Practical Motorist Magazines
Practical Motorist Magazines
 
 

Australian, New Zealand, South Africa, East Africa, West Africa and Rhodesia Practical Motorist Magazines

When in 1954 Practical Motorist Magazine printing was restarted in the U.K. the same issues were sent to Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, East Africa, West Africa and Rhodesia but marked with a sticker or overstamped to show the appropriate price and in some cases the on sale date which is a month after the English date presumably due to delivery timescales, they started at one shilling, this price increased as the years went by. See below a selection of the various price stickers and stamps as the price went up.
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
It became clear that the magazines did not fully cater for the Australian market as they were manufacturing their own cars such as Holden as well as importing cars from the U.K. so in October 1956 they started printing their own version which covered a more suitable range of vehicles as well as U.K. models, however this did not last long and in May 1959 an editorial announcement was printed stating that it would be the last Australian edition and the next issue would be back to the English version, like before it would have the sticker showing the Australian and New Zealand price, I am not showing any of the English versions here as they can be viewed elsewhere on this site.
 
I would like to thank Edwin Clarke from New Zealand for his invaluable help in compiling this page by taking the time to send me information and cover copies from his extensive collection, below are his notes explaining the different methods used to price the magazines followed by all of the Australian covers
 
:-

Notes on Practical Motorist Covers on magazines sent from the U.K. to the Southern Hemisphere.

1.      PM Covers continue unchanged to July 1962; priced at 2/-.

2.      August 1962 change of cover; still priced at 2/-.  Square stickers give price for Australia and New Zealand.

3.      January 1963 the 2/- is in a round, printed circle.

4.      February 1964 goes back to the square sticker, price is still 2/-.

5.      March 1964 returns to round, printed price 2/-.

6.      November 1964 uses round, printed price, but with change to 2/6 in Australia, remains 2/- in New Zealand.

7.      August 1965 the tag gets a yellow background.

8.      October 1965 Australia changes to decimal currency for pricing.

9.      May 1966 new cover design, decimal currency for Australia (25c), NZ remains at 2/-.

10.   July 1966 prices printed as before.

11.   August 1966 prices printed in top right. Australia, NZ, West Africa, South Africa, E Africa and Rhodesia covered.

12.   November 1966 different order of countries and pricing.

13.   April 1967 NZ is changed to decimal currency.

14.   April 1968 new cover design. Price rises.
One comment I would make is that the tags for Australia and NZ etc. in later magazines are overprinted on the cover in various places.  Previously they were in a small circle or square at the top right, now they migrate to different places.  It seems to me the graphic designers of the covers have not allowed for the overprinting as various blurbs get put into the top right or in bands across the cover.
 
 
The first 3 covers - October, November and December 1956
 
 
 
All 12 covers for 1957
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
All 12 covers for 1958
 
 

 
 
 
The last 5 covers 1959
 
 
 
below, the editorial notice announcing the ending of the Australian version where the Modern Motor is recommended
 
 
 
Right - Modern motor, P.M.'s recommended companion monthly 
 
 
 
 
To see the UK magazines use the sidebar or jump to 1934 here -  Practical Motorist 1934 
 
 
or here to start at 1954 -  Practical Motorist 1954