OS perforated Lakatois 1908-31

Official stamps / OS / On service

1907-10, 2/6d OS large Papua, SGO36

Usually when a stamp is printed in a sheet, it is done so on a standard type of paper, with standard inks and standard perforations along the edges. Apart from that typically normal situation, we sometimes have later overprints, such as new denominations to accommodate changes in postal rates. This is what collectors have come to expect in recent times - "expect" but not necessarily receive. In the past, standardisation was not a given. For example, when stamps were printed by the British firm of Thomas de la Rue for the territory of British New Guinea back in the first decade of the 1900s, watermarked paper was utilised. What was not normal, or expected, was that the paper would be printed upon in other than a vertical (upright) position, including sideways, inverted and reversed (i.e. backwards). To add to the varieties thereby created, the watermarks were changed and different papers were also used - basically thin or thick, but also opaque, medium, white and cream descriptors therein. Finally, the perforations varied between 11, 12½ and 14. As a result, the so-called Lakatoi definitive series of British New Guinea and Papua (the name of the Territory was changed in 1906) is noted for the significant amount of variations which existed during the period of use between 1901-1932. This was brought to the fore in Alec Rosenblum's Stamps of Papua (1968) and further developed by Hamilton Croaker in Lakatoi I - British New Guinea and De la Rue (1979) and Lakatoi II & III - Territory of Papua (1983). All present in minute detail the known Lakatoi variants and the context behind their production, along with numerous known printing errors. In Stamps of Papua, for example, Rosenblum devotes a section to 'Official Stamps' and therein, whilst presenting a large amount of detail, also notes confusion as to what may exist in private collections. Some of the elements he highlighted included:

Official stamps had initially been ignored by collectors, due in part to the difficulties in obtaining copies, their at times rarity, and the fact that they were not normally made available to the public for general postage use and therefore considered Cinderellas.
Only one British New Guinea stamp was punctured OS - the 1905 brown and black 2/6d with Brisbane small Papua overprint.
The ½d and 6d monocoloured electrotypes on thin paper existed only as punctured OS (not true?).
The Harrison punctured OS are slightly smaller and the S has only 11 holes instead of the normal 12.
The 1931 9d and 1/3 were never punctured (not true).
Some of the OS punctured stamps are rarer than their unpunctured equivalent.
No print numbers were made available by authorities in regard to official stamps.

Croaker, writing a decade or so later, knew a lot more. In Lakatoi II & III, for example, he devoted three chapters to the punctured / perforated OS stamps, and the 1931 overprinted variety. Therein he notes some of the following interesting aspects of the subject:

Official stamps had generally been considered Cinderellas by collectors and catalogues.
Some Lakatoi printings were only made available in the punctured OS form.
Some of the official stamps are rare, others common.
The 2½d lithograph imperforate at right margin is only known in punctured OS form, from 2 sheets, giving rise to 12 possible stamps [other research suggests 3 sheets i.e. 18 stamps].
Prior to the issue of the first monocolour stamps in 1911, none of the official stamps were available unused to the public - all had been cancelled to order.
The OS puncturings were variously carried out at Port Moresby and Melbourne.
Multiple sheets were on occasion perforated at one time. This could lead to errors in the process.

Since 2007 the Stampboards chat room has added a great deal of further information on the OS Lakatois, as have catalogues such as Stanley Gibbons Australia (2018 edition). Amongst all this, the rarest / most highly valued of the punctured OS Lakatois is arguably the 2½d ultramarine and black lithograph, imperforate at right margin, with only 12(18?) known to have been printed.

SGO17 imperforate at right margin

A Corinphila auction sale described the stamp as follows:

1908/10: Lakatoi Small Papua 2½ d. black & dull blue, perf 11 wmk. horizontal, perf. 'OS', a right marginal example showing variety: imperforate between stamp and margin, cancelled by "PORT MORESBY / PAPUA / 24 AU 10" cds. A fresh and very fine stamp, all known examples with this imperforate right variety are cancelled in Port Moresby. Extremely rare as only three error sheets believed to have existed, thus 18 error stamps only, cert. Ceremuga (2012). Est. 5,000CHF. [Aus$7,500]. Unsold.

