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LEEWARD ISLANDS

Iles sous le vent

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Note: on my website many of the pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the catalogue;
contact me if you want to purchase it.

The Leeward Islands are consisted of: Anguilla, Antigua, Dominica, Montserrat, Nevis, St-Christopher and the Virgin Islands.

1890 Queen Victoria inscription "POSTAGE REVENUE"

  1/2 p lilac and green
  1 p lilac and red
  2 1/2 p lilac and blue
  4 p lilac and orange
  6 p lilac and brown
  7 p lilac and grey
  1 Sh green and red
  5 Sh lilac and blue

These stamps have watermark 'Crown CA' and perforation 14.

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

Surcharged (1902)

  "One Penny" on 4 p lilac and orange
  "One Penny" on 6 p lilac and brown
  "One Penny" on 7 p lilac and grey

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

Surcharged "SEXAGENARY 1897" in a circle

(Reduced size)

  1/2 p lilac and green
  1 p lilac and red
  2 1/2 p lilac and blue
  4 p lilac and orange
  6 p lilac and brown
  7 p lilac and grey
  1 Sh green and red
  5 Sh lilac and blue

The overprint was sold on 22nd July 1897 and sold out the same day. In total, 62460 stamps were issued.

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

Forgeries:

Primitive forgery of the 1 Sh value, the words "POSTAGE & REVENUE" are too thick.

Another forgery of the 5 Sh value.

A Smeets forgery obtained by bleaching a cheap stamp from Ceylon (with a Hanwella cancel!) and then printing the 5 Sh design on top of it.

The 'Sexagenary' overprints are known to have been forged. More information can be found in: 'Leeward Islands Philately 1897 Sexagenary overprint and its forgeries' by J.A.C. Farmer, ISBN 0 9513303 0 6. (I haven't seen this book myself). The forged overprint as shown above can be distinguished by the more narrow scroll at the top (it is more open in the genuine). The 'N' is also less slanting in this forgery. The left foot of the large 'R' has a too big foot (its right hand side slants more to the right than in the genuine overprint). The ink of the genuine stamps is always quite dull. Shiny overprints are forgeries.

Example of a forged inverted overprint on a genuine basic stamp:

In another forged overprint type, both cross-bars of the central large 'R' are touching the large 'V' at the left. In the genuine overprints only the lower one is touching it.

Fournier forged overprints as they can be found in the Fournier Album.

The forger Fournier also made forgeries of this overprint. In http://www.bwisc.org/50_bulletins/b135_198712/b135_198712.pdf the distinguishing characteristics for these forged overprints can be found for two dies:
Die 1: The middle section of the letters connecting the upper and lower curves is very thick. All of the letters are thicker than the genuine. The top of the figure 8 in 1897 is solid and not open as on the genuine. The feet of the large letter R in VRI end in a point. On the genuine o.p. the right foot is clearly shaped like a ball. The ring at the bottom of the buckle flap is omitted. The end of the buckle flap is plain on the forgery and not shaded as on the\par genuine.
For Fournier's die 2, the following additional remarks were made: The end of the circle to the left of the buckle flap is heavily shaded and smudged. The feet of the letters X and A joined. On the forgery the letters grow increasingly thicker as read from S to Y.
It is also stated on the above article, that about 12 different types of forged overprints exist.

Cancels:

(A stamp with a "A08" numeral cancel of Montserrat)

1902 King Edward VII

(Reduced size)

  1/4 p brown
  1/2 p lilac and green
  1/2 p green
  1 p lilac and red
  1 p red
  2 p lilac and brown
  2 p grey
  2 1/2 p lilac and blue
  2 1/2 p blue
  3 p lilac and black
  3 p lilac on yellow
  6 p lilac and brown
  6 p lilac
  1 Sh green and red
  1 Sh black on green
  2 Sh 6 p green and black
  2 Sh 6 p black and red on blue
  5 Sh green and blue
  5 Sh green and red on yellow

These stamps have perforation 14. The watermark 'Crown CA' was used in 1902 and the watermark 'Multiple Crown CA' in 1905.

