Rhodesian Admirals 1913-1924 A Study

REDLION

STAMPS

A brief overview:

This discussion is for the dissemination of information only. The images contained herein do not constitute an offer of sale, trade or exchange of funds between the author and any person or persons who may access these pages.

On September 1, 1913, Rhodesia began issuing stamps with a portrait of King George V wearing an admiral's cap and jacket. The fact the King is portrayed as such gives credence to the name, the Rhodesian Admirals. These stamps replaced the colorful and very popular Double Head issue of 1910 which depicted King George V and Queen Mary. The Admiral issue ceased with the dissolution of the British South Africa Company (BSAC) in 1924.

Holding perhaps a greater fascination among philatelists than the Double Heads, the Admirals have been studied extensively. This may be due, in part, to the rather cryptic nature of the catalogue listings and the seemingly unending printings that were produced. Through years of research, much information has come to light that has apparently solved many a puzzle related to this issue. The accepted solutions to these perplexities will be illustrated here and if thoroughly employed, one can then determine the many printings and shades found among these truly intriguing and beautiful stamps. I hope the information contained within these pages proves helpful to all who share a fondness for these stamps.

The catalogue listings:

In order to gain a basic understanding of this highly popular and complex issue, one should first consult the listings for Rhodesia as presented in the 2006 Stanley Gibbons Catalogue - Commonwealth & British Empire Stamps 1840-1952. When I mention either "SG", catalogue, or listings, I am referring to Gibbons.

The listings begin with the mono-colored printings (single working plates). These are the ½d. greens, 1d. reds, 1½d. browns and the 2½d. blues. There are numerous shades and some perforation varieties to be found in these printings. While some shades have been given their own catalogue status, others have not as they were variances within the same printing.

The catalogue then moves on to the bi-colored printings (double plates). These include the 2d., 3d. 4d., 5d., 6d., 8d., 10d., 1/-, 2/-, 2/6, 3/-, 5/-, 7/6, 10/- and £1 values. As with the mono-colors, there are distinct shades within virtually every denomination. Upon studying the listings you will notice that three Head Dies were used to produce these stamps which can be distinguished as follows:

Die I: The King's left ear has no shading or outline and stands out against the background. In addition, the shank of the anchor on the King's cap is complete and there is no outline to the cap.
Die II: The King's left ear is now shaded all over and there is more engraving to the top of the cap.
Die III: The King's shaded left ear now has a clear outline. There is a strong and complete line around the cap. However, the shank of the anchor is now broken. The center of the King's moustache and beard on his chin often appear whiter. The engraved background lines touch the King's left shoulder.

The catalogue numbers as of 2006:

SG numbers 186 - 281 has been assigned to the Admirals issued between September 1, 1913 and 1922.
SG 186 - 208d are the mono-colors.
SG 209 - 218 are the Die I bi-colors.
SG 219 - 254a are the Die II bi-colors.
SG 255 - 279c are the Die III bi-colors issued on toned paper with yellowish gum.
SG 280 - 281 are the Livingstone Provisionals of 1917.

SG numbers 282 - 322 has been assigned to the Admirals issued between 1922 and 1924.
SG 282 - 290 are the mono-colored Admirals issued between 1922 and 1924. These are new printings on white paper with clear white gum.
SG 291 - 322 are the bi-colored Admirals issued between 1922 and 1924. These are new Die III printings on white paper with clear white gum.

Other works that reference the Admirals are as follows:

1. The Encyclopædia of British Empire Postage Stamps, Volume II, The Empire in Africa. Robson Lowe, pages 152-154. Out of print.
Especially noteworthy is the reference made to the use of long-wave ultraviolet light on the 1913-1922 mono-colors and their reaction. He mentions these were printed on toned paper. Prices are listed.

2. A Guide to the Postage Stamps of the Rhodesia's and Nyasaland 1888-1963, published by The Mashonaland Philatelic Society, Salisbury 1965. Out of Print.
This may be the definitive reference work for the student of Rhodesian Philately. The section on the Admirals is exhaustive in its scope with many more shades listed than appears in the catalogue. For each stamp, shade, or flaw, there is a cross reference to which publication the information was first printed. There is so much relative to Rhodesian philately that the serious student often refers to this book simply as, "The Guide".

3. The Rhodesia Stamp Catalogue. Out of Print. Last published around 1985 by the Rhodesian Philatelic Agencies, Salisbury. Has color pictures of the basic stamps. This book uses its own numbering system and lists prices in Rhodesian Dollars.

4. The South African Stamp Colour Catalogue. Published annually? Republic of South Africa. This basic book has a section on the Admirals in color with prices in Rands. It is sold by most philatelic bibliophiles.

The need for research:

With regards to the catalogue listings, the new student of the Rhodesian Admirals is often faced with the daunting task of determining which stamp is which. While one can identify the Die I and Die II bi-colored values with relative ease, the task becomes increasingly difficult when faced with the Die III stamps. We shall deal with these on the Die III page. When it comes to the mono-colors however, accurate identification can sometimes be quite difficult. Solutions to many identification problems appear in the literature.

A plethora of shades:

As most of the printings were done during World War I, the Admiral issue has so many shades that one often can only place a stamp within a color "group" and not truly define its color or correct catalogue number. This is especially true of the mono-colored stamps. The war placed an enormous strain both on supplies and manpower in the United Kingdom. The literature often refers to poor quality inks resulting in stacks of sheets bearing different shades during the same printing run. Other reports cite unskilled workers being employed to mix inks and print stamps while the highly skilled tradesmen were needed for the war effort. During the war years, Rhodesian postmasters were often local people trained to place a cancellation on an envelope or parcel. The proper stamp or stamps were often identified by color.

Mono-colors Die I - Die II Die III