Member ACCC (Australian Commonwealth Collectors Club of NSW) 11 Mar 2017 04:11:35am
Second printing, Queen Victoria imperforate block of 4 plate proof from plate 2; printed on stiff wove V paper.
These stamps were trial impressions from a die or printing plate before actual stamp production, these proofs were made to examine a die or plate for defects or to compare the results of using different inks.
Proofs were always of high quality, evident with the fine detailing of Queen Victoria’s image.
The black Queensland 2d shown was never issued.
Second printing August 1872
  2 Members like this post. Login to Like.
"Specialised Collector of Australian Pre-Decimal & Decimal Stamps"
Member ACCC (Australian Commonwealth Collectors Club of NSW) 11 Mar 2017 09:31:59am
re: Queen Victoria - Unissued Proof
Hi Antonio
There were two types of paper used, laid and wove. Laid paper was formed when a sheet characterised by noticeable laid and chain wire marks imprinted on the wet surface of the sheet by the wire cover of the mould, this left horizontal lines across the paper that can be seen when put against the light.
The texture of wove paper has no discernible pattern when the paper is held up to a light. The paper is formed on a mould, unlike laid paper, it does not have wires attached to it and so the pulp forms an even web of fibres without lines across the paper from the wire. The “V” stands for “varying”.
The paper for these particular stamps is thin and slightly stiff.
Reverse of block of 4 - Wove V paper
Login to Like this post
"Specialised Collector of Australian Pre-Decimal & Decimal Stamps"
The King George IV Diamond Diadem looks very nice indeed atop the Queen's head. Victoria's swan-like neck seems a bit exaggerated, but all to good purpose.
A shame the stamp was never issued. Do you know why?
Member ACCC (Australian Commonwealth Collectors Club of NSW) 11 Mar 2017 01:58:13pm
re: Queen Victoria - Unissued Proof
Hi Eric
I think her neck is a little too thick to my liking; I didn't realise that the large diamond diadem was of KG IV.
The printers were testing different colour trials, black wasn't accepted by the Postmaster-Generals Department, the reason for the rejection is unknown although I suspect that the cancellation would be difficult to see and doctoring the cancellation much easier on black for those attempting to reuse cancelled stamps.
Very much like the penny black when the black cancellation blended with the stamp so they changed the ink to red and then used the black Maltese cancellation on the penny reds.
  1 Member likes this post. Login to Like.
"Specialised Collector of Australian Pre-Decimal & Decimal Stamps"
Please Note: Postings that were loaded from the old Discussion Board cannot be edited.