Unusual 1d Mt Wellington

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Mick Fettes
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:47 am
Location: Ballarat Victoria Australia

Unusual 1d Mt Wellington

#1 Post by Mick Fettes » Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:01 pm

Hello, I am a new member. I have a MH 1d. Scarlet Mt Wellington perfed 14.5 on all sides, there is no visible watermark and the gum is white and cracked. I hope the scans supplied will be of assistance in finding out exactly what I have.
Mt Wellington Perf 14.5 Front.jpg
Mt Wellington Perf 14.5 Front.jpg (91.03 KiB) Viewed 2037 times
Mt Wellington Perf 14.5 Back.jpg
Mt Wellington Perf 14.5 Back.jpg (57.6 KiB) Viewed 2037 times

Ross Ewington
Posts: 2079
Joined: Wed Jun 10, 2009 5:00 pm
Location: Hobart
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Re: Unusual 1d Mt Wellington

#2 Post by Ross Ewington » Mon Mar 10, 2014 5:51 pm

Hi Mick and welcome to the TPS online forum - a most interesting 'first post'!

1st query - are you certain that the perforation is 14.5?? The 'Federal Period' pictorials were either perforated 11 or 12.4 or a compound thereof (there
is a report of a 12.4 x 11.8 compound perf but that's about "it"). The recess printed 1d Pictorial from 1899 was perf.14 - this stamp appears
to be an electrotype.

2nd query - when compared with another electrotyped 1d Pictorial or ten, would you say that the paper thickness is 1) thinner 2) thicker or 3) about the same??

Mick Fettes
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:47 am
Location: Ballarat Victoria Australia

Re: Unusual 1d Mt Wellington

#3 Post by Mick Fettes » Mon Mar 10, 2014 8:02 pm

Hi Ross. I took the stamp to the Ballarat Stamp Fair today, I ran it past a few people and it was pointed out that it was more likely perfed 14, it still shows 14.5 on my gauge though. The paper seems slightly thinner than usual. Max Watson suggested that it may have been regummed and David Cruikshanks tested it on his watermark detector and there was no watermark visble. A lot of detective work for one stamp in one day! I hope that is of help. Regards Mick

Malcolm Groom
Posts: 200
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2009 8:12 am

Re: Unusual 1d Mt Wellington

#4 Post by Malcolm Groom » Wed Mar 19, 2014 9:59 am

This stamp has an interesting possibility.

In consultation with Geoff Kellow it may be related to a series of stamps known for Victoria which are singles on no watermark paper perforated 14.25 comb.

These were believed to be prepared by Ronald Harrison, son of TS Harrison the Commonwealth Printer who, in July 1914, took impressions of existing printing plates on no watermark paper and perforated them using the perforating machine acquired to work on the Commonwealth KGV Heads.

Although the gum looks 'odd' and there is a faint resemblance of a crown A sideways watermark (on the actual stamp) it is most likely that this stamp is from the same source. The stamp is certainly electrotyped but has a shade and depth of colour which I cannot relate to any other printings I have which supports the probability it is a pull made by Ronald Harrison among the lines of the known Victorian examples.

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