This week's post will present the postal history items in my collection that cover the Crown CA issues of the Queen Victoria period of the colony of Lagos. Unfortunately I do not have any covers from the crown CC period, as these are exceptionally rare. But I do have a nice range of covers and postcards from this period, and these will be the subject of this week's post.
1882-1887 First Crown CA Issue
A 4d cover sent from Lagos to Munich, Bavaria on March 5, 1888. The postage is paid with a pair of the 2d slate from the first crown CA issue. The pair is cancelled with strikes of a 9-bar Lagos oval obliterator, while the cover bears a nice strike of a 21 mm Lagos CDS, that has a 4 mm gap between "W" and "A" of "Africa".
1887-1903 Second Crown CA Issue
A 2.5d cover sent from Lagos to A. Myerscough in London, on December 13, 1896. Myerscough was a leading stamp dealer at the time. The postage was paid with a single 2d lilac and ultramarine and 1/2 deep grey green, both from the third state of plate 1. The stamps are tied to the cover with strikes of the 8-bar Lagos oval obliterator.
A 4.5d registered cover from Lagos to Chicago, Ill, sent on February 16, 1903. The postage in this case is paid with two pairs of the 1d and a single 1/2d green. All of the stamps are from plate 2, and are cancelled with a 24 mm Lagos CDS, dated March 1, 1903.
A 1.5d postcard that was mailed from Lagos on November 29, 1888, to Magdeburg, Germany. The cancellation is a 21 mm Lagos CDS with the 3 mm gap between the "W" and "A"
Another 1d postcard to Fiume, Hungary, that was sent from Lagos on December 10, 1894. The cancellation is a 21 mm Lagos CDS, with a 3 mm gap between the "W" and "A".
A used version of the above postcard, sent to Germany on February 2, 1886. The card is cancelled by an undated duplex cancel featuring an 8-bar oval.
1882-1887 First Crown CA Issue
A 4d cover sent from Lagos to Munich, Bavaria on March 5, 1888. The postage is paid with a pair of the 2d slate from the first crown CA issue. The pair is cancelled with strikes of a 9-bar Lagos oval obliterator, while the cover bears a nice strike of a 21 mm Lagos CDS, that has a 4 mm gap between "W" and "A" of "Africa".
1887-1903 Second Crown CA Issue
A 4d cover sent from Lagos to Berne, Switzerland on March 18, 1891. This cover is franked with a single 4d lilac and black, from the first state of the plate. The stamp is cancelled with a clear strike of an 8-bar Lagos oval. The cover bears a strike of the 21 mm Lagos CDS with a 3 mm gap between the "W" and "A".
A 2.5d cover sent from Lagos to A. Myerscough in London, on December 13, 1896. Myerscough was a leading stamp dealer at the time. The postage was paid with a single 2d lilac and ultramarine and 1/2 deep grey green, both from the third state of plate 1. The stamps are tied to the cover with strikes of the 8-bar Lagos oval obliterator.
Another 2.5d cover sent from Lagos to Germany on November 30, 1901. The postage is paid with the same combination of stamps. The 2d stamp appears to be from the fourth state of the pate, while the 1/2d stamp looks like a late usage of an earlier printing from the third state of the plate. These stamps are tied by clear 24 mm Lagos CDS cancels.
A 4.5d registered cover from Lagos to Chicago, Ill, sent on February 16, 1903. The postage in this case is paid with two pairs of the 1d and a single 1/2d green. All of the stamps are from plate 2, and are cancelled with a 24 mm Lagos CDS, dated March 1, 1903.
Another 4.5d registered cover, sent from Lagos to Breslau, Germany, that was sent on January 21, 1899. The postage is paid with singles of the 2.5d ultramarine and 2d lilac and ultramarine. The 2d appears to be from the third state of the plate, and the 2.5d appears to be from the 4th state of the plate. Both stamps are canceled with strikes of the 8-bar oval obliterator of Lagos.
Another 4.5d registered cover franked with singles of the 2d and 2.5d stamps. This time it was sent on August 27, 1900. The 2.5d appears to be from an earlier state of the plate like state 2, while the 2d is from the third state.
A 2.5d letter sent to Brighton, Sussex on January 18, 1896, and franked with a type 1 2.5d ultramarine. The stamp is tied by a strike of a 9-bar oval. Interstingly, this cover shows a prominent doubling of the "E" in Pence. A close up of this plate flaw is shown below:
The doubling appears below the top bar of the E and below the middle bar.
This is an early usage of the 2.5d ultramarine that is used on a letter sent to Paris on December 20, 1892. The stamp is cancelled with a lovely, clear strike of a 9-bar Lagos oval.
A 6d registered cover, also sent to Myerscough & Co in London, on June 9, 1902. The postage has been paid with a strip of 3 and 3 singles of the 1d plate 2, printed in carmine and deep aniline crimson. The stamps are tied by multiple strikes of 24 mm Lagos CDS cancellations.
A 3d registered cover sent to Myerscough in London, on September 24, 1902. The postage has been paid with a strip of 6 of the 1/2d pale bluish green plate 2 printing. Each stamp is tied to the cover by a clear strike of a 24 mm Lagos CDS cancellation.
Another Myerscough cover. This time it is a 1d regular mail cover, that was sent from Ebutte Metta on May 24, 1901. The postage has been paid with two 1/2d green stamps from the 4th state of the plate, so somewhat late usage. The stamps are tied by clear strikes of the Ebutte Metta 24 mm CDS cancels.
