by Kurt Kimmel and Patrick Pearson
ISBN: 978-1-913015-05-3
Price: £72.00
Published by The Royal Philatelic Society London
About the book
Until the arrival of this important book, Ceylon had been one of the great classic countries of the world without a major book on its stamps and stationery. The early issues of Ceylon have been the subject of numerous articles in The London Philatelist and elsewhere by such eminent philatelists as Sir Edward Denny Bacon and Percy de Worms and a number of important collections have been formed and have been sold by the major auction houses worldwide.
This book was originally started in the 1980s when extensive research was undertaken by Patrick Pearson. However, it was not until more recently that the project reached completion with the input of Kurt Kimmel, whose collection today ranks as one of the finest collections ever formed of these great classics.
Based on the meticulous records kept by these two great philatelic students, this book covers in detail the die proofs; the plate proofs; the issued stamps; and the usages of the stamps. Throughout the book reference is made to the distinguishing features of various shades and varieties and to the relative rarity of each. The chapters are arranged by value and detail the evolution of each value from the first Perkins, Bacon imperforate issues; the clean cut, intermediate and rough perforations; the handover of the plates to De La Rue; and the De La Rue printings on the two different watermarked papers until the change of currency on 1st January 1872. Ceylon was one of the first countries of the British Empire to issue its own postal stationery and this has its own chapter. Other chapters are devoted to the unissued stamps overprinted “Service”; the fiscal issues printed by both Perkins, Bacon and De La Rue; fakes and forgeries; and the reprinted proofs and printers’ samples.
Whilst this is not primarily a postal history book, the reasons for the issue of the stamps and the analysis of the rating of covers is given and there are chapters on the post office and postal markings; the postage rates; and the postal routes during this period.
The extensive appendices provide the source information for much that is in the book. These appendices cover the postal documents and other Ceylon government records; the printing and delivery records of Perkins, Bacon; and the De La Rue correspondence books and day books. Last, but by no means least, are the listings of major covers of these issues gleaned from the great collections; a bibliography; and extensive references to articles and auction catalogues over the last century.
Beautifully presented and profusely illustrated with some of the finest proofs, issued stamps and covers, this book will long be the definitive book on these important classic issues. It brings together the combined knowledge and collections of two great students of the issue into a book that will appeal both to the student of these issues and to those who enjoy looking at some of the finest classic stamps.
Table of Contents
Preface and Introduction
Chapter
1 Genesis of the Issue
2 Six Pence
3 Order for the One Penny and Two Pence
4 One Penny
5 Two Pence
6 Order for the Five Pence, Ten Pence and One Shilling
7 Five Pence
8 Ten Pence
9 One Shilling
10 Half Penny
11 Order for the Four, Eight, Nine Pence, One Shilling and Nine Pence and Two Shillings
12 Four Pence
13 Eight Pence
14 Nine Pence
15 One Shilling & Nine Pence
16 Two Shillings
17 Three Pence
18 The surface printed One Penny
19 The envelopes
20 The ‘Service’ issue
21 The Fiscal issues
22 Post Offices and postal markings
23 Postage rates
24 Postal routes and packet mails
25 Specimens
26 Reprinted Proofs
27 Fakes and Forgeries
Appendices
1 Postal Documents
2 Perkins Bacon printing and perforating records
3 Perkins Bacon Delivery Records
4 Ceylon Government memoranda
5 Summary of ‘included Perkins Bacon sheets’ with De La Rue deliveries
6 Printings on Saunders paper
7 De la Rue Printings 19 or 18 rows to the sheet
8 De La Rue Private Day Books
9 Correspondence Books
10 Perkins Bacon printing ink recipes
11 Ceylon Pence covers
12 Remainders and Finds
13 Bibliography and References
Tables
Table 2 Six Pence
Table 4 One Penny
Table 5 Two Pence
Table 7 Five Pence
Table 8 Ten Pence
Table 9 One Shilling
Table 10 Half Penny
Table 12 Four Pence
Table 13 Eight Pence
Table 14 Nine Pence
Table 15 One Shilling and Nine Pence
Table 16 Two Shillings
Table 17 Three Pence
Table 18 Surface Printed One Penny
Table 19 Rarities
Index
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Available to purchase via this link
Sample Pages
