VPRS 15562 Display Board of Postage and Revenue Stamps

Full description

This series consists of a display board which contains a number of different postage and revenue stamps (mostly relating to Stamp Duty) for the Colony of Victoria. The display also includes 2 Victorian postal notes and 2 stamped post cards.

The Display Board was produced by the Victorian Government Printing Office for display at the Greater Britain Exhibition held at Earl's Court, London from May 1899. The Board was put together following a suggestion to the Government Printer by the Commissioner of Public Works that "....some exhibits of Litho[graphic] and Letter Press Printing, also Photo Engraving, and that the Deputy Postmaster General has particularly requested that an exhibit of Post Office Stamps should be sent " to the exhibition. (Refer to VPRS 1207/P0, unit 1714, file 99/232.)

The Display contains the headings "Victoria Postage & Revenue Stamps Victoria Australia Presents Issues [and] Obsolete Issues Reprints" and, at the bottom of the display the following wording: "The stamps, post cards, postal notes, etc are printed, gummed and perforated as the case may be at the Government Printing Office, where also the dies & plates are electrotyped. The original steel punches & plates being engraved in the colony. Jas W Wilby, Designer 1899".

The glassed display area measures approximately 0.45 x 1.65 m and with the substantial wooden case, approx 1.5 x 2.17 m.