Newfoundland

1857/1860 Issues
2d (2 types), 4d (5 types), 6d, 6½ (two types), 8d and 1s (3 types)

Sperati reproduced all six denominations of the 1857-1860 issues. The reproductions exist in a range of shades approximating both the scarlet vermilion and the orange vermilion of the genuine issues. They will be differentiated here by denomination and type only.

page thumbnails:

2d Type A

1. there is a dot in the "S" of "JOHN'S"

2. There is a colored patch in the top of the "O" of "FOUND"

3. in the word "POSTAGE" there is a dash a colored patch in the top of the "T  and two dots to at the left of the "E"

4 there is a horizontal guideline at the bottom right corner which is particularly strong in the head of the figure "2"

2d Type B (new find since Sperati II was published as noted by Carl Walske)

1. top of solid square in NE corner has an upward bump at top right

2. there are small dots of color outside NW corner

3. the "S" of "JOHNS" has small colored dot at top in middle

4. there is a large white protrusion on the right side of the "O" of NEWFOUNDLAND"

5. the "S" of "POSTAGE" has a colored dot in its upper bend and the "A" has a colored dot at top left

6. the "P" of "PENCE" has several indents along left edge

4d Type A
(with static cancel, lower image shows voids were cancel was subtracted, see page here for description of the technique)

1. the bottom right serif of the "F" of "FOUR" has an indentation of color and there are two dots in the top of "R"

2. the solid background behind the figure  "4" in the lower right corner is joined at left to the inner frameline by a diagonal line of color

4d Type B
(two states exist, upper image is first state, lower image is second state which has characteristic number 1 retouched)

1. there is a worn patch in the shading below the "DL" of "NEWFOUNDLAND" (which has been retouched in the second state)

2. there is a white spot after the "E" of "POSTAGE" opposite the middle horizontal stroke and the top outline of this letter is very irregular

3. there is a spot of color in the lower left upright stroke of the "N" and two spots of color in the second "D" of "NEWFOUNDLAND"

4. there is a white spot before the "F" of "FOUR"

5. there is a white dash before the "P" of "PENCE," the left serif at the foot of the " N " turns upwards and the letters "CE" are joined at foot by a diagonal white stroke

4d Type C

(see mounted page for image of the original negative)

1. there is a break above the "E" of "POSTAGE"

2. two-thirds of the inner right frameline around the figure "4" in the lower left corner are broken.

3. the outer frameline at the bottom right corner is broken

4d Type D
(first reported in Sperati II, page 28, and illustrated in plate B, the example at left is a second example found since the plate example that appears on the mounted page)

1. the serif on the lower arm of the "F" of "FOUR" extends downward excessively.

2. the horizontal of the lower left "4" is detached from the left side of its vertical. Below the left point of this "4" there is a white dot.

3. the "O" of "FOUR" is open at its top left.

4. the lower right "4" has a thin white line continuing upward from the top serif on its right extremity.

5. the outer frame line has breaks in the vicinity of the upper right "4"

6. the upper left "4" touches the white vertical line to its left.

4d Type E
(this type, ex Bob Lyman presentation collection sold in 2007, has been identified since the publication of Sperati II and is listed based on notes of Carl Walske)

1. there is a white oval on lower part of the loop of the "P" in "PENCE"

2. there is a white patch in NE corner square at top left

3. there is a clearly defined white spot between the legs of the "R" in "FOUR"

4. the "4" in SE corner is quite defective at left edge and in the center triangle of color

6d - Sperati reproductions of the 6d are apparently based on a single negative from which multiple clichés were made. In Sperati I the retouched clichés have been somewhat conflated. Here they are termed as states. The first state was used for the scarlet vermilions, when printed in the orange vermilion shade, with very minor retouches, it is considered by some to be a second state. The second state, as listed in Sperati I and shown here, is known only in proofs, is similar to the second state but there is a break in the white circle surrounding the lower left numeral "6" at 3 o'clock.

2. there is a spot on the back of the neck of the "S" of "POST AGE," there is a nick in the bottom of the "T" and the upper left serif is the wrong shape. The "T" and "A" are joined together at the foot

3. there is a white stroke emerging from the t a i l of the "S" of "SIX" diagonally towards and sometimes touching the circle containing the lower left "6."

4. there is a constant weakness between the "X" of "SIX" and the "P" of "PENCE."

5. the central horizontal strokes of both "E''s of "PENCE" have misshapen serifs. In the first "E" the lower serif of the central stroke touches the serif of the bottom stroke. In the second "E" both serifs of the central stroke are extended so that they are joined to the serifs of the upper and lower strokes

6. the second state of the reproduction shows a break in the white circle surrounding the figure in the lower left corner at 3 o'clock (only known as proof)

3. the frame is broken below the "F" of " HALF"

4. there are dots between the "P" and "E" and the "N " and "Y" of "PENNY"

1. there is a small white dot toward the top of the colored background inside the "C" of "PENCE"

2. the lower frame is broken away from the solid background below the "F" of "HALFPENNY"

3. the figures "6" in the NW and both lower corners touch the frame lines at the left

4. a colored dot is in the lower right of the "H" of "HALFPENNY"

5. there is a "v" shaped nick is in the lower frame line below the left "6"

6. there is a rough break in lower right "2"

1. on "POSTAGE" there are spots of color in the lower left of the "T", in the left leg of the "A" opposite the horizontal bar, and in the upper left of the "G"; there is a faint horizontal line of color through the center of the "S"

2. there is a colored dot on the lower left of the "8" in the right upper corner

3. there are spots of color on the right center of the "S" of "ST," the left of the "L" and "D" and upper right of the "A" of "LAND"

4. the lower left serif of the "P" of "PENCE" is rough and misshapen

5. there is an extension of color into the right margin opposite the lower half of the lower right "8"

(image courtesy of Bryan Dunne)

1. there is a dot in the "J" of "JOHN"

2. there is a small break in the frame over the "W" of "NEW"

3. the top right of the "N" of "NEW" is not cut square but slopes diagonally to the right

1. the stamp appears to be re-entered at foot and there is doubling of the letters of "POSTAGE "

2. there is a dot in the right upright of the "H " and in the top of the "S" of "JOHN'S."

3. there is a dot in the top of the "O" and a colored spot in the cheek of the first "D" of "FOUND"

4. there are two dots in the "O" and one in the "S" of "POST"

5. the bar of "A" of "AGE" is weak and sometimes missing

6. there is a dot in the upper diagonal of the "N" in "SHILLING" and a heavy dot in the right leg

additional information from Sperati I:  Plate 15  16  Newfoundland Text

Richard Frajola (May 6, 2020)