August 2024
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The following excerpt article was first published in the May 2014 issue of Gibbons Stamp Monthly. A full range of articles can be accessed using a subscription to the Gibbons Stamp Monthly Archive.
The Canadian Large Queens Issue of 1868 By John Hillson FRPSL, FCPS
The first stamp issue of the Dominion of Canada is both attractive and full of interest for philatelists and postal historians alike. John Hillson discusses the development of the issue, along with its uses, varieties and known rarities—including the rarest of all Canadian stamps, the 1868 2c. Large Queen on laid paper, an example of which recently sold for a record price at auction.
In 1867 four British North American provinces—Upper Canada (Ontario), Lower Canada (Quebec), New Brunswick and Nova Scotia—came together to form a new British Dominion, the Confederation of Canada. Provision was made for other provinces and territories to join the Confederation as it became mutually advantageous.
A new Post Office Department was set up in the capital, Ottawa. Previously the Maritime Provinces had obtained their postage stamps from the British firm of Perkins Bacon, while the Canadas had obtained their supply from the American Bank Note Company, New York. However, it was felt wise that Canada should have its own firm of Security Printers.
Two parties were interested in forming a Canadian firm of security printers: Matthews and Smillie, who were engravers by profession and knew all about the design, engraving and the production of postage and bill stamps, but who had no business track record; and Burland L’Africaine, who, among other things, owned the Montreal Gazette, had a business track record, and with political connections were willing to, and did, play dirty to get the contract—but who knew nothing about the design, engraving and production of postage stamps, or bill stamps for that matter.
The Post Office suggested the two parties amalgamate, and if the new company came up with suitable proposals, they would get the desired contract. The proposals, with some amendments, were duly agreed and the British American Bank Note Company was able to commence business.
In April 1868, the new postage stamps were officially issued to the public. It was a handsome set of stamps, but unusual in two way. Firstly, apart from the ½c. value, which was of ‘normal’ size, the others were larger than had been normal up until then for postage stamps. Secondly, the vignette of The Queen’s head faced to the right instead of to the left, as was the common practice at the time. The reason for the change in direction of the head is probably because the design of the Large Queen’s head followed a die essay submitted by Bradbury Wilkinson to the Canadian Government (Fig 1). Although the word ‘Canada’ is not included the design, this has always been regarded as a Canadian essay. It is also of large size, which may be the reason for the dimension of the series.
As to the series itself, printed in sheets of 100, arranged 10×10, it consisted of a ½c. in black, a 1c. reddish-brown, 2c. green, 3c. brownish-red, 6c. brown, 12½c. blue, and 15c. in reddish-purple. A 5c. value was prepared, even as far as a plate being made, but was not issued at that time as it was felt there was insufficient need for it—although it would have prepaid the domestic half ounce rate of 3c. plus registration fee of 2c.
Die and plate proofs of all values exist. The die proofs are generally small, but large die proofs of the ½c., 5c. and the 12½c. are known. The ½c. has lathework below the design; the 5c. has the printer’s nomenclature printed below the design; the 12½c. has no embellishment. As far as plate proofs are concerned, a good many of those offered are really not plate proofs at all, but have been cut from a sample sheet produced in mid-1868 which showed all the Large Queens, all the ‘third issue’ Bill stamps and five examples of the ½c. All of these are shown above the centre design of the sample sheet depicting the Queen (Fig 2). Interestingly, the sheet also includes five examples of the yet to be issued 1c. Small Queen, showing not only that the decision to replace the Large series was taken early on, but also that the first of the replacement issue to be designed (and indeed printed and delivered to the Post Office Department) was the 1c. Many of these sheets were cut up and it is believed only an officially defaced complete example now exists.
In order to produce the vignette for the smaller ½c. value an impression was taken from the Large Queen vignette master die and the circumference reduced. Two proofs are known to exist still. One was sold in the ‘Glassco’ sale in 1969, the other was auctioned in one of the 1997 series of ‘William Simpson’ sales where it now has a good home (Fig 3). Interestingly, no proof example of the vignette of the Large Queen seems to be on record. This reduced die was used in the preparation of all but two of the Small Queen series—the only difference between it and the Large Queen vignette is a slight removal of the lowest point of the neck by the circular rim. The size of the head is otherwise identical which is why calling the series ‘Large Heads’ and ‘Small Heads’ is incorrect.
