Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Half-penny Issue - 1899


Week (Brisbane, Qld.), Friday 8 September 1899, page 3

New Postage Stamp. Half-penny Issue. Design Deferred Back for Improvement.

The half-penny postage stamp in use in Queensland has not given satisfaction particularly because of the smallness or indistinctness of figures, and also because of the smallness in size as compared with other postage stamps. A design for a new stamp has been prepared at the lithographic and stamp printing branch of the Government Printing Office, under the direction of J. T. Costin, the officer in charge. In this instance the work has not been done from the drawing of Mr. McKellar, by the aid of engraving, but by electrotyping process work, for which Mr. Smallman was responsible. Who is responsible for the design we are not aware, but it will be generally conceded that it has not satisfied the artistic sense, and that the lettering might with advantage be sharper and clearer. The best feature in the design is the boldness of the price or denomination. It is understood that the design has been referred back by the postal authorities for improvement.