4 QL Duplex Obliterator

Brisbane GPO and QL Duplex Obliterator Page

Type 4 A duplex (obliterator) 'QL' (No stops), in thick letters 5 mm high within an oval of 34 thickish unbroken rays. The datestamp portion is a framed circle, 24.5 mm in diameter, with 'Brisbane' round the top, 'Queensland' at the foot and two short vertical bars on either side between them; the date is in two lines in the centre (year in two figures), with a code letter above

The date stamp portion of the duplex is very similar to Brisbane date stamp Type 10, which also has two short vertical bars. It can also be confused with Brisbane date stamp Type 16 which has one short vertical bar on either side. The duplex type 4 and the date stamp Type 10 can also be distinguished, when it is unclear if the obliterator portion is present, by their dates, as Type 10 was in use earlier, from 1883 to 1890. However date stamp type 10 is also known used from August 1893 -  August 95 in conjunction with Codes A, L and W, so extra care should be taken with these dates and codes

Dates range from 9 March 1892 to 20 December 1895. Campbell states that the code letters ranged from A to W but that he has only seen D, L and W. I therefore only list codes seen by Campbell or by me. These are A, C, D, E, H, K, L, M, N, P and W. Rated Rare - 5R. The detailed breakdown is as follows:

• Code A (9 March 1892 - 18 December 1895) rated Rare - $10, $60 on cover
• Code C (27 March 1893 - 9 October 1895) rated 5R - $50, $100 on cover
• Code D (10 May 1892 - January 1894) rated 5R - $60, $75 on cover
• Code E (20 March 1894) rated 5R - $100 on cover
• Code H (15 September 1892 - 31 October 1895) rated 3R - $20, $75 on cover
• Code K (13 September 1894) rated 5R - $100 on cover
• Code L (27 November 1893 - April 1894) rated 4R - $50
• Code M (25 June 1892 - 21 October 1895) rated 4R - $50, $75 on cover
• Code N (2 July 1892 - 24 January 1895) rated 2R - $15, $75 on cover
• Code P (23 April 1895 - 20 December 1895) rated 4R - $50
• Code W rated 5R

Brisbane duplex type 4 (from Campbell) - the foot of the Q is actually usually straight, not slanted, suggesting that more than one implement was in use

4 similar cancellers. L-R, date stamp type 10, duplex type 4, date stamp type 16, date stamp type 18

Code A

1892

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code A rated rare. Dated 9 March 1892. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code A rated rare. Dated 9 November 1892

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code A rated rare. Dated 8 September 1892

1893

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code A rated rare. Dated 8 June and 21 December 1893

1894

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code A rated rare. Dated 6 September 1894

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code A rated rare. Dated 6 December 1894

1895

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code A rated rare. Dated 2 March, 7 March, 11 October and 18 December 1895

Unclear or unknown date

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code A rated rare

Code C

1893

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code C rated 5R. Dated 27 March 1893

1895

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code C rated 5R. Dated 9 October 1895

Code D

1892

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code D rated 5R. Dated 10 May 1892. Seen on Ebay

1893

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code D rated 5R. Dated 29 November 1893. Seen in Millennium auction no 52 lot no 459

1894

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code D rated 5R. Dated January 1894

Code E

1894

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code E rated 5R. Dated 20 March 1894

Code H

1892

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code H rated 3R. Dated 15 September 1892. In the the Marius Wytenburg Brisbane GPO exhibit

1893

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code H rated 3R. Dated 25 September and October 1893

1894

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code H rated 3R. Dated 17 February, 25 May and 31 August 1894

1895

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code H rated 3R. Dated 14 May 1895

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code H rated 3R. Dated 27 July and 31 October 1895

Unclear or Unknown year

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code H rated 3R

Code K

1894

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code K rated 5R. Dated 13 September 1894. Seen in a private collection

Code L

1893

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code L rated 4R. Dated 27 November 1893

1894

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code L rated 4R. Dated April 1894

Unknown year

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code L rated 4R

Code M

1892

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code M rated 4R. Dated 25 June 1892. Seen in Abacus auction no 236

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code M rated 4R. Dated 14 September 1892. In the the Marius Wytenburg Brisbane GPO exhibit

1894

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code M rated 4R. Dated 13 February 1894

1895

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code M rated 4R. Dated 23 September and 21 October 1895

Code N

1892

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code N rated 2R. Dated 2 July 1892. Seen in a private collection

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code N rated 2R. Dated 26 Octiober 1892

1893

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code N rated 2R. Dated January, 2 August and October 1893

1894

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code N rated 2R. Dated 6 September 1894. Seen on Ebay

1895

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code N rated 2R. Dated 24 january 1895

Unclear or missing year

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code N rated 2R

Code P

1895

Brisbane duplex type 4 Code P rated 4R. Dated 23 April, 21 October, 17 December and 20 December 1895