Originally the issue was printed on a thin, almost translucent, paper of high quality. However, the bulk of the issue was printed on a good quality, opaque wove paper of middling thickness. Two values are known on different papers and perforations in line with the Small Queens being printed during their lifetime. These are the 15c., which was never replaced as long as the printers held the contract—indeed the last 400 were delivered to the Post Office Department in 1898, some months after the American Bank Note Co had taken it over—and the ½c., which remained current until 1882.
Other papers are known, most notably the Bothwell paper, which was made for and supplied by Andrew Whyte & Son. The words for the watermark was produced in double-lined letters and reads ‘E. & G. BOTHWELL/CLUTHA MILLS’ in two lines, which affected about 20 stamps in a printed sheet of 100. A made-up watermark, the ‘E & G’ stood for Edinburgh and Glasgow—the firm had a warehouse in Bothwell Street in Glasgow—and ‘Clutha’ is the Celtic name for the Clyde—not Latin as quoted by some authorities. The watermark is particularly scarce on the 6c. and 15c., and is rare on the ½c. where only seven are recorded and most of them have faults. There is, of course, always the chance of one so far unknown being discovered. The paper on this value is scarce enough for examples on Bothwell paper even without the watermark to still command a premium over more usual papers. Incidentally, the watermark has been found on both the 3c. and 6c. values of the Bill stamps. Although they are not as pricey as the 6c. and 15c. watermarked Large Queens, they are much more difficult to find. Illustrated here (Fig 4) is the complete watermark on a block of 3c. Bill stamps.
One other watermark is known, but on a Montreal printing of the 15c. only. This reads ‘Alexr. Pirie and Sons’ in script, is seven inches long and appears diagonally once on each page and is very scarce (SG 65a).
Three values are known on laid paper. The 3c. exists on a thin hard laid (Fig 5) and both the 1c. and 2c. is to be found on a thick soft laid paper (Fig 6). Until recently only two, rather indifferent, examples of the 2c. on laid had been discovered. However, in 2013 a collector in North America paid $5 for what was later identified as a genuine third example. The best copy of the three was sold by Brigham Auctions in February for US$427,000 (Fig 7). The newly discovered example is due to be sold by Gary Lyon in October; I suspect it will sell for a lot more than $5. The 1c. on laid paper is a scarce stamp too, but not in the same league as the 2c. Nevertheless, it is not easy to find in nice condition, particularly as with all soft papers, it thins easily.
In their book, The Large Queen Stamps of Canada and their Use 1868–1872, H E and H W Duckworth classify ten different types of paper, including those mentioned above, but several fall into the ‘medium to stout wove’ category. Two additional paper types are worthy of note. One is a thick soft white paper, used around 1871, and found on the 2c. and 6c. Large Queens—as well as the 1c. and 3c. Small Queens printed concurrently. The other is a thick soft carton-like paper found only on the 15c. of 1879 (later than the Duckworth book), in a clear, deep violet shade. This is very difficult to find unthinned and/or reasonably centred. The example illustrated is as fine a copy as is known (Fig 8).
Catalogues describe the perforations found between 1868 and 1872, when the bulk of the Large Queens were printed, as ‘Perforation12’. More accurately it is approximately 11.9—approximately because the perforation pins on the wheels that did the cutting were not exactly placed, though near enough to satisfy the casual observer. For the two values that survived after 1872, the pattern was the same as for the Small Queens—11½×12 (approximately) between 1873 and 1876 and approximately 12 thereafter. The one exception is the 5c. issued in October 1875. Catalogues list these perforations as 11½×12, or the rare perf 12. The commonest perforation on this stamp is not 11½×12, as one might think, but 11¾×12—and by a considerable margin. This is odd, because on the contemporary Small Queen and Bill stamps, 11¾×12 is scarce and is generally confined to 1877.
Two imprints were used for the bulk of the issue, both in reversed-out lettering. That known as Type III read ‘British American BANK NOTE Co. Montreal & Ottawa’ and measured 47×1mm. The denominated Type IV Imprint read ‘BRITISH AMERICAN BANK NOTE CO. MONTREAL & OTTAWA’, all in uppercase letters and measured 50.5×1mm. Type III was applied to all of the 1c., 2c., 3c. plates and to one plate of the 6c., while Type IV was applied to the ½c., the original 5c., the 12½c., the 15c., and the second 6c. plate.
