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Auction: 9020 - Stamps & Covers of the World
Lot: 3031

Uganda 1896 (Nov.) Type-set Stamps The Rev. Frank Rowling, C.M.S., designed the type-set stamps and supervised the printing of them by a Muganda lad, Tomasi Lwabidongo, on the Albion press at the C.M.S. Station at Luba´s in Busoga Province. The first printing, issued on 7th November 1896, consisted of 29,000 stamps with a total value of some 12,000 rupees. The four low values were printed on white paper, off-cuts from paper used for publications, of a size which allowed the form of type to be used twice on each sheet, the sheet being turned between each pressing. The higher values were printed on yellowish paper, Rowling´s own writing paper from the Army and Navy Stores, to make forgery difficult, one pressing only on each sheet of writing paper. Rowling was short of thick "1"s - hence the slender numerals of some 1 anna stamps from the first printing. There was also a shortage of capital "O"s; this resulted in the small "o" in "postage" variety found in stamp number 9 on each pane. A further printing of 30,000 stamps, issued on July 2nd 1897, omitted the 5r. value. The four low values were printed with panes tête-bêche side by side in the second printing; they had been printed one over the other, panes tête-bêche, in the first printing. 5r. complete reconstructed unused sheet of sixteen comprising an irregular block of seven with three stamps having sheet margin (the largest recorded multiple), two horizontal corner pairs and five singles (one used) showing all the constant varieties; the block has light central horizontal crease and a vertical crease in the margin. S.G. 61/a, £4550. Photo Estimate £ 2,000-3,000

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