Saturday 20 June 2020

1 Unclaimed Datestamp

Dead Letter Office Page


The 'Unclaimed' datestamp was applied at the Brisbane Dead Letter Office to show that an undeliverable item of mail had been advertised in the Queensland Government Gazette but not claimed. It was usually applied on the last day - or the last weekday - of the month, in order to coincide with the publication of these monthly lists of unclaimed articles in the Gazette and, when seen in conjunction with the 'Advertised' datestamp type 1, was applied the following month.



Type 1 A horizontal framed oval, approximately 34.5 x 24.5 mm across the axes, with 'Unclaimed' around the top joined at each end by an ellipse round the foot. The date is in two lines in the centre, month and day in the top line, and the year in full below. It is struck in black with dates ranging from March 1863 to April 1867. Rated 3R. It is usually found in conjunction with the 'Advertised' Datestamp type 1 but something must have happened to it as it is not found after 1867 whereas the 'Advertised' datetstamp type 1 is known used on cover until 1873. (Listed by Campbell as Advertised Datestamp Type 2).


Unclaimed datestamp type 1



Brisbane Unclaimed datestamp type 1 rated 3R. Dated 28 March 1863. Seen at Abacus auction no 234 lot no 160

Brisbane Unclaimed datestamp type 1 rated 3R. Dated 1 July 1864. Seen at Abacus auction no 237

Brisbane Unclaimed datestamp type 1 rated 3R. Dated 20 April 1867. Seen in Campbell p. 131

Brisbane Unclaimed datestamp type 1 rated 3R. Dated 18 June 1864. Seen at Millennium auctions no 48 lot no 113

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