British Empire - Day 6

1894 "AFRICA" De La Rue dummy stamps, group of four 2 1/2d in matching top marginal blocks of four with marginal ornament in different colours incl. pale green and carmine (impurity spots on top two stamps), dull purple and lilac, green and purple and pale green and chestnut, all on gummed coated paper, fine to very fine.

Note: De La Rue proposed this keyplate design to the Cape, OFS, Natal & Transvaal with the intention of making stamp production more economical. Agreement could not be reached with the Transvaal and OFS. Only a single imperforate sheet of each colour combinations was produced.