This section records new or updated content on the site. Cosmetic changes and small corrections are not included.

Where a page has been updated several times, all links on this page will direct to the latest version, even if those links were originally to an earlier version.

16th November 2024

Added a new five page exhibit of GB perfins (shown at the 2024 AGM) Distillers by Melvyn Green to the exhibits page.

13th November 2024

Updated the auctions page with details of the planned schedule of future auctions.

7th November 2024
Updated the meetings page with the date of the Spring meeting in London.

6th November 2024
Added the 2024 AGM reports and accounts to the meetings page.

3rd November 2024
Updated the meetings page.

25th October 2024

Added a new article to the Research Corner section:

N0130 series re-appraisal is a 10-page study by Roy Gault explaining the re-cataloguing of the NA/SM perfins on GB stamps used by Nestle and Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Co. Ltd. with additional background information on the company by Rosemary Smith.

23rd October 2024

Added a new article to the Research Corner section:

Reappraisal of MT/C (M5600.01) is a 7-page study by Roy Gault looking at the MT/C perfins known used on GB stamps from the 1940s to 1960s.

10th October 2024

Added a new article to the Research Corner section:

Reappraisal of MM/Co M3960.01 is a 5-page study by Roy Gault looking at the MM/Co perfin on GB stamps and how it has been catalogued over the years, currently as M3960.01, concluding that there are actually two different perfins rather than one. 

7th October 2024

Updated the details of our planned meeting at the EuroPhilEx Birmingham 2025 exhibition to the meetings page.  Our meeting will be now be twice as long as originally planned.

4th October 2024

Added a two page article "Anyone for a curry?" by William Hall giving a short history of spice importers Sharwood's and their OW perfin on GB stamps, to the articles page.  This article was published in the October 2024 edition of our Bulletin.

30th September 2024

Updated the Catalogues for sale page with the new identities and new dies published with the October 2024 Bulletin.

14th September 2024

Added prices realised to auction 137, which closed yesterday.

11th September 2024

Added a new edition (version 5) of the Catalogue of Perfins found on the Stamps of Finland 1890-1940 by Roy Gault to the members' area.

9th September 2024

Added a new article to the Research Corner section:

Found - A LOST Perfin is a 4-page article by Roy Gault explaining how a likely identity was worked out from a single GB stamp, for a die that previously had no known details at all.

6th September 2024

Added a reminder to the auctions page that auction 137 closes a week today.

21st August 2024

Added a new Research Corner section to the Articles page.  This section is intended to allow publication of some more in-depth articles exploring the backgrounds of perfin users.

The first article in Research Corner is Gallatly - The Common Factor which is a 9-page article written by Roy Gault which explores the family and business connections behind several firms that used GB perfins that are in some way connected to the Gallatly family.

7th August 2024

Added "A perfinned fiscal forgery", a four page article by Roy Gault that attempts to unravel the mystery of a H.W perfin, known used on GB stamps, appearing on a forged Tasmania stamp, to the articles page.  This article was published in the August 2024 edition of our Bulletin.

3rd August 2024 

Added details of the newly published Catalogue of Sloper's Wartime Provisionals  to the Catalogues for Sale page.  Compiled by Roy Gault, this catalogue is published electronically.

24th July 2024

Updated the Catalogues for sale page with the new identities and new dies published with the August 2024 Bulletin.

23rd July 2024

Added auction 137, closing on 13th September.

20th June 2024

Replaced Melvyn Green's display of perfins on the topic of religion on the exhibits page with an expanded version containing an extra four pages of material.

6th June 2024
Added further details about our Annual General Meeting to the meetings page.

3rd June 2024
Added the date and venue of our Annual General Meeting in London to the meetings page.

2nd June 2024

Added a two page article "PA in Circle perfin" by James Norris showing examples of the official PA in circle perfin, normally associated with the cancellation of GB Estate Duty revenues, used on GB postage stamps, to the articles page.  This article was published in the June 2024 edition of our Bulletin.

29th May 2024

Updated the Catalogues for sale page with the new identities and new dies published with the June 2024 Bulletin.

23rd May 2024

Updated the auctions page with details of the planned schedule of future auctions.

10th May 2024

Added a new 46 page exhibit of GB perfins and commercial overprints:

Hatters & Milliners by Melvyn Green to the exhibits page.

5th May 2024

Added prices realised to Auction 136

4th May 2024

Replaced the Perforated Postal Stationery of Great Britain catalogue by Rosemary Smith and Maurice Harp with an expanded version. 

1st May 2024

Added a reminder to the auctions page that Auction 136 closes this Saturday, 4th May.

30th April 2024

1. Added details of the keenly awaited  Perfins on the Line Engraved Issues of Great Britain catalogue to the Catalogues for Sale page.  Compiled by Roy Gault and Maurice Harp, this catalogue is published electronically.

2. Added Roy Gault's Braham Study to the members' area.  This study has previously been published on our old website.

27th April 2024

Added a brief report on our Spring Meeting in London today to the meetings page.

26th April 2024

Replaced the Catalogue of Railway Letter, Newspaper and Parcel Delivery Perfins by Jeff Turnbull and Maurice Harp with an expanded version. 

24th April 2024

Added a reminder that our Spring Meeting in London takes place this Saturday to the meetings page.

31st March 2024

Updated the Catalogues for sale page with the new identities and new dies published with the April 2024 Bulletin.

28th March 2024

Added Auction 136 which closes on 4th May.

19th March 2024

Replaced part 4 of the Perfins of Africa catalogue by Jeff Turnbull with an updated version.

17th March 2024

Replaced the Perfins of the British Caribbean islands and area catalogue by Jeff Turnbull with an updated version.

