Page 158 - Jarvis & Wright: Jamaica Display to RPSL

Jamaica: The Vendryes Provisional

Introduction to the 1890 2½d on 4d provisional.
A new Jamaican postage rate of 2½d per half ounce was introduced from 1 June 1890. No 2½d
stamps existed, so pending a regular issue, the Post Office planned a provisional overprint. At first,
they intended to overprint 2d stamps, but on 30 May 1890 it was decided to use 4d stamps, the De
La Rue 4d of 1883, watermark Crown CA.

De La Rue 4d 1883, Crown CA,
Plate 1 (the only plate).

An initial order of 200 sheets was placed with Vendryes and Co, who had already supplied the first
printing of the OFFICIAL provisional. Vendryes made three printings of the 2½d provisional, an
estimated total of 80,000 stamps. Each printing was from a different setting, of 10, then 12 then 3,
with the type being broken up and reassembled between printings. The same type was already being
used for the OFFICIAL provisional, it was broken and worn, and became more so. Vendryes also cut
letters deliberately to overcome shortages of some letters.
Two main types of the overprint exist, with the lines spaced 1 mm and 1.5 mm apart.

Illustrating the two different spacings,
block from the second setting,
positions:

3 4 (lines 1 mm apart) →

9 10 (lines 1.5 mm apart) →

No SPECIMEN overprints of either Vendryes provisional were supplied to the UPU.

2½d provisional, setting 1, position 5, with the local SPECIMEN overprint, Samuel type J5, from the Jamaica
Post Office collection. Unique.
Ex Winter.