From: Darlington Media Group (postmaster@mediaworkshop.demon.co.uk)
Date: 12/29/00-04:31:53 PM Z
Hi All,
>>Size for size, probably the most valuable jewel of an 'alternative print'
>>in the whole wide world is a poor old cyanotype.
Why? Well read on....
The following passage is from 'Cyanotype' by Dr Mike Ware published by the
Science Museum and National Museum of Film and Photography.
ISBN 1 900747 07 3 (1999)
"In October 1899, shortly after the commencement of hostilities, a Boer
force laid siege to the town of Mafeking, in which were stationed about
1200 British and Cape troops. It survived the bombardment for 217
days.....The military commander was one Colonel Baden-Powell..... To
provide an internal postal facility, Baden-Powell set up a corps of
messenger cadets using bicycles, under the command of Cadet Sergeant-Major
Goodyear, who at the time had just achieved the tender age of 12 years; the
very model of an ideal future Boy Scout. ......."
"It is said that of the two ingredients, potassium ferricyanide, was in
short supply in Mafeking, so native runners were appointed to the
unenviable task of smuggling the chemical through the Boer lines by night.
On the first attempt, the runners returned safely, but bearing potassium
ferr-O-cyanide: the message had been badly written. At a second attempt,
the correct chemical was secured, but the unfortunate runners were captured
and shot and their potassium ferricyanide confiscated. The third attempt
was successful."
"Postage rates per half ounce were one penny within the town and three
pence to the outskirts: a small price considering the risks the messengers
ran. Not surprisingly, the demand for these denominations of postage stamp
were heavy and when the supply of the official Cape stamps, overprinted
'Mafeking Besieged' ran out, a special issue was printed locally by
Cyanotype by Mr E.J. Ross, the local auctioneer, who was a skilled amateur
photographer. Dr D Taylor, another local amateur photographer, took a
portrait of young Goodyear mounted on his bicycle for the 1 penny
denomination, and Ross photographed Baden-Powell himself for the 3 penny.
To these were added appropriately designed ornamentation and the wording
'Mafeking Besieged' to form two 'master dies'. These were each
photographically duplicated twelve fold, and then re-photographed in
reduction on to glass plates. The stamps could then be contact printed by
cyanotype in sheets of twelve at a time, which were gummed and perforated.
The 'Mafeking 1d and 3d Blues' were issued on 9 April 1900. Nearly 800
sheets of each denomination were minted by the local printer, Townshend.
The variable and idiosyncratic postage stamps that resulted from this
historic episode are now highly prized collectors' items."
Ed Buziak, once keen philatelist and the editor of 'Darkroom User', has
informed me that of the 800 sheets of the 3d denomination that were issued,
one sheet was erroneously printed in reverse. From this sheet, only two or
three stamps are known to be in existence. A conservative estimate for the
price of one of these rare, reversed stamps would be in the region of
£50,000.
Not bad for a lowly cyanotype that measures just 19mm x 23mm!
Cheers ....Tony McLean.
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