According to a 2017 Stampboards discussion, the Fred Pearson copy sold on 22 April 2006 for $10,925 and a copy sold at the Prestige auction sale of 26 April 2008 for $8,500.

For the ordinary collector, the Lakatois are therefore both treasure trove and mine field - interesting, confusing when initially encountered, and at times appearing infinitely variable. For example, an individual may decide to collect one each of the Lakatoi series. But which series, as there were at least twelve identified by Matt Franklin in his Guide to the Stamps of Papua New Guinea (1970)? And within each series, which variants? Also, being ignorant, they may purchase some Lakatois off eBay and, upon receipt, realise they are clueless in regards to what precisely they have in their possession. The perforated OS stamps are a subset of Lakatoi collecting which provides some manageable limits as there are only 66 individual stamps, not including varieties. These are listed below, with illustrations and associated covers. The latter are rare, pointing to the limited use of the stamps within official circles. Used, and especially CTO examples are more common, especially amongst the earlier issues.

The perforated OS stamps 1907-32

Stamps required for official government use within the Territory of Papua from 1907 were initially perforated with twelve small holes to form the letter O and another twelve small holes to form the letter S. Both British New Guinea and Papua stamps were subject to OS perforations prior to 1931 when an overprint was used instead of perforations. Franklin makes singular reference to a 2/6d British New Guinea stamp with small Papua overprint being subject to the OS perforation and nothing beyond this. Stanley Gibbons goes further and catalogues the 66 known examples, along with some variants. Croaker identifies the earliest known examples as cancelled to order at Port Moresby on 21 May 1907. They included the ½d green and black British New Guinea small Papua (Brisbane) overprint with vertical watermark on thin paper. This is a proof copy only, along with two other proofs - the similar 1d carmine and black and 2d violet and black. None of these were subsequently issued. The general series was eventually released during October - December 1908, with the earliest known cover dated 17 December 1908. All the known variants are listed below according to the Stanley Gibbon catalogue (2018) numbers. For additional variants refer Rosenblum and Croaker. The various releases were as follows:

October 1908 Bicolours - SGO1-SGO2a (3)
December 1908 perf 11 - SGO4-SGO9 (6)
December 1908 perf 12½ - SGO10-SGO13 (4)
December 1908 sideways watermark, perf 11 - SGO14-SGO20 (7)
December 1908 sideways watermark, perf 12½ - SGO21-SGO26 (6)
1910 Bicolours - SGO27-SGO28 (2)
1910-11 Bicolours - SGO29-SGO37 (10)
1911-12 Monocolours - SGO38-SGO45 (8)
1919-31 (1930) Bicolours - SGO46-SGO54 (9)
29 July 1931 OS overprints - SGO55-SGO66a (13)

The individual stamps are described and illustrated below in detail, with current catalogue values and reference to variants.

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Early Lakatoi OS perforations, SGO1,4-7,9 [SG08 missing].

* October 1908 Bicolours

SGO1 - 2/6d British New Guinea brown and black - small Papua (Brisbane) overprint, thick paper, horizontal watermark, perf 14, SG cat. value (mint / used) £1,200 / 38s. This is the only British New Guinea Lakatoi stamp perforated OS and issued. The stamp was originally released in 1905, and in punctured form around October 1908. Apparently all the 2/6d BNG stamps sent to Brisbane were overprinted with a small Papua and subsequently perforated OS at Port Moresby, except for one sheet which was not perforated. A copy of an unperforated stamp was offered for sale on eBay during February 2022 for $11,500. According to Croaker / Stanley Gibbons, the 2/6d is known in three versions:

SG01

thick paper, horizontal watermark - SGO1 *
thick paper, vertical watermark (extremely rare) - SGO2
thin paper, vertical watermark (rare) - SGO2a

SGO2 - 2/6d brown and black - thick paper, watermark vertical, perf 14. SG cat. value (mint / used) £6,500 / £3,750.

SGO2a - 2/6d brown and black - thin paper, watermark vertical, perf 14. SG cat. value (mint / used) £1,700 / £1,700.

SGO3 - [not allocated]

* December 1908 perf 11

SGO4 - 1d rose and black - watermark vertical, perf 11. SG cat. value (mint / used) 60s / 16s. *

SGO5 - 2d purple and black - watermark vertical, perf 11. SG cat. value (mint / used) 70s / 5s.*

SGO5 postmarked Port Moresby, 17 December 1908. Earliest known cover. Source: Stampboards.

