Reference library essentials for Australian states/colonies stamps?

[polisciguy2011]

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I've started collecting the pre-Commonwealth issues of the Australian states, and as a result have been building a reference library. As the question in the header asks: what would be considered the essential must-haves for anyone intending to make this a focus of their collecting? I'm looking for something more specialized than the Stanley Gibbon Australia volume, which I purchased before I even attempted to build this area of my collection.

In addition to the SG catalog,I've already acquired a couple of volumes through used bookstores and the like, including Tinsley's phenomenal work on Tasmania and Geoff Kellow's masterful The Stamps of Victoria, but I'm a bit stuck on where to go for the other colonies/states and what would be considered essential. If anyone can point me in the right direction, I would be greatly appreciative!

And as every thread requires a picture, here is the Tasmania volume I acquired (and something I hope has an equivalent in the other states!):

Tinsley's "Tasmania: Stamps and Postal History"

[thecloudwatcher]

The Western Australia Study Group published "Western Australia The Stamps and Postal History" in 1979, which I think is as close as you can get to the Tinsley and Kellow publications for Western Australia. It's long out of print but you might be able to find a second hand copy.

For New South Wales, "The Stamps of New South Wales" by John Hutson, published in 1960, is the last general work that I'm aware of.

I don't think there has been a general work for South Australia, but if there is I'm sure a fellow member will remind us of it.

The 2004 edition of the Brusden White ACS catalogue for Kangaroos also included Colonial issues of 1901-12, which is a very handy listing.

[Lakatoi 4]

For Queensland you can’t go past Ken Scudder’s Queensland 1869 to 1912 available from the Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria. Here is a summary of the book:

A comprehensive study of all Queensland surface-printed issues from 1879 to 1912, including the 1881 Chalon Head Lithgraphed high values, and the 1882 Bradbury Wilkinson Chalon Heads, as well as the duty adhesives of the same period.

These neglected issues are full of much philatelic interest, with all the designs from 1882 onwards being derived from a single 2d steel die engraved by Bradbury Wilkinson. The author traces the techniques used to develop these designs from the original 1882 Shaded Background type, through issues with a White Background, the ‘2-Numeral’ and 4-Numeral’ issues. All stamps are dealt with comprehensively, with full details of the ‘Types’ used to make-up the printing plates (all illustrated), the printings made, exhaustive lists of plate flaws, and the essays and proofs. There is also a new look at the famous ‘2-Numeral’ 6d Green.

There are chapters dealing with the 1899 ‘Small’ ½d, the 1900 Charity issue, and the 1903 Commonwealth design, as well as Papers and Perforations, and the Specimen overprints.

The result of many years’ work, this new volume is one of the most important new books on Australian Colonial stamps for many years.

400 A4 pages with over 100 in colour.

[tascollector]

polisciguy2011, the truth is there is no comprehensive specialised States catalogue.

For Tasmania as far as stamps are concerned, if you are going to delve more deeply than Tinsley (which is a good over view), you need the original text, Basset Hull, "Stamps of Tasmania" RPSL 1890. While the original will cost up to $1000, there are reproductions available. While well over 100 years old, it still stands up with a wealth of detail about postage, revenue and Stationery issues up until 1890.

One of the Brusden White Australian Specialist Catalogues included Commonwealth period (from 1901 - 1912) State issues for all States. This is very useful and up to the usual very high standard of these catalogues. Out of date now and I cant recall the year of issue but would be held in good philatelic libraries and maybe on loan from the Australian Nat Library

For revenue stamps and related issues such as Beer duties and railway parcel stamps, there are a number of editions of Craig and Ingles and W Craig 'Revenue Stamps of Tas". Out of date but still available at times.

For Postal History, the"Green Books" - Tasmania: the postal markings and postal history" Vol 1 and 2 - RPSV.
For postmarks and the forthcoming postal Stationery book (which will be an excellent reference) have a look here https://tasstampbooks.com/.

Last but not least, details of the Tas Philatelic Society Journal, The Courier and number of free articles and references, have a close look at https://www.tps.org.au/. Have a look at the reference tab, publications, and pictorial stamp flaws tabs.

Enjoy your journey.
Pete

[Global Administrator]

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As mentioned above this is purchase #1. Plenty about. Use mine each week.

[polisciguy2011]

Thank you all very much for the recommendations; this has been very helpful, and I've added them to the list of books I'm hunting for (and was able to order the Scudder volume directly from the RPSV!).

