Queensland C Line 12 Perforation Machine.

This extract on the The C Line 12 Perforation Machine is taken from The Postage Stamps of Queensland by A.F. Basset Hull, 1930, pp. 47-8. The C machine was in general use for 2nd sideface postage stamps until the installation of a comb machine in 1890, although the The 4d., 6d., and ls. denominations of the 1882 type continued to be perforated by the C machine, as the comb (B1) did not register with the impressions on the sheet. However, in 1892 and 1893 respectively the 4d. and 6d. plates were modified to suit the comb machine by spacing the electrotypes farther apart in a vertical direction.

This machine, made by Messrs. Hughes & Kimber of London, was obtained on 2nd January, 1874 (Stanley Glbbons’ Monthly Journal, Vol. VI., page 157), and was certainly used for part of the only printing of the 1s. in deep mauve on the truncated star paper on 19th February, 1874.

It was a single-line machine, operated by a treadle, the length of the line of holes being 25 inches (63.5 cm), and as there were 60 holes in 100 mm. and 182 holes in 300 mm., the gauge was from 12 to 12¼. There were, however, several small lengths of holes gauging 12½ in a section of about 7 inches (17.8 cm) from one end of the line. This shows in a perforation pull, but may not necessarily represent an early state of the machine.

At first the machine gave large round clean-cut holes, the discs of paper being usually removed on all four sides of the stamp. Later on the perforation deteriorated, possibly partly owing to the softer paper used for the electrotyped issues, the ½d., Cameo, on the thick Beer Duty paper of 1895 having a distinct rough perforation.

From 1892 onwards the machine was principally employed in perforating Duty stamps, and about 1899 it seems to have been fitted with new pins, as we find a clean cut perforation 12 in the very rare variety of the ½d., 1898, with figures in all four corners, and the current ½d., ld., and 2d. issued in 1905.

The C machine was in general use for postage stamps until the installation of a comb machine in 1890, when it was used to perforate the Bradbury Wilkinson type high values, and for occasional use when there was a stress of work, or a machine under repair. In addition, it was in general use for perforating Duty stamps.

The 4d., 6d., and ls. denominations of the 1882 type continued to be perforated by the C machine, as the comb (B1) did not register with the impressions on the sheet, but in 1892 and 1893 respectively the 4d. and 6d. plates were modified to suit the comb machine by spacing the electrotypes farther apart in a vertical direction. There is no evidence of any of these wider spaced sheets having been passed through the C machine.

A point of peculiar interest lies in the irregular section of about 7 inches (17.8 cm) from one end of the line of holes, mentioned above, which was probably caused by the further use of the machine for postcards and letter-cards.

In order to prevent the perforations tearing apart too readily, this part of the line was modified by temporarily removing some of the pins. For the 1891 reply postcard every alternate pin was removed, every third pin being removed for the letter-cards issued about October, 1895, and in 1902-03.

The last postage stamps to receive the 12 perforation were the 5s. and £1 Bradbury Wilkinson type, lithographed on Crown Q paper, which were issued during the first half of 1906.

Perforation pull for the C Line 12 Perforation Machine