Lot 386 Canada #BK40b 1949-1953 Postes-Postage Issue Two Different Complete 25c Bilingual Booklets Containing 2 Panes of the 3c Rose-Purple King George VI, Harris Front Cover Type IIId, Back Cover Gi and Gii, No Rate Page

Two well centered, fresh and fine examples of the 25¢ bilingual booklet from the 1949-1952 Postes-Postage Issue, containing two panes of 4 + 2 labels of the 3c rose-purple, being both back cover types for front cover type IIId. The contents have the following characteristics:

Paper type: Horizontal ribbed vertical wove paper.

Printing method: Engraving

Printer: Canadian Bank Note Company

Perforation or die cut: 12 Line

Stamp colours: rose-purple

Rate Page: no rate page

Gum Type: Shiny cream

The covers display the following characteristics:

Cover fluorescence: Dull Fluorescent

Cover seal type: Unsealed

Cover design: Canada Arms and Canada Postage

Cover markings or type: Type 2

Front cover: Harris Type IIId

Cover binding type: 17 mm Staple

Back cover: Harris Type Gi and Gii

Interleaving inside? Yes

The Unitrade catalogue value for two F-65 mint examples of this booklet is $26. The booklets offered here grade 73 as follows:

Cover freshness: 10/10

Centering of the panes: 45/70

Condition of cover edges: 5/5

Freshness of the panes: 5/5

Absence of visible cover flaws or stains: 3/5

Condition of interleaving and contents: 5/5

The booklets of this issue exist with several different types of front and back covers. These covers were printed from separate dies, and have all been identified by the late Peter Harris in his book "Canadian Stamp Booklets - Dotted Cover Dies 1935-1955". Each major colour of larger booklet typically exists with two front cover dies and four back cover ones, resulting in 8 different combinations. The English chewing gum booklets, on the other hand exist with four front and back cover dies, for a total of 16 different booklets. The bilingual larger booklets exist with two front and two back cover types, while the bilingual chewing gum booklets exist with 15 different front and back cover dies, for a total of 225 possible booklets, although many of these have not, as yet been reported. None of these are listed in Unitrade. The pictures shown are stock pictures, however, there will be no significant difference between the booklet you receive and the one shown here. The centering of the panes will be as shown in the grading breakdown and may be better or inferior to the panes shown in the stock picture.