Remarks
The introduction in last month's issue, as well as the principal part of the whole article, was compiled some two years ago. Since then I have received some kind assistance from Mr. L. L. R. Hausburg and Major Evans. The former`s magnificent collection was readily lent to me for minute examination, and, together with several days’ consultation with both gentlemen, has greatly assisted me in coming to a conclusion, already expressed, as to the probable way in which Mr. Knight produced the dies and plates. In gratefully acknowledging this cooperation, I live in hope that both these gentlemen will give me their further help in deciding some knotty points in the later issues.
The Varieties of Type
l will now proceed with the description of the Dies and Types as illustrated in the accompanying plates, and will later on conclude my account of the 1879 issue with some remarks upon the papers employed, watermarks, shades, errors, and perforation. The article as a whole is not so elaborate and conclusive as I desired to make it, and if specialists in Queensland will write to me to the care of the Editor I shall be very willing to correspond with them upon points that still remain doubtful.
As stated in the Introduction, there are two principal varieties, or groups of varieties, which I call Die I and Die II. Each of these includes four minor varieties, which I term Types l, II, III and IV, of Die I or Die II, or of the different values. These four minor varieties exist in every block of four of the stamps.
Before proceeding to describe the varieties in detail, it is necessary to say a few words as to the general design and the principal points in which the Dies and Types differ from one another.
The central oval contains a profile of Queen Victoria to left, on a ground of horizontal lines: I do not note any variations in this. Surrounding this oval is a thin white line, and then a solid oval band, in-scribed with the name ‘QUEENSLAND” at top and the value in words below, with an ornament at each side separating the two portions of the inscription; distinguishing points are to be found both in the lettering and, to a smaller extent, in the ornaments. Surrounding the oval band is a thin white line, and beyond that extends a solid ground of colour, forming a rectangle; upon the triangular corners of this is engraved a pattern of network, outside which and entirely separate from it is a rectangular white frame line, interrupted in the middle of the top, bottom, and sides. The triangular pieces of network do not appear to have had a complete triangular white frame to themselves in the original die, and the attempts made to supply this deficiency by retouching the electrotypes form the principal distinguishing points of the Dies and Types.
The letters prefixed to the different portions of the description correspond with those given on the plates. The letter r on the plates of the One Penny and Two Pence indicates the position of the fine white line, referred to on page 11 as a defect or secret mark in the original die.
Die I.
a. A white line was cut along the top of the triangle in the right upper corner; this cuts into the white oval frame line over the “L" of “QUEENSLAND" in all four types; it extends slightly inside the oval frame in Type I, and very distinctly so in Type IV, where it shows between the letters " SL."
B. In the left upper corner there is a white horizontal frame line to the network in all four types, but no very distinct vertical frame line. On the inner, curved side of the triangle there is a white frame line in Types I and III, which extends too far and joins the outer rectangular frame line at point I ; in Type 11 there is no apparent white frame line on the curved side, and the lower comer of the triangle is quite open at point 3 ; in Type IV there is a distinct white frame line to the lower part of the curved side, and in this type again it extends too far, joining the outer frame and showing a kind of sharp end at point 4.
C. There is a more or less distinct white frame to the network in the left lower corner in all four types. The curved side of the triangle extends to the vertical frame line at point I in Types I and 111, and not in Types 11 and IV.
D. The marked peculiarities of the horizontal line along the top of the triangle of network in the right upper corner have been described under a. On the curved side there is no apparent frame line in any of the four types, the network being, as it were, cut to shape and left unframed. On the vertical side also the frame is but slightly marked.
E. There is a more or less distinct frame line to the network in the right lower corner in all four types. There is a slight blurring of the lines at point y in Type II, and the curved side almost touches the vertical outer line at point 7 in Type IV.
Die II.
a. This horizontal white line does not touch the oval line in any of the types.
z. Type 11 of the One Penny shows a marked defect in the upper central part of the scroll ornament at the right side, caused apparently by some damage to the mould.
There is a distinct white frame line to each of the four triangles in all four types; in Type l the coloured space between the vertical line of the frame of the triangle in the left upper corner and the outer white line is very narrow, and is sometimes broken.
C. The top of the curved side of the triangle extends to the vertical outer line at point 9 in Type I; the lower end of it extends to the horizontal outer line at point II in Type ll; and the horizontal side extends to the vertical outer line at point to in Type III.
E. The lower end of the curved side extends to the outer horizontal line at point 11 in Type ll and at point 12 in Type IV.
Variations in the word “QUEENSLAND”
Die I.
The tail of the letter "Q" varies in the four types, and is very short and stumpy in Type III.
The lower horizontal stroke of the first letter “E" is:—
Long in Type I. Short in Type ll. Medium Type lll. Short in Type IV
The same stroke of the second "E" is-:
Medium in Type I. Long in Type ll. Short in Type lll. Short in Type lV.
