Loose Ship letter Type 4

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 4  A framed oval, 29 x 23.5 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 larger round dot. Apart from missing the top left horizontal line of the "H", according to Campbell it can also be distinguished from types 2 and 3 by taller letters and those of 'LOOSE' and "LETTER" are more closely set. Seen from 1903. Rated 5R

• (24 June 1903) rated 5R - $100 on cover

Type 4

1903

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 4 dated 24 June 1903. Rated 5R. Seen in Abacus auction no 247 lot no 1119

Unknown date

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 4. Rated 5R

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 4 dated 31 December 190-. Rated 5R. Seen in Phoenix auction no 2157

Forgery

A poor quality forgery