Brisbane GPO Datestamps, Handstamps, Obliterators and Cancellations by Dr Jeremy Hodes: 2a GPO QL Obliterator

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