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

Stamp with fiscal cancel:

1907 King George V

  1/4 p brown
  1/2 p green
  1 p red
  1 p lilac
  1 1/2 p red
  1 1/2 p brown
  2 p grey
  2 1/2 p blue
  2 1/2 p yellow
  3 p lilac on yellow
  3 p blue
  4 p black and red on yellow
  5 p lilac and green
  6 p lilac and violet
  1 Sh black on green
  2 Sh lilac and blue on blue
  2 Sh 6 p black and red on blue
  3 Sh green and lilac
  4 Sh black and red
  5 Sh green and red on yellow

Larger size

  10 Sh red and green on green
  1 Pound black and lilac on red

These stamps have perforation 14. The watermark 'Multiple Crown CA' was used in 1913 and the watermark 'Multiple Script Crown CA' in 1905.

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

I've seen an envelope with a similar printed design: 1 1/2 p red.

The lower values stamps exist with overprint "BARBUDA".

1935 Silver Jubilee of King George V, inscription "1910-1935"

For stamps in the same design, but for another British colony, click here

A 1 p red and grey, 1 1/2 p black and blue, 2 1/2 p blue and brown and 1 Sh violet and grey were issued in a design identical to many other British colonies (Windsor castle).

1937 Inscription "12th MAY 1937" portrait of King and Queen

For stamps in the same design, but for another British colony, click here

The values 1 p red, 1 1/2 p brown and 2 1/2 p blue were issued (design identical to that of many other British colonies).

1938 Portrait of King George VI:

Small size: 
  1/4 p brown
  1/2 p green
  1/2 p grey (1949)
  1 p red
  1 p green (1949)
  1 1/2 p brown
  1 1/2 p black and orange (1949)
  2 p grey
  2 p red (1949)
  2 1/2 p blue
  2 1/2 p black and red (1949)
  3 p orange
  3 p blue (1949)
  6 p violet
  1 Sh black on green
  2 Sh violet and blue on blue
  5 Sh green and red on yellow
 
Large size: 
  10 Sh red and green on green
  1 Pound black and lilac on red 

1946 Victory issue, identical to sets issued in many other British colonies, inscription "8th JUNE 1946"

For stamps in a similar design, but for another British colony, click here

  1 1/2 p brown
  3 p orange

1949 Royal Silver wedding, identical to sets issued in many other British colonies, inscription "1923-1948", image of King and Queen

For stamps in a similar design, but for another British colony, click here

  2 1/2 p blue (smaller size)
  5 Sh grey

1949 UPU issue

For stamps in a similar design, but for another British colony, click here

  2 1/2 p grey
  3 p blue
  6 p lilac
  1 Sh green

.

1951 University College of the West Indies

Two different designs: 3 c black and orange and 12 c violet and red.

1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth, inscription "CORONATION JUNE 1953"

For stamps in a similar design, but for other British colonies, click here

  2 c green and black

1954 As 1938 issue, but with portrait of Queen Elizabeth II

Small size: 1/2 c brown, 1 c grey, 2 c green, 3 c orange and black, 4 c red, 5 c black and red, 6 c orange, 8 c blue, 12 c violet and lilac, 24 c black and green, 48 c violet and blue, 60 c brown and green, 1$20 green and lilac.
Large size: 2$40 red and green, 4$80 black and lilac.

In 1956 all stamp of the Leeward Islands were declared invalid.

Postal stationery

ENVELOPES:

1891 Head of Queen Victoria

Two envelopes both addressed to Adolph Bauer, a stamp dealer from Erfurt Germany.

  1 p red (different design)
  2 1/2 p blue

REGISTERED LETTERS

1892

  2 p blue

WRAPPERS

1891 Queen Victoria

(Reduced size)

  1/2 p green
  1 p red

The inscription on the wrappers reads: 'This wrapper may only be used for Newspapers, or for such documents as are allowed to be sent at the Book-rate of postage, and must not enclose any letter or communication of the nature of a letter (whether seperate or otherwise). If this rule be infringed, the packet will be charged as a letter.'

POSTCARDS

1891 Queen Victoria, same design as in the wrappers

  1 p red
  1 1/2 p brown

Fiscal stamps

1882 Queen Victoria, inscription "FEES"

(Reduced sized image)

I have seen the values: 6 p lilac and blue, 1 Sh lilac and red, 2 Sh lilac and red and 5 Sh lilac and red. According to the Forbin Guide, the value 1 Pound lilac should also exist.

In 1904 similar stamps with the image of King Edward VII were issued:

The values 6 p lilac and blue, 1 Sh lilac and red, 2 Sh lilac and red, 2 Sh lilac and green (1906), 5 Sh lilac and red and 1 Pound lilac should exist.

Stamps - Timbres-Poste - Briefmarken

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer