Page 1 of 4

ST VINCENT

BWISC CONVENTION 2005 - FORMAL DISPLAY BY ALAN BECKER

Alan commenced his display with a first Straight Line of St. Vincent on an entire of 12 July 1797 to Ireland. The mark is known from 1793 to 1797 but was probably not used in the period of the Brigands’ War’ (1794 to 1796) when Victor Hugue’s French forces incited the final Carib rebellion.

At least three types of Fleuron exist and Alan introduced potentially 5 types, all with strong strikes:

• Type 1, (‘St. Vincents’), introduced 1805, with covers of 1812 & 1813

• Type 2, (‘St. Vincent’) introduced 1815, with covers of 1818 and 1829

• Type 3 (as Type 2 but one ‘N’ close) with covers of 1822 & 1824

• Type 4 (as Type 2 but small ‘C’) with cover of 1831

• Type 5 (as Type 2 but slightly smaller) with cover of 1835

Social history was highlighted with an interesting Statistical Account of the Park Hill Estate of 1831.

The pre-stamp period concluded with an 1847 letter, rated 4s, with a fine double arc St Vincent (Alan commented that this is usually very poorly struck) and two covers with crown circle ‘Paid at St Vincent’ of 1852 & 1861, plus this rare strike on loose 4d & 6d adhesives. The crown circle mark was introduced in 1852 and was in use for 20 years.

Alan continued with a page of GB adhesives (1d, 4d & 6d) with A10 obliterator. The St Vincent adhesives were introduced with Plate Proofs of the 1d Rose-Red in block of 4 and pairs of the 1d and 6d in black. Alan believed these to be by Perkins Bacon but were possibly by De La Rue. Further examples of the first issue were displayed including:

• 1861 1d Rose-Red in imperf block of 6

• 1862 6d in mint block of 4

• 1863 to 1868, 1d in various perfs including marginal block of 20 and a used 11 to 13 x 14 to 16

• 1866 4d and 1s in various perfs, with no less than 7 of the former and 12 of the latter

• Several examples of the 1868 6d green and 1869 1s indigo completed this feature

The 1870s issues were equally well represented, including watermark varieties, culminating in the 1875 1s claret (perf 11 to 13) on cover to Glasgow.

The 1880 5s rose-red was shown with 2 examples mint and 2 examples used, Alan offered the opinion that the Perkins-Bacon colour was rather wishy-washy but the later DLR colour was much stronger and more attractive.

An impressive array of the 1880s provisional overprints were shown with:

• Four examples of the 1880 1d on half 6d (divided vertically) plus an unsevered pair

• Four examples of the 1881 ‘One Penny’ on 6d

• Four examples of the 1881 ½d on half 6d (divided vertically) plus an unsevered pair

• Four examples of the 1881 4d on 1s, one mint and another cancelled on the 1st day of issue

Alan informed us that early Specimens exist in 15 or 16 types but very few are recorded of each type. The 1880s and 1890s issues were all extensively displayed, highlights being: a complete pane of the 1888 5s lake, 1885 1d on 2½d on 1d Proof (3 bars); the 1890 2½d on 4d with no fraction bar, and a complete sheet of the 1892 5d on 4d chocolate with all positional variations annotated. A page of the 1893 4d yellow was shown including 2 examples of the controversial Olive-Yellow shade.

Just when we thought the extravaganza was entering the 20th Century, Alan briefly turned the clock back with four sheets of the Revenue issues, including 1882 6d bisected diagonally and ovpt 3d, two sheets of forgeries, and five sheets of Postal Stationery. The key plates / definitives of Victoria and Edward were shown including ‘specimens’ and the George V issues with War Stamps and the 1d on 1s with ‘ONE’ omitted concluded the presentation of the stamps.

The display was brought to a climax with a fine selection of Village Post Marks followed by a discussion on the Olive-Yellow shade and a vote of thanks from Charles Freeland.