BlackHistory

Home History of plates 4 to 8	Plates 1a, 1b,	Printings available in:- Intense Black, (Early printings) Grey-Black, (Moderate wear) Greyish-Black, (From a very worn Plate) 1a. Reds
Plate 1a, was first used on the 15th April 1840, it soon showed wear and tear, it underwent major repair and the subsequent printings are usually refered to as Plate 1b. Characters of Plate 1a, are the ten o'clock Ray flaw, on all but 6 stamps of the 240. The lower parts of the left star are over drawn, the five o'clock ray is all but gone. Plate 1b, Remember that this was a major overhaul of the original plate, every stamp of the plate was re-entered, by rolling the original plate though the Master Engraved drum so re-cuting and re-forming the impression on the printing plate. It vastly altered the looks of the plate, it made 95 instantly recognizable Impressions, generally known as varieties.
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Plate 1a,Ten O'clock ray flaw, main seven o'clock diagonal a little overworked.		Plate 1b, Missing Ten O'clock and seven rays, five o'clock ray almost complete.
1d. Reds printed from the black Plate:- In December 1840 Post Office policy dictated that future 1d. stamps would be printed in Red, they first appeared in December 1841. Prior to the printing in red further partial repairs to the Plate 1b, took place ie a (second repair), this is known as Plate1c, 46 stamps were re-entered. A third repair took place in the spring of 1841 Plate 1d, altering a further 22 stamps. A fourth repair to this plate also took place.

Home Page	Plate 2, Black and Reds	Printings available in:- Intense Black, (Early printings) Grey-Black, (Moderate wear) Greyish-Black, (From a very worn Plate) Reds.

First printings were from 22nd April 1840 withdrawn 19th November 1841. The top left hand corner Star is of great assistance in helping to identify the stamps from this plate. It is normal and clear cut in the stamp ranges FF to Jl. ALL others stamps from this plate have the seven o'clock ray missing, in addition stamps CI to FE, show a missing ten o'clock ray as well. Horizontal guide lines appear in the upper half of the sheet as well. Distinctive letters are D and E. This plate was repaired mid May 1840 and are are to find with the exception of SD,TA,TB,TC,TE,TF,TG,TH all show more strength in the lines of the face. TA,TB and TC show recut frames, stronger on the right. 1d. Reds printed from the black Plate:- A second repair took place in 1841, and is applicable only to the red printings, showing restored engraving recut corners of PB,PI, re-entry of AD,AH. Double letters on DG,EA,KE,ME,PA,TL.


Normal Rays of plate 2	Missing 7 o'clock ray.	Missing 7 and 10 o'clock rays

Home	Plate 3	Printings available in:- Intense Black, (Early printings) Grey-Black, (Moderate wear) Greyish-Black, (From a very worn Plate)

First went for printing on 9th may 1840. Roller flaws are not noticeable, however base lines of the letter squares are usually thinner than any other penny black plate. Printing of the of the grayish worn black plates bear a strong resemblance to that of Plate 1a, One should note however that Plate 3 prints will have a thin base line also a normal star. Several distinctive letters are also on this plate, Blind A on two stamp, M is smaller, K is narrower. This plate did not have any repair done to it and it went out of service October 1840. No 1d Reds were printed from Plate 3.
Private Treaty Sales	More History of plates 4 to 8	Line Engraved Stamps for sale

We sell line engraved stamps, penny black stamps, two penny blue stamps, Plated penny Blacks and two penny blue stamps, surface printed stamps, from Queen Victoria, king Edward,king George, through to missing phosphors of queen Elizabeth II, in all any thing to do with British Stamps, philately, philatelist, philatelic, postage stamps. We also purchase or buy single items, collections or lots.