes by today’s standards, which is not surprising since, in 1688 when the stone was carved, French spelling remained largely phonetic. The lines read as follows: “Je svis vn chien qvi ronge lo En le rongeant je prend mon repos Vn tems viendra qvi nest pas venv Qve je morderay qvi mavra mordv.” English: “I am a dog gnawing a bone While doing so, I find repose A day will come that has yet to be When I will bite those who bit me” (author’s translation). It is interesting that the enigmatic dog is surrounded by Canadian and British emblems placing it at the same level as other heraldic symbols. Postcard by Warwick Bro’s & Rutter Limited, Printers, Toronto, c. 1907.
26. With the American flag, the eagle and mayflower and particularly the verses, this hand-painted and pyro-engraved postcard on leather is aggressively pro-American. It is postdated Quebec, 30 August 1906 and sent to a correspondent in Claremont, Ontario, not to someone in the USA. It is inscribed “QUEBEC” at the top.
27. Verse on the Canadian Red Ensign. Published by the Fireside Publishing Co., St. John, New Brunswick, dated 21 December 1914 by the sender. A card by the same company and in the same format has the “Banish the Bar” verse as on card 23.
Remarks
The cards with both emblems and rhymes presented here are just a sampling of what exists. They have been dated prior or during the First World War. The phenomenon seems to be almost entirely absent after the Great War, at least on Canadian heraldic postcards. The fact that they can be grouped into specific themes strengthens their message. Their pictorial and poetic content touch upon topics that are summarized in a few introductory words, but that have also been the object of learned articles and books. The combination of pictorial elements with poetry and symbols proves interesting. Pictures capture the essence of many realities that can only be expressed with many words; poetry encapsulates profound thoughts and emotions, while symbols do both.
Heraldry has been termed the shorthand of history in the sense that heraldic symbols, when their meaning is known, tell a story in succinct form. Symbols arouse emotions which may be a sense of belonging to a family, a clan or a country. A flag raising ceremony can stir up powerful patriotic feelings. Choosing a flag for a country often gives rise to prolonged passionate debate.
The arms of Canadian provinces on one shield as well as the Union Jack and Canadian Red Ensign that represented Canada before the adoption of a national coat of arms and flag all embody far-reaching traditions. On postcards, emblems are generally accompanied by inscriptions and often by non-heraldic pictorial elements relating to history, geography, anniversaries and to a vast array of subjects as can be seen in this article. The heraldic content with other pictorial components and various inscriptions, which can be titles, explanatory notes or verse, reveal interesting gems of history. Together they tell us how Canada viewed itself within the Empire and in relation to the mother country. Often the message of a sender, the postage stamp and postmarks provide specific dates and other data that add to the documentary interest. These bits of information arouse the viewer’s curiosity and the desire to seek further information, much of which is available today by consulting reliable sources on the Internet.
Though they were not chosen for that purpose, the illustrations testify to the widespread popularity of the maple leaf as the symbol chosen to identify Canada. Cards 8, 14, 24 and 26 are the only ones that do not include the leaf. On the others it is present in one way or another. In cards 1, 4, 11 and 27, this is not so evident because the three leaves on a stem are part of the arms of Ontario and Quebec depicted separately or included in the shield representing the Dominion of Canada. The others display the leaf alone or in clusters, often as maple branches or wreaths. On cards 5, 10, 12, 17-18 and 20-22, the rhymes mention the maple tree or its leaf, a theme also present in their pictorial elements.
The cards with both emblems and rhymes presented here are just a sampling of what exists. They have been dated prior or during the First World War. The phenomenon seems to be almost entirely absent after the Great War, at least on Canadian heraldic postcards. The fact that they can be grouped into specific themes strengthens their message. Their pictorial and poetic content touch upon topics that are summarized in a few introductory words, but that have also been the object of learned articles and books. The combination of pictorial elements with poetry and symbols proves interesting. Pictures capture the essence of many realities that can only be expressed with many words; poetry encapsulates profound thoughts and emotions, while symbols do both.
Heraldry has been termed the shorthand of history in the sense that heraldic symbols, when their meaning is known, tell a story in succinct form. Symbols arouse emotions which may be a sense of belonging to a family, a clan or a country. A flag raising ceremony can stir up powerful patriotic feelings. Choosing a flag for a country often gives rise to prolonged passionate debate.
The arms of Canadian provinces on one shield as well as the Union Jack and Canadian Red Ensign that represented Canada before the adoption of a national coat of arms and flag all embody far-reaching traditions. On postcards, emblems are generally accompanied by inscriptions and often by non-heraldic pictorial elements relating to history, geography, anniversaries and to a vast array of subjects as can be seen in this article. The heraldic content with other pictorial components and various inscriptions, which can be titles, explanatory notes or verse, reveal interesting gems of history. Together they tell us how Canada viewed itself within the Empire and in relation to the mother country. Often the message of a sender, the postage stamp and postmarks provide specific dates and other data that add to the documentary interest. These bits of information arouse the viewer’s curiosity and the desire to seek further information, much of which is available today by consulting reliable sources on the Internet.
Though they were not chosen for that purpose, the illustrations testify to the widespread popularity of the maple leaf as the symbol chosen to identify Canada. Cards 8, 14, 24 and 26 are the only ones that do not include the leaf. On the others it is present in one way or another. In cards 1, 4, 11 and 27, this is not so evident because the three leaves on a stem are part of the arms of Ontario and Quebec depicted separately or included in the shield representing the Dominion of Canada. The others display the leaf alone or in clusters, often as maple branches or wreaths. On cards 5, 10, 12, 17-18 and 20-22, the rhymes mention the maple tree or its leaf, a theme also present in their pictorial elements.