This paper was supplied by Messrs. De La Rue & Co., the First consignment arriving at Brisbane per the S.S. Westbury on the 17th September, 1868. It is a medium greyish wove paper with a watermark, crown above a double—lined Q (1st type), to fit each impression on the engraved plate. The 240 watermarks (12 x 20) are enclosed in a single outline frame 9¾ inches (25 cm) wide and 19 inches (48.3 cm) high, and 5 mm. outside this frame there is an inscription "QUEENSLAND POSTAGE" in double-lined capitals, 10 mm. high, in the middle of each margin. At the top and bottom of the sheet the inscriptions read normally, not inverted one with the other, and occupy 7¾ inches (19.7 cm). In the side margins the inscriptions are 9¾ inches (25 cm) long, and read upwards on the left and downwards on the right. The sheets, which measure about 12 inches (30.5 cm) wide and 23 inches (58.4 cm) high, are not numbered.
In this type the watermark is 18 mm. high, measured from the top of the crown to the lower curve of the Q; the central compartment of the crown is a triangular wedge with the point downwards; and only the lower outline of the tail crosses the body of the Q.
The Crown Q (1st type) paper was used for printings of the ld., 2d., and 6d. values from November, 1868, to November, 1870, and was in general use for postage stamps from November, 1874, to June, 1879, when the stock was exhausted after the First printings of the 1d., 2d., and 4d. electrotypes. It had also been used for the electrotyped 1d. Stamp Duty.
The top 5 rows were not used to print the 1879 side face. Only the bottom of the sheet was used due to the plate being a different size to the previous chalon plates for which this paper was intended. The part of the sheet you show was used for the later high values.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tim. Do you know if any examples exist of the watermarked paper that was used?
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