Queensland 1895 2d Essay and Proof material

This page is a census of known examples of the 2d (1895) (SG 212 and 218) essay and proof issues. This stamp was introduced in 1895 and differs from the 2nd Sideface issues that preceded it by the removal of the background shading around the Queen's head. The 2d stamps, issued in a blue shade, first went on sale on 19 June 1895 and were replaced by a redrawn 2d (numerals in all 4 corners) issue in April 1897 

According to Scudder (Kenneth Scudder, Queensland Postage Stamps 1879 to 1912, p. 192 - 3) the following essays and proofs are known

Essay

• A transitional block of the 1882 2d, Die 3, with the shaded background to the head and the shading removed from the upper left subject. Known printed in vermilion, blue and orange-Yellow

Proofs

• In blue on unwatermarked wove paper, imperforate
• In blue on thin card imperforate

Essay examples

A transitional block of four proof of the 1882 2d, Die 3, with the shaded background to the head and the shading removed from the upper left subject. Printed in blue. Shown in Prestige Philately auction no 146 lot no 1144. Ex Bernard Manning, ex Ron Butler

A transitional block of four proof of the 1882 2d, Die 3, with the shaded background to the head and the shading removed from the upper left subject. Printed in orange-yellow. Shown in Prestige Philately auction no 146 lot no 1143. Ex Bernard Manning

A transitional block of four proof of the 1882 2d, Die 3, with the shaded background to the head and the shading removed from the upper left subject. Printed in vermillion. Shown in Scudder, p. 192

2d imperforate plate proof block of 4 in blue on thin card from top of the sheet comprising three units no figures & the last unit with figures at base. An essay for the unissued 2 figures 2d. Seen in Prestige Philately auction no 96 lot no 480. Ex Colonel Harrie Evans and believed to have come from the collection of William Knight. See Scudder p. 209 for more information

Proof Imperforate examples

2d imperforate plate proof block of 4 on unwatermarked white wove thick paper. Seen in Corinphila auctions

2d imperforate plate proof block of 4 on unwatermarked white wove paper. Ex Alan Griffiths

2d imperforate plate proof strip of 3 on unwatermarked white wove paper. Seen in Prestige Philately auction no 152 lot no 376

2d imperforate plate proof pair on unwatermarked white wove paper

2d imperforate plate proof on unwatermarked paper. Seen in Spink auction no 12043 lot no 1332. Ex Alan Griffiths

2d imperforate plate proof on unwatermarked white wove paper

Queensland 1895 1d orange-red cancelled overprint

This page is a census of known examples of the 1895 one penny orange-red issue overprinted with the word 'Cancelled'  This handstamp was introduced in the early 1870s to cancel proofs and other samples to be retained by the authorities (Kenneth Scudder, Queensland Postage Stamps 1879 to 1912, p. 366)

It was typeset with sans-serif capitals, 21 mm long and 2.75 mm high. It was applied in black ink on mint gummed issues, wmk 2nd type "Crown Q", perforation 12.5, 13. Known horizontally and diagonally up. It is extremely scarce and rated 5R

All examples seen by me also have a circular ring cancel, which was usually applied to the junction of 4 stamps to cancel stamps as an alternative to a handstamp or overprint for presentation purposes or to be retained by the authorities. Why it was applied in these cases is unclear. 

Cancelled overprint - horizontal

1d orange-red roughly perforated 12.5 x 13 stamp with a horizontal Cancelled handstamp and circular ring cancel. Seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

1d orange-red roughly perforated 12.5 x 13 pair on Cowan watermarked paper with a horizontal Cancelled handstamp and circular ring cancel. Seen in the collection of Dr Andrew Mortlock. Ex Alan Griffiths

Cancelled overprint - diagonally up

1d orange-red roughly perforated 12.5 x 13 stamp on faintly impressed watermarked paper with a diagonally up Cancelled handstamp and circular ring cancel

1d orange-red roughly perforated 12.5 x 13 stamp with a diagonally up Cancelled handstamp and circular ring cancel. Seen in Millennium auction no 50 lot no 129. Ex William McCredie

Queensland 1895 1d Proof material

This page is a census of known examples of the 1d (1895) (SG 210 - 211, 217 and 228) proof issues. This stamp was introduced in 1895 and differs from the 2nd Sideface issues that preceded it by the removal of the background shading around the Queen's head. The 1d stamps, issued in an orange-red shade, first went on sale on 22 February 1895 and were replaced by the 1d (1896) issue in August 1896. 

According to Scudder (Kenneth Scudder, Queensland Postage Stamps 1879 to 1912, p. 186) the following proofs are known

• Orange-yellow, unwatermarked paper, Imperforate (although examples I have seen are more orange-red)
• Orange-yellow, unwatermarked paper, roughly perforated 12.5, 13 comb (again most examples I have seen are more orange-red) - I am not convinced that these perforate examples are proofs. Faint watermarks are hard to detect and it is possible that these unwatermarked proof examples are actually postally issued faint watermark ones. Nonetheless, I show some examples

Imperforate examples

1d imperforate plate proof block of 4 in orange-red on highly surfaced ungummed unwatermarked paper. Ex Colonel Harrie Evans (Prestige Philately auction no 96 lot no 480)

1d imperforate plate proof block of 4 in orange-red on highly surfaced ungummed unwatermarked wove paper. Seen in Corinphila auctions. Ex Bernard Manning, Slade (Prestige Philately auction no 1466 lot no 1140)

1d imperforate plate proof strip of 7 in dull orange on highly surfaced ungummed unwatermarked wove paper. Seen in Spink auctions no 19010 lot no 2186. Ex Bernard Manning (Prestige Philately auction no 1466 lot no 1141)

