Page 24 - Gustaf Douglas: Classic Sweden

The Swedish postage reform in the 1850’s

FRAME 2 1855-1858 THE COAT-OF-ARMS TYPE I ”SKILLING BANCO”

Pehr Ambjörn Sparre The production of the printing material
The production of Sweden’s The early attempts made by philatelists and
first adhesives was entrusted to researchers to reconstruct the production process for
the engraver and book printer the Skilling Banco stamps was not made on
Count Pehr Ambjörn Sparre. sufficiently concrete basis. Later on some valuable
One can obtain only extremely printing material has become available.
scanty enlightenment about the A total of 9 color proofs from the mother die and
preparations and preliminary from clichés used during the development of the die
work for the production of stamps from documents are recorded, all without denomination value.
available at the time of the introduction of postage
stamps in Sweden. Proofs from the Mother Die Type B

Sparre’s first proposed design TYPE I
The unique proposed design of Type I originates
from the collection of Wilhelm Roos, late Postmaster‐
General, as certified by his son Governor G.W. Roos.
It has then been the property of Fredrik Benzinger
and Lawson Stone, both great collectors of classic
Swedish philately.

Blue ultramarine on Yellowish Ribbed paper

The proposal is executed on 0,1 mm thick, faintly

greyish paper, somewhat glazed on its face. The picture Dull brown red on Yellowish Ribbed paper
was sketched in pencil and filled in with ink. The pencil
lines are still visible in some spots.

The crested lesser Swedish Coat‐of‐Arms is at the
top flanked by lions. Under it in white on a black
escutcheon is the text “4 SK BCO”. The escutcheon
with the denomination is enclosed on the sides and
below by banderole with text “FRIMÄRKE” on the
sides and “SWERIGE” below. It is especially
noteworthy that the weight unit for which the stamp

is valid is indicated on the design, “1 LOD” (13,16g)
Blue green on Smooth almost White Paper
printed on ribbons round the banderole.