Map of Local Government Overprints on SG 518

There are many ways we can organize information about commercial overprints. For example, to see a map of all the reported local governments that used commercial overprints on issue SG 518, click here.

You can make maps of your own using Google's "My Maps" feature.

Arthur and Company, Limited, Part 2

Tom Sanford sent a scan that shows that Arthur and Company used commercial overprints at least as late as the Edward VII era.

The Sloper Records

This is something special: an example of a sample overprint from the Sloper records; J. Sloper & Co. Ltd. being a firm that produced perfins and commercial overprints.

The astounding story of how the Sloper records were saved can be found in the COSGB newsletters.

Donald Currie and Company

In 1862, Donald Currie purchased controlling shares in the Leith, Hull and Hamburg Steam Packet Company and set up his shipping company as the Castle Shipping Line. The London ship repair yards of the Castle Shipping Line were established under the trading name of Donald Currie and Company.

Donald Currie became Sir Donald Currie in 1881 while he was member of parliament for Garth. He passed away in 1909 at the age of 83.

Credito Italiano

Perfin collectors will know Credito Italiano as the source of thousands of CI perfins on Italian stamps. Much more rare is the Credito Italiano overprint on British stamps.

Credito Italiano opened an office in London in 1911. The stamp shown here is from the 1930s--a time when this bank (among others) had been refinanced by the Italian govenment's Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale, the bank having gone bankrupt in the Great Depression.

G. Hitchcock & Co.

This G. Hitchcock & Co. overprint may be from the firm that preceded G. Hitchcock Williams & Co., who were known to have used underprints (G.H.W. & Co.) on issues of 1864-79.

Hitchcock Williams & Co. also used overprints on issues in the 1930s and 1940s.

Arthur and Company, Limited

In the 19th century there was a manufacturing firm named Arthur and Company, Limited that had its head office and warehouse in Glasgow. There were factories in London, Leeds, Manchester, Ireland and Scotland as well as an office in New Zealand. I believe that this overprint is from that firm.

There are at least three distinct overprints known from Arthur and Company, and all are on this issue.