1d imperforate plate proof pair in orange-red on highly surfaced ungummed unwatermarked wove paper

Perforate examples

1d orange-red roughly perforated 12.5 x 13 plate proof pair on highly surfaced unwatermarked wove paper, small printer's correction mark at the top. Seen in Phoenix auction no 9

1d orange-red roughly perforated 12.5 x 13 plate proof single on unwatermarked paper

1d orange-red roughly perforated 12.5 x 13 plate proof single on unwatermarked paper

Not yet issued to Public

A vertical strip of 3 notated "not yet issued to public 14/2/96." This proof item must refer to the introduction of the Cowan paper printings which went on sale in late April or early May 1896. Seen the collection of Dr Tim Dexter

Queensland 1 shilling mauve cancelled overprint

This page is a census of known examples of the 1899 one shilling mauve and violet issue overprinted with the word 'Cancelled'  This handstamp was introduced in the early 1870s to cancel proofs and other samples to be retained by the authorities (Kenneth Scudder, Queensland Postage Stamps 1879 to 1912, p. 366)

It was typeset with sans-serif capitals, 21 mm long and 2.75 mm high. It was applied in black ink on mint gummed issues, wmk 2nd type "Crown Q", perforation 12.5, 13. It is extremely scarce and rated 5R

The Cancelled overprint

A pair from my collection

From my collection

Seen in the collection of Dr Andrew Mortlock. Ex Alan Griffiths. This example also has the circular ring cancel, which was usually applied to the junction of 4 stamps to cancel stamps as an alternative to a handstamp or overprint for presentation purposes or to be retained by the authorities. Why it was applied in this case is unclear

Queensland 1 shilling mauve specimen overprint

This page is a census of known examples of the 1899 one shilling mauve and violet issue overprinted with the word 'SPECIMEN.' These handstamps are believed to have been for record or presentation purposes only and were not sold to collectors. They were not handstamped in this manner for distribution to the Universal Postal Union; mint stamps being used instead for this purpose.

A Scudder Specimen Type 9 overprint (Kenneth Scudder, Queensland Postage Stamps 1879 to 1912, p. 364) was used for the 1 shilling mauve issue. It was typeset with sans-serif capitals, 15.5 mm long and 1.75 mm high plus a stop at the end. It was applied in black ink on mint gummed issues, wmk 2nd type "Crown Q", perforation 12.5, 13 in around 1901. At least two sheets were overprinted.

Examples are also known stamped Specimen after receipt by various UPI countries, and those for Natal and Bechuanaland are shown below.

The Specimen overprint

A large block of 44 examples. Seen in Abacus auction no 237

From my collection

Image supplied by Dave Elsmore

Seen in Prestige Philately auction no 139 lot no 339

From my collection

Seen on Ebay

Seen on Ebay

Seen on Ebay

Seen in the collection of Dr Andrew Mortlock. Ex Alan Griffiths

BECHUANALAND

Specimen receiving handstamp (seriffed 22.5 x 2.75 mm) in Black by Bechuanaland. Seen in Status auctions

NATAL

Specimen receiving handstamp (sans serif 17.25 x 3.25 mm) in violet by Natal. Seen in Corinphila auctions

Queensland 1 shilling mauve and violet postally used blocks

A census of Queensland one shilling pale, dull and bright mauve (SG 251 - 3) and violet and bright mauve (SG 298 - 9) 3rd Sideface used blocks. This issue first went on sale in June 1899. Most of these stamps, being of a high value, were used on parcels and while postally used examples are not that scarce, postally used blocks are

Postally used

1903

SG 251 1s pale mauve block of 4 cancelled with a Maryborough PAID date stamp dated 10 January 1903. Seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

SG 251 1s pale mauve block of 4 cancelled with a Woolloongabba double lined registered oval handstamp dated 28 February 1903. Seen in Abacus auction no 240 lot no 505

1905

SG 253 1s bright mauve block of 4 cancelled with a Cairns type 5a date stamp dated 4 April 1904. Seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

SG 253 1s bright mauve block of 4 cancelled with a Brisbane parcel post date stamp dated 11 April 1904. Seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

1906

SG 251 1s pale mauve block of 4 cancelled with a Gympie type 5a date stamp dated 30 September 1906

1907

SG 251 1s pale mauve block of 4 cancelled with a Cooktown type 4a (i) date stamp dated 6 December 1907

1908

SG 253 1s bright mauve block of 4 cancelled with a Brisbane parcel post branch date stamp dated 1 May 1908

1909

SG 298 1s violet OS block of 4 cancelled with a Brisbane parcel post branch date stamp dated 15 January 1909

1910

SG 299 1s bright mauve block of 8 cancelled with Oakey type 5b date stamp dated 1 March 1910

1911

SG 298 1s violet block of 4 cancelled with a Goondiwindi type 6 date stamp dated 10 April 1911. Courtesy of Dave Elsmore

Not dated

SG 251 faded 1s pale mauve block of 4 cancelled with Ipswich numeral 87 type 2a (i)

SG 251 1s pale mauve block of 4 cancelled with an indistinct barred numeral

Collection of stamps including an SG 251 1s pale mauve block of 4 cancelled with an Gympie numeral 547 type 2b. Seen on Ebay

Cancelled to Order (CTO)

1913

SG 299 1s bright mauve block of 4 cancelled to morder with Brisbane date stamp type 26 dated 1913. Seen on Ebay. Ex Australia Post Archives

Electric Telegraph Office

SG 251 1s pale mauve block of 4 cancelled with a Townsville Electric Telegraph Office oval handstamp. Seen in Abacus auction no 240 lot no 505