Pre 1895 Era

All known types of essay sheets are shown here.
These copies are all we know of. They come from the Ruecker, Treadwell, Blinco, Crompton & Klinger collections.
Some are from now unknown collections.

This is a paper on the essays by Jeff Blinco.

This is a typical news paper note in 1883.

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In an effort to gain an official French presence in the New Hebrides, the authorities in Noumea proposed in 1893 that each power establish a permanent military force on certain islands in the group, in order (it was claimed) to quell native unrest. In anticipation of British agreement, the production of military franchise labels for New Caledonia and the New Hebrides was ordered by Lt. Col. Delauney. The labels were intended to provide a subsidy of 25c per letter for soldier's mail. They were prepared in Noumea in imperforate, ungummed sheets of four.

The British rejected the proposed military occupation, possibly sensing the real rationale behind it. The essays became redundant and were never officially used. Quantities printed were not recorded but are believed to have been small.

Here we show a letter to this Lt. Col. Delauny ("SeSi" coll.)

17 January 1893

Local 15 centimes letter from Nouméa to Monsieur le Chef d'Escadron Delauney Directeur d'Artillerie (à Nouméa).
Julien Félix Delauney 1848 - 1898 : officier de l'armée de terre , Lieutenant Colonel Chef d'Escadron de l'Artillerie de Marine en 1890. Il a été Inspecteur des études à l'École Polytechnique.
On lui doit le projet des timbres de franchise militaire de Nouvelle Calédonie et ceux pour les Nouvelles Hébrides restés au stade d'essais. ("SeSi" coll)

La Caserne d'Infanterie

This is the place where Lieutenant Colonel Delauney was stationed. reverse of the card

We named the stamps A B C D.

We suggest the following names:

General Differences in the different designs:
Stamp [A]:     Banner empty - Banner with serifed     "N^LES HEBRIDES".
Stamp [B]:     Label empty - Label with PROTECTORAT.
Stamp [C]:     Banner empty - Banner with serifed     "N^LES HEBRIDES".
Stamp [D]:     Label empty - Label with PROTECTORAT.

Top stamps in both designs: Label round at right in both designs.
Bottom stamps in both designs: Label with angled line at right.
Stamp [A] in both designs: Banner nearly reaches bottom inner frame line.
Stamp [B] in both designs: Banner has unserifed     "N^LES HEBRIDES".
Stamp [C] in both design: Spelling error PPOTECTORAT
Stamp [D] in both designs: Banner has unserifed     "NOUV^LES HEBRIDES".

Just a collection of singles here as they are at hand.

No. 01

ex Millet coll.

No. 02

ex Millet coll.

In December 2018 some so far unknown copies surfaced at the 8/9 January 2019 auction together with some singles: Cherrystone Auctions

Sheet #1

Sheet #1 - "T" distance 16,2 cm

Sheet #2

Sheet #2 - "T" distance 16,2 cm

Sheet #2

In 2020 it looked like this (at Ceres): some further damage at top.

Single #1

Single #1 - pos. 1,2

Single #2

Single #2 - pos 1,1

Single #3

Single #3 - pos 1,1

Single #4

Single #4 - pos 2,1

Single #5

Single #5 - pos 1,2

Single #6

Single #6 - pos 2,2

Single #7

Single #7 - pos 1,1

Single #8

Single #8 - pos 2,2

According to the Cherrystone catalogue two of these are color reproductions on thick paper. It's hards to tell with images only but we think that only one is a reproduction: The last one - #8.

In September 2019 two more so far unknown sheet copies were shown by Roumet together with a couple of singles, France

Sheet #1

Sheet #1

Sheet #2

Sheet #2

Sheet #2

Sheet #2

and four singles from Ceres, France

and four more

Singles

singles

Singles
(new 1/2021)

singles