Page 4 - Lithographed Stamps of North Borneo

LITHOGRAPHED STAMPS OF NORTH BORNEO: 1883-1892

The British North Bomeo Company was granted a royal charter in 1SS1 and commenced to administer
the territory on the North West of the Island of Bomeo ceded to it by the Sultan of Sulu in the
Philippines .. Prior to the issue of the first stamp in 1 SS3 overs~as mail was prepaid using Labuan stamps.
Until Nort.h Bomeo joined the UPU in 1891 overseas mail beyond Singapore and Hong Kong was
generally prepaid using Straits Settlements sta.mps giving rise to combination covers.
Up to 1S94 all stamps were printed by Lithography by the London security printers Blades, E.ast and
Blades. Their premises were destroyed in the blitz and no preliminary design material (sketches, essays
etc.) recorded. The design of the sta.mps was based on the arms ofNorth Bomeo, values to 2Sc the shield
alone, higher values the complete design.
The arms ofthe North Bomeo (Printed on silk)

I 19

The first sta.mp the 2c of 1SS3 inscribed 'North Bomeo' and 'Postage', prepaid local mail and mail to
Singapore, also issued in 1 SS3 4c and Sc values in a similar design plus SOc and $1 values in a larger
design inscribed 'Postage & Revenue'. Additional printings of the 2c, 4c and Sc and new values Vie, lc
and lOc followed in 1SS6. Between 1SS3 and 1SS6 there were a number of locally surcharged provisional
issues. Between 1SS6-7 the low values plus 2Sc and $2 were reissued with the inscription changed to
'British North Bomeo'. In lSSS the inscription on the values to lOc were further modified to read 'Postage
& Revenue'. The higher values were reissued with a slightly modified design and in 1 SS9 joined by $5
and $10 values. Due to changes in postal rates, between 1 S90 and 1 S92 a number of locally surcharged
provisionals were issued with associated errors. The 1 S94 high values with the inscription changed to
'The State of North Bomeo'.is ommitted.
References: The Stamps and Postal History ofNorth Bomeo, Pt 1 & 2 (Handbook 1 or 2)
The Postal History ofBritish Bomeo, 2"" Edition, E.B. Proud (Proud)
Tue First Stamp ofNorth Bomeo, L. Parsbro (Parsbro)
The Journal ofthe Sarawak Specialist's Society (Journal)

Frame Guide:
Frame 1: 1SS2-3; Pre-stamp; 'NORTH BORNEO /POSTAGE', 2c local, 'S Cents' & 'EIGHT CENTS' provisionals,
Frame 2: 18S3 2c reprint and colour trials; Die Proofs lc to $2; Perf. 12: 4c and Sc; SO Cent & One Dollar
1S83-6 Overseas Mail
Frame 3: 1S86 Perl: 14: New Values Y:ze, lc & lOc reprints of 2c, 4c, & Sc; Postal fiscals
Frame 4: 1S86 Opt. '& Revenue'; 3c & Sc provisionals;
1SS6/7 'BRITISH NORTH BORNEO I POSTAGE' Composite Die Proofs and low values Ylc - lOc
Frame S: 1SS6/7; 4c pink error & corrected sheet of SO, lc to lOc in sheets of SO
Frame 6: 1SS6/7; B.N.B. Low Values: lc, 2c and lOc imperfsheets, cancellations, High Values 2Sc - $2
lSSS-92; POSTAGE & REVENUE (P. & R) Low Values: Sc Die Proofs, Composite Die Proof
Frame 7: lSSS-92 P. & R Low Values: 3c Die Proofs & imperfsheet; colour trials & specimens, issued stamps
Frame S: lSSS-92 P. & R. Y2 c (shades), lc, 3c & 6c in sheets of SO; per( varieties and imperf. pairs
Frame 9: lSSS-92 P. & R low values: imperf blocks, printers waste, postmarks & on piece and cover.
IS8S 2Sc- $2 Redrawn: Die Proofs
Frame 10: lSSS 2Sc to $2: Colour trials with and without additional perfs., cancelled & specimen.
As issued: unused, used and defaced; $1 Van Houten Label
Frame 11: 1SS9 $5 & $10, die proof: cancelled, colour trials; unused, used & imperf. $S 'DOLLAPS' variety.
Surcharges on the 2Sc: Two Cents, Eight Cents & S Cents; 1S91: 6 cents surcharge used and unused
Frame 12: 1S91: 6 cents surcharges: varieties, forgeries, sheets of l"t and 2Dl1 settings.
1S92: lc on 4c: varieties, forgeries and sheets; lc on Sc sheet