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| Plate's Progress |
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Over a year ago we planned an article on the Margate Cottage Hospital Appeal poster stamps because they feature a stamp design that Perkins, Bacon & Co Ltd used originally in 1914 and reworked for 1916. Many printers rework dies or plates to save time and money, and this always fascinates us. But before we could publish an article some research was needed to find out exactly when they were produced, and in what numbers. This research grew as we established new facts and found more material. In the end it makes quite a story and we thought we'd share it with you. Due to the amount of information and the number of illustrations part two of the tale will appear in next month's STAMP MAGAZINE.
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The large die proof of the stamp used
for the 1914 Congress programme |
Turning to 1914, the host for the second Philatelic Congress of Great Britain to be held in London was the Royal Philatelic Society, London. The Congress, held from May 20-22, met at the Royal's home - 4 Southampton Row. There was no formal paper presented at the Congress but instead matters of importance to philately were discussed. No philatelic souvenirs were printed except the Official Programme carried, on its front, a stamp type print showing portraits of Queen Victoria, King Edward VII and King George V within a rectangular stamp design - a proof is shown. This proof comes to two forms - one with a large space between the embossed colourless frame and the stamp design (as shown), and the other with a narrower spacing between the stamp and the embossed frame. The whole programme was printed by Perkins, Bacon & Co Ltd at their premises at Southwark Bridge Buildings, South East London. |
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| War Funds |
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The large die proof of the stamp used
for the 1914 Congress programme |
World War I commenced on August 4, 1914 when Great Britain declared war on Germany. Very early in the war many prominent philatelists suggested that a War Fund Auction should be held - very similar to the South African War Fund Auction of 1900 - but due to the 'Cataclysm of the European War' (London Philatelist Vol XXIV, July 1915, page 151), it was decided to postpone. In July 1915, E.D. Bacon announced that H.M. The King had given warm approval of the undertaking of an auction. In September 1915 King George V presented to the auction one of the rarest of British stamps. It is described in the actual auction catalogue as: '1865, 9d straw, plate 5, unused and exceedingly fine and of the greatest rarity. This copy is, as usual, perforated with the single line machine and is one of the few copies from the imprimatur sheets so done at Somerset House for inclusion in the sets contained in 'Before and After the Stamp Commission'. The actual stamp is illustrated in the catalogue (lot no. 35), and it is mounted on a card that carries a short description in the King's handwriting, the card also carrying the signature 'George R. L'. Perkins, Bacon & Co Ltd printed the catalogue of 666 lots and the auction was held on March 13 and 14, 1916.
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The green die proof and blue colour
trial of the 1916 War Fund stamp |
On this cover you will see that the 1914 Congress stamp design has been altered to read 'National Philatelic War Fund' and 'London 1916'. It is printed in a pale brown colour. We have also a die proof in a deep green colour, and colour trials printed on thin card can be found in blue and in light brown. Concurrent with the auction the National Philatelic War Fund Committee issued a special stamp, in a series of six colours, to be sold at 1 d each, or 6d the set. They were donated to the Fund by the engravers and printers so as to produce, hopefully, a substantial addition to the total realised by auction. |
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