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

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, $40 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

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 3 dated 18 November 1908. Rated 2R. Seen in Phoenix auction no 108

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

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 3 dated 1912. Rated 2R. Seen in Abacus auction no 259

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

Loose Ship Letter Type 2

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 2  A framed oval, 27.5 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 smallish round dot. Seen from 1871 to 1901. Rated 2R.

• (4 October 1871 - 6 November 1901) rated 2R - $20, $40 on cover

Type 2

1871

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 2 dated 4 October 1871. Rated 2R. Seen in Abacus auction no 247 lot no 1160

1872

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 2 dated 14 February 1872. Rated 2R. Seen in Abacus auction no 214 lot no 509

1875

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 2 dated 16 January 1875. Rated 2R. Seen in Abacus auction no 239 lot no 1783

1882

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 2 dated November 1882. Rated 2R. Seen on Ebay

1884

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 2 dated 28 November 1884. Rated 2R. Seen in Abacus online auction no 1 lot no 1254

1886

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 2 dated 2 May 1886. Rated 2R. Seen in Marius Wytenburg Brisbane GPO exhibit

1888

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 2 dated 29 April 1888. Rated 2R. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 2 dated 30 May 1888. Rated 2R. Seen in Cavendish auctions no 701 lot no 424

1889

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 2 dated 16 November 1889. Rated 2R. Seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

1891

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 2 dated 16 March 1891. Rated 2R. Seen in a private collection

1893

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 2 dated 18 January 1893. Rated 2R. Seen in Corinphila auctions no 291 lot no 1015

1901

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 2 dated 6 November 1901. Rated 2R. Seen on Ebay

Unknown dates

Chalon

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

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 2. Rated 2R

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 2. Rated 2R. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 2. Rated 2R. Seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 2. Rated 2R. Seen on Ebay

2nd Sideface

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

Loose Ship Letter Type 1

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 

Type 1  A rectangular frame with chamfered corners 48.5 x 10 mm with "LOOSE SHIP LETTER" with seriffed letters in one line. Dated 10 September 1869 - 31 October 1873 and rated 4R

• (10 September 1869 - 31 October 1873) rated 4R - $35, $100 on cover

Loose Ship Letter Type 1 (from Campbell)

Type 1

1869

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 1 dated 10 September 1869. Rated 4R. Seen in Abacus auction no 247 lot no 1115

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 1 dated 1869. Rated 4R. Seen on Ebay

1873

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 1 dated Maryborough 31 October 1873. Rated 4R. Seen in Abacus auction no 247 lot no 1117. It is assumed the handstamp was applied at Brisbane

No dates

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 1. Rated 4R. Seen in Abacus auction no 240 lot no 506

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 1. Rated 4R. Seen in Cavendish auctions 2014. Ex Griffiths

Brisbane Loose Ship letter Type 1. Rated 4R

Ship Letter Type 2

Ship Letter Page

From April 1860 onwards letters posted aboard ship, in addition to inland postage and sea postage was charged 3d per 1/2 oz, with 3d for each additional 1/2 oz (or part). Two date stamps were used to distinguish this type of mail

• Type 1 - two bars either side, year in 4 figures (1864)
• Type 1a - two bars either side, year in two figures (1868)
• Type 2 - one bar either side, year in two figures, codes A - D (1865 - 1867)
• Type  2a - one bar either side, year in two figures (1876)

Type 2 An unframed circle 22 mm in diameter, with 'SHIP LETTER' round the top, 'QUEENSLAND' round the foot, with one bar at each side; in the centre there is a code letter above the date, and the year is in two figures. This was used mainly on outward letters. Code letters seen are A, B, C and D, and dates range from 23 March 1865 to 30 March 1867 and 9 November 1876. Rated 4R - 5R

• Code A (19 June 1865 - 9 March 1867) rated 4R - $35 on cover
• Code B (23 March 1865 - 30 March 1867) rated 4R - $80 on cover
• Code C (31 July 1866 - 20 March 1867) rated 5R - $100 on cover
• Code D (18 May 1865 - 1 March 1867) rated 5R - $80 on cover

Type 2a As above but no code. One example seen dated 9 November 1876 and rated 5R

• (9 November 1876) rated 5R - $100 on cover

Ship Letters, Left to Right: types 1, 1a, 2, 2a

Type 2 Code A

1865

Queensland Ship letter Type 2 Code A dated 19 June 1865. Rated 4R. Seen in Marius Wytenburg Brisbane GPO Exhibit

Queensland Ship letter Type 2 Code A dated 1 September 1865. Rated 4R. Seen in Prestige Philately auction no 168 lot no 841

Queensland Ship letter Type 2 Code A dated 6 October 1865. Rated 4R. Seen on Ebay

1866

Queensland Ship letter Type 2 Code A dated 12 January 1866. Rated 4R. Seen on Ebay

Queensland Ship letter Type 2 Code A dated 5 April 1866. Rated 4R. Seen in Corinphila auctions

Queensland Ship letter Type 2 Code A dated 18 April 1866. Rated 4R. Seen on Ebay

Queensland Ship letter Type 2 Code A dated 25 September 1866. Rated 4R. Seen on Ebay

Queensland Ship letter Type 2 Code A dated 19 October 1866. Rated 4R

1867

Queensland Ship letter Type 2 Code A dated 9 March 1867. Rated 4R. Seen in Corinphila auction no 348

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Code B

1865

Queensland Ship letter Type 2 Code B dated 23 March 1865. Rated 4R. Seen on Ebay

Queensland Ship letter Type 2 Code B dated 24 July 1865. Rated 4R. Seen in Grosvenor auctions

1867

Queensland Ship letter Type 2 Code B dated 30 March 1867. Rated 4R. Seen in Mossgreen auction no 157 lot no 460

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Code C

1866

Queensland Ship letter Type 2 Code C dated 31 July 1866. Rated 5R. Seen in Prestige Philately auction no 165 lot no 109

1867

Queensland Ship letter Type 2 Code C dated 20 March 1867. Rated 5R. Seen on Ebay

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Code D

1865

Queensland Ship letter Type 2 Code D dated 18 May 1865. Rated 5R. Seen on Ebay

1867

Queensland Ship letter Type 2 Code D dated 1 March 1867 Rated 5R. Seen on Ebay

Queensland Ship letter Type 2 Code D dated 1 March 1867 Rated 5R. Seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

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Type 2a

1876

Queensland Ship letter Type 2a dated 9 November 1876. Rated 5R. Seen in Spink auction no 23013 lot no 1028(x)