Machin Proofs

As part of a campaign to brighten up its literature, the Post Office introduced pictorial booklet covers with an announcement by the Postmaster General, Edward Short MP, on 22 March 1968 at Stampex. The first pictorial booklet to be available was the 10s booklet, issued on Monday 25 March 1968 (but dated May 1968). 4/6, 5/- and 6/- booklets would follow later in the year, the 5/- after the introduction of 5d first-class post.

Publicity proofs of these covers were on display at Stampex, printed by Harrison, either on the matching booklet colour or on white card, the latter intended to be used by the press for illustrations. These initial proofs, described as Type 1, may be distiguished by a tall shilling stroke that extends above and below the value. Later issues, described as Type 2, have a shilling stroke of the same height of the value. It is unclear how the later proofs came on to the market, but there are similar quantities to the first proofs.

All material is booklet cover size unless otherwise specified.

4/6 Proofs

Blue card:

Type 1: Cutty Sark, Golden Hind, Discovery, Queen Elizabeth II

Type 2: Queen Elizabeth 2, Sirius, Dreadnought, Mauretania, Victory

“Queen Elizabeth II” was corrected to “Queen Elizabeth 2”, the former being the name of the Sovereign rather than the name of the ship.

Glazed art paper:

Type 1 (4″ x 4″): Cutty Sark
Type 1: Golden Hind, Discovery, Queen Elizabeth II
Type 2: Swallow (3¼” x 2″, unissued, scarce)

5/- Proofs

Cinnamon card:

Type 2: Ightham Mote, Little Moreton Hall

Glazed art paper:

Type 2: Ightham Mote, Little Moreton Hall
Type 2: The Red House (unissued, rare – only two known)

6/- Proofs

Orange-red card:

Type 1: Kingfisher, Peregrine Falcon, Pied Woodpecker, Great Crested Grebe, Barn Owl, Jay

Type 2: Kingfisher, Peregrine Falcon, Pied Woodpecker, Great Crested Grebe, Jay, Puffin

Glazed art paper:

Type 1 (4″ x 4″): Kingfisher, Peregrine Falcon, Barn Owl
Type 1: Pied Woodpecker, Great Crested Grebe, Jay

All 6/- proofs have “HT” in the design — Harry Titcombe.

10/- Proofs

Bright purple card:

Type 1: Livingstone, Shackleton, Scott, Cook, Drake (unissued)

Type 2: Livingstone, Scott, Kingsley, Frobisher, Cook

Glazed art paper:

Type 1: Livingstone, Shackleton, Scott, Cook, Drake (unissued)

White card:

Type 2: Shackleton, Scott, Kingsley, Frobisher, Cook, Drake (unissued)

Composite Proof

A sheet of white glazed art paper (7″ x 8¼”) with two 10s designs, Cook and Drake, and two 6s designs, Curlew and Golden Eagle. Cook and Golden Eagle were as issued, Drake was not issued and Curlew was used for the 30p decimal issue. Some sheets have been cut down to show individual examples. Both the complete sheet and the cut down singles are rare.

Posters

Click the images to enlarge.

An A4 poster proof titled “Pictorial Stamp Book Covers” was produced on white glazed art paper, coded PL(S) 331. It contains six cover-size Type 2 proofs: Queen Elizabeth 2, Sirius, Barn Owl, Jay, Kingsley and Little Moreton Hall. This unadopted poster proof is rare. Some have been cut down appearing to be Type 2 booklet proofs on glazed art paper.

An A4 coloured poster advertising “New Stamp Books” was produced in September 1968, code PHO/PB(S) 53. It has pictures of Scott, Peregrine Falcon and the Golden Hind and states “A 5/- book (12, 5d stamps) will be available later”.

Essays and Preliminary Proofs

Some material for the 5/- and 10/- covers came to market in the early 1990s. All are unique, and all designs are larger than the issued covers by 15-30%.

The Red House, marked “5A”, on poor quality paper

Livingstone with periods after the stamp values, obliques between the contents instead of colons

Kingsley with a volcano to the left instead of a palm tree, a pull from two designs (larger palm tree from Kingsley and inverted ship from Drake), Frobisher, Cook, Drake, all on poor quality paper

Next: QEII Stamps for Cooks