|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
| The Mystery Stamp |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
ABOVE: VIII printing, fiscal usage
cleaned, and regummed |
|
ABOVE: VI printing fiscal use
from 1897 |
|
Following last month's Cinderella Corner on the reprinted 5/- Fiji stamp of 1882, we would like to tell the story of its companion stamp, the 1 /- Queen Victoria issue of October 19, 1881. To us it is a fascinating story because of its link with two famous philatelists.
The 1/- value was requested from the Government Printing Office, Sydney, New South Wales by John G. Thurston, Fiji's Colonial Secretary, on June 21,1880, to meet the need for a higher value stamp. By July 18, John [B] Thurston had shown the design to the Governor, and wrote to Mr. Thos Richards, Government Printing Works, stating the Governor thought that the Queen's Head was beautiful. However, he required the stamp to be shortened and the scroll to be taken away, both below and above the Queen's Head, as the stamp appeared too heavy. Back came a letter on August 1, 1881 stating that the plate was not quite finished but: 'if the Mail had been delayed another day I should have been able to send you a proof'. The date of sending letters was simply dependent on the day the ship to Fiji sailed.
The letter continued: 'With regards to the border, I have already made a slight alteration, which will give it a lighter appearance, and as His Royal Highness Prince Albert Victor pulled the first proof of the 'Die' (which he was very pleased to keep), I think that I may ask you to accept the plate in its present form.' HRH Prince Albert was the future Duke of Edinburgh, and his collection formed the foundation of King George V's collection, the Royal Collection. As he was a keen collector, we aren't surprised that he was 'pleased to keep' the proof.
Charles J. Phillips's The Postage Stamps etc of the Fiji Islands, Stanley Gibbons Ltd, 1908 identifies eight printings of the stamp, in total 125,000 being printed between 1881 and 1899. Printings I to V are all perforated 10, the different printings being identified by small changes in colour. The VI printing was perforated 11 x 10 and we show an example (see above) that has been used fiscally in 1897. |
|
| Removed Cancellation |
|
| Printing VII was perforated 11, whilst the final printing was perforated either 11 or 11 x nearly 12 - for this latter perforation variety we show a so-called mint stamp, but, in fact is a fiscal stamp with manuscript cancellation removed and the stamp then re-gummed. The final printing on January 25, 1899 was of 50,000 stamps, which were little used by Fiji before the dead of Queen Victoria. Accordingly approximately 40,000 were remaindered, all being cancelled by a postmark dated December 15, 1900 to effectively deface the stamps. The actual date o 'remaindering' the stamps is no known, but is likely to be after 1903, when the new King Edward VII stamps were issued We would suggest that the actual date used on the new canceller which was never used postally, was chosen as a suitable date jus prior to the death of Queer Victoria (January 22, 1901). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Home 