Asher Definitives - ECHO'S PHILA HOUSE

The Asher printed stamps are all smaller in size than the Bradbury stamps, even though the designs are the same.

CCMs: Yes, but not for all the different printings
Plate #: No
Sheet:
Quantity printed: Unknown
Designer:
Printer: Asher & Co. Melbourne, Australia
FDC: Yes (Unofficial)
Pmks.: Dacca
Insert: None

Additional: Several of the different printings of the stamps can be determined by the size and length of the printing at the bottom of each sheet where the name of the compamy is given. In one of the printings they included the CCM. What has not been verified is if all of the values of the stamps were printed with these three different lengths of the name of the printer that are seen in some of the values. Numerous misperforation varieties can be found in most of the definitive sets of Bangladesh.

Due to most collectors ignoring the Definitive stamps of the country, virtually no information is available on them. What information was gathered by collectors has never been made available to the general public. Above are three different printings of the same stamp (The 25p Tiger stamp) from Asher. Luckily, someone saved the bottom panes of the stamps, otherwise there would be no way of telling the three different printing apart if you only saw the stamps. Dr. Ataul Quadir had done some tremendous research on the definitives and hopefully, with his help, much of it will be presented here in time. Of the three printings illustrated above, only one shows the CCM. At this point these are the only three printings that can be verified and they probably exist for many of the stamp values.

Date of Issued: 15 January 1976

20p Hibiscus flower – olive

A printing without the CCM.

25p Tiger – rose lilac

The variety with the CCM. Two other varieties exist without the CCM. see above at the top.

A great example of a misperforation of a sheet of the 25p Tiger definitive stamp.

Tk.1 Court of Justice – violet

Date of Issued: 11 February 1976

76-4d 5p Jack fruit – green a. imperforate b. Top perforation shifted down, making the top perforated area shorter than those below it, and below the second line of perforation, vertically, there is an area of double perforation. 1 stamp

Date of Issued: 28 April 1976

76-5d 10p Farmer plowing – black a. imperforate 1 stamp

The variety with the CCM.

FDC with Generic postmark: PHILATELIC BUREAU/date/DACCA G.P.O. No envelopes were prepared by the Post Office. Envelopes are plain and provided by the collector. For some reason the “76” in the cancellation appears to have been applied over the unreadable date underneath. It is darker and was applied with more force. A cover exists with two additional (albino) impressions of the “76” imprint. One is near the bottom of the circular cancellation and the other is outside the cancellation. Faint impressions of the circle are also visible.

Date of Issued: 8 June 1976

76-6d 50p Fish (Hilsa) – rose lilac a. imperforate b. margin imperf. Additional: Ten to twelve sheets are known with the margin imperf.

This imperforate block of four was a sample of the 50p. Hilsa stamp that was submitted to the government for approval, but was rejected. The stamp was issued in pink (illustrated above) and in a smaller size. This sample can be found on some philatelic covers. For years the author thought this was a Bradbury essay, but collectors later provided information that this was one of the sample designs submitted by Asher & Company for the definitive set. All the other designs for the definitives were accepted. The only other design that was changed was the Tk.1 SERVICE overprinted stamp, which had the size of the black SERVICE wording made smaller.

A margin imperf. pair of the 50p Hilsa fish stamp, printed by Asher & Company of Australia. Ten to twelve sheets are known with the margin imperforate.