Today's post marks the beginning of a series of shorter posts that I will be writing over the next several weeks. I am in the midst of a move away from E-bay permanently as a seller. Consequently, the completion of my website must take precedence over these posts, at least until it is complete and operating properly. So rather than stop posting altogether, I have decided to publish shorter posts for the next little while.
Having completed my examination of all the Lagos Queen Victoria surface printed stamps, it seems appropriate to dedicate a post to show all of the mint blocks and multiples that were not illustrated in my posts that dealt with the individual values in the various sets.
Blocks prior to the 1887-1903 crown CA issue are rare, and my earliest ones are from the 1882-1886 Crown CA Issue.
1882-1886 Crown CA Issue Blocks
A lower left block of 6 stamps of the 3d chestnut, showing the current number below position 52.
A left sheet margin block of 4 of the 7.5d lilac and deep carmine, showing partial "crown agent's watermark" in the left sheet margin.
Having completed my examination of all the Lagos Queen Victoria surface printed stamps, it seems appropriate to dedicate a post to show all of the mint blocks and multiples that were not illustrated in my posts that dealt with the individual values in the various sets.
Blocks prior to the 1887-1903 crown CA issue are rare, and my earliest ones are from the 1882-1886 Crown CA Issue.
1882-1886 Crown CA Issue Blocks
1d lilac in a lower right block of 4 showing the plate number below position 58 in the sheet, and a small dot in the selvage below position 60. The narrow selvage on the right side indicates that this block comes from the left pane. Finally, the intersection of the perforations in the centre of the block indicates that the issue is comb, rather than line perforated.
A lower left block of 6 stamps of the 3d chestnut, showing the current number below position 52.
A block of 9 of the 6d olive green from the right side of the sheet from the right pane. The toning of the gum indicates that this is one of the later printings from 1886.
Here is a lower right block of the 6d olive green from the left pane, showing the same plate markings that we just say on the 1d value above.
This is a really nice and scarce postally used block of 4 of this stamp, which is seldom seen in used condition. This one is in a more yellow shade of the olive green, and is canceled by a lovely and full strike of an 8-bar Lagos oval obliterator.
Here is another nice block of the 1/- brownish orange from the right side of the left pane, judging by the narrow selvage on the block. It has toned gum, similar to the same sized block of the 6d olive green and is likely from the same printing, released in 1886.
A beautiful top sheet margin block of 12 in a deeper, brighter shade of orange, showing the plate number above position 2, and the current number above position 5.
The 1887-1903 Crown CA Issue
A lovely example of the 2d lilac and ultramarine, in a fresh left sheet margin block of four from the right hand pane.
A block of four of the 2d dull lilac and deep ultramarine.
A lower right block of 4 of the 2d lilac and deep ultramarine, from the left pane, showing a truncated "N" in "Pence" on the lower right stamp.
A lower left block of 4 of the 2d lilac and deep ultramarine, from the left hand pane, showing the current number under position 52.
A block of 4 of the 3d. deep lilac purple and chestnut.
A block of four of the 5d lilac and deep bluish green.
A left sheet margin block of 4 of the 6d lilac and mauve purple.
A left sheet margin block of 4 of the 7.5d lilac and deep carmine, showing partial "crown agent's watermark" in the left sheet margin.
A block of 4 of the 10d deep lilac and yellow orange.
An irregular block of three of the 1 shilling dull yellowish green and black.
This concludes the small handful of mint blocks and multiples from these issues that I have not already illustrated in this blog. Next week, I will show the covers sent from Lagos bearing stamps of this period.