Stanley Gibbons Great Britain Specialised Queen Victoria Stamp Catalogue Volume 1 Part 1

This catalog provides an introduction to the history of the posts and the reforms that led to the uniform postal system. There are priced listings for the Treasury competition essays, line-engraved and embossed postage stamp issues and the associated Mulready and embossed postal stationery. With appendices listing "security overprints and underprints", Specimen and "Cancelled" overprints, and an overview of the contemporary postage rates. To assist the reader, comprehensive notes and background information are included throughout plus an extensive bibliography of further reading. The entire catalogue has been thoroughly revised in line with current research and repriced to reflect the current market.

Surface printed issues, Departmental Officials, Postal Fiscals, Telegraphs, Circular Delivery Companies and College stamps will be included in Volume 1 Part 2. Scheduled for publication in 2022.

New For This Edition:

• New historical introduction outlining the history of the posts from the 1600’s to the Uniform penny post and the Penny Black. Written by Douglas Muir RDP, Curator of The Postal Museum.
• New detailed priced listing of the major Treasury Competition essays that remain in private hands and are available to collectors. Line-engraved proofs and essays section has been thoroughly overhauled with many of the items illustrated for the first time.
• Early Postal Notices section expanded to include all the important Postal Notices from 1839-1841.
• Penny Black listings revised in line with the latest research, with new easy to follow tables summarising the printings and the plate repairs undertaken.
• Penny Red imperforate listings completely revised, with detailed listings expanded up to plate 92.
• Penny Red perforated issues have been extensively overhauled in line with the latest research, with particular reference to the pre-fire experimental Fleet Street printings and the post-fire Savoy Street printings.

Key Features:

• Historical introduction outlining the history of the posts from the 1600’s to the Uniform penny post and the Penny Black.
• Extensive Line-engraved notes explaining the processes of Line-engraved plate making, plate repairs and printing – including notes on cancellations employed on these issues and condition.
• Essays, Die Proofs, Plate Proofs, Colour Trials, Imprimaturs, Specimen and Cancelled Overprints all listed and priced.
• Cancellations on line-engraved issues, Mulreadys and Embossed stationery listed and priced.
• Plate varities listed and priced.
• Prices for stamps on cover and in blocks of four.
• Watermark Varieties and errors listed and priced.
• Line-engraved "States" and plate repairs priced throughout.
• Notes on experimental separation and perforation trials by Henty Archer.
• Helpful indices and checklists for the experienced and less experienced collector alike.
• Extensive bibliography.
• Prices carefully revised throughout to reflect the current market.

Detailed Contents:

• Historical Introduction and the Treasury Competition
• Mulready Letter Sheets and Envelopes
• Mulready Advertisers’ Index
• Embossed Postal Stationery and Advertisers’ index
• 1839-41 Postal Notices
• Line-Engraved Proofs, Essays and Colour Trials
• The Line-Engraved Imperforate Issues
• The Line-Engraved Perforated Issues
• The Line-Engraved Plate Number Issues
• The Embossed Issues
• Protective Overprints and Underprints
• ‘Specimen’ and ‘Cancelled’ overprints
• Postage Rates (1839-1880)

Binding: Hardcover
Edition: 1st
Publication Date: February 2021
Size: 6 3/4 x 9 5/8
Pages: 340