Embedded Files
This plate range starts with the new alphabet 2 and also saw the introduction of perforation in early 1854. Plates 155, 157, 162-177 can be found both imperforate and perforated 16.
A change from one set of production features to another is generally what makes a stamp rare. There are the odd ones such as die 2 plate 77 which should not in theory exist at all, but somehow one sheet ‘escaped into the wild’, but these are exceptions. The introduction of official perforation in 1854 created the rarities of plate 176 and 177 imperforate. It also created the extreme rarity of plate 168 perforated. Why is it that the first two stamps, whilst rare, can be found and purchased if you have pockets deep enough. However, plate 168 perforated is extremely rare with only about half a dozen examples known to exist.
Plates 176 and 177 had just started to be printed when perforation was introduced. The stamps that exist imperforate come from one or more full days work of a printer which for these particular plates was 400 sheets a day (less wastage). The late Ken Statham and David Lewthwaite (who is very much alive!) are similar in that both of them plated what ever stamps came their way. They did not pick and choose stamps from ebay or other dealers, which is important as their findings are likely to mirror the true distribution of stamps of all plates. David has told me that the split between 176 and 177 imperforate is more than 2:1. That is, he has found more than twice the number of plate 176 as he has 177. He has also informs me that Ken also had a similar split between the two plates. Ken’s collection sold by Grosvenor held 58 plate 176s and 36 plate 177s. I would consider both of these collectors to be excellent platers and given the importance of these stamps, accuracy is going to be very near 100%.
Plate 177 lettered MK. (Presently for sale with Bill Barrell)
Plate 177 lettered MK. (Presently for sale with Bill Barrell)
We know that Willis took over plate 176 and Rivett took 177. Both started to print on the same day and both printed a solid 400 sheets a day matching each other for several weeks. How did this 2:1 split happen? The only explanation that I can come up with is that the point where the sheets printed started to be perforated coincided with these plates coming to press. A ream of finished imperforate stamps containing 177 and two reams containing 176 were grabbed from the stores at Somerset House and formed part of the last distributions of imperforate stamps made. All other stamps from 176 and 177 were perforated before release. That would imply a split of 800 sheets of 176 and 400 sheets from 177, which is the figure I am quoting.
But it is not quite as simple as this description would suggest as the daily product from each printer would then go to be gummed. The run of sheets from the same plate would be likely to stay together, though this is far from guaranteed. Once gummed and dried, the finished sheets (less the spoilt sheets) would be collected into piles of 500 sheets irrespective of plate, bound together and sent to Somerset House. It is likely that the run of 400 sheets would have been split between bound reams so it is entirely possible for a ream containing 120 sheets from 177, 300 sheets from 176 and 80 sheets from any other plate at press at the time. I try not to use the word ‘rare’ as it is overused. However, these stamps are indeed rare. It would not surprise me in the slightest if these latter figures for sheets printed are in fact accurate. 800/400 is the very maximum in my opinion.
The situation with 168 is very different. Whereas 176/7 are rare, 168 is incredibly rare! So much so that for a time it was considered that it may not actually exist. Even now, there are no more than around half a dozen examples known. The difference in scarcity between 168 and 176/7 is huge, especially when we realise just how few sheets of 176 and 177 were issued imperforate. The difference is that the change happened at the end of 168s life, not at the start.
168 SA perf 16. From the collection of the late Anthony Moon.
168 SA perf 16. From the collection of the late Anthony Moon.
A quick explanation is in order. Perkins Bacon printed penny reds as a result of getting an official order from Somerset House, that is the warrant. When they received the warrant, they also had to sign for the delivery of the paper needed to print the stamps for the warrant. The warrant and the paper travelled together. Once work had started, the stamps were printed, gummed and packaged up into reams of 500 sheets, which were drip fed back to Somerset House as they were completed. Any sheets spoilt either at the printing or gumming stage were put to one side at Perkins Bacon. Once all the paper had been used, the final part ream of good sheets was counted, with the balance of the warrant being the pile of spoilt sheets. They would then go through the spoilt sheets and where they could find half a good sheet, they would cut that off and paste it together with another good half to make a full sheet. These would then be added to the good pile. The spoilt sheets were collated and would be sent back to Somerset house to complete that particular warrant.
