Dunedin exhibition 1925
The New Zealand and South Seas International Exhibition
Dunedin 1925:
Selling New Zealand and Otago to the World
Dunedin had hosted two exhibitions previously; a New Zealand exhibition in 1865 and a New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition in 1889. Dunedin's second New Zealand and South Seas International Exhibition was hosted in 1925 was a much larger affair, designed to promote trade and to attract people and business to settle in Otago. This time, the exhibition was based on reclaimed land at Logan Park, created by draining Lake Logan. The expansive exhibition footprint, extending over some 16 acres (6.5 hectares) comprised seven pavilions, including one dedicated to New Zealand manufacturing and one to motor cars. Others included an art gallery, amusement area, restaurant, tearooms, and a fernery with waterfall and streams. The pavilions surrounded a domed Festival hall, with walkways and reflective pools and a quarter mile scenic railway. As a mark of modern progress, the exhibition proved a showcase for electrical power, with its buildings lit up and shining out across the City at night. Exhibitors came from Australia, Canada, Fiji and the United Kingdom. During the almost six months that the exhibition ran, more than 3 million people visited the show (more than double the population of the country), making it the most popular in New Zealand history.
Four images of the construction process of Logan Park from the archives of the Dunedin City Council.
Three images showing aspects of the Dunedin Exhibition Amusement Park which proved incredibly popular with visitors. Photos from the Dunedin City Council archives.
The New Zealand and South Seas International Exhibition
Dunedin 1925:
A study of the flaws in the stamps of this Issue.
The Exhibition took place at Logan Park, Dunedin, from November 17, 1925, to May 1, 1926. Three commemorative stamps were issued exclusively for sale at the Exhibition Post Office, though they could be used on mail posted at other post offices.
The stamp design was created by Mr. H. Linley Richardson. It was decided that the stamps would be printed using a method that eliminated the need for cutting a die. Instead, the same design would be printed in two blended colors, aligning with the requirements of the Postal Union. The stamps were relief-printed from line-etched zinc plates on toned paper, prepared using lithographic plates.
The design featured the Grand Court with the Dome of the Festival Hall as its central element. While the concept was well thought out, the execution was considered poor.
Printing Process and Plate Modifications
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After completing the 1d plate, lithographic reproductions of the inscription "½d" were cut, gummed over the original "1d" in the bottom corners of 60 prints, and then etched into a new ½d plate.
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Once the ½d plate was finished, the "½d" overlays were removed and replaced with "4d" overlays for the creation of the third plate.
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The black prints were produced using lithography, while the plates were created using a photo-etching process. As a result, every stamp within the different sheets exhibits unique variations and recurring flaws.
Notable Printing Flaws
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All three stamp values contain recurring flaws due to the printing method.
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Additional flaws were introduced when the value inscriptions were modified between print runs.
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In the ½d value, plate damage caused the letter "O" in "Exhibition" to appear broken, resembling a "U", specifically in Row 1, Number 4.
A piece displaying all three values together can be seen on a registered letter sent from the Exhibition on April 27, 1926. Notably, the ½d stamp in this collection features the misprinted "U" instead of "O" in "Exhibition."
Below is an exhibition style presentation of printing flaws of the 1925 Dunedin Exhibition. Click on any image to enlarge and enjoy the detail of thrse wonderful stamps.
(a) 1840 1d Black on piece - SG 1
The New Zealand and South Seas International Exhibition
Dunedin 1925:
A study of Postal material generated by the Dunedin Exhibition stamps
The New Zealand and South Seas International Exhibition was held on reclaimed land at Logan Park, Dunedin, from November 17, 1925, to May 1, 1926. As part of the event, a Post and Telegraph Office was established in the Government Pavilion.
It was decided that three commemorative stamps would be issued exclusively at the Exhibition Post Office, though they could be used on mail posted at any post office nationwide. The number of each stamp printed was:
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½d – 600,000
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1d – 1,290,000
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4d – 120,000
However, actual sales were significantly lower:
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½d – 340,055
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1d – 650,028
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4d – 67,296
The remaining unsold stamps were withdrawn after the Exhibition closed on May 1, 1926, and subsequently destroyed.
Postal Materials and Cancellations
This display includes a variety of postal materials related to the Exhibition, such as:
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Letters sent to both domestic and international destinations
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Registered material
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Pre-printed letter cards
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Two types of mailing wallets
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Illustrated envelopes and postcards
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Items posted on the opening and closing days of the Exhibition
Two types of cancellation marks were used at the Exhibition Post Office:
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A circular hand stamp
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An electric rotary machine cancellation
Due to the high volume of mail passing through the Exhibition Post Office, two additional relief cancellation methodswere introduced. Variations in registered labels used at the Exhibition are also featured in this display.
Philatelic Significance
As with many major exhibitions, a large portion of the mail was philatelic in nature, with visitors keen to send a complete set of the three stamps to family and friends. While the Official Record of the Exhibition does not document the total number of letters sent, it does confirm that 2,147 registered articles were posted—eight of which are included in this display.
Exhibition Success and Stamp Usage
The Exhibition ran for approximately 5½ months and was considered a great success, attracting a total of 3,200,000 visitors. On the closing day alone, attendance reached 83,935.
Despite the high number of visitors, stamp sales remained relatively low, and many stamps were never used, remaining in mint condition. This has led to a scarcity of used examples, particularly those still on original covers or postcards.
Three covers, all addressed to the same address in Dunedin with the three stamps postmarked on the first day of issue, 17 November 1925.
Below is an exhibition style presentation of Postal history from the 1925 Dunedin Exhibition. Click on any image to enlarge and enjoy the detail of these wonderful stamps.
The Dunedin Exhibition stamps were printed in sheets of 6 x 10, so 60 stamps per sheet.
Below are partial scans of complete sheets of the 1/2d green and 1d red. Unfortunately no complete sheet of the 4d mauve! 😂
Partial scans of complete sheets - my scanner wasn't big enough to capture the whole sheet, and my camera wasn't good enough to get the quality image I wanted.
Perforation Alignment
To ensure that the sheets were perfectly aligned for perforating, coloured dots were printed on the sheets margins. Pins were placed on the perforation machine so each sheet could be quickly aligned and processed. These dots can be seen below on a block of six of each denomination. Of note in the 4d block is stamp in position row 10 column 1 which has the well known POSTAGF flaw.
