Aron R. Halberstam Philatelists, Ltd. aims to provide collectors of British stamps and British Colonial stamps with the ‘bread and butter’ items that make up a comprehensive collection. However at times our stock is particularly strong in one area or another and we become a valuable resource for more specialized collectors as well. Currently, our offerings in King George VI Bermuda Keyplate Stamps are an exceptional example.
SG 121cf gash in chin variety
For those who are unfamiliar with them, the Bermuda keyplate types of the reign of George VI are collected based upon their many printings (shade and paper varieties) and an array of positional plate flaws. These flaws and the various printings are described in great detail in a reference work by Robert Dickgiesser and Eric Yendall, entitled “King George VI Large Key Type Stamps of Bermuda, Leeward Islands, Nyasaland” and commonly referred to simply as “Dickgiesser.” Of the many, many flaws and printings described in Dickgiesser, only a few of the major ones are listed in the Stanley Gibbons catalogues, though this is still a useful basic reference point.
(place your cursor over the images to see descriptions)
The Dickgiesser flaws are described by the number of the position on the plate, often followed by a letter which refers to the particular flaw if the position features more than one. Key type stamps were printed in plates of 60, in 5 rows of 12 stamps each, position #1 being the top left and position #60 the bottom right.
Keyplates are particularly desirable in positional blocks, allowing for easier identification of the flaws (some of which are extremely tiny).
It can be quite an adventure to embark upon a search for one of these flaws, magnifier in hand, without some indication of the position. Purchasing items with their positional flaws already described is a much simpler path, and the prices are often not significantly higher for the flaws that Gibbons doesn’t list. We would like to invite our clients to consider adding to their collection with some of these unusual and highly desirable items.
More highlights from our stock (links were removed as the stock changes too often):
(For a complete list of our current offerings, see our Online Price List and search for Bermuda.)
SG 120cf Gash in chin variety
Of course Bermuda was not the only country that used the Keyplate stamp type, nor was George VI the only monarch. An expansive Keyplate collection would include the reign of George V and stamps of Bermuda, Leeward Islands, Malta, and Nyasaland.
*A note about reference works: copywrite restrictions do not allow us to reproduce the relevent parts of Dickgiesser’s book for our clients, but we encourage anyone interested to contact the APS Library, ask us for more detailed descriptions, or purchase the work for your own library at a retail outlet such as Subway Stamp Shop.