When a 5c. stamp became a matter of necessity in 1875—on the formation of the General Postal Union, later renamed the UPU—the plate apparently had degraded to such an extent as to be useless, probably the result of rust, so a brand new plate had to be made and this carried the ‘Type V’ imprint which read ‘British American Bank Note Co. Montreal’ in upper and lower case lettering and measured 55mm×2mm. At the time of printing the British American Bank Note Company no longer had premises in Ottawa which is why that name had been dropped—although in 1868, when the two other imprints were made, it had no premises in Montreal.
One plate was made for each of the ½c., 12½c. and 15c. values. The general consensus among Large Queen collectors used to be that two plates were made for the 3c. and 6c., but only one for the 1c. and 2c. However, since a top piece from a 1c. plate is known both with and without a counter—that is the denomination of the value (in this case ‘One Cent’) which was sometimes added at the top of the plate, generally above the first two, or last two, positions on the top row— this would indicate the existence of two 1c. plates.
The volume of 2c. produced somewhat exceeded the number of 6c., so it is likely there were two plates for this value too. There were probably five 3c. plates (explained later); as for the 5c. this has already been discussed.
Changes in gum
Until the end of 1872 the gum used was thin smooth white or yellowish and so was used on the bulk of the issue. The ½c., 5c. and 15c. values printed in Montreal between 1873 and 1878 had a brownish and streaky gum. In 1878 the gum changed again to a smooth shiny yellowish gum, and in the final Ottawa period from 1889, only the 15c. was still current and those printings had a smooth thick brownish gum applied.
Turning to the individual values, the ½c. (Fig 9) was used primarily for junk mail—that is unaddressed circulars delivered to every household, and for newspapers and magazines not exceeding ½oz. Because of their nature, single use on cover or newspaper is rare. Curiously, even combination covers seem scarce. Essentially black in colour, shades vary from that to grey-black. Two common varieties exist—the ‘White Chignon’ (a white area in the bun of the Queen’s hair) and a ‘Spur’ variety located on the left-hand scroll . The White Chignon is from position 3, rows 2–7 inclusive, while the spur is found on 32 positions on the sheet of 100 subjects.
The single plate had produced some 6,500,000 stamps by the time it was replaced with a new design in 1882. Just why a new plate in the old design was not made is not clear, particularly as the ½c. values of the Jubilee, Maple Leaf, and Numeral issues of 1897–98, which followed the Small Queens, were all the same size as the others in their issues.
The 1c. was printed originally in a reddish brown shade (as shown in Fig 6), but this caused confusion with the 3c. which was printed in a similar colour. As a result, halfway through its life the colour was changed to yellow, the shades varying from that to orange yellow. Of the almost 12,000,000 printed, approximately half were in the original shades, and half in the colour change shades (Fig 10). The main uses for the 1c. were for drop letters—that is letters left at a particular post office to be collected by the addressee from the same post office—and addressed printed matter circulars up to ½oz in weight. These 12,000,000 1c. stamps were printed from two plates. Officially replaced by the Small Queen at the beginning of 1870, there were still stocks of the Large Queen 1c. in hand, which continued to be used up, particularly in the first half of that year.
The 2c. basic colour was green (Fig 11), with shades ranging from emerald-green to a deep blue-green. It was used to pay the rate for soldiers' letters and for cross-border towns adjacent to each other, including a ‘ferriage’ rate for towns opposite each other on either side of the St Lawrence. From 1871 it also fully prepaid the newspaper rate to the USA. However, its main use was to evidence prepayment of the registration fee. Unlike postage, the prepayment of which did not become compulsory until 1875, the cost of registration always had to be prepaid. It is therefore possible to find a cover franked only with a 2c. for the registration fee, but where postage was collected from the addressee. Such examples are rare. Some 10,500,000 2c. stamps were printed before its replacement at the beginning of 1872. At least two re-entries are known, both in the lettering at the top of the design.
The 3c. (Fig 12) paid the ½oz domestic rate. It was therefore the commonest of the series, some 29,300,000 being printed before it was superseded in January 1870 by the 3c. Small Queen. It also prepaid the ½oz letter rate to Prince Edward Island, possibly in anticipation of it joining the Confederation, which it did in 1873. Shades varied from brownish red to rose-red. Examples showing plate cracking are known and at least one strong re-entry has been recorded.
Invoices are known for five plates and five repairs to those plates before the first Small Queen plate was invoiced in November 1869. The original contract guaranteed that each plate would be capable of producing 2,500,000 stamps before repair and a further 1,500,000 after, i.e. 4 million stamps, in other words 40,000 sheets. In actual fact, the plates were capable of producing more than contracted for, and averaged in many cases some 60,000 sheets, which is commensurate with the number of 3c. printed.
