New Zealand: Chalons - 1855-1873

I missed out on a Chalon bulk lot on EBay yesterday.  One of the stamps looks to have a "Waipukurau" manuscript as shown.  It is not listed in Marshall or PSNZ Vol III while Wooders has it as a "?".  The date is hard to decipher.

So about NZ$50 each or so with a premium on the scarcer ones - like the imperf 6d brown!

Seems about right to my thinking too.

Grant, you sold some of these on Trademe last year didnt you? How did those sales go? :-)

Neil, did you participate in the 'Ken Lynch' sale by ACS last year? And if so, did you win many lots?
I won about 10 items from memory :-)


Dave

Page 492 of The Postage Stamps of NZ Vol 1 explains the docket system.  Given that it operated for over 20 years the chances that some docket's stamps were recycled is possible - but it is just a theory I have - no proof.  In fact it just occurred to me whilst I was reading this thread.

Hi Grant

I have had a quick look into this question you have posed us.

I took a copy of the image from the site and see you refer to it as 'SG114-pre-retouch-Row-16-No-10'

I note that you feel that this is a copy from plate II before the damage occurred to the plate in 1866-67 .....

Looking at the reference points on the stamp, specifically the marks of ink in the lower margin, I have found on the Hausburg sheet just one stamp that has something resembling those marks.

It is on a stamp in the position R18/6. See comparison pic below :




On the Hausburg sheet the stamp 16/10 has no marks in the lower margin. The stamp in R18/6 has the one mark in the exact position still - between the W&O - in the lower margin.
Noted that this example is quite worn by now and the 3 small dots to the bottom margin to the extreme left are no longer present on the worn & retouched example.

What do you think?

Dave

Hey team, a rabbit hole if you will. I have a Postage Due collection. From my study on the subject prior to 1899 (1877-1899 in fact) they used a two docket system for collecting unpaid postage. The Postmaster collecting the unpaid postage would collect the money, put stamps on the pertinent half of the docket, sign his name across the stamps to cancel them (I have no proof but it is thought many signed their Post Office location because that was less confusing) and sent the docket with the stamps to the accountant at GPO Wellington, and got reimbursed for the stamps they used. The dockets are very rare.

Question: Is it possible that some stamps in circulation today with manuscript 'cancellations' are from these dockets? The short answer has to be yes, but the likelihood is probably low given the bureaucratic accuracy of the system (and the people) in play at the time. However I find that quite an interesting proposition. The stamps are still being used for postage means but of course some represent the fines paid so could be defined as Revenue? When it can't be explained why a stamp is not cancelled by an obliterator because one was present but not used, could this be the reason? Bit of fun.

Neil

Certainly looks similar doesn't it.'Looking through my copies, I do have an 1884 reprint pair ( Row 18, No's 5,6 ). But again not conclusive to say one way or another.

Will leave this as unresolved for now.

Nice Waimate m/s there Grant.

Looking closely at it reminded me of one I have in my books that I wasn't 100% sure about, but side by side I think your one convinces me that my one is 'Waimate' as well.

My SG39 Vs Grants SG38





Yours is a great copy Grant, and lovely on that cover.

NB The Tizard's are quite famous in NZ political life here, and still are!

Dave

A recent arrival.

A scarce route ( Dunedin to Adelaide )
A scarce rate ( 4d, using a single 4d yellow SG120 on star watermarked paper )
A scarce item ( Chalon stamps on printed matter are rare )

This is the description from the 2006 John Woolfe Postal History Auction

1870 (5 Aug.) printed matter front "pr Rangitoto" from Dunedin to Adelaide, bearing 4d. yellow neatly cancelled with "0" duplex and with G.P.O. Adelaide c.d.s. (18.8) c.d.s. additionally tying the adhesive, manuscript "printed matter from Alexander Caivill, Dunedin" at left, the reverse being a portion of a printed illustration. A rare destination and with Chalon Printed Matter items being very uncommon. R.P.S. Certificate (2006). Sc. 35; S.G. 120. PROVENANCE: John Woolfe, October 2006 Note: Book rates to Australian Colonies are seldom seen and charges are unclear. The "Rangitoto" was one of the ships subsidized by the New Zealand Government to connect with the P&O mail ships at Melbourne. She sailed from Dunedin via Bluff

The item may have been cut down at some stage to fit an exhibition page, still a great piece.

I'm still trying to prove if it is the correct rate. Proclamation 1 June 1867 says 4d up to and not exceeding 1/2 oz to Australia, with a possible change on 1 August 1870 ( that may not have been picked up on )

The Rangitoto left Dunedin on 5 August 1870 for Melbourne etc to the UK via Suez.

Enjoy

Can anyone work out the name who sent the "printed matter" ?