Page 2 - Farrimond Jamaica Miscellany
P. 2
JAMAICA
The "Laureated Head" of Queen Victoria
De La Rue and Co. Ltd. employed the gifted engraver Jean Ferdinand Joubert de la Ferte who in the mid-1850s
engraved a series of heads of Queen Victoria working from the design of the Wyon Head of the 1837 City Medal.
Jamaica, uniquely, selected the Diadem IV design, known as the "Laureated Head" for her stamps. Plates were
initially developed for the high value revenue stamps, issued in 1858, and the head was subsequently reworked
slightly for the first issue of postage stamps in 1860.
Die proofs of the Laureated Head for postage stamps
Two of three known states
Provenance: both ex
Surtees, Swarbrick & Jarvis
Enlarged
350%
L
State 1: Protrusion on upper lip and State 3: Upper lip smoothed, less
laurel leaves quite heavily shaded; shading to lower lip and front of neck;
similar to the 1858 revenue stamps laurel leaves lightened
One shilling revenue
Issued: stamp, for which the
51
1 January 1858
head was first used
