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Auction: 9020 - Stamps & Covers of the World
Lot: 3033

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. The unused and used balance of the issue comprising 1a. with thin "1" unused (5), 1a. with thick "1" unused (7 including a pair) and used (4, one with small "o"), 2a. unused (24 including seven pairs, four tête-bêche and two with small "o") and used, 3a. unused (9 including a pair, and one with small "o"), 4a. (17 including four pairs, two tête-bêche - one vertical, and two with small "o" - in pair with normal) and used (2), 8a. unused (10 including a pair, one with small "o"), 1r. unused (6, one with small "o") and 5r. unused (2); condition a little mixed. S.G. 54-61, £4200+ Estimate £ 600-800

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£800