The letter "S" varies slightly, and the same is the case with the other letters.
Die II.
The letter "S" is broad and the horizontal portions are straight in Types land ll; it is shorter and more rounded in Types lll and lV.
Dies I and II.
A little bulge in the lower end of the vertical outer line of the right upper corner is visible in Type ll of both Die l and Die ll, and no doubt existed in the original mould from which the first electrotyped block of four was made, the block from which both dies were reproduced. This defect may have had some connexion with the one that is found in the curve of the ornament just below and to left of it in this Type of Die ll at point z.
The description given above includes all the principal distinguishing points of Dies l and ll of the One Penny, and their different types.
Die I.
The block of four reproduced from that of the One Penny for conversion into Two Pence had certain characteristics of its own; notably a little excrescence on the left side of the "A" of “QUEENSLAND”, in Type ll, and a white dash between the tops of the letters "QU" in Type IV. These marks are almost always visible in those types.
The letters of the words "TWO PENCE" are small, the same size as those of "QUEENSLAND" and consequently are well spaced. There is a wider space between "T" and "W" in Type I than in Types ll and IV (in which these letters are correctly spaced). ln Type lll these letters are too close, and they touch in worn impressions, which thus might be mistaken for copies of Die ll.
The letters "NC" are correctly spaced in Types l and ll, but are too far apart in lll and lV. (N.B. The illustration of Type IV shows the so-called error "G " for " C.")
Die II.
The reproduction of the block of Die ll seems to have resulted in general deterioration of the design, necessitating some retouching, especially of the side ornaments, the lines of which are now thinner than before; the final curls at top and bottom have been recut, those at the bottom in particular being longer and more open. The damage at Z in Type ll of the 1d. Die ll is now repaired.
In this same Type ll the top bar of the First “E" of "QUEENSLAND” is pointed and turned up at the end.
ln Type IV there is a fine white line at left of the letter "n," opposite a.
A more or less distinct white line is shown at the back of the neck in Types l and ll; most visible in the latter.
There is a distinct white outline along the bottom of the neck in all four types, and the shading lines of the forehead, nose, and neck have been cut away in front, making a white space that is more visible on the earliest specimens of Die ll than on those from even a worn plate of Die l.
There are also defects in the shading lines of the oval.
The letters are considerably larger, in fact, too large, and thus too close together.
The letters “TW” are practically joined at top in Types l, lll, and lV, and they touch in some specimens of Type ll. The “O" of Type II is oval, that letter being circular in the other types.
The variations in the other letters are not sufficiently marked for description.
Description of the Types of the One Shilling
Although the issue of the One Shilling did not take place until long after that of the other values, and the plate was made later also, l now proceed to the description of that value, as the mould for it was reproduced from the block of four of the One Penny, Die ll. All the characteristics of the types of the lower value are present, including the damage to the ornament in Type ll at point z,
The lowest curls of the side ornaments are partially removed in all four types, to give room for the longer words. Type lll has a white Flaw, like a second bud, at the point where the lowest curl joins the main branch of the ornament at right.
The horizontal limb of the "L" of “QUEENSLAND” is shorter in Types lll and lV than in Types l and ll (a point which may also be noted in the One Penny).
Type lll usually shows a white vertical scratch cutting the shading under the bottom of the neck. A white outline seems also to have been produced under the neck in all four types, as in the Two Pence.
Die ll.
The words "ONE SHILLING" are nearest to the left-hand ornament in Type l and furthest from it in Type lV.
The letter "O" in Type I is large and oval; it sometimes touches the white line below it, as in the illustration, and there is sometimes a coloured break in the white line above it.
The "O" in Type ll is rounder and smaller. The "O” in Type lll is also small, but oval. The "O" in Type IV is large, and usually cuts into the white line above it, producing a coloured break as shown in the illustration.
The letter "E" of "ONE" varies, the lower bar being very long in Type lll.
The letter "S" of “SHILLING” has a long, thick bottom-stroke in Type l; is of more symmetrical shape in Type II ; Has the upper part small and narrow in Type III. ls thick and misshapen, leaning slightly forward, in Type lV.
The "H" varies also; the right-hand stroke of the letter cuts into the white line above it in Type ll, in some copies even extending into the lines of the oval background.
The horizontal strokes of the letters “L" vary in length; that of the first "L" is always the shorter, especially in Types l, ll, and lll. The top of the second "T.” in Type lll is usually cut short, as shown in the illustration.
The top of the second "I" in Type ll usually extends through the white and coloured oval lines above it (as shown).
ln Type lV the letters "NG” are very close together; the coloured line shown in the "t;" is not always visible; the letter is more often thick and blotchy, misshapen, and more like a badly formed “C.”
The dot after "SHILLING" varies both in position and shape.
