Queensland 1st Sideface Colour Trials

The 1d postage plate was completed in early August 1878 and two proof sheets were submitted on 9 August, One sheet was a reddish-brown colour, reflecting the proposed 1d colour, and the other sheet was a steel blue colour, representing the proposed 2d value, the plate for which had not yet been completed.

Two other printings from the 1d plate were also made. One was a chrome-yellow colour trial for the 4d and the other a bright ultramarine, presumably as an alternate shade for the 2d. (information from Ken Scudder. Queensland Postage Stamps, p. 42).

Here are the known examples of the imperforate steel blue, ultramarine and chrome yellow colour trial stamps. The 1d reddish brown colour trials as well as the later 1d vermilion colour trials are shown with the other 1d plate proofs here

Steel Blue

First Sideface 1d blue imperforate plate proof block of 12 in unapproved steel blue colour on thin card, few minor bends and small scissor-cut between two units. Seen at Prestige Philately auction no 96 lot no 451. Ex Colonel Evans

Imperforate colour trial 1d steel blue. Courtesy of Dave Elsmore, Queensland stamp collecting Facebook group

Imperforate colour trial 1d steel blue. Ex Griffiths

Imperforate colour 1d trial steel blue. Ex Griffiths

Imperforate colour trial 1d steel blue. Ex Griffiths

Imperforate Colour Trial 1d pair in steel blue on thin card. Ex Slade, Manning

Imperforate Colour Trial 1d pair in steel blue on thick card paper. Die II and showing left hand Proof with QOEENSLAND error (position 48) in pair with normal. Seen at Corinphila auction November 2017

Imperforate Colour Trial 1d pair in steel blue on thin card. Seen in Corinphila auctions 2018

Imperforate Colour Trial 1d pair in steel blue on thin card. Seen in Phoenix auction no 62 lot no 959

Ultramarine

Imperforate Colour Trial 1d pair in bright ultramarine on thin card. Ex Manning

1d imperforate horizontal strip of 10 in dull blue on thin card with margins at left & right, units [3-4] are Die II, vertical fold between the fifth & sixth units. Perhaps this was originally an ultramarine colour that has faded over time? Ex Manning

Imperforate Colour Trial 1d pair in bright blue. Seen at Millennium Philatelic Auctions no 1 lot no 643

Imperforate Colour Trial 1d pair in bright blue. Seen in Scudder, p. 42

Chrome Yellow

Imperforate colour trial 1d chrome yellow. Ex Manning and Griffith