If plate 168 had come off press after one days printing on the new warrant, there would have been maybe 8-10 sheets spoilt (at 2% spoilage which was about average). 390 sheets odd (an average days work) would have been distributed, unperforated, in the normal way. The remaining 10 sheets would have been held back until the completion of the warrant. How many half sheets did they save? We do not know, but this would account for the extreme rarity of this stamp.
Plate Listing - numbers printed
Plate Listing - numbers printed
132. 36,425 sheets. (W&C 36,400). Printer assigned to plate using the notes in the Gumming book 1850-58 in the PB archive. I am reasonably happy with this figure.
133. 34,600 sheets. (W&C 36,400). Printer assigned to plate using the notes in the Gumming book 1850-58 in the PB archive. I am reasonably happy with this figure.
134. 26,768 sheets. (W&C 28,000). Printer assigned to plate using the notes in the Gumming book 1850-58 in the PB archive. I am reasonably happy with this figure.
135. 46,350 sheets. (W&C 46,400). Printer assigned to plate using the notes in the Gumming book 1850-58 in the PB archive. I am reasonably happy with this figure.
136. 28,752 sheets. (W&C 28,800). Printer assigned to plate using the notes in the Gumming book 1850-58 in the PB archive. I am reasonably happy with this figure.
137. 32,000 sheets. (W&C 32,800). Printer assigned to plate using the notes in the Gumming book 1850-58 in the PB archive. I am reasonably happy with this figure.
138. 48,850 sheets. (W&C 50,400). Printer assigned to plate using the notes in the Gumming book 1850-58 in the PB archive. I am reasonably happy with this figure.
139. 31,700 sheets. (W&C 33,800). Printer assigned to plate using the notes in the Gumming book 1850-58 in the PB archive. I am reasonably happy with this figure.
140. 29,200 sheets. (W&C 36,400). Printer assigned to plate using the notes in the Gumming book 1850-58 in the PB archive. I am reasonably happy with this figure.
141. 24,568 sheets. (W&C 26,000). Printer assigned to plate using the notes in the Gumming book 1850-58 in the PB archive. I am reasonably happy with this figure.
142.
143. 31,100 sheets. (W&C 31,600). Printer assigned to plate using the notes in the Gumming book 1850-58 in the PB archive. I am reasonably happy with this figure.
144.
167
168 Imperforate.
168 Perf 16. Unknown but extremely limited. Maybe 4 to 8 half sheets. See introduction notes to this page.
169
173 imperforate. 27,900 sheets. (Statham 44,000. Seymour 36,454.) Printer assigned to plate using the notes re "Soft Plates" in the Stamp Printing and Gumming Postage Stamp Books in the PB archive. I am reasonably happy with this figure.
173 perf 16.
174 imperforate. 17,700 sheets. (Statham 14,000. Seymour 19,510.) Printer assigned to plate using the notes re "Soft Plates" in the Stamp Printing and Gumming Postage Stamp Books in the PB archive. I am reasonably happy with this figure.
174 perf 16.
175 imperforate. 9,600 sheets. (Statham 8,000. Seymour 8,857.) Printer assigned to plate using the notes re "Soft Plates" in the Stamp Printing and Gumming Postage Stamp Books in the PB archive. I am reasonably happy with this figure.
175 perf 16.
176 imperforate . 800 sheets maximum. (Statham 2,000) See introduction notes above. Printer assigned to plate using the notes re "Soft Plates" in the Stamp Printing and Gumming Postage Stamp Books in the PB archive.
176 Perf 16.
177 Imperforate. 400 sheets maximum. (Statham 2,000) See introduction notes above. Printer assigned to plate using the notes re "Soft Plates" in the Stamp Printing and Gumming Postage Stamp Books in the PB archive.
177 Perf 16.
AP
March 2021
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse