Machin Decimal Stamp Booklets. The 25p Issue.

MACHIN DECIMAL STAMP BOOKLETS.

Machin Booklet Panes.

The Dark Flaw in Hair Variety.

by Ron Shanahan

Background

The cylinder panes of the :-
½p 'Make your lucky find pay - Rushstamps' advert. S.G. Spec UB25,
2½p 'Stamp collections - Rushstamps' advert. S.G.Spec UB32,
2½p 'B. Alan' advert. S.G. Spec UB34,
2½p 'B. Alan' advert. S.G. Spec UB35,
3½p blank label S.G. Spec UB43,
3½p blank label S.G. Spec UB44,
contain a multi-positive flaw which shows as a dark flaw in the hair at the front, as illustrated.

½p UB25 cylinder B17 is listed with two perforation types - APL and APPL.

Both of the panes above are cylinder B17. (see top left corner of binding margin.)

Left - APL = Margin fully perforated through on alternate rows, Imperforate between label and binding margin.
The APL perf. panes show the DFIH,the white spot over the top of the diadem and the dark spot behind the diadem at right

Right - APPL = Margin fully perforated through on alternate rows, two small holes and one large one in margin, perforated left selvedge, imperf between label and binding margin.
The APPL perf. panes show the DFIH and the spot over the diadem but the dark spot behind the diadem has been retouched out.

½p UB25 cylinder B18 is listed with two perforation types - APL and APPL.
The APL type is illustrated below. I do not have an example of the APPL pane of this cylinder(*)
On this cylinder the DFIH is much fainter but the other two varieties have been retouched out and the retouch (particularly behind the diadem) is clearly visible.

2½p UB32 cylinder B19, with 'Stamp collections - Rushstamps' advert. is also listed with APL and APPL perforation types.
APL and APPL perforations as illustrated in the ½p panes.

The right hand image (APPL) shows the box tips only of the cylinder.

2½p UB34 cylinder B17, with 'B. Alan' advert. is also listed with APL and APPL perforation types.
The APL type is illustrated below.
This cylinder shows the dark flaw but the other two varieties have been retouched out.

2½p UB35 cylinder B29, with 'B. Alan' advert. is listed with APPL perforation type only.
I have, as yet, no examples of this item(*)

3½p UB43 cylinder B1, (FCP PVA) with blank label, is listed with APPL perforation type only and I have no examples(*)

3½p UB44 cylinder B1, (FCP PVAD) with blank label, is listed with APPL perforation type only and is illustrated below.

The dark flaw only is visible on this pane

Only the cylinder box tips are visible on this example.

As both panes are cylinder B1 the difference is the adhesive - pva/pvad.
The dextrin gum has a blue green colour wash applied to distinguish it.

COMPARISON BETWEEN ½p (UB25) CYLINDERS B17 AND B18.

My (unfortunately outdated) SG Specialised catalogue vol. 4 states that
"Both cylinder panes of no UB25 contain a multipositive flaw; dark flaw in hair at front (R 1/1)".
As can be seen from the illustration, though it is very dark on the Cylinder 17 pane it is very much lighter on the Cylinder 18.
On 18, the dark flaw is much less visible, the flaw above the top left of the crown has been removed and the flaw above the bottom right of the crown has been almost eradicated.
This would suggest to me that Cylinder 18 had been retouched.

I have put queries on both the GBPS Discussion Board and the Stamp Communities chat board but have had no responses.
I would be pleased to hear from anyone who could add to the information above,
and to anyone who has spare material to swap or sell.

(*)If anyone has a spare of this type and is interested in exchange I have spares of others, please contact me at ears@gil.com.au

Source acknowledgments:-
Stanley Gibbons Great Britain Volume 4.