Saturday/ here comes the Dromedaris 🐪

I spent a few hours on my South African stamp collection today, poring over my Scott stamp catalog to find the fine— but distinct— differences between the various issues of the ubiquitous 1 p Dromedaris stamps issued in 1926, 1932, 1940 and in 1951 (shown below).

A little history first:
On April 6, 1652 (372 years ago), Jan Van Riebeeck landed at the Cape of Good Hope in what is called South Africa today, with three ships; the Reijer, the Dromedaris, and the Goede Hoop. He was accompanied by 82 men and 8 women, including his wife of two years, Maria.
Van Riebeeck was requested by the Dutch East India Company to undertake the command of the initial Dutch settlement in the future South Africa.

About this stamp:
From the First Definite Series of the Union of South Africa (a redesign of the original 1926 version, issued in 1951)
Photogravure printing    Perf. 15×14    Wmk. Multiple Springbok head
49 A6    1 p carmine & black    Afrikaans-English se-tenant pair (’51, size 18x22mm) of Jan van Riebeeck’s ship, the Dromedaris
[Source: 2021 Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue Vol. 6A]

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