Brisbane GPO Datestamps, Handstamps, Obliterators and Cancellations by Dr Jeremy Hodes

A long term project by Dr Jeremy Hodes covering the Brisbane General Post Office (GPO) material including Date stamps, Handstamps, Cancellations and Postal History on Queensland postage stamps from the 1840s to 1913. The stamps come from my and other collections, Ebay, Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group. Stampboards.com and online auction catalogues. Use the pages, labels or the search function to search the blog. Contact:jeremy2929@gmail.com

Sunday 1 December 2019

1 Concentric Circles Duplex Obliterator

Brisbane GPO and QL Duplex Canceller and Obliterator Page

Type 1 A void centre within three concentric ovals, the outer measuring 21 mm x 15 mm and the innermost 12 mm x 6 mm. The datestamp portion is an unframed circle, 22 mm in diameter, in which the inscription round the rim, reading outward, is 'BRISBANE QUEENSLAND' with two bars between 'D' and 'B;' in the centre is the date in two lines, month and day in the first and the year in two digits in the second, the date being under the two bars, over which is the obliterator in a horizontal position. As Campbell notes, this results in a very unusual position; for when the obliterator is turned vertically to cancel the stamp, the date reads sideways and downwards. In addition if the word 'QUEENSLAND' is the correct way up, the 'BRISBANE' is upside down! Known used from 3 May 1860 to 1864 but I have only seen dated examples from 1860 and 1861.

As this was the first duplex obliterator used in Brisbane, it includes the period between the creation of Queensland in December 1859 until Queensland introduced its own postage stamps in November 1860 and therefore this duplex is also found on NSW postage stamps for this period. Rated 3R on NSW postage stamps and 4R on cover and 2R on Queensland postage stamps and 4R on cover.

This obliterator is obviously based on the Sydney obliterator then in use in NSW and which is occasionally seen on QLD stamps. The Sydney one has four concentric circles and the words NSW in the centre. It is also similar to the Brisbane QL type 1 obliterator which also has three concentric circles but the centre contains the letters Q.L

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 (From Campbell)

NSW Stamps

1860

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 on a NSW stamp rated 4R. Dated 3 May 1860. Seen on the internet

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 rated 3R. Dated 29 June 1860. Seen in Millennium Auction no 80 lot no 433

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 on NSW stamps rated 3R. Dated 4 July 1860. Seen in Mossgreen auction no 115

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 on a NSW stamp rated 3R. Dated 4 July 1860. Seen in Spink auction no 12043 lot no 1036. Ex Griffiths

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 rated 4R. Dated 29 August 1860. Seen in Millennium Auction no 80 lot no 452

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 rated 4R. Dated 13 September 1860. Seen in Millennium Auction no 80 lot no 454

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 on NSW stamps rated 3R. One is dated September 1860. Seen in Spink auction no 12043 lot no 1036. Ex Griffiths

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 rated 3R. Dated 5 October 1860. Seen in Millennium Auction no 80 lot no 433

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 rated 4R. Dated 8 October 1860. Seen in Millennium Auction no 80 lot no 456

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 rated 4R. Dated 22 October 1860. Seen in Millennium Auction no 80 lot no 457

Queensland Chalon

1860

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 rated 4R. Dated 8 November 1860. Ex Wytenburg

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 rated 4R. Dated 14 December 1860. Seen in the HL White Collection at the State Library of NSW

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 rated 4R. Dated 21 December 1860. Seen in Campbell, p. 190

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 rated 4R. Dated 28 December 1860. Seen in the HL White Collection at the State Library of NSW

1861

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 rated 4R. Dated 27 February 1861. Seen in Millennium auction no 80 lot no 458

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 dated 10 June 1861. Rated 2R. Seen in the Henry White Collection at the State Library of NSW

No date

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 rated 2R

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 rated 2R . Seen in Classicphil GmbH Sale 4 lot no 1025 Nov 2019

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 rated 2R

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 rated 2R. Seen in Abacus auction no 239

Brisbane concentric circles duplex obliterator type 1 rated 2R. Seen in Spink auction no 12043 lot no 1042. Ex Griffiths

Friday 25 October 2019

Brisbane GPO and QL Duplex Obliterators - QL, G.P.O.

Concentric Circles Duplex Obliterator (Void Oval)

Type 1 A void centre within three concentric ovals. The datestamp portion is an unframed circle, 22 mm in diameter, in which the inscription round the rim, reading outward, is 'BRISBANE QUEENSLAND' with two bars between 'D' and 'B;' in the centre is the date in two lines, month and day in the first and the year in two digits in the second. Known used from 3 May 1860 to 1864. Rated 3R on NSW stamps and 2R on Chalons

QL Duplex obliterator (Oval with broken rays)
Type 2 'QL' (No stops), in thin letters 5 mm high within an oval of 32 broken rays consisting of four thin strokes. The datestamp portion is an unframed circle 22 to 23.5 mm in diameter with 'BRISBANE" round the top and 'QUEENSLAND' round the foot, separated by a curved bar at each side. The date is in two lines in the centre, the month and day in the first line, and the year in two digits in the second. There is a code letter or figure above the date. Known used from 20 April 1867 to 24 April 1869. Rated 2R

