Journal Topics - September 2017

We continue to explore CGH, Natal and Zululand themes with a combination of research, history and related matters and have included the following:

  • A detailed study of the curved POSTAGE overprints on the De L Rue 1/-, is a very comprehensive examination of the origins of the stamps, their appearance at auction and the views of past commentators.
  • The strange manner in which the overprints in differing colours emerged from the printings has always been one of the intriguing mysteries of Natal philately, so the article has looked at all of the available clues and arrived at what the two authors believe, are reasonable and rational solutions.
  • An addendum which compares the features of two forgeries against the correct stamps provides a finishing touch to the review.
  • Peter Whitmore has contributed two fascinating articles about Zululand, covering two unusually addressed stationery cards and two historic personalities of that colony.
  • Keith Klugman provides details of a further example of the 1/- embossed shilling stamp on cover, which was last seen in 1931 and whose whereabouts are unknown.
  • Keith Klugman has also provided an insight into two of Natal’s duelling bishops, together with a fascinating item of historical significance.
  • Bram Leeflang chines in with a freshly discovered Cape BONC, while Johnny Barth and your editor have joined forces so as to complete the study of Victorian Cape Stationery.
  • The Natal double TELEGRAPH overprint was a topic too appealing to resist and has prompted me into having a fresh look at both the stamp with the normal overprint and that with the double, and make some further comparisons against the earlier POSTAGE overprint.
  • The Madagascar ‘British Inland Mail’ covers which were highlighted recently in two articles, are further presented, bringing the number of such known covers up to 43. The images have been provided by Keith Klugman, enabling a full catalogue of these covers to be created.

So again, there are a variety of topics across the Southern African colonies; I look forward to your comments and feedback.

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Simon Solomon
Honorary Editor

Rael Solomon