BECHUANALAND
British Bechuanaland Stamps
BRITISH BECHUANALAND  -  1889-1895 CAPE ½d OVERPRINTED
AB4375
1888 Cape of Good Hope ½d grey-black overprinted ‘British Bechuanaland’ in green. Reconstruction of the setting layout for the error OVERPRINT DOUBLE, ONE VERTICAL. Original research by Brian Hurst demonstrated that two half panes received a double overprint where one of the overprints is normal and the other is rotated through 90 degrees anticlockwise. Despite the identical positioning of the vertical overprint on both half panes, the horizontal one on this half pane is positioned higher on the basic stamps. This display proves the top half of a right hand pane was affected, the lower half carrying a normal overprint.
 
Album page from the Hurst Collection displaying his research where the overprint layout is shown as a printed green overlay on a light grey background of Cape ½d stamps. A good number of stamps have been located and allocated to their likely positions within the setting, including:
 
1) Row 2 / column 3: Single example showing the variety OVERPRINT DOUBLE, ONE VERTICAL. The vertical with ‘British’ omitted, reading ‘Bechuanaland’ only. Fine mint with slightly off-white gum. BPA certificate (1979). SG 30c var.
 
2) Row 3 / column 1: Single example with interpanneau gutter margin at left, showing the variety OVERPRINT DOUBLE, ONE VERTICAL. The vertical is transposed, reading ‘Bechuanaland / British’. Also showing ‘British’ printed in the margin. A few gum wrinkles, otherwise very fine and fresh mint with faint hinge mark. SG 30c var.
 
3) Rows 5-6 / column 1: VERTICAL PAIR showing the variety OVERPRINT DOUBLE, ONE VERTICAL, SE-TENANT IN PAIR WITH NORMAL. The upper stamp with vertical overprint transposed reading ‘Bechuanaland / British’. Very fine fresh mint with light himge marks on the upper stamp only. A major Bechuanaland rarity, being one of two surviving pairs, both of which are included here. Of the six pairs that could exist, four are known to have been split, all of which are included here. Ex Holmes, Visser. SG 30c var.
 
4) Row 5 / column 2: Single example showing the variety OVERPRINT DOUBLE, ONE VERTICAL. The vertical is transposed, reading ‘Bechuanaland / British’. Very fine fresh mint with light hinge mark. RPSL certificate (2021). SG 30c var.
 
5) Row 5 / column 3: Single example showing the variety OVERPRINT DOUBLE, ONE VERTICAL. The vertical with ‘British’ omitted, reading ‘Bechuanaland’ only. Fine mint with light hinge remnant. RPSL certificate (2021). SG 30c var.
 
6) Rows 5-6 / column 4: VERTICAL PAIR showing the variety OVERPRINT DOUBLE, ONE VERTICAL, SE-TENANT IN PAIR WITH NORMAL. Horizontal crease at base of upper stamp otherwise very fine and fresh unmounted mint. A major Bechuanaland rarity, being one of two surviving pairs, both of which are included here. Of the six pairs that could exist, four are known to have been split, all of which are included here. SG 30c var.
 
7) Row 5 / columns 5-6: Horizontal PAIR showing the variety OVERPRINT DOUBLE, ONE VERTICAL. The left stamp with vertical overprint showing ‘Bechuanaland’ omitted and the right with ‘British’ omitted. Horizontal crease across base, otherwise very fine and fresh mint with hinge remnant. SG 30c vars.
 
An impressive assembly, impossible to reproduce and a brilliant example of original philatelic research at its finest.
£9,000