New Zealand: Chalons - 1855-1873

Hi Dave, Philip and others

Here are some thoughts from Ken McNaught

Compound



If two machines producing perforations of different gauge are used, one to perforate horizontal rows and the other the vertical rows, the resulting combination is referred to as “compound perforation”



Irregular Compound



For stamps with perforations of different gauge on only one side



Mixed Perfs



Deliberate reperfing of misplaced rows was carried out, not with the comb head but with line machines




Gerald Ellott also pointed out that you can the the exact same stamp ( perf combination is what I mean ) 12.5 x 12.5 x 10 x 12.5  classified as either SG128a ( CP A1p ( Y ) OR SG132a ( CP A1q ( Y ).

I note CP don't list Irregular / Compound perf as an option for SG132a ( only mixed perfs ).  The main point of difference could be the wear, much more progressive wear in the SG132 stamps.



Food for thought

Cheers Grant

Ever since this thread started almost a year and a half ago, I have been promising to post my meager collection of NZ Chalon Head stamps.  I have finally found the time to do it today.  As I am not experienced in these stamps, I have taken my best guess at identification.  If my recollection is correct, I acquired all eight of these stamps from a large lot, and condition is mixed.  I have included scans of the backs so that the watermarks would be visible.  I have no imperforate examples to show.


NZ, Sc31 1d vermilion, Sc32a 2d blue (worn plate), Sc33 3d lilac, Sc34 4d deep rose (all Perf 12½)


NZ, Sc35 4d yellow, Sc37 1sh yellow green, Sc42 1d brown (Perf 10 x 12½), Sc40 2d orange (all Perf 12½, except Sc42)

Any comments welcome on these, especially on correct ID from those more familiar with these issues.  Also, I apologize that I do not have the stamps with me at the moment to check perforations or other details.  I also don't have my SG catalogue either, so I have resorted to Scott numbers for the moment.

I have really been enjoying this thread, and I am glad finally to have shown the few examples I have from my collection.

Nice representative lot of the perforated 'Davies' prints there Chris. The 4d Rose is the pick there :-)

Keep them coming. Always good to see what others have.



Dave

Thanks for your positive comments, Dave.... I wish I had more to show, but I am sorry to say that this is all I have at the moment.  It's too bad really, because I missed out on a lot at a recent auction by my own carelessness.  I will be getting some stamp money for Christmas, so perhaps one of my next acquisitions will be a few more of these, if I can find some good ones somewhere.

I worry a little about competing with others like yourself for auction lots on sites like eBay.  I never like bidding against my friends, and I always try to avoid it.  I will have to start doing some poking around to see what I can find.

In the meantime, one question about the stamps I posted:  would you say that the Sc32 2d blue is from a worn plate or not?  I haven't checked SG, but in Scott, the catalogue number is different if it is considered to be from a worn plate, so I would appreciate your and others' opinions about this.  Thanks!

This might help it is from NEW ZEALAND: THE CHALON ISSUES 1855 - 1873 by Tom Lee and John Watts (2009)

Does anyone have a copy of

Startup R M. 1855 Overture, The Introduction of Postage Stamps in New Zealand, 1982. It is available, but unpublished. Supposedly there are copies in the RPSL and
RPSNZ Libraries.

I have never seen a mixed perf Chalon - ever. They must be super rare!! I do have a double perf one somewhere that I will post this weekend.

Normally we see mixed perf. NZ stamps in the Penny Universal or 1/2d Green Mt.Cooks.

But they are also found in the Side Face issues occasionally and the 1898 Pictorials too.

Like this CP E14j:





Dave

Not mine unfortunately Grant!

It is up on Trademe currently. Don White of the Dunedin Stamp Center has it listed.

Yours today for NZ$600-650 !

I would buy it, but don't happen to have that sum handy at present (well I do but other uses for it at the moment :-) )

Trademe listing for 1898 6d mixed perf

NZ - 1906 6d Kiwi. Mixed perforations. RARE - Cat. $900

Description
1906 6d Kiwi. (Large) LHM.
Mixed Perforations, where Perf. 11 has been used to correct Perf. 14 inaccuracies.).
Perf. 11x14+11x11x14.
Lovely selvedge example clearly showing the two adjacent perforations.
CP E14j. Cat. $900

Superb very lightly hinged mint... guaranteed identification.

Welcome to this listing by Don White of Dunedin Stamp Centre. We have been dealing in stamps, postcards and other collectables since 1968, and are members of the NZ Stamp Dealers' Association.



Dave

A few questions and comments to respond to:

Chris, further to Dave's confirmation of the worn plate 2d, the overall blue wash is believed to have been an attempt by the printer Davies to present a more pleasing result from the very worn first 2d plate.

