SA 3d London imprint + unrecorded variety
Quite a few years ago (2004) Bas Payne had written an article about the London 3d but I never saw the follow up.
I am showing photos of the two types of imprints I have and I would like to know if I am corret in placing the panes.
Photo 1 - left pane. Dots almost in the centre above K and U and a red dot below centre of V
Photo 2 right pane. Dots on the right above K and U and a red dot left of V.
Also, is it correct, the first printings (perf. 14) had only a pin hole guide dot and later a vertical line was added.
To top it all, I have an unrecorded variety, 'flagpole above window' (photo 3) on the perf 14x131/2, R10/3 stamp of the right pane.
Awaiting for some info from you Bas.
Tks
Uploaded files:
To start with an apology, I have an impending publication deadline and so can't reply fully to this for a couple of weeks.
A quick reply (but needs to be checked ..) is that you are right about the imprints and the later appearance of the guide line. As regards the variety, do you just have one example, or more? It would be particularly interesting if it was an acquired flaw and could therefore be used to separate earlier and later printings.
I had intended to publish a follow-up to the 2004 note in The Springbok; but that's because I had hoped that people would send photos of more examples. The point of the note was to say that I had only found two types of imprint, which suggested that the 3d plate may just have had two panes rather than four panes as stated by UHB; but I'd only been able to look at rather less than 20 imprint blocks, which isn't a large number. Sadly there was very little response ... I've been looking at more imprint blocks over the past 15 years; still only two types. But others may yet turn up! If anyone out there has any imprint blocks, please post scans (or email them to bas.payne@gmail.com); they need to be 300 dpi or better to show the enough detail clearly.
I only have one copy of this variety.
I have seen over 100 imprint examples, both perfs, and have not seen this variety or more than the two dies.
Sorry I haven't followed up sooner, but I think you have answered the question more fully than I can ....
I've checked all the imprint blocks and scans that I have (not as many as you have seen!), and, like you, I've only seen the two types of imprint. It seems pretty clear that there was just one two-pane plate, and not a four-pane plate as stated in UHB.
I've checked for your variety and haven't found it or anything like it; it seems likeliest that it's a one-off. These recess pictorials seem to have had very few flaws - the only notable one is the 2d "split D".