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Preview of Stamps Catalogue: VOLUME 1

GREAT BRITAIN MISCELLANEOUS

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Postage due stamps

1914 Inscription "POSTAGE DUE" or "TO PAY" (2 Sh 6 p and 5 Sh)

  1/2 p green
  1/2 p orange (1951?)
  1 p red
  1 p blue (1951?)
  1 1/2 p brown (1923)
  1 1/2 p green (1951?)
  2 p brown
  2 p black (1955)
  3 p violet (1918)
  4 p green (1921)
  4 p blue (1951?)
  5 p brown 
  1 Sh blue (1915)
  1 Sh light brown (1951?)
  2 Sh 6 p brown on yellow (1938, inscription 'TO PAY')
  5 Sh red on yellow (1955? inscription 'TO PAY')

These stamps have perforation 14 and watermark 'Crown GvR' (2 types). A postage due stamp of 2/6 brown on yellow with inscription 'TO PAY' was issued later.

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
Value Unused Used Remarks

Cheapest type

1/2 p c c  
1 p * c  
1 1/2 p * *  
2 p * c  
3 p * c  
4 p * c  
5 p ** *  
1 Sh *** c  

Several countries used the above postage due stamps overprinted, for example Southern Rhodesia (with overprint "SOUTHERN RHODESIA") or Bechuanaland (overprint "BECHUANALAND PROTECTORATE", see image below).

The values 1/2 p green, 1 p red, 2 p black, 3 p violet and 1 Sh blue exist with overprint "M.E.F." (Middle East Forces, 1947?). I've seen all values with a large "RHODES 31.3.47 DODECANESE" cancel, which is probably a cancel made through philatelic influence.

Some values also exist with overprint "B.M.A. ERITREA" (surcharged in "CENTS") or "B.A. TRIPOLITANIA" (surcharged in "M.A.L.").


Telephone stamps

1884 Head of Robert Raynsford Jackson, inscription "NATIONAL TELEPHONE COMPANY LIMITED", various frames

  1 p black
  3 p red
  4 p blue
  6 p green
  1 Sh brown

These stamps have perforation 12.

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
Value Unused Used Remarks
1 p * **  
3 p * **  
4 p * **  
6 p *** ***  
1 Sh * **  

College labels

A special delivery service existed to transport the mail between each of the colleges in Oxford and Cambridge from 1870 to 1886. Stamps, envelopes and postcards were issued. Keble college started using stamps first in 1870. The use of stamps was prohibited by the government in 1886, but postal stationery still seems to have been used afterwards.

Examples of stamps:
OXFORD: 'All Souls', 'Balliol', 'Exeter', 'Hertford', 'Keble', 'Lincoln', 'Merton', 'St.John's';
CAMBRIDGE: 'Queen's', 'St.John's' and 'Selwyn'.

Examples of envelopes:
'Hertford', 'Keble' and 'Merton'

Examples of postcards:
'Exeter', 'Hertford', 'Keble' and 'Merton'

Examples:


Keble College (Oxfored) and Selwyn College (Cambridge, 1882)


Hertford College (1875) and St.Johns


Lincoln college 1877 (Oxford), and St.John's coll. messenger (1883), reduced sizes


Hertford College envelope

Literature:
"The College Stamps of Oxford and Cambridge, A Study of Their History and Use from 1870 to 1886",  by Cummings (1904), 109 p.
"Hurt & Williams"


Newspaper tax, examples

Newspaper tax marks started to be used in 1712 and can be found up to 1855.


Bury and Norwich post about 1850

North British Advertiser Newspaper One Penny:


(Reduced size)

I have seen a similar design for 'Montrose Review Newspaper', 'Illustrated London News Newspaper' and 'London Gazette Newspaper' (all 1 p red).

Other design:


(Illustrated London News Newspaper)


('Illustrated London Newspaper, The Times (3x))


RUHLEBEN

1915 Stamps issued in a prisoners camp in Germany, inscription "Ruhleben, Express Delivery" to be used inside the prisoners camp


Forgery of the 1/4 p value.


Genuine?

13 different values exist, 1 value overprinted "On Service" and 2 overprinted "DUE". Some of these stamps can be considered as bogus issues.

With value straight, "EXPRESS DELIVERY" second line from top
  1/3 p black (three types)

Surcharged
  '1/3 d' (light blue) in a circle on 1/3 p black
  '1/2 d'(black) in a circle on 1/3 p green 
  '1 d' (red) in a circle on 1/3 p black

Overprinted "DUE" diagonally
  1/3 p black ("DUE" in blue)

With value in circle, "EXPRESS DELIVERY" at the bottom 
  1/4 p green and black
  1/3 p grey and red
  1/2 p light blue and blue
  3/4 p blue and black
  1 p red and violet
  1 1/2 p violet and black
  2 p grey and violet
  2 1/2 p blue and red
  3 p red and black
  
Overprinted "DUE" diagonally
  1/2 p red ("DUE" in blue, value in cirle in red as well)
  1/2 p red and blue ("DUE" in blue)
  
Overprinted "On Service" in light blue
  - p violet (no value inscription, star in center)
  

If my information is correct, the 'genuine' stamps have perforation 11 1/2. Some forgeries were made in 1925 with perforation 10 1/2. The design is almost perfect. If anybody has a picture of a guaranteed genuine stamp, please contact me! Another more primitive forgery also exists (with differs in lettering etc.). More information on forgeries of Ruhleben can be found at: http://www.filatelia.fi/forgeries/ruhleben.html.

Even postal stationery seems to have been issued (1/3 p black only), example:


(Reduced size)

This postcard ios also known to be forged.

A 'Letter-card' also exists:3/4 p blue and black.

 


(Some mystery stamps, black on coloured paper, proofs or forgeries? Images obtained thanks to Mark Curtis)


Unissued Airmail Stamps


Inscription "AIRMAIL ONE PENNY", standing Mercury in an ellipse, the imperforate stamp at the right is probably a forgery of this essay.

I have seen identical perforated stamps in the same value (1 p) in the colours red, green, brown, orange, blue and violet. Apparently these are essays made in 1923.


Dealer Label

Dealer label of Stafford-Smith and Smith in Bath with the portrait of Queen Victoria, probably issued somewhere between 1866 and 1880. More information on these dealers can be found at: http://www.ukphilately.org.uk/bpt/whowaswho/whowaswho-s.htm under 'Smith'.


COURT BUREAU

The 'Court Bureau' service started in 1889 to collect mail on Sundays and post it with the regular mail early on Monday. It ceased its operations in January 1891.


Copyright by Evert Klaseboer