Brisbane GPO Datestamps, Handstamps, Obliterators and Cancellations by Dr Jeremy Hodes: Paid At Brisbane Handstamp

Saturday, 28 January 2017

Paid At Brisbane Handstamp

A two-line mark reading 'PAID AT' over 'BRISBANE' in serif letters within a rectangular frame with rounded corners

NSW era Covers in red (23 November 1846 - 20 February 1849) rated 4R
NSW era Covers in black (24 January 1860) rated 5R
Chalon in black is rated Scarce on stamps and on cover 5R

There appear to be three varieties:

corners cut off with straight lines and known used in red in April 1847 (according to Campbell, not seen by me)
two types of rounded corners (one rounder and one more square) used from 1848 onwards and known used in red on NSW covers and in black for NSW covers in the provisional period (December 1859 to November 1860) and on early Chalon issues (to the early or mid-1860s?), by which time it was well worn. As only one type should have been issued it is not known why these variations exist

No examples have yet been seen by me on NSW stamps but they could exist

The Paid At Brisbane handstamp should have become virtually obsolete after the compulsory prepayment of postage by postage stamps on 1 May 1852. However examples after this date (until around 1857) are known at other NSW post offices where they remained in limited use for prepayment in cash.

The latest cover for this period and for this purpose seen so far was during the provisional period (shown below) dated 24 January 1860.

It is not known why the Paid At Brisbane handstamp was being used on Chalons in the early 1860s, but the numbers found suggest that there was a specific purpose. What this was may be revealed once examples on cover are seen.

Illustration from Campbell, p. 12

NSW Red

1846

Paid at Brisbane in red on NSW era Cover rated 4R. Dated 23 November 1846. Seen in Spink auction no 12043 lot no 1003. Ex Griffith

1848

Paid at Brisbane in red on NSW era Cover rated 4R. Dated 28 March 1848. Seen in Spink auction no 12043 lot no 1004. Ex Griffith

Paid at Brisbane in red on NSW era Cover rated 4R. Dated 12 November 1848. Seen in Cavendish Auction no 792 lot no 53. Ex Robson Lowe

Paid at Brisbane in red on NSW era Cover rated 4R. Dated November 1848. From the Postal History of the Brisbane GPO exhibition by Marius Wytenburg

1849

Paid at Brisbane in red on NSW era Cover rated 4R. Dated 1849. Seen in a private collection through the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

Paid at Brisbane in red on NSW era Cover rated 4R. Dated 20 February 1849. Seen in Prestige Philately auction no 152 lot no 260. Ex Beston

NSW Black

1860

Paid at Brisbane Cover after Queensland proclaimed independence on 10 December 1859 but before Chalon stamps were issues and rated 5R. Dated 24 January 1860. Seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group. Ex Stevenson. During this period NSW stamps remained valid but stocks in Brisbane ran low and on 6 January 1860 the Colonial Secretary decreed that where no stamps were available mail had to be prepaid in cash. By 26 January new stocks of stamps had been obtained from NSW and prepayment with postage stamps was again compulsory. The new Queensland Chalon stamps were subsequently issued on 1 November 1860. This cover is the only genuine use of this handstamp for its intended purpose post 10 December 1859 seen so far!