Lot 144 Canada #BK30cEIIe 3c Carmine Red King George VI 1937-1942 Mufti Issue, A VFNH Complete English Booklet Containing 2 Panes of 4 + 2 Labels , Cover type IIe, 6c Airmail Rate, Smooth Panes

A VFNH complete English booklet of the 3ccarmine red King George VI from the 1937-1942 Mufti Issue containing 2 panes of 4 + 2 labels of 3c carmine, cover type IIe, 6c airmail rate, smooth panes. The panes are printed on vertical wove paper with no distinct mesh and cream gum with a semi-gloss sheen. Although not listed specifically by Unitrade, the booklets of this issue exist with at least two different front cover types for each of the English and French booklets. The differences lie in the number of dots contained within the P of Postage or Poste.

The stamps of this issue also exist with several different paper and gum types, with certain gum types typically only being found with certain paper types. In terms of paper so far I have been able to ascertain that there are five basic types:

(1) a vertical or horizontal ribbed paper, with the vertical being found on the 10c and horizontal being found on all the other designs
(2) a vertical wove paper that is smooth on the surface, but shows distinct horizontal or vertical mesh through the back
(3) a medium vertical wove paper that shows light horizontal mesh on the back and has a smooth printing surface
(4) a crisp vertical wove paper that shows no distinct mesh as well as another that shows clear vertical mesh
(5) a soft vertical (or horizontal on the 10c) wove paper that shows either no clear mesh, or clear vertical (or horizontal) mesh.

The gum found on (1) tends to be a very deep yellowish or brownish cream and has either a smooth or streaky appearance, as well as a satin or semi-gloss sheen.
The gum found on (2) is similar to (1).
Paper type (3) usually has cream, deep cream or yellowish cream gum with a semi-gloss sheen, though occasionally it can be found with brownish cream and mottled brownish cream gum also.
Type 4 usually has ether a streaky cream gum with a semi-gloss sheen, or semi-gloss gum that is smooth and whose colour varies from cream to yellowish cream or deep cream.
Lastly, the gum on (5) is usually either white or cream and has a semi gloss sheen.
These differences are significant because they can aid in placing specific printings of the stamps. For example, paper types 1 and 2 appear to come from the early printings, as the 10c carmine rose, which comes from that period is almost exclusively on this paper. Type 5 on the other hand appears to come from the last printings, as it matches the most common paper found on the 1942-1949 War Issue. Type 3 is commonly found on the early Special Delivery stamps, so it would appear to be from the early period also.

Unitrade values this at $25.75. The complete booklet offered here grades 75 as follows:

Centering of the panes: 45/70

Freshness of the panes: 5/5

Conditoon of interleaving and contents: 5/5

Conditon of cover edges: 5/5

Absence of Visible Cover Flaws or stains: 5/5

Cover freshness: 10/10