Great Britain SGDP20(3)b Second Trial Plate State 3
For Sale: £45,000.00
A block of 12 Second Trial Plate State 3 trials - Monday 2 November, 1840.
The
sheet has 'B Puss. blue plain' written across the bottom in Edwin
Hill's hand. Edwin Hill was the older brother of Rowland Hill who
invented the modern postage stamp. Edwin Hill was first British
Controller of Stamps from 1840 until 1872.
The trial stamps feature strong Ivory heads from 'Prussiate of Potash' in the ink. They are on plain white wove paper.
Ex John Griffiths Collection.
Stanley Gibbons Specialised catalogue DP20(3)b
The Rainbow Trials
Colour
trials, also known as rainbow trials, started in 1840 and tested the
colour of the stamp. Numerous tests were made to check the printing
inks, cancellation inks and an assortment of papers. Printed in blocks
of twelve, the stamps were made void by the removal of a corner (top
right) and no corner letters.
