Victorian Stamps - Essays and die proofs of the 1880-1890 issues. Written by Peter Morton

In December 1839 Perkins Bacon were approached to commence work on preparing a die for the first adhesive stamps. In due course the 1d black and 2d blue were produced in May 1840. Despite the introduction of embossed stamps in 1847, followed in 1855 by the first surface printed stamps from De La Rue, Perkins Bacon remained the only firm to be used to print stamps by the line engraved method, and for nearly forty years this firm printed the bulk of the stamps for use in

Great Britain

In 1878 the Board of Inland Revenue were negotiating with Perkins Bacon for the renewal of the contract to print the low value stamps by the line engraved method. At the same time, another department of the Board of Inland Revenue concluded that all future stamps would have to be printed by the surface printed method making use of fugitive inks. Six months notice to cancel the contract was given to Perkins Bacon & Co. on 23 December 1878.

On 3rd April 1879 the Board of Inland Revenue invited seven firms to submit tenders to print the 1d value only. The closing date for these submissions was 17th May 1879. The seven firms were; Perkins Bacon & Company, De La Rue, McCorquodale, Charles Skipper & East, James Truscott, Waterlow, and Bradbury Wilkinson. In the event James Truscott did not submit a tender.

Each firm was provided with ten sheets of thin wove paper with Anchor watermark, every sheet of which had to be accounted for. Most of the actual submitted stamps were on this paper. Some of the printers also produced additional sheets of stamps, part of which may also have been submitted. Most are believed to have been used to assist the tender and to evidence the scope of printing available. These took the form of die proofs, colour trials and dummy stamps.

It was almost a foregone conclusion that De La Rue would obtain the contract, since the report of the Government Chemist showed that only De La Rue’s work satisfied all the requirements which had been specified, particularly with regard to the use of fugitive inks. De La Rue’s tender was accepted on 27th June 1879.

Despite their long association and knowledge of line engraved printing, it would appear that Perkins Bacon were ill prepared to meet the challenge of surface printing as the work submitted for the tender was poorly conceived.

Essays and die proofs for the 1880 Tender for the ½ d. 1½ d and 2d values

Only Perkins Bacon & Company and De La Rue were invited to tender in 1880. De La Rue did not in fact submit any proposed stamp designs under the 1880 tender, as they were so confident of obtaining the contract, which in due course was awarded to them.

The allocation of plate numbers is my own nomenclature, and is based only upon information so far obtained. Reference to Fisher plate numbers refers to the Phillips 1983 sale of the Fisher GB collection and his detailed work in this area.

Perkins, Bacon & Co. surface printed essays, die proofs and colour trials were engraved by William Ridgeway with the head based on Edward Corbould’s

Ceylon

6d of 1857. All stamps, with the exception of those from plate 1 and plate 3 have corner letters WW WW. Stamps from plates 1 and 3 are only known to exist with blank (voided) corners.

The majority of stamps which have been seen by myself have been on un-watermarked paper. However it is known that stamps were also produced with stars as a watermark, and also with the watermark, “SPECIAL POSTAGE PAPER/LONDON”.

Stamps from plates 1 and 3 are also known to exist on un-gummed paper, whereas those from the other plates have been seen on both gummed and un-gummed paper.

The first design was frame “D” with a larger head type, which was subsequently reduced for the main plate 2. The plate was set up on the same basis as a line engraved 1d red in a sheet of two hundred and forty stamps (12 x 20) with corner letters starting at AA through AL and ending through TA - TL. These are only known to exist in imperforate format.

Imperforate stamps from this plate are known to exist in various shades of pink, usually on thin paper. They are a lso known to exist in orange and black shades. They have been identified in; carmine rose, dull rose and rose pink. The IS SI printing is a very coarse print with coloured dots all over the printing, and on thin white card with the design not very clear.

This consisted of a sheet of thirty six impressions (6 x 6) comprising vertical rows of stamp designs A, B, C, D, E and F. Only known imperforate, but a few very crudely perforated stamps have been seen which might possibly originate from this plate.

This comprises of the 1d value design B but with no corner letters in a sheet comprising one hundred and twenty stamps (12 x 10). Has only been seen in imperforate format.

Imperforate stamps from plate 3 are known in many colours and shades. They have been identified in various shades of green, ochre brown, and maroon. Undoubtedly many more shade varieties exist. Colours are very pastel as if very little ink had been used in their production. These may well have been produced as colour trials. Normal and thicker type papers exist.

Several different coloured stamps have been seen with a full offset of the design on the reverse. It is suspected that this offset may have arisen when Stanley Gibbons basement was flooded during the war, which may well also account for the wishy washy appearance of some of the stamps.

Mr. Seymour Bennett requested a series of colour trials made from the Perkins Bacon plate 3 in respect of an order from the Australian Government for new dies for George V. These can easily be identified, as specimens available are usually on thin card, and not paper, besides which the images are very sharp and the colours bright when compared to the paler prints undertaken by Perkins Bacon earlier.

Imperforate stamps from plate 3 reprints are known in many colours and shades. They have been identified in; black, grey, ultramarine, dull blue, bright blue, bright scarlet and bright green. Undoubtedly many more shade varieties exist.

This was identical to plate 2 but with an additional vertical row of five stamps to the left comprising ½d design B, 2d design C, 1½d design G, and 2d designs H and A respectively. Only known imperforate. Notice the above examples have voided (blank) corners where the corner letters WW would normally appear.

This is identical to plate 2 but only has the first three horizontal rows. Only known imperforate.

Plates 2, 4 and 5 are known in a variety of colours and shades. Plate 2 exists in steel blue, dull ultramarine, deep blue, turquoise green, pale blue green, reddish lilac, deep dull brown, deep brown, ochre brown, pale brown ochre and venetian red; other colours may well exist. Plate 4 exists on deep grey blue, steel blue, and pale green; other colours may well exist. Plate 5 is known to exist in various shades of brown and may well also be available in other colours.

The ½d, 1½d, and 2d values in a sheet of twenty four impression (6 x 4) comprising an irregular arrangement of 12 x ½d design I, 6 x 1½d design K and 6 x 2d design J. Has only been seen in perforated format. Corner letters are WW WW.

½d, 1½d, and 2d values in a sheet of twenty four impression (8 x 3) comprising a symmetrical arrangement of 12 x ½d design I, 6 x 1½d design K and 6 x 2d design J.

½d, 1½d, and 2d values in a widely spaced sheet of eight impression (4 x 2) comprising;

½d design I

1½d design K

Plate 9 (Fisher plate 5)

1½d and 2d values in a sheet of nine (3 x 3) with two vertical columns of 2d, 3 times frames A and H and a single column of 1½d frame G placed sideways.

Stamp colours

Perforated single stamps which may have come from any of plates 6, 7, 8, and 9 are known in many colours and shades. They have been identified in; pale chocolate, pale purple brown, deep reddish brown, pale reddish brown, lake brown, deep salmon pink, rose red, deep pink, deep full blue, deep blue, deep steel blue, ultramarine, dull ultramarine, bright blue, turquoise green, pale blue green, black, reddish lilac, deep violet and bright violet. Undoubtedly many more shade varieties exist.

Plate 6 has been seen in turquoise green, pink and bright blue. Is also known to exist in grey blue, black and pale lilac.

Written by Peter Morton