The 5c. is the odd man out as it was not issued until 1875. According to UPU regulations it should have been printed in blue (Fig 13) but because the blue 12½c. was still current—though never printed after 1870, an olive-green colour was chosen for the 3c. value (Fig 14). Officially issued on 1 October, a cover is known posted in Montreal on 29 September. I remember it being offered by a West Country auction house with an estimate of £40; I passed it up because to my mind it was (and is) an eyesore. It was some years later sold by Spink in the ‘Jura’ sale for £4000.
The purpose of the 5c. was to pay the reduced transatlantic ½oz rate, which came into effect on 30 October 1875. Only 1 million were printed; it is the only one of the series which was never printed on watermarked paper, and it became obsolete on 1 February 1876.
The 6c. stamp was printed in brown—originally a blackish brown but there is a good variety of shades down to yellow-brown. Its original purpose was for cross-border mail not exceeding ½oz, or for double-rated domestic letters over ½oz but not exceeding 1oz. It also paid the letter rate to British Columbia before that province joined the Confederation in 1871; and to the Red River Settlement. Some 10 million examples were printed before being replaced by the Small Queen in January 1872. The value was printed with two plates which are easily identifiable from each other; the original plate had a guide dot more or less at the ‘toe’ of the bottom left-hand corner, while the second plate, which, once made, was in simultaneous use as the first, had a position dot placed directly below the ‘S’ of ‘SIX CENTS’ at the bottom of the design (Figs 15 and 16). The same gimmick was used in making the first two Small Queen 6c. plates in 1871, but not with the same success, as the second Small Queen plate was so badly made it was only used in an emergency for a short time toward the end of 1873. Some minor re-entering and other minor plate flaws are known on stamps from both plates.
It was necessary to have a 12½c. stamp (Fig 17) in 1868 as it prepaid certain important rates at the time. Issued in shades of blue, which ranged from a pale, dull blue to bright blue, it prepaid the ½oz letter rate to Newfoundland and the British West Indies. However, its main use was to prepay letters carried by the Allen Line to the United Kingdom. This was reduced to 6c. on 1 January 1870, from which point demand for 12½c. value dropped dramatically. Indeed, some two thirds of the total printed was used during the period 1 April 1868 to 1 January 1870. The rate to Newfoundland was reduced to 6c. on 1 November 1872, after which it was mainly used for parcel post—12½c. for 8oz. When this was reduced to 6c. for 4oz on 1 September 1878 the 12½c. was pretty well redundant until it was withdrawn in 1888. Just over 1,900,000 examples were printed so there was no need for more than one plate. The plate had a counter top left.
The best known variety of the 12½c. value is the ‘missing frameline’ from the left value tablet. Noted on a plate proof it should be present on all printings. The position is thought to be from Row 7/7.
The highest value in the series is perhaps the most interesting. The 15c. is the only Large Queen that was printed in the original Ottawa plant, then in Montreal, and finally in the purpose-built Ottawa plant from 1889. It could be said to even outlive the Small Queen series because, as mentioned earlier, the last four sheets were not delivered to the Post Office Department until 1898, the British American Bank Note Co. having lost the contract in mid-1897.
As already mentioned, the 15c. is the only one of the series known with two different watermarks, moreover it is, as far as has been discovered, the only one with the ‘Bothwell’ watermark on stamps perforated 11½×12, as well as the perf 12 normally found. This shows that at least one ‘Bothwell’ sheet survived to the Montreal period. Understandably, examples of this are very scarce indeed.
A wide variety of shades occurs on this value. In the early printings shades range from pale to deep reddish purple. In the early Montreal period (perf 11½×12), the shades range from grey-purples and greyish violets, through to slate-greys, and slate purples. The final Montreal years produced shades of deep violet slatey-blue and ‘deep cold blue’. The second Ottawa shades are slate-grey and slate-purple. The imperforates produced in 1892, ‘by grace and favour’ for a Mr Lauchlan Gibb, who had been of some service to the Post Office, are in a shade of brown-purple not found on regular issues.
A very collectable variety is the ‘Pawnbroker Variety’ (Fig 18) from Row 1/10 and is on all printings. A major re-entry affecting the whole of the left side, top to bottom, is known from early printings, i.e. only in reddish purple shades, and appears to have been corrected by further re-entering. It is rare.
Such then is an account of the Dominion of Canada’s first postage stamps, a good-looking set with much of interest to offer, both as regards the stamps themselves, and the postal history of the period.
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