Skid, thanks for posting the relevant section from the Lee and Watts book, I don't have a copy but need to get one. They call the rotary 10 machine a "rotary line perforating device" but I'm not sure where the term "line" comes into it. Anyway, it's interesting that they conclude that the irregular spacing between lines of perf 10 suggest the use of a single wheel. The idea of the double spacing had clearly not been raised at the time of writing.


Grant has asked about the article in which it is discussed however the article hasn't been written yet. Martin Sherwin has been accumulating examples, including blocks, to investigate how the rotary 10 machine was used on the chalons and the 2 stamp width spacing, either vertical or horizontal, has come from his work. He points out that if you can find blocks(rare) then measuring the spacing between every second row is very consistent but the size of individual stamps varies. In one very telling perf 10 x 12.5 block of 6 the perforation machine has been stopped part way, then re-positioned with the line of perforations then continuing. The re-positioned perf only occur on the first and third rows, not the second and fourth rows. So the wheels were spaced two stamps apart. I have a single showing the same stepped perf at the base but not at the top and have seen another example.

As Lee and Watts point out no records exist of the purchase of the rotary 10 machine however South Australia obtained one in 1869 and it seems to me that it is likely that the Agents General for the colonies in London would purchase the same machine for New Zealand a year latter. As with the New Zealand machine, the South Australian machine had 11 wheels and collars on the wheels prevented them from being spaced close enough to perforate each row or column of stamps. Double spacing was required.

Gerald Ellot's comment as quoted by Grant - I think what Gerald was alluding to was what I pointed out in my previous post, an irregular compound perf could result from a missed line of perfs being corrected with a line of different gauge or from mixed perfs between two stamp one of which would be irregular compound perf and one mixed when separated.

Like Dave I have never seen a mixed perf chalon. I do have a double perf 10 example and have seen other double perf 12.5 examples but never mixed. I did post a rare mixed perf example of the 6d FSF on the FSF thread. All mixed perf examples on FSF stamps are rare, some exceedingly so.

Philip

Hi Mark and others

I do have a hard copy of the Lee and Watts book. I cant remember where I got it, maybe RPSNZ had a limited print run.

I have been going over my 1d browns to find an elusive mixed perf, no real joy ( not 100% that is )

I have attached my original block of 4 that started this discussion next to a single ( which has been certified by the RPSNZ as a irregular compound perf ). The colours seem to match perfectly, where they once part of the same sheet ??

I have also attached a single which has been certified by Robert Odenweller as a mixed perf.

I also attach a copy of double perfs I have.

I have also attached a cover I brought recently which has a perf 10 x 12.5 and a perf 12.5. I believe it is the only known cover bearing a SG128 and 132 together.

Grant

Hi Dave

You are slowly winning me over to an irregular compound perf. I tend to agree with You and Philip that "mixed perf" should in fact show be a double perf variety showing both perf 10 and perf 12.5 beside each other ( one used to correct the other )

Because without the "double perf" together we may never know whether the new perf was used to correct a misaligned perf or to perforate a stamp where there was no perforations in the first place.

Clear as mud 

Speaking of 'double perf' here is my only copy on a Chalon.

It is an 1862 2d blue 'Davies' wmk large star measuring a full p13 all around. SG72

It is an example of 'double perf' as is clearly seen from the back. Intermediate plate wear.




Interestingly, CP doesn't list a 'double perf' variety for the p13 2d shades - CP A2e.

They do list one for the 3d brown lilac shade - CPA3b (SG74) & the 6d brown shades - CPA5c (SG75-77) & the 1/- green shades CPA6e - (SG78-80)


Has anyone here got any information regarding 'double perf' p13 examples on the 2d blue or is this unknown ?
I note that CP doesn't specify a CV on the above known p13 'double perfs' 3d & 6d but in my 1998 CP, lists the 1/- at CV NZ$1500.




Dave

Thanks Dave - I did not want to interrupt this fine thread !!!! I do not do Ebay - when I was younger I sold and bought Guitars on Ebay so I am still in the system - but for stamps ?? I am a musician (on the side) but learned by note and even won contests in my area (not relevant on this TSF LOL)

René

Hi Dave
Yes I see CP don't list SG70-73 with double perfs. 
I do have this one, which also shows a plate flaw Row 9, No 9 ( noted by flaw above the "Z" of ZEALAND ). CPA2e, hard to say whether this falls into intermediate plate wear or advanced plate wear ( I am leaning toward intermediate plate wear )
The double perfs at the base are hard to see, but they are there.

I also have a "double" double perf on a SG113

Cheers Grant