Selection of Lakatoi OS perforations. Source: Stampboards.

SGO6 - 2½d bright ultramarine and black - watermark vertical, perf 11. SG cat. value (mint / used) £110 / 40s. *

SGO7 - 4d sepia and black - watermark vertical, perf 11. SG cat. value (mint / used) 65s / 5s. *

SGO7a - deformed d at left. £600 / £160.

SGO8 - 6d myrtle-green and black - watermark vertical, perf 11. SG cat. value (mint / used) £150 / 55s.

SGO8

SGO9 - 1/- orange and black - watermark vertical, perf 11. SG cat. value (mint / used) £150 / 21s.*

* December 1908 perf 12½

SGO10 - 2d purple and black - watermark vertical, perf 12½. SG cat. value (mint / used) £120 / 30s.

SGO11 - 2½d bright ultramarine and black - watermark vertical, perf 12½. SG cat. value (mint / used) £375 / £140.

SGO11a - pale ultramarine and black. £190 / 95s.

SGO11b - thin d at left. £1400 / £800.

SGO12 - 4d sepia and black - watermark vertical, perf 12½. SG cat. value (mint / used) £130 / 9.5s.

SGO12a - deformed d at left. £1000 / £225.

SGO13 - 1/- orange and black - watermark vertical, perf 12½. SG cat. value (mint / used) £350 / £110.

* December 1908 sideways watermark, perf 11

SGO14 - ½d green and black - watermark sideways, perf. 11 - small Papua. SG cat. value (mint / used) 55s / 4.75s.

SGO14a - thin d at left. 90s / 38s.

SGO14a

SGO15 - 1d carmine and black - watermark sideways, perf. 11 - small Papua. SG cat. value (mint / used) £110 / 28s.

SGO16 - 2d purple and black - watermark sideways, perf. 11 - small Papua. SG cat. value (mint / used) 35s / 2.5s.

SGO17 - 2½d dull blue and black - watermark sideways, perf. 11 - small Papua. SG cat. value (mint / used) 80s / 6s.

SGO17a - thin d at left. The rare, imperforate at right variant of this stamp is described in detail above. £700 / £120.

SGO17

SGO18 - 4d sepia black - watermark sideways, perf. 11 - small Papua. SG cat. value (mint / used) 60s / 11s.

SGO18a - deformed d at left. £550 / £250.

SG019 - 6d myrtle-green black - watermark sideways, perf. 11 - small Papua. SG cat. value (mint / used) £100 / 6s.

SGO20 - 1/- orange and black black - watermark sideways, perf. 11 - small Papua. SG cat. value (mint / used) £350 / 95s.

SGO20

* December 1908 sideways watermark, perf 12½

SGO21 - ½d green and black - small Papua - sideways watermark - perf 12½d. 50s / 2.25s. Diagonal OS illustrated below, postmarked Port Moresby, 11 October 1910. Also illustrated below is the dry ink variety, postmarked Port Moresby, 11 October 1910.

SGO21

SGO21a - deep green and black. 80s / 32s.

SGO22 - 1d carmine and black - small Papua - sideways watermark - perf 12½d. 95s / 4.25s.

SGO23 - 2d purple and black - small Papua - sideways watermark - perf 12½d. 60s / 3.25s.

SGO23

SGO24 - 2½d dull purple and black - small Papua - sideways watermark - perf 12½d. £100 / 15s.

SGO24a - thin d at left. £900 / £200.

SGO25 - 6d myrtle green and black - small Papua - sideways watermark - perf 12½d. £1400 used. Noted as very rare by Richard Juzwin and, offered for sale February 2022 for $2,500, with certificate. Postmarked Port Moresby, 26 November 1909, illustrated below. No unused copy listed by SG.

SGO25

SGO26 - 1s. orange and black and black - small Papua - sideways watermark - perf 12½d. £150 / 40s. Block of 6 with circular date stamp Port Moresby, 11 October 2010, illustrated below.

SGO26 and SGO23

* 1910 Bicolours

SGO27 - ½d yellow-green and black - small Papua - upright watermark - perf 12½d. 55s / 16s.