A fragment of what was a very large registered cover, sent from Lagos on May 19, 1903. It is franked with the only example of the 7.5d lilac and carmine that I have ever seen on cover, plus a 4d lilac and black. The 7.5d stamp looks like the 4th state of the plate, while the 4d looks like the first state, which suggests that it might actually be a plate 2 printing. The stamps are tied with clear strikes of a 24 mm Lagos CDS.
Another fragment from a very large registered cover, this time franked with 5d of postage, which was paid with a pair of the 2.5d ultramarine. These are cancelled with a large Lagos CDS dated April 21, 1906.
Registered Envelope
A 7d registered cover sent to Bavaria, Germany on August 6, 1895. The postage is paid by a single 4d lilac and black, and a 1d carmine. Both stamps appear to be from the third state of the plate, and both are tied with strikes of an 8-bar oval obliterator. The reverse of the envelope shows the 2d stamp indicta, printed in slate blue. Two transit backstamps appear, as well as a strike of a 21 mm Lagos CDS, with a 3 mm gap between the "W" and "A".
Postcards and Reply Cards
A 1.5d postcard that was mailed from Lagos on November 29, 1888, to Magdeburg, Germany. The cancellation is a 21 mm Lagos CDS with the 3 mm gap between the "W" and "A"
A 1d postcard, sent from Lagos on March 20, 1897 to Melbourne, Australia. Cancelled with a strike of a 24 mm Lagos CDS.
Another 1d postcard to Fiume, Hungary, that was sent from Lagos on December 10, 1894. The cancellation is a 21 mm Lagos CDS, with a 3 mm gap between the "W" and "A".
Another 1d postcard that was originally sent to Berlin on December 7, 1896. It arrived there on January 21, 1897, where delivery was attempted and failed. The address was stroked out and it was re-directed to Blankenburg, where it arrived on March 1, 1897. The Lagos cancellation is a 21 mm CDS with a 4 mm gap between the "W" and "A".
A picture postcard sent from Lagos to Drome, France on December 24, 1902, which arrived in Drome on January 15, 1903. The postage is paid by a single bright crimson 1d stamp from plate 2, and the stamp is tied by a strike of a December 24, 1902 24 mm Lagos CDS.
A mint reply card printed in dull purple brown on poor quality stock, from what appears to be the third state of the plate, which would make this card from the mid 1890's.
A much earlier version of the same reply card, but printed from the first state of the plate in a shade of reddish brown. The paper stock is a high quality card, which likely places this in the late 1870's or early 1880's.
A mint reply card, which is printed in a deeper shade of reddish brown from the 4th state of the plate, which has been uprated, by affixing a mint 1d carmine (4th state) and a 1/2d from plate 2. But then the card was never used. The presence of a 1/2d plate 2 makes it from after 1900.
A mint postcard, printed in reddish brown, from the third state of the plate, on poor quality card stock. This likely hails from the mid-1890's.
A similar postcard printed in a deeper shade of brown, also from the third state of the plate.
A smaller postcard printed on better quality card stock, in reddish brown, and printed from what also appears to be the third state of the plate.
A used version of the above postcard, sent to Germany on February 2, 1886. The card is cancelled by an undated duplex cancel featuring an 8-bar oval.
A 1d on 1.5d surcharged postcard from 1891, when the reduced UPU rates came into effect. This card is printed in chocolate brown, and appears to be from the third state of the plate.
Another version of this postcard surcharge, this time done on a much earlier printing of the card, from the first state of the plate and in a dull greyish purple brown.
A used version of the 1d surcharged postcard, sent to Erfurt in Germany on October 6, 1893. This one is printed in pale reddish brown and is from the second state of the plate.
1d carmine postcard with specimen overprint.
The message portion of a 1d carmine reply card sent to London on January 20, 1894. The card is canceled with a 21 mm Lagos CDS, that has a 4 mm gap between the "W" and "A".
Another redirected 1d carmine postcard, sent from Lagos on September 4, 1896 to Neisse, which was redirected to Berlin. Interestingly, the date indicta on the 21 mm Lagos CDS are inverted with respect to one another. The cancel has the 3 mm gap between the "W" and "A".
A 1d carmine postcard sent to Leipzig on February 13, 1894. The 21 mm Lagos CDS cancellation is not very legible, so I cannot measure the gap between the "W" and "A".
Another 1d red postcard, this time sent to Neijse in Germany. This one was sent on December 5, 1894. The cancellation is a 21 mm Lagos CDS that has a 4 mm gap between the "W" and "A".
A mint 1d carmine reply card. The reply portion is on the reverse of the upper card.
A used 1d carmine reply card, that was sent to Apolda, Germany on July 12, 1900. The card was never replied to, as the reply portion is blank. The stamp image is cancelled with a 24 mm Lagos CDS.
A similar reply card that was sent to Hamburg on March 7, 1894. Again, no reply was forthcoming, as the reply portion is blank.
A Gold Coast postcard, showing Cape Coast in the God Coast, that has been used from Lagos instead, to Cheltenham, UK, on December 22, 1903. The postage has been paid with a single 1d crimson from plate 2. The stamp is cancelled with an incomplete strike of the 24 mm Lags CDS.
An early 1898 picture postcard of Lagos, that was sent to Yokohama, Japan, registered, on March 19, 1898. This is the earliest picture postcard that I have seen from the colony, and also the first to be set registered. The postage was paid with a 3d lilac and chestnut, from the first state of the plate.
This concludes my exploration of the Queen Victoria Issues of Lagos. Next week, I will start looking at the King Edward VII issues.