Loose Ship letter Type 3

Ship Letter Page

Loose Ship Letters were letters posted in boxes aboard ships, the contents of which were handed in to the post office at the next port of call, in this case Brisbane. There are three Brisbane Loose Ship Letter oval types

• Type 2 - framed, 27.5 x 23 mm, serif letters, 1871 - 1901
• Type 3 - framed, 26 x 21 mm, serif letters, 1895 - 1915
• Type 4 - framed, 29.5 x 23 mm, serif letters, 1903

Types 2 and 3 are similar. Only type 2 is found on Chalons. The easiest way to distinguish types 2 and 3 from type 4 is that the H of type 2 and 3 has a horizontal line on the top left hand side and which is not present in type 4

Left to right: Loose Ship Letter Type 2, Loose Ship Letter Type 3, Loose Ship Letter Type 4

Type 3  A framed oval, 26 x 21 mm across the axes, with 'LOOSE' round the top, 'SHIP' in seriffed letters in the centre, and 'LETTER' round the foot; at each side is a smallish round dot.  The easiest way to distinguish type 3 from type 2 is that the top of the 'L' of Loose joins the bottom of the 'S' of Ship. [Note that this is different to Campbell's type 3, which, as he suspected, does not appear to exist for Brisbane]. Seen from 1895 - 1915. Rated 2R

• (31 May 1895 - 31 March 1915) rated 2R - $25, $45 on cover

Type 3

1895

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 3 dated 31 May 1895. Rated 2R. Seen in Abacus auction no 247 lot no 1118

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 3 dated 7 June 1896. Rated 2R. Seen in Spink auction no 12043 lot no 1422. Ex Griffiths

1902

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 3 dated 2 January 1902. Rated 2R

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 3 dated 24 March 1902. Rated 2R

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 3 dated 24 August 1902. Rated 2R. Seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

1905

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 3 dated 14 February 1905. Rated 2R. Seen in Millennium auction no 80 lot no 510

1910

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 3 dated 19 August 1910. Rated 2R. Seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

1912

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 3 dated 5 February 1912. Rated 2R. Seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

1915

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 3 dated 31 March 1915. Rated 2R. Seen in Joachim Erhardt Gmb Sale 132

Unknown dates

2nd Sideface

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 3. Rated 2R. Seen in the collection of Tony Curtis

3rd Sideface

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 3. Rated 2R. Seen in the collection of Tony Curtis

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 3. Rated 2R. Seen in the collection of Carl Burnett

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 3. Rated 2R. Seen in the collection of Tony Curtis