BRISK SALE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 108, 8 May 1937, Page 12

BRISK SALE.

CORONATION WARE. EFFECT OF ABDICATION. DOUBLE DEMAND CREATED. With the Coronation only a few days distant, public demand for Coronation souvenirs has quickened appreciably, and many Auckland .china firms have sold their entire stocks.

It is difficult to assess exactly what quantities of these souvenirs have been sold, but it must run into many hundreds of dozens. Large orders have been placed from country districts, while in several instances county councils have bought quantities for distribution among school children.

Nor has this general demand been confined to the cheaper lines. Some firms have sold "loving cups"' up to eight guineas in price, while one house opened a line of Royal Doulton ware and had sold the entire consignment in a few days. It is stated that the more expensive among this special chinaware has had a ready sale among tourists from overseas. Beakers, cups and saucers and mugs, however, have been the most popular.

Representatives of the Auckland houses state that the abdication of Kin<r Edward VIII., so far from upsetting business, as was thought probable at first, actually stimulated it. Souvenirs of Edward VIII. had been prepared; and many Auckland houses had placed large orders. In the dislocation which obtained in those few days in December, merchants did not know'what course to pursue. Some cancelled orders; others suspended them in the meantime, while in a few cases, shipments were already on the water. Actually, as things have turned out, they were fortunate, because as soon as those souvenirs were put on sale, they were literally 'snapped up.": "People asked for them right from the I early New Year," one merchant said, I "and they have been doing so ever since. It is only in the past few weeks, especially in the past few days, that the inquiry seems to have been transferred to souvenirs for the present Kin<r and Queen." The effect, generally speakin" he said, had been that a double demand had taken place— a demand for mementos of Edward and also of his brother.

In some cases the main shipments of the George VI. souvenirs had not vet arrived in New Zealand, owin<* to 'the confusion following the abdication, and sales were being made on samples and photographs. It is thought, however that the demand will not die with the Coronation, but will continue for some months.

Coronation medals have not vet arrived in New Zealand, so that mention of a demand for them is suppositional Tentative inquiries have been made however, from Post Office officials, who' up to the present, have been acting as selling agents Tor them. A few school committees have been asking about them, with the object, apparently of distribution among school children