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Auction: 25017 - Stamps and Covers of Great Britain
Lot: 5134

Great Britain
Line Engraved Proofs and Essays
"Rainbow" Trials
Two sheets of ledger paper from the Perkins Bacon record book, one measuring c.200 x 315mm., the other c.122 x 112mm. to which are affixed a total of thirty-one fugitive ink trials. The first sheet contains, over two sides, five 1d. 'rainbow' trials in two different shades of blue, rose-red, pale red-brown and bright blue-green, seven New South Wales lower denomination type trials with "postage" and value tablets blank in reddish purple, rose-pink, yellow orange, brown-orange, dull brown, dull violet and blue, six 6d. Diadem type proofs with corners voided as the 'rainbow' trials in deep brown, deep blue, dull carmine, bright green, deep violet-blue and orange; also Trinidad 1859 6d. deep green without any voiding. In each case the weights are given for the component dies mixed for that particular colour, some are lettered in the left-hand margin.
The smaller piece is headed "Fugitive Oil Colours" contains seven New South Wales lower denomination type trials in reddish purple, pale orange, purple-brown (2), dull vermilion, violet, blue (value tablet cut off) and purple, and three 6d. Diadem trials in deep green, dull green (cut into) and vermilion (cut to shape), these all treated as with the first sheet, also Trinidad 1859 6d. deep green (just cut into).
Paper folded in one or two places and with the signs of wear one might expect from a working document, only one trial is badly affected. A hugely important and impressive group, most important for understanding the development of the fugitive inks in Great Britain and the Commonwealth which were produced in order to prevent postal fraud. Photo


Notes: The purpose of this arrangement is unclear though it seems likely, especially given the inclusion of the 'Rainbow' trials which were printed some twenty years before some issues included in this page, that these trials were produced as possible colour standards for a forthcoming issue of another colony. The Trinidad 6d. is a major rarity in itself - the unused issued stamp is catalogued at £12,000 by Stanley Gibbons

provenance:
Spink, June 2008 where the duo realised in excess of £90,000


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Estimate
£50,000 to £60,000