Colour Trials

On 31 Jan 1914, the GPO requested that, when a die has been prepared for any one of the denominations, the Inland Revenue should furnish the Postmaster General with about twelve essays in different colours, including green, red, orange, and fawn, as used in the postage stamp series. On 12 Feb, nineteen half-sheets (single panes of 120) were supplied printed from the first plate provided by the Mint, 2d plate 1/1.

PD1-19 watermark Simple Cypher sideways-inverted.

✓ Selected Colour

Note that some catalogues list PD10 (blue-green) as the selected colour in error.

Full sheets in the selected colours were sent to the Post Office on 10 Mar 1914. They were overprinted “Specimen” Type 23, except for PD12 in Agate, which was overprinted “Specimen” Type 26. The reason for the different overprint is not recorded. The Agate block below is very likely a colour trial as it is part of a set all in the same format, but generally Agate colour trials are indistinguishable from colour standards which were overprinted the same way.

Click the images to enlarge.

The following blocks are officially annotated in the left margin. The Royal Philatelic Collection holds blocks of 20 (top two rows of the pane) with similar annotation and “Colour essay, Stamping Department, Somerset House, 11 Feb 1914” in the top margin.

Click the images to enlarge.

1s Colour Trials

On 9 Oct 1914, the GPO requested that the Inland Revenue prepare for the introduction of a 1s postage due label, and that essays be furnished in various colours, including several shades of blue and purple. On 9 Mar 1915, fourteen imperforate blocks of four were supplied, cancelled Type 28. They were printed using four “heads” taken from defective 1s plate 29/2, which were mounted and sent to Somerset House. The trials were numbered PD20 to PD33. The colour names are known from POST 30/3325, where PD24 and PD27 are both called Violet. The selected colour was PD28 Royal Blue. One specimen was taken from each block for the King on 10 Nov 1915.

PD20-33 watermark Simple Cypher sideways-inverted.

This set is the top-right stamps from the blocks of four.

✓ Selected Colour

3d Colour Trials

A small plate of four 3d stamps was used for colour trials for the 3d value. Trials were submitted on 24 Apr 1918, a month before the full plate was complete. They were imperforate on thin white wove paper in grey, orange, and violet (selected colour). Three singles are in the Royal Philatelic Collection. None are in private hands.

PD34	Orange
PD35	Violet ✓
PD36	Grey

✓ Selected Colour

4d Colour Trials

Trials for the 4d were taken on 6 May 1920 using the same 3d plate. They were imperforate on thin white wove paper in bronze-green, magenta, and claret. Bronze-green was preferred but in a lighter tone and a further trial was submitted on 9 June. Three singles are in the Royal Philatelic Collection, but PD44 is in private hands.

PD38	Bronze-green
PD40	Magenta
PD41	Claret
PD44	Dull Grey-green ✓

✓ Selected Colour

1½d Colour Trials

A small plate of four ½d stamps was grown from leads at the Mint and was used for colour trials for the 1½d value. Six colours were printed at Somerset House on 4 Aug 1922, a month before the full plate was complete. They were submitted to the GPO on 25 Sept 1922 with PD48 recommended. One stamp was cut from each block of four and noted “for HM”. Six singles are in the Royal Philatelic Collection. No examples are in private hands.

PD45	Dull brown
PD46	Bistre
PD47	Orange
PD48	Red-brown ✓
PD49	Yellow-ochre
PD50	Orange-brown

✓ Selected Colour

2/6 Colour Trials

In December 1918, the use of Postage Dues was expanded to include the collection of Customs Dues up to 2/6, and then up to 5/- in June 1921. This prompted to need for a higher value “To Pay” label, to cover more than just “Postage Due”. It took a while, the 2/6 To Pay label was issued in October 1924.

Colour trials for the upcoming 2/6 value were taken using ½d reserve plate number 17/2. Trials were imperforate blocks of four on unwatermarked wove paper and, as before, one stamp was cut from each block and noted “for HM”. The Royal Philatelic Collection has 23 of these 24 colour trials, including the selected colour, but missing PD60 (see below). One block of four in Light Sepia (drab) is believed to be the only surviving complete block of these trials in private hands.

8 Sept 1923

PD51	Light Sepia	MB 33301
PD52	Prouts Brown	MB 10378
PD53	Buff Tint	MB 0396
PD54	Special Umber	MB 11062
PD55	Umbrian Brown	S&P 144

MB = Mander Bros
S&P = Slater & Palmer

21 Nov 1923

Of the initial trials, PD54 was favoured, but all were considered not distinctive when attached to a parcel wrapped with brown paper. Hence, the next batch was more colourful. Seven more colours were provided on 21 Nov (the large card shown below has since been split). The single orange stamp taken from PD60 (top left block) did not go to the King but went to Chas Nissen, perhaps the King swapped it for something else since he had four similar orange colours.

PD56	Deep Green
PD57	Pale Carmine
PD60	Orange
PD61	Bright Orange
PD63	Brownish Orange
PD64	Deep Bright Orange
PD66	Rose Pink

6 Dec 1923

Six more colours were provided on 6 Dec (the cards shown below have since been split) and purple was selected.

—	Royal Scarlet	MB 25602
—	Plum	W 38
—	Pansy Lake	S&P 116
—	Dahlia Claret	MB 0201
—	Claret Lake	MB 0198
—	Purple	✓

MB = Mander Bros
W = Winstone & Sons
S&P = Slater & Palmer

21 Jan 1924

After purple was selected, there was a further trial using purple ink on various yellow papers. The selected colour was Purple on Deep Canary 139 paper (SD5) but there is no corresponding card with an irregular block of three. However, the usual single is in the Royal Philatelic Collection and there are three singles in private hands which appear to fit together as shown.

Click the images to enlarge.

SD1	Purple on Lemon
SD2	Purple on Buff 93
SD3	Purple on Chrome 57
SD4	Purple on Deep Canary 49
SD5	Purple on Deep Canary 139 ✓
SD6	Purple on No. 7

✓ Selected Colour