Page 48 - BWISC 60th Anniversary Display at RPSL, November 2014
P. 48
Frame 43
TRINIDAD
from the collection of Michael Medlicott
The frame begins with the ‘Lady McLeod’ unused, on cover and a plausible forgery, the first postage stamps
issued in the Overseas Possessions of the British Empire.
On the subsequent pages, the origin and development of the Britannia design is
traced, from contemporary photographic prints on silver bromide coated paper
(ex-Perkins, Bacon Archives) of the original coloured drawing by Edward Henry
Corbould and the Intermediate Proof of the rejected First Die. The originals
were acquired by the Royal Collection. After Plate Proofs showing significant
positional flaws come the various undenominated imperforate One Penny
stamps produced by Perkins, Bacon for use on letters mailed in the Inland
Postal Service 1851 – 1857.
Repeated shortages of stamps from England
required desperate local measures to recognise
prepayment of postage, and four pages show the 1848, Original Artist’s Drawing
six local provisional issues produced on a variety by Edward Henry Corbould.
of papers from a lithographic stone made by Contemporary Photo Image.
local engraver, Charles Pétit. Presentable under
Pétit’s supervision, the impressions made after
October 1858, 4th issue his departure for the United States became progressively more disreputable,
lithograph, slate-blue (unused).
reaching their nadir in March 1860 with the final red issue, few of which were
actually used.
The compulsory prepayment of letters to the United Kingdom necessitated the issue, on 9 May 1859,
of three higher values to defray overseas rates of postage, initially in imperforate form. Responding
to the difficulties of separating the stamps one from another, Perkins, Bacon produced later in 1859
the first perforated stamps by running by hand a spiked wheel between the rows – the so-called
‘Pin Perf ’ issues. The single consignment contained stamps perforated roughly 12½ , 13½ – 14 and a compound
of the two, as well as a single sheet of sixpenny imperforate stamps, identifiable by their shade and paper; a
rare used survivor is in the display.
By mid-1860, Perkins, Bacon had found a stationer to produce a mechanical perforator, and the result was
the beautifully clean-cut issue of August 1860. The pins rapidly became clogged, however, and the June 1861
issue, Perkins, Bacon’s last before losing the contract to De La Rue, is characterised by rough perforations.
Leaving aside the remaindered issues which are not hard to find or unduly expensive, the difficulty of collecting
Perkins, Bacon’s Trinidad issues, especially unused examples which travelled out to the Colony, is testified by
the number of stamps in the frame from famous collections (over 50%), or which have acquired certificates
from the Expert Committees (over 40%). Provenance is of great importance for the fine and rare.
TRINIDAD
from the collection of Michael Medlicott
The frame begins with the ‘Lady McLeod’ unused, on cover and a plausible forgery, the first postage stamps
issued in the Overseas Possessions of the British Empire.
On the subsequent pages, the origin and development of the Britannia design is
traced, from contemporary photographic prints on silver bromide coated paper
(ex-Perkins, Bacon Archives) of the original coloured drawing by Edward Henry
Corbould and the Intermediate Proof of the rejected First Die. The originals
were acquired by the Royal Collection. After Plate Proofs showing significant
positional flaws come the various undenominated imperforate One Penny
stamps produced by Perkins, Bacon for use on letters mailed in the Inland
Postal Service 1851 – 1857.
Repeated shortages of stamps from England
required desperate local measures to recognise
prepayment of postage, and four pages show the 1848, Original Artist’s Drawing
six local provisional issues produced on a variety by Edward Henry Corbould.
of papers from a lithographic stone made by Contemporary Photo Image.
local engraver, Charles Pétit. Presentable under
Pétit’s supervision, the impressions made after
October 1858, 4th issue his departure for the United States became progressively more disreputable,
lithograph, slate-blue (unused).
reaching their nadir in March 1860 with the final red issue, few of which were
actually used.
The compulsory prepayment of letters to the United Kingdom necessitated the issue, on 9 May 1859,
of three higher values to defray overseas rates of postage, initially in imperforate form. Responding
to the difficulties of separating the stamps one from another, Perkins, Bacon produced later in 1859
the first perforated stamps by running by hand a spiked wheel between the rows – the so-called
‘Pin Perf ’ issues. The single consignment contained stamps perforated roughly 12½ , 13½ – 14 and a compound
of the two, as well as a single sheet of sixpenny imperforate stamps, identifiable by their shade and paper; a
rare used survivor is in the display.
By mid-1860, Perkins, Bacon had found a stationer to produce a mechanical perforator, and the result was
the beautifully clean-cut issue of August 1860. The pins rapidly became clogged, however, and the June 1861
issue, Perkins, Bacon’s last before losing the contract to De La Rue, is characterised by rough perforations.
Leaving aside the remaindered issues which are not hard to find or unduly expensive, the difficulty of collecting
Perkins, Bacon’s Trinidad issues, especially unused examples which travelled out to the Colony, is testified by
the number of stamps in the frame from famous collections (over 50%), or which have acquired certificates
from the Expert Committees (over 40%). Provenance is of great importance for the fine and rare.