QL PAID Duplex obliterator

Type 6 'QL' (No stops), in thin letters 4 mm high within an oval of about 37 unbroken broken rays. The datestamp is 25 mm in diameter with 'PAID' around the top, 'BRISBANE' around the foot, and a dot stop at each side; in the centre, in two lines, are the month and day, and year in two digits. Recorded usage (two examples known) is 5 November and 30 December 1895. Rated 3R

QUEENSLAND Duplex Obliterator

Type 7 'QUEENSLAND' reads horizontally across the centre between heavy bars, three above and three below. The datestamp portion is a framed circle 25 - 26 mm in diameter, with 'Brisbane' round the top and no inscription at the foot; in the centre is a two date line with a code number above. Dates range from 13 July 1895 to 26 January 1901 and code numbers seen are 1, 5 - 7, 9 - 39. Rated common - 5R

QL PXB Duplex obliterator

Type 9b 'QL' (No stops), in thin letters 3 mm high within an oval of 27 unbroken broken rays. The datestamp is 25.5 mm in diameter with 'BRISBANE' around the top, 'QUEENSLAND' around the foot, and a dot stop at each side; in the centre, in three lines, are 'PXB' the month and day, and year in two digits. Known used from 5 July 1906 to 21 September 1908 plus an outlier dated 22 December 1910. Rated 2R on stamp and 3R on cover

QL POB Duplex obliterator

Type 9c 'QL' (No stops with a distinctive curved 'l' of the 'Q' for 'QUEENSLAND'), in thin letters 3 mm high within an oval of 34 unbroken broken rays. The datestamp is 25 mm in diameter with 'BRISBANE' around the top, 'QUEENSLAND' around the foot, and a dot stop at each side; in the centre, in three lines, are 'POB' the month and day, and year in two digits. Not listed by Campbell. KNown used from 29 May 1906 to 10 May 1909. Rated 3R

G.P.O. Duplex Obliterator
Type 11 An oval of a number unbroken rays with GPO with no stops in the centre and letters 5 mm high. The datestamp is (24 - 25 mm in diameter) and has at each side between the names a square with 4 small dots.

Type 11a An oval of 45 unbroken rays with GPO with no stops in the centre and letters 5 mm high. The datestamp is 25 mm in diameter and the month is before the day and is rated Common. Recorded usage 14 July 1905 - 19 June 1910
Type 11b An oval of 45 unbroken rays with GPO with no stops in the centre and letters 5 mm high. Day is before the month and is rated 3R. Recorded usage December 1906 - 1908
Type 11c An oval of 47 unbroken rays 25 mm in diameter with GPO with no stops in the centre and letters 5 mm high with a partial datestamp. FORGERY. Not rated. Usually seen on Revenue stamps

Type 1

Type 2

Type 6

Type 7

Type 9b

Type 9c

Type 11

2 QL Duplex Obliterator

Brisbane GPO and QL Duplex Canceller and Obliterator Page

Type 2 'QL' (No stops), in thin letters 5 mm high within an oval of 32 (and possibly also 34) broken rays consisting of four thin strokes. Known used from 20 April 1867 to 24 April 1869. Rated 2R

This duplex obliterator appears to be a combination of the single obliterator type 2 (GPO QL Obliterator type 2) and datestamp type 3. The type 3 datestamp is an unframed circle 22 mm in diameter with 'BRISBANE" round the top and 'QUEENSLAND' round the foot, separated by a curved bar at each side. The date is in two lines in the centre, the month and day in the first line, and the year in two digits in the second. There is a code letter or figure above the date. The distance between the datestamp and the obliterator is about 1.5 mm and examples are known with the QL reading from top to bottom or bottom to top. This would indicate that the duplex obliterator was made-up locally and that either or both the datestamp or obliterator portion were not fixed. Campbell suggests that given the short time period for this duplex canceller that this experiment was not very successful for after this time no further duplexes were used at Brisbane for over 10 years. It is also quite possible that some examples may have been a combination usage of the existing datestamp and obliterator.

