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The Laernu Dragons

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Steve View Drop Down
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Joined: 26 March 2010
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Steve Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: The Laernu Dragons
    Posted: 26 February 2018 at 00:59
The Laernu Dragons are a set of triangular stamps reminiscent of the Cape of Good Hope stamps. They score higher than those because the scantily clad lady has a young dragon on her lap. Like the Continentals these were produced primarily as envelope decorations. There were four values, but different printings and colours have yielded a number of variations. There were two main printings; the first on thinner rougher gummed paper (type I) and the other on thicker smooth gummed paper (type II).




The first printing stamps are readily identifiable by the small black letter in the diamond at the apex of the triangle, though these are much harder to see on the blue stamps - more on these letters later.
These may have been produced and issued in two or even three batches. I base this not on certain knowledge, but on observations and deduction. Images of them used on post often have certain pairs of stamps indicating that two belong together. There are similarities and differences between the colour control dots on the sheet margins. Most are perforateed 11.75 by the Olathe Poste, but two are perforated 11 and must have been done in the UK.
I believe that the original issue was 6 Dorris Amber Dragon and the 9D Jade Dragon stamps in a greenish turquoise and bright orange colour respectively. The sheet margin has ‘The Laernu Amber Dragon /
Designed by Colin Edwards  2006 (email address, printed in UK, perforated by the Olathe Poste, USA (email address) / No reproduction without prior permission’. Strangely this appears below the stamps on the Amber sheet and above the stamps on the Jade sheet.




These two colours were superceded by sheets of 6D brown and 9D bright green stamps. The stamp names in the sheet margin still remain Amber and Jade though. Logic tells me that those names belong to the orange and turquoise stamps, and the text is just a legacy from that. These brown and green stamps do appear used on Royal Mail use together suggesting they belong together.




At some later date two new values and colours were issued. These were a 5D Blue Dragon and a 7D Red Dragon. Why these did not follow the existing naming is a mystery. Sapphire and Ruby would have fitted nicely. The same sheet layout was used although the colour controls were significantly changed. More importantly these were perforated 11, which suggests that this was done in the UK, and not the USA.
The Red Dragon stamps differ from all the others. Firstly the background to the design is a creamy shade rather than white. Additionally there is a thick brighter red line under the words CENTRO and POSTAG. The five other stamps do have a line there but this is much thinner and almost unnoticeable. Those letters and LAERNU along the base of the design, on these two stamps, is more shaded in line with the stamp colours. Thus they do not stand out well.




All the above sheets have stamps with a letter in the top corner, from A to X. These are laid out as shown on the images below. They follow a back and forth trail across two sheets. Thus if you want a full collection you need to have both sheets for each value and 24 differently lettered single stamps for each!




All the above have also appeared unperforated as single stamps and sheets.

There then came a revision of colours and sheets, probably contemporary to that of the Laernu Continentals. Thicker paper with smooth shiny gum (type II) was used for these printings. The new colours were 5D less intense blue, 6D yellow ochre, 7D brighter red and 9D deeper green. The differences of the 7D red stamp from earlier have gone and all four stamps are of an identical design and colouring. The little letters on each stamp were dropped. These were included in a single sheet of twelve stamps, three of each value, with much tête-bêcheing and se-tenanting. The sheet title and the design and copyright notices were moved to the foot of the sheet. Larger ‘undecorated’ sheets of 24 stamps , 6 of each value, were also prepared to provide single stamps. Unperforated examples of both sheet can be found, but I have not seen any unperforated single stamps. Any tête-bêche pairs joined at the base must come the smaller stamp sheet.




One thing collectors should look out for, and which can be missed, are perfinned examples. These were occasionally created for specific purposes, and could be one-offs. Examples also include a 1402 perfin which would have been applied for St Valentine's Day post.





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Carole View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Carole Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 February 2018 at 07:29
Very nice Steve
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Steve Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 February 2018 at 08:36
Thanks Carole

If anybody can add any iformation to this please do so. I will make sure my message inbox has enough space for the deluge of replies I am hoping for.
I am still looking to fill gaps in my collection so if you have anything interesting which you reckon needs a change of ownership let me know.
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