SGO28 - 2/6d brown and black - large Papua - sideways watermark. £350 / 160. A variant with double perforation (illustrated below) was offered for sale on eBay in February 2022 for $1,850, with certificate.

SGO28

SGO28a - Postagie at left. £4,250 used.

1910-11 Bicolours

SGO29 - ½d green and black - large Papua - upright watermark - perf 12½d. 60s / 27s.

SGO29, 31-35

SGO30 - 1d carmine and black - large Papua - upright watermark - perf 12½d. £130 / 22s.

SGO31 - 2d dull purple and black - large Papua - upright watermark - perf 12½d. 60s / 27s.

SGO31

SGO31a - C for O in Postage. £550 / £300.

SGO32 - 2½d blue-violet and black - large Papua - upright watermark - perf 12½d. 80s / 8s.

SGO32

SGO32a - thin d at left. £650 / £170.

SGO33 - 4d sepia and black - large Papua - upright watermark - perf 12½d. 80s / 7s. Variant with inverted watermark also known.

SGO33

SGO33a - 4d sepia and black - deformed d at left - large Papua - upright watermark - perf 12½d.£800 / £170. CTO Port Moresby 28 August 1911.

SGO33a

SG034 - 6d myrtle-green and black - large Papua - upright watermark - perf 12½d. 90s / 7s. *

SDO34

SGO35 - 1s. orange and black - large Papua - upright watermark - perf 12½d. £140 / 10s.

SGO35

SGO36 - 2/6d brown and black - large Papua - upright watermark - 12½ perf - (B). £130 / 35s. Variety - OS inverted (illustrated below).

SGO36

SGO36, OS inverted.

SGO37 - 2/6d brown and black - large Papua - upright watermark - 12½ perf - (C). £190 / 80s.

* 1911-12 Monocolours

SGO38-44

SGO38 - ½d yellow-green - monocolour - upright watermark - 12½ perf. 30s / 2.25s.

SGO38 on cover, 14 January 1932.

SGO38w - Crown to right of A watermark. 85s. used.

SGO39 - 1911 - 1d rose-carmine - monocolour - upright watermark - 12½ perf. 35s / 1.5s.

SGO40 - 1911 - 2d purple - monocolour - upright watermark - 12½ perf. 35s / 1.5s.

SGO40w - Crown to right of A watermark. Postmarked Port Moresby, 5 September 1911. £130 used.

SGO38-40

SGO41 - 1911-12 - 2½d ultramarine - monocolour - thin paper - upright watermark - perf 12½. 45s / 26s. Postmarked Port Moresby, 20 April 1914. According to Rosenblum: A very few sheets of this stamp were issued, OS only, about 1918. They were apparently a small balance remaining after the issue of the 1918 provisionals. They are unknown without the OS puncture, and even in that condition are extremely rare. They are all perforated 12½. These comments were subsequently proven false.

SGO41

SGO42 - 1911 - 4d olive-green - monocolour - upright watermark - 12½ perf. 60s / 35s.

SGO42

SGO43 - 6d orange-brown - monocolour - thin paper - upright watermark - perf 12½. 60s / 7s. Only available punctured OS, like the above-mentioned SGO41, under similar circumstances.

SGO43

SGO44 - 1/- yellow - monocolour - upright watermark - 12½ perf. £100 / 19s.

SGO40, 43, 44 & 54 on cover postmarked Port Moresby, 15 June 1932.

SGO45 - 2/6d rose-carmine - monocolour - upright watermark - 12½ perf. £170 / £120.

* 1919-31 (1930) Bicolours

SGO46 - ½d apple-green and myrtle - Ash printing - upright watermark - 12½ perf. 26s / 40s. Croaker notes a forgery using the Mullett printing and with a smaller sized punctured OS.

SGO46

SGO47 - 1d red and black - Harrison 5th and 6th printings - upright watermark - 12½ perf. 45s / 13s.

SGO48 - 1½d bright brown and bright blue - Ash printing - upright watermark - 12½ perf. 29s / 42s.

Government Printer facing slip. Postmarked 27 September 1932.

SGO48a - POSTACE at right. £275 / £325.

SGO49 - 2d lake and deep purple brown - watermark crown to left - Ash first printing - upright watermark - 12½ perf. 5s / 55s.

