Page 68 - The Sideways Experimenatal Duplex 1852-1858

SIDEWAYS DUPLEX TYPE II

NORTH SHIELDS
This hand stamp is one of my favorite cancellations. This is the only sideways duplex from this office.

The above entire shows two 1/- embossed stamps cut to shape paying a 2/- registered rate to France.
You can also see a registered crown in red which is scarce and the word CHARGE in black.
There are two strikes of the sideways duplex and they appear to be of different coloured inks.
The one on the left appears to be in a light green ink and the one to the right is clearly black this is not normal.
Why this would happen I do not know but my opinion is that they were both struck in black ink and the left hand
strike has changed over the years to look like a green ink. The reason I say this is that if you look closely at the
obliterator on the stamp in the left hand stamp you will see that it has black mixed with the green. The only other
explanation could be that it had green ink on the hand stamp from a previous use which may have been to use it as a
back stamp. When they realized they then put the hand stamp in the correct ink pad to make the second strike.