Page 47 - Standing Display
P. 47
TOP HALF OF 1895 DOCUMENT
This very interesting document shows a very early use of two of the 1895 issues, together with continued use
of the first issue, as the first stamps were being used up. All the stamps have been presigned by Mool Chand
(MC), the new Chief Duty Officer.
The seven four annas yellow, when examined carefully appear to be from the same sheet. However when the
placement is examined carefully, the order in which they were placed on the sheet can be discerned.
The stamps at the top have placed first:- the 1895 1 anna blues and the 2 rupees green, followed by the 2 annas
pink of the 1884 issue. The two 4 annas of the darker yellow were then placed one above the other, then the
remaining three of the top row, and the remaining two of the bottom row. The pink in the bottom right corner
was placed last of all. So it can be seen that there was a progressive loss of intensity of the colour across the
original sheet. It appears from a study of all these issues that the sheets were cut into strips and then into singles
as they were used. Although the stamps were not being numbered in the sheet this early, the inconsistency in
the inking of the form is quite clear, probably arising from a hand swiping of the colour.
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