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Private Revenue Perfins of Victoria An Elsmore Coath production The authors would welcome your comments additions or input into this work A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Other K
-------------------------------------------------------- K.a
User: Kodak Australasia Pty Ltd
Photographic Equipment and Processing Address: 284 Collins St, Melbourne, VIC Revenue Use: 1911 Series 6d Rarity Scale:
1911 Series 6d R4
Background: *George Eastman started experimenting with photographic technology in the late 1870’s and formed the Eastman Dry Plate Company in London in 1881. Eastman pioneered film on rolls and this revolutionised the photography industry. The business grew quickly to become Eastman Kodak Company by 1892 with a web of related companies in the United States, Canada and throughout Europe. Kodak Australasia was formed in 1908 by the merger of Kodak with the Victorian based Baker and Rouse Pty Ltd who had operated the Austral Plate Company since 1884. The Kodak production facilities were located at Abbottsford in Melbourne but they operated retail and distribution offices in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. Notably Baker and Rouse were also perfin users with a B&R pattern found on postage stamps between 1906 and 1910 but this pattern has not been found on revenues to date. Device: This K.a device is a single die device that was initially located in Perth from the early 1920’s. See K.a in the Western Australian Chapter. It is confirmed as a single die device by the fact that in multiples the strikes do not show any consistent relationship to each other. Furthermore the K.a device is able to produce single and central strikes on stamps of a variety of sizes. It was first used in Perth in the early 1920’s but in around 1925 the device seems to have been moved to Melbourne and all subsequent usage is in Melbourne. Perth usage on revenue stamps is scarce. In Melbourne the device was also used on revenue stamps of Victoria as well as the postage stamps of Australia.
It was a robust device with thick pins and it generally produced a clear and complete pattern. As with all K patterns and other near symmetrical letters, care needs to be taken when confirming the pattern with the Perfin Finder and reference sheet as strikes in different positions can appear similar. If at first the pattern does not appear to fit the reference pattern, then turn the stamp over and check again. This symmetrical nature of the K’s has lead to much miss reporting in past studies of Australian perfins.
This K pattern is found on the postage stamps of Australia between early 1920 and at least 1951.
Related Patterns: Refer to other Kodak patterns in: NSW: K.a, KLTD.a
QLD: K.a
VIC: K.b, KL.a
WA: K.a
*Museum of Victoria “Kodak Heritage Collection” ------------------------------------------------------- K.b
User: Kodak Australasia Pty Ltd
Photographic Equipment and Processing Address: 284 Collins St, Melbourne, VIC Revenue Use: 1915 Series: 2d Rarity Scale:
1915 Series 2d R4
Device: This K.b is a Melbourne in a single die format as it is able to produce central strikes on stamps of all sizes. It is found used on both revenue and postage stamps. Usage starts in about 1935 and it is most likely that the pattern of a single small K is a result of a modification of the KL.a device (see below). The device remains in service until at least 1951 and it is notable that it shares usage and location with the K.a device (above). Also both seem to have been discontinued at the same time. This is consistent with other K perforation devices that were used by the company. These are discontinued as follows: Melbourne (K.a and K.b) 1951 Sydney (K.a) 1950 Adelaide (not reported on revenue stamps) 1946 Brisbane (K.a) 1953 Related Patterns: Refer to other Kodak patterns in: NSW: K.a, KLTD.a
QLD: K.a
VIC: K.a, KL.a
WA: K.a
*Museum of Victoria “Kodak Heritage Collection” -------------------------------------------------------- K/&Co.a
User: Unknown Revenue Use: 1886-1899 Series, inscribed 'STAMP DUTY' 1d (shades) Rarity Scale:
1886-1899 Series 1d R4 Background: Device: Single Die Related Patterns: Nil -------------------------------------------------------- KL.a
User: Kodak Australasia Pty Ltd
Photographic Equipment and Processing Address: 284 Collins St, Melbourne, VIC Revenue Use: 1915 Series: 2d, 6d Rarity Scale:
1915 Series 2d R4, 6d R4 Railway Use: 1917
wing issue 1d, 3d, 11d, 1/- 1934 wing issue 11d Railway Scale:
1917
wing issue 1d R4, 3d R4, 11d R4, 1/- R4
Background: See K.a above Device: This Melbourne device was a single die device as it is able to produce central strikes on stamps of all sizes. It is found used on both revenue and railway stamps of Victoria, as well as postage stamps of Victoria and later (from 1913), Australia. Usage spans the period from 1911 until at least 1935. The pattern is the only KL that the company used, but they had previously use KLD and KLTD in both Melbourne and Sydney but this ceased in 1916. The KL.a was in a small and sound format. Late usage still shows clear and complete strikes. However the device goes out of use in about 1935 and is replaced by a single small K, (K.b) in the Melbourne office. Interestingly the “new” small K pattern is a perfect match for the K of KL.a. It would seem that the KL.a device was altered remove the L and continued in use as the K.b, see above. Related Patterns: Refer to other Kodak patterns in: NSW: K.a, KLTD.a
QLD: K.a
VIC: K.a, K.b
WA: K.a
*Museum of Victoria “Kodak Heritage Collection” -------------------------------------------------------- A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Other © copyright 2011 |
