Lot 11549 – Palestine 1927-32 Pictorial issue photographic proofs

1927-32 2m to 200m ‘Pictorial’ issue, the original 14 values in stamp-size bromides and 25 die proofs in black on glazed card affixed to two complete archival ledger pages, each item handstamped CANCELLED in red, the second page is titled ‘Modified Dies’. The consistent captions reveal that the different designs are coded A to D. There are discernible differences between some of these and the final design, the Dome n the Rock 4m and 13m annotated « Original » show a wide ‘4’ and 13m with transposed inscriptions at base, all those labelled ‘ORIGINAL’ have different serifs to the ‘T’ of ‘Palestine’ while the two sets of the ‘Sea of Galilee’ proofs comprise one with larger Hebrew diacritic marks (circled in red ink) in comparison with the modified dies as adopted. a wholly unique item documenting the genesis of a set of stamps. From the proof book presented to the royal Mint engraver H.A. Richardson on his retirement (when the red CANCELLED handstamp was applied), and demonstrating that although the issue was printed by Harrison & Sons, the dies and plates were the work of the Royal Mint.