Lot 1736
St Vincent SG 60var 4d die proof in carmine lake
Description
1893 4d die proof in carmine-lake on card (34x37mm), submitted by DLR to the Crown Agents in connection with a proposed colour change for this value and described by the printers as ‘claret or maroon’. The colour was rejected by the Crown Agents on 10th Jan, as too close to that of the current 1d value, and yellow was chosen instead for SG 56. But on 17th Jan this (carmine-lake) colour was adopted for the new 5d on 6d provisional (SG 60), being prepared as the same time as the new 4d yellow. (See Easton, De La Rue History p519) A unique and beautiful item, possibly the only QV St Vincent colour die proof in existence apart from the 1897 2½d and 5d essays with the hand-painted value tablets. SG 60var