As stated before, my theory is that all the electrotypes of Die II, the die in which all the values exist, were produced from one original matrix mould, consisting of a block of four; I found this theory upon the general appearance of the types, and especially upon the variations in the letter "S" of "QUEENSLAND." l have not seen corner blocks of either the Four Pence or Six Pence stamps, and l have been guided by the points referred to above in numbering the Types in the order given below.
The intersections of the outer white frame lines by the ends of the white frame lines of the triangles, at points 8, 9, i10, and II, as described for the Penny, Two Pence and Shilling, do not occur in the Four Pence. Type I of this value shows no defects of that nature. In Type ll the horizontal frame line of the left upper triangle is turned up at the outer end and touches the outer frame line at B. In Types lll and IV, the curved side of the frame line of the right lower triangle extends to the outer white frame line below, at points C and D, but the latter defect is not identical with the similar one at point I2 in the values previously described. Type IV often has the vertical frame line of the left lower triangle extended to the outer horizontal line at foot (as in the illustration).
In the word “QUEENSLAND,” there is a fine white line joining the upper points of the first letter "N" in Type l, as shown at a; the second "E" often has a white dot below it in Type lll (see under mark E); the break in the frame lines at F in Type lll is frequently present, but not in all copies.
An extra curl has been added at the lower end of the right-hand ornament, to fill up the space after "PENCE" in all four types. lf the end of this curl were prolonged it would cut the letter "E" in a different place in each of the four.
Of the words "FOUR PENCE” :—
In Type I the letter "F" is very near the ornament; there is more space between “FO" than between "OU" and a wider space still between "UR."
In Type II the “F” is further from the ornament than in any of the others; the top bar of the letter is long and nearly touches the "O"; the spaces between "OU" and "UR" are nearly equal.
ln Type lll the middle bar of the "P" is rather low and the top bar short; the other letters are evenly spaced.
In Type lV the "F" is again close to the ornament, the vertical stroke being bent backwards; the "O" is very wide, and close to the "U."
ln the word "PENCE” the most noticeable difference is that the space between "NC" is smaller in Types l and ll than in Types lll and lV.
All the points of difference can he more easily seen in the enlarged illustrations than they can he described.
Description of the types of Six Pence
The white frame lines of the triangles touch the adjacent white lines at various points; these defects are not always constant, but those that l mention are confined, as a rule, to certain types.
ln Type I the horizontal frame line of the left upper triangle is joined to the outer white frame line at d. the curved frame line of the left lower triangle touches, or almost touches, the frame line of the central oval at b and under the "s" of "six" opposite D. The oval lines also touch at the lower corner of the right upper triangle, and again at the lower corner of the right lower triangle at C. There is generally a blotch in the shading lines of the central oval opposite the front point of the neck.
ln Type ll the frame lines of the triangles do not touch the adjacent lines, as a rule, at any point, except that marked E, where the curved side of the right lower triangle extends to the outer frame.
ln Type lll there is a white spot outside the oval frame line at F, under the "P" of " PENCE" and the white curled lines touch, or nearly touch opposite G. (this defect is more extensive than the similar one in Type I).
ln Type lV the curved lines touch over the "Q" of “QUEENSLAND” opposite H; the horizontal white lines are joined over the second "E" of “QUEENSLAND” and the horizontal outer line touches the outline of the oval near the same spot sometimes one, sometimes both of these defects are visible. The curved lines also touch at the lower corner of the right upper triangle (as in Type I at j).
In the words “SIX PENCE”;—
There is more space between the left-hand ornament and the letter "s" in Types I and lV than in Types ll and lll. In Type I the top of the "S” is small and the opening very narrow. In Type Il the lower end of the "S" is very long. In Type lll the "s" is regularly formed. In Type IV the "s" is more angular, and the lower half is flatter than in the others.
ln Type I the right upper arm of the "X" is short. ln Type II the limbs of the "x” are nearly equal. In Type lll both the upper limbs of the "x" are short. In Type l\` the " X " is broader, and the left lower limb long. The variations in the letter "X " can be most easily seen by looking at it from the right side as an upright cross "+."
In Type I the upright stroke of the letter "P" is curved. In Type ll it is bent back at the top, and the lower end is cut off sloping. In Type III the stroke is straight, and is rounded at the lower end. In Type IV the letter is normal, and the stroke cut square at the end.
The first "E" of "PENCE " has the lower bar slightly longer in Types I and II than in Types III and IV.
In Type I the “C” is nearer to the "N" than to the "E”. In Type II the "C" is further from the "N" than in any of the others, and about the same distance separates it from the "E." In Type III the "C" is somewhat angular, and it is about equidistant from "N and "E" (these letters are not so much spaced as in II.)
In Type IV the "C” is nearer to the "N" than in any of the others, and is further from the "E" than from the ”N”.
The second "E" has a longer lower bar in Types I and IV than in Types ll anti III, and it leans back wards towards the "C."
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