SGO49

Perforated OS 2d red and black Lakatoi on cover, SGO49, postmarked 3 May 1935.

SGO50 - 3d blue-green and black - Ash printing - upright watermark - 12½ perf. £130 / £150.

SGO50

SGO50 on cover, 28 February 1934.

SGO51 - 4d orange and light brown - Ash printing - upright watermark - 12½ perf. 65s / 65s.

SGO51

SGO52 - 6d pale purple and dull - Harrison printing - upright watermark - 12½ perf. 40s / 55s.

SGO52a - POSTACE at left. £450 / £650.

SGO53 - 1/- yellow-olive and brown - Ash printing - upright watermark - 12½ perf. 90s / 95s.

SGO54 - 2/6d pale pink and maroon - Harrison and Ash printings - upright watermark - 12½ perf. £225 / £275.

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* 1931 OS overprints

On 29 July 1931 a group of twelve Lakatois from 1916 (3d) and 1919-31 (½d to 2/6d) were overprinted OS in black ink, replacing the punctured stamps. Printing was carried out by T.S. Harrison (1d and 2/6d) and J. Ash.

1931 Lakatoi OS overprints, SGO55-62, 64.

SGO63

SGO65

SGO66

They were catalogued by Stanley Gibbons as SGO55 - SGO66a. Stocks of the perforated stamps were used for a number of years thereafter until depleted and replaced by the overprints, or withdrawn. The following values are known, with printing information from Croaker:

SGO55 - ½d apple-green and myrtle - Ash printing. 3s / 4.75s.

SGO56 - 1d red and black - Harrison 5th and 6th printings. 10s / 20s.

SGO57 - 1½d bright brown and bright blue - Ash both printings. 2s / 12s.

SGO57a - POSTACE at right. 75s / £200.

SGO58 - 2d claret and brown-purple - Ash second printing. 9.5s / 22s.

SGO59 - 3d blue-green and black - Ash. 2.75s / 22s.

SGO60 - 4d orange and light brown - Ash. Variant: SGO60a - Crown to left of A watermark. 3.75s / 22s.

SGO61 - 5d pale brown and bluish slate - Ash. 6s / 38s.

SGO61, postmarked Port Moresby. Source: Stampboards.

SGO62 - 6d red purple and dull purple - Ash. 4.5s / 8.5s.

SGO62a - POSTACE at left. £170 / £325.

SGO63 - 9d violet and lilac - Ash. Issued 1932. 30s / 48s.

SGO56, 63 & 65 on registered cover postmarked Port Moresby, 13 July 1936. Source: Stampboards.

SGO64 - 1s. yellow-olive and brown - Ash. 9s / 30s.

SGO65 - 1/3d pale greenish-blue and lilac - Ash. Issued 1932. 30s / 48s.

SGO65 on registered cover postmarked Buna Bay 15 May 1933.

SGO66 - 2/6d. pale pink and maroon - Harrison. 48s / 95s.

SGO66a - 2/6d bright pink and maroon - Ash. 55s / 95s.

Both the Harrison and Ash overprints are illustrated on registered covers below, postmarked Port Moresby, 9 July 1935 and Abau, 14 December 1932.

Source: Stampboards.

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References

Croaker, Hamilton, Lakatoi I - British New Guinea and De la Rue, New Century Press, Sydney, 1979.

-----, Lakatoi II & III - Territory of Papua , New Century Press, Sydney, 1983, 54p.

Franklin, Matt, Franklin's Guide to the Stamps of Papua New Guinea, Reed, Sydney, 1970, 152p.

Juzwin, Richard, Papua OS Archives, Richard Juzwin Stamps [website], accessed 2 March 2022.

Kelly, Ray, The stamps of Papua perforated OS, Stamp News, Papuan December 1971.

Rosenblum, Alec A., Stamps of Papua, Horticultural Press, Carlton South, 1968, 55p. [Contains a comprehensive, though outdated, listing of the stamps of Papua and the numerous variants, along with detailed historical notes.]

Stanley Gibbons, Australian Stamp Catalogue, 11th Edition [Online], London and Ringwood, 2018, 373p.

-----, Western Pacific Catalogue, London and Ringwood, 4th edition, 2021.

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Last updated: 2 January 2023

Michael Organ, Australia

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