Codes seen are lower case italic b, c and d and numerals 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. The letters came first and continued until mid 1867 and are less common than the numerals which replaced them. The scarcest numeral code is 1

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2

Code b

1867

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code b. Dated 20 April 1867. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code b. Dated 5 July 1867

Code c

1867

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code b. Dated 20 July 1867. Seen in Mossgreen auction no 157 lot no 462

Code d

1867

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code d. Dated 20 April 1867 Seen in Abacus auction no 234

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code d. Dated 20 April 1867. Seen at Spink auction no 12043 lot no 1125. Ex Griffiths

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code d. Dated 20 May 1867. Seen at Spink auction no 21045 lot no 295

Code 1

1867

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 1. Dated 11 December 1867. Seen in Millennium auction no 80 lot no 473

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 1. Dated 21 December 1867. Seen in Rumsey Auction no 93 lot no 4127

1868

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 1. Dated 30 January 1868

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 1. Dated 8 April 1868. Seen in Millennium auction no 80 lot no 474

Code 2

1867

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 2. Dated 25 September 1867. Seen in the L'Estrange Collection at the Queensland Museum

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 2. Dated 8 October 1867. Seen at Prestige Philately auction no 139 lot no 334

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 2. Dated 21 December 1867

1868

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 2. Dated 9 January 1868. Seen in Abacus auction no 234

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 2. Dated 15 June 1868 Seen in the Wytenburg exhibition

1869

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 2. Dated 7 January 1869 Seen in the Wytenburg exhibition

Code 3

1867

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 3. Dated 25 October 1867. Seen in Phoenix auction no 19 lot no 720

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 3. Dated 8 November 1867. Seen at Spink auction no 18047 lot no 102

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 3. Dated 14 November 1867 Seen in Abacus auction no 234

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 3. Dated 14 November 1867 Seen on Ebay

1868

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 3. Dated 26 February 1868. Seen at Spink auction no 12043 lot no 11126. Ex Griffiths

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 3. Dated 24 March 1868. Seen in Cavendish auction December 2017 lot no 2358

Code 4

1867

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 4. Dated 14 August 1867. Seen in Millennium auction no 80 lot no 472

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 4. Dated 19 October 1867. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 4. Dated 21 December 1867. Seen in Corinphila auctions

1868

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 4. Dated 16 March 1868. Seen at Spink auction no 12043 lot no 1071. Ex Griffiths

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 4. Dated 25 April 1868 Seen in the Wytenburg exhibition

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 4. Dated 2 December 1868. Seen at Phoenix auction no 62 lot no 998

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 4. Dated 2 December 1868. Seen on Ebay

Code 5

1867

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 5. Dated 9 October 1867

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 5. Dated 20 October 1867 Seen on Ebay

1868

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 5. Dated 1 April 1868. Seen at Spink auction no 12043 lot no 1127. Ex Griffiths

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 5. Dated 16 May 1868. Seen at Spink auction no 12043 lot no 1128. Ex Griffiths

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Code 5. Dated 4 November 1868. Seen in Millennium auction no 80 lot no 477

Indistinct codes

1867

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Dated 20 May 1867. Seen on the Internet

1868

Brisbane QL duplex obliterator type 2 rated 2R. Dated September 1868. Seen at Spink auction no 12043 lot no 1072. Ex Griffiths

Monday 30 September 2019

2a GPO QL Obliterator

Brisbane GPO Obliterator Page

NOTE: Campbell GPO QL Obliterator type 2 actually comprises 3 distinct types which for the sake of simplicity I have split up as follows:

QL (no stop between Q and L and thin broken rays) I have retained as type 2 - 32 or 34 rays
QL (with a stop between Q and L and thin broken rays) I have called type 2a - 32 rays
QL (with a wider stop between Q and L and thin broken rays) I have called type 2b - 37 rays. This has not been seen on a tied Brisbane cover and so far is only known tied to Marlborough, Cleveland and Leyburn post offices

Here are the five different QL within an oval obliterator types found on Queensland Chalon stamps. These include type 2 (now split into three different types) as well as types 3 and 6, to assist in identifying them. From left to right:

Type 2 - 4 thin broken rays and no stop between the Q and the L
Type 2a - 4 thin broken rays and a stop between the Q and the L
Type 2b - 4 medium thickness broken rays and a stop between the Q and the L, the space being wider than type 2a. This has not been seen on a tied Brisbane cover and so far is only known tied to Marlborough, Cleveland and Leyburn post offices
Type 3 - 4 thick broken rays and a stop between the Q and the L
Type 6 - thick solid rays and a stop between the Q and the L

Type 2a 'Q.L' (Stop after Q), in thin letters 5 mm high within an oval of 32 broken rays consisting of four thin strokes. I am unsure of the date range but the earliest I have seen is July 1866 till the early 1890s. Rated 2R on both Chalon and 2nd Sideface stamps and 3R on cover. I have yet to see any examples on a 1st Sideface, but they must exist

It is easily distinguishable from type 2 by having a stop between the Q and the L. The stop is not always easy to see and in this case 2a can be distinguished by the gap between the body of the Q and the L being wider (4 mm for type 2a and 2 mm for type 2).

Type 2b 'Q.L' (Stop after Q), in thicker letters within an oval of 37 broken rays consisting of four thin strokes. It is distinguishable from type 2a by having an even wider gap between the letters and the letters themselves are thicker. This has not been seen on a tied Brisbane cover and so far is only known for Marlborough, Cleveland and Leyburn post offices, Examples are here.

Type 2a - thin letters 32 rays

Type 2b - thicker letters 37 rays. This has not been seen on a tied Brisbane cover and so far is only known for Marlborough, Cleveland and Leyburn post offices