Regarding the ACSC volume, am I correct in assuming that later editions of the Kangaroo book do not contain the added early federal period information? I have a Roo book on order, and want to know if I should be looking for an additional older volume as well!

Regarding Tasmania, Pete/Tascollector, I placed an order for the Postal Stationery volume last night, and am very much looking forward to it. This was the first state that caught my eye, in fact, because of the early Chalon designs when the colony was still using Van Diemen's Land as its formal name!

[Lakatoi 4]

Zach,

The ACSC 2004 including the early Federal period 1901 to 1912 in my option should have had the States issues separated into an expanded individual book as the Roo’s was, it certainly deserved it

I refer to it mainly for the Queensland and NSW issues of that period and although the pricing is out of date, the information in it is very good and still relevant.

As an example I bought a large Queensland sideface collection with many pages of flaws. Looking through them all I noted a lot of the rarer perf combinations were present and when I added them up, just the 6d. OS perfs 13 x 11-12.5 comb alone at $200 each (at the 2004 cat. price) more than paid for the whole collection

[polisciguy2011]

Thanks, Tony! I'll add it to the list of things to hunt for!

[MJ's pet]

NEW SOUTH WALES: 'History of the Post Office and of the Issue of Postage Stamps in New South Wales' by Andrew Houison (1890), 128pp + plates h/b.

This is also available in a 1980s reprint which is just as good. Outdated by Hutson but still worth getting.

Houison NSW, original

[MJ's pet]

Nobody has added White's Postal History of NSW, 1988. shame on you!

The Postal History of New South Wales 1788-1901 / general editor, John S. White ; assistant editor, Barbara J. Hancock ; principal researchers, B.J. Hancock ... [et al.]
Darlinghurst, N.S.W. : Philatelic Association of New South Wales, 1988
xi, 481 p., [8] p. of plates : ill., facsims., maps ; 26 cm.

[MJ's pet]

Don't forget the Northern Territory :

Williams, E. (1992). The postal history of the Northern Territory, 1824-1988. Melbourne : Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria.

[MJ's pet]

A reminder about a new Qld book, The Pre-UPU Postal History of Queensland. Lists pre-1891 covers sent to foreign destinations, not GB.

https://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=96567

[MJ's pet]

John Barwis and Rod Moreton, Half Lengths Of Victoria. RPSV.

This book is one of the best treatments of a single stamp issue. Excellent book. Review here: http://blog.stamplibrary.org/2011/08/19/john-barwis-wins-champion-of-champions/

[polisciguy2011]

Thank you, MJ's pet, for these latest recommendations, especially the NSW volumes. And I hadn't considered the NT yet because it was never a stamp-issuing entity on par with the states/colonies, but as someone who enjoys a postal history hunt, now I have a craving to start looking for NT cancels.

[dwhopper]

That craving for the hunt for NT material will become a serious problem. Almost no material around, except for Darwin and Alice. I have been looking forever, initially with guidance and handouts from Ed Williams and now have an OK showing of material. If I identify and purchase 2 or 3 new (to me) items a year it is a good year.

[dwhopper]

For example have a look at my avatar. Supposedly the only known example of the Eveleen squared circle. And I bought it by mistake. Intending to type $ 450 into the bid on the web site I typed $ 4,500. Not unexpectedly that was the successful high bid.

[MJ's pet]

New book on Queensland covers to 1891, covering Moreton Bay period, then inter-colonial and overseas destinations to 1891:

https://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?p=7741601#p7741601

[search4d]

Hi

I am trying to find the best reference book that cover this " Special Post Card " sent to Lismore NSW.
The McDermott's are a very well respected business family name - a lot of local history with this copy.

Search 4d

[Global Administrator]

For example have a look at my avatar. Supposedly the only known example of the Eveleen squared circle. And I bought it by mistake.

Intending to type $450 into the bid on the web site I typed $4,500. Not unexpectedly that was the successful high bid.

Yikes. Plus 20% fees etc. As I recall, that was a Prestige Auction?

An airfare down here to bid in person from Canada would have seen you invoiced LESS, even after the 40 hours of air travel.

[bathurst stamper]

search4d,

I'm not aware of any catalogue covering every PTPO (Printed to Private Order) postal card. Should one exist, or be produced, I'd imagine it would be a hefty tome.

In New South Wales they could, in theory, exist from 1875. I have an example from 1879. Most of what I have date between the late 1880s and early 1890s. The latest I have is from 1900.

From a local/social/family history perspective these PTPO cards would make an interesting collection.