Lot No. 1055
| Auction No. | 24 |
| Category |
Kangaroos Miscellaneous |
| Est. | $3000 |
| Status | SOLD $2250 |
1911 Stamp Design Competition. Kihn Brothers entry with a 3d Queen Alexandra composite with hand painted frame in black & vignette. Partly photographic & hand painted with inner circular surround (67 x80mm) plus an alternative vignette design of sideface King Edward VII & Queen Alexandria attached. Executed on thick card (152 x 204mm) with two stamp-size photographic reproductions of the two alternatives affixed below. ACSC E71, Cat. $6000 Note: The background of this competition was that there was an absence of any satisfactory designs for the uniform stamps as suggested hence, the Postmaster-General, Josiah Thomas, announced that a public design competition would be held to obtain suitable designs. The official announcement, together with the rules of the competition, was made in the "Commonwealth Gazette" on 21 January 1911. The most important conditions were: 1) the designs should be submitted under a nom de plume; 2) the designs submitted should not exceed four times the size of the proposed stamp (1.125" x 0.675") - a stipulation that was frequently ignored & be accompanied by a stamp-size photograph reproduction & 3) the designs should contain features characteristic of Australia & include the words "Australia" & "Postage". As of 31 May, 1911, the closing date of the competition, 1,051 designs had been received from 533 entrants. A first prize of £100 & two second prizes of £50 were awarded with two of the prize-winning entries being subsequently lost. Designs not selected were to be returned to entrants. A relatively small number of these competition entries are recorded in private collectors' hands today.
Image represents the entire lot.