New Zealand: Chalons - 1855-1873

Here is a manuscript 'k' that gc (Grant) posted a few months ago. Similar? Grant may have something to say on this when he sees it .....

So, for your 6 manuscript Chalons above we have :

1) M over 1 - Blenheim - Marlborough Postal District
2) We need a better scan (not a photo from your phone)
3) 'K' of Kingston (near Queenstown) as per gc's example
4) unknown currently
5) similar to examples shown in vol.3 of the RPNZS handbook - Wellington District
6) Hard to see clearly from your picture but it has a 'C' obliterator for Canterbury Postal District

Dave

I understand you're nervous about scanning your stamps due to the effects of light.
IMHO it will be ok to scan once then save the image into an archive of pictures for reuse at a later time. ie scan once - read many :-)

The obliterators 'S I' were used at the Invercargill office. It was the Chief Post Office in the Southland District.

The 'S' manuscript may be indicating Invercargill District as similar picture as in vol.3 page 106 RPSNZ Handbook

Dave

I picked out what I will call the Auckland Province during the Chalon Period. I am trying to collect all the cancellation types so will take awhile. This includes the war periods.















1. Maketu
2.Coromandel
3.Coromandel
4.Onehunga
5.A/3 Thames
6.Onehunga
7.Otahuhu

Regards Andrew

Thanks Philatelia - very kind words, appreciated on behalf of all contributors here :-)

Andrew, a good selection of some of the military markings from around the Auckland/Coromandel/Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions of the time - 1860's.
It is nice to see the Coromandel obliterator and Maketu ones. I don't have those on Chalons, although I do on the FSF issue - 1870's.

Here are some more :

4/Onehunga/A
5/Otahuhu/A
Queens Redoubt - Pokeno




Drury
Raglan




Port Waikato
Province of Auckland (x2)




Tauranga
Tauranga - Headquarters obliterator with 'Headquarters' removed !




Dave

Pelure

Of all the major Chalon issue to identify, I find the pelure issues the most difficult, so I put together some information from Odenweller, Lee and Watts, and the CP guide. I would be interested in any comments.


Introduced in about August 1862 so earlier cancels will not be the pelure issue.


The paper is machine made, thin, but tough with vertical mesh (what does this look like?) and no watermark. The design usually shows clearly through the back. The colors are like some issues of the Davies large watermark paper, except the 2d which is nearly always faded. The colors are different from the Richardson white paper issues, which were also issued on thin hard paper (though the design typically does not show through). The 1 /- often has minor overall blueing.


The biggest confusion is probably (fakes) Davies star watermark issues thinned on the back, but the watermark would have to be completely thinned off or covered with a repair to cause confusion. Also, the pelure issue has vertical mesh, is more even in texture, and harder. (Star watermark was hand made so it does not have vertical mesh?).

The 3d is very rare and only known as unused.



1d

Orange-vermilion (SG, CP), Vermilion (Scott)

Richardson is Dull orange



2d

Ultramarine (SG, CP), pale ultramarine (SG, CP), Pale dull ultramarine (Scott), Gray blue (Scott)

Richardson not faded



3d

Lilac (SG), Brown lilac (Scott)

Only two unused known

No Richardson



6d

Black-brown (SG, Scott, CP)

Richardson does not have a black brown



1 /-

Deep green (SG, Scott, CP), Deep yellow green (Scott), Yellow green (CP)

Some have overall blueing

Richardson Dull emerald green and Blue-green




Here are 4 that I think might be pelure prints. The two 1p have different color, one of their colors could have changed due to fading or a chemical reaction.  

Yes I note I did not put any of the "Province of Auckland Datestamps" ......

Here's an interesting one Dave, I am suggesting it has one of the unallocated cancellations from The Postage Stamps of New Zealand Vol. VII pg. 231 or (maybe a Seal or USA Barred Postmark).





Interested in your comments?

Regards Andrew

Hi Skid

Yes that is better for our poor old eyes.

Now. The 'pelure' paper is a) very thin (tissue like almost) and b) has no watermark.

The 1d value (as per yours above) has a limited range of shades within them as well. Your one is very oxidized (dark and blackish) but can be cleaned up with a soak in Hydogen Peroxide 3%. Followed by a dip in plain water.

The Pelure paper issues were printed by Davies. They are generally not as fine and detailed as the Richardson prints were. Probably due to the papers used.

Anyway, looking at the back of your 1d, thru' the murk, I possibly see the bottom of a 'star' - see my pic below.
If you hold your stamp up to a light source, do you see a 'star'. If you do then it is NOT a 'pelure' paper printing. It will be a Davies of the 1862-64 series - SG33-SG46. It may be SG33 Orange Vermillion or it may be SG34 Vermillion (this is where it needs a bath to tell). If it does not have a 'Star' then what is the paper like? Is it thin and tissue like? Or is it thin but hard or is it thick and soft?

Richardson prints used paper that was either thin but hard or thick and soft. But none of his printings had a 1d in that shade of yours.

To me it looks like SG34 (or 33) with a star wmk. But only you can confirm that as it is in your possession.

I will put my neck on the line and say that your 1/- and 6d above do, at first glance at the small pics, look like they 'might' be 'pelure'.

Dave



EDIT: You changed the pictures on me while I was replying to your original post - now that you have changed it to show the 3 stamps then that is a bit harder to see again. Please just scan 1 stamp at a time (like Andrews above) if you need a thoughtful response to its type/cat number. Your new picture of the 3 stamps looks to me to be 2x SG33 or 34 and an SG36 (2d blue). No 'Pelure' or 'Londons' there.


PS: When it comes to hoping what they might be, if unknown, always err on the side of caution - ie assume that it will not be the rarer ones but more likely the commoner ones.

Here are a couple of SG46 Davies prints of 1862-64.
The first one is a Green/Deep Green - the second is what Jim (jimbabwe) showed on the first couple of pages of this thread - a 'Colombo' Green.

The 'Colombo' was a ship that foundered off the Minicoy Islands in 1862, the mail spent some time beneath the waves in a copper box before being salvaged.
The green ink reacted to the salt water by going this very deep, dark green color.




Dave

Thanks Dave. Your 2 1ds show "tissue" like paper where my two show like thinning. I will check the thickness and hardness and get back to you. Sorry about deleting the post while you were replying. I realized I did not have the setting at high quality. At least I know how to do it best now with the scanner I have (probably should get a better one). One at a time, on black background, high quality, 600 dpi.

Here is an interesting Exhibit of Chalon overlaps. Does anyone have any examples?

Hi Skid

Yes he has an amazing collection alright, the most comprehensive world wide. 

I only have two, an overlap and an underlap

Cheers Grant

Another recent purchase (received whilst away on vacation) is this quite nice SG37 mint no gum 2d Slate.
The shade is actually closer to 'Pale Greenish Slate' blue but in the same range of shades for SG37 as per CP.

Barring a tiny thin on the top margin it is actually a very nice copy. CV is £2000 I picked this one up for A$50 plus postage.
It was described only as a 2d blue imperf !!

Another very happy camper here :-)




Dave

Looks like a 100 page book would cost around $70 see link

$37 for binding a single book and $0.3 per page x 100 ($30) = $67.