16th March 2024

Added prices realised to auction 135 which closed on 15th March.

8th March 2024

Updated the auctions page with news of the scheduling of our next auction and a reminder that our current auction closes a week today, on 15th March.

29th February 2024

Added an item of Society news to the members section.

24th February 2024

Updated the study of Municipal Perfins by Stephen Steere, bringing together information on perfins used by local councils in Great Britain.  

18th February 2024

Added details of our planned meeting at the EuroPhilEx Birmingham 2025 exhibition to the meetings page.

(Note that our next meeting is our Spring 2024 meeting in London)

17th February 2024

Replaced all four parts of the Perfins of Africa catalogue by Jeff Turnbull with updated versions.

15th February 2024

Replaced all three parts of  the Perfins of India catalogue by Jeff Turnbull with updated versions.

14th February 2024

Replaced the Perfins of the British Caribbean islands and area catalogue by Jeff Turnbull with an updated version.

11th February 2024

Replaced the Perfin Stamps of Malaya catalogue by Jeff Turnbull with an updated version.

7th February 2024

Replaced the Perfin Stamps of Mauritius catalogue by Jeff Turnbull with an updated version.

6th February 2024

Replaced the Perfin Stamps of Ceylon & Sri Lanka catalogue by Jeff Turnbull with an updated version.

2nd February 2024

Added details of our Spring Meeting in London to the meetings page.

1st February 2024

Added "The Ceylon perfin with a 'native' script" - a six page article from the February 2024 Bulletin in which Roy Gault discusses a Ceylon perfin that unusually includes Gujarati characters in addition to the letters HD and makes the case for the user being Hassenally Davoodbhoy.

31st January 2024

Replaced both parts of the GB Foreign Bill stamps catalogue by Jeff Turnbull with updated versions.

29th January 2024

Updated the Catalogues for sale page with the new identities and new dies published with the February 2024 Bulletin.

28th January 2024

Added a new digital exhibit Summary of Sloper's "Through Five Reigns" Plaques containing details compiled by Maurice Harp of all 13 known surviving commemorative plaques with perfin stamps attached, as produced by J. Sloper & Co. in 1939.

27th January 2024

Added auction 135 which closes on 15th March.

26th January 2024

Replaced the Perfin Contract Note Stamps of GB catalogue by Jeff Turnbull with an updated version.

25th January 2024

Replaced the GB & Ireland Official and Crown Circle Perfin Cancels catalogue by Jeff Turnbull with an updated version.

22nd January 2024

Replaced both parts of the Perfins on Inland Revenue Stamps catalogue by Jeff Turnbull with updated versions.

21st January 2024

Replaced the Perfin Telegraph Stamps catalogue by Jeff Turnbull with an updated version.

16th January 2024

Added a new online catalogue by Jon Evans - a 50 page page full colour catalogue of GB Fiscal Commercial Overprints 1853-1876

1st January 2024

Replaced the Brief History of the Perfin Society with a new version updated by Roy Gault.

27th December 2023

Added a four page article from the December Bulletin to the articles page.

"A WWII Shadow Factory" (pdf) by Roy Gault looks at the FORD perfins on GB stamps, in particular how their revival after an absence of a decade points to their use in a shadow factory in Manchester.

12th December 2023

Replaced Melvyn Green's display of perfins on the topic of local government on the exhibits page with an expanded version containing an extra page of material at the end of the exhibit.

10th December 2023

Added "Perfin Pioneers" , Roy Gault's research notes on early perfin collectors, to the members section.  Perfins were rarely collected in the early days of philately, with collectors regarding them as damaged stamps until well into the 20th Century.

6th December 2023

Added an item of Society news to the members section.

4th December 2022

Updated the Bulletin page with an expanded index of Bulletins covering all issues up the end of 2023, courtesy of John Mathews.

3rd December 2022

Added officers reports from the AGM to the meetings page.

1st December 2023

Updated the Catalogues for sale page with the new identities and new dies published with the December 2023 Bulletin.

30th November 2023

Added a new file to the members section.

"In the Beginning!" by Roy Gault, covers the origins of the first security endorsements, including the first perfins in 1868.

22nd November 2023

Started to build a members section.

Society members are invited to become members of the website via the link above.

The members section will soon contain content that will be available to members only.

The vast majority of the website will remain free to all.

21st November 2023

Updated the Society rules as follows:

Rules 4 and 10 - removal of the role of Publications Officer and change to non-member pricing of publications.

Rule 13 - clarified that auction payments should always be made to the Secretary/Treasurer.

15th November 2023

Added Sloper records by Steve Steere, a major resource consisting of scans of records rescued from J. Sloper & Co. when they closed down, complete with an index of the perfin and overprint users identified within.  The "brown book" and "Book 1" files have not been published or indexed before.  The other books were available on our old website.

11th November 2023

Added prices realised to auction 134.

8th November 2022

Added Melvyn Green's display, shown at the recent AGM, of perfins on the topic of local government perfins to the exhibits page.

5th November 2023

Updated the auctions page with news of future auctions and a reminder that our current auction closes on 10th November.

1st November 2023

Updated the meetings page with a brief report on our AGM.

27th October 2023

Replaced Melvyn Green's display of perfins on the topic of religion on the exhibits page with an expanded version containing an extra page of material at the end of the exhibit.

1st October 2023

Added an article from the October Bulletin "Serendipity" - a two page article by Roy Gault regarding Ayrton & Saunders, users of the unusual IXL in oval perfin on GB stamps, to the articles page.

30th September 2023

Updated the Catalogues for sale page with the new identities and new dies published with the October 2023 Bulletin.

29th September 2023

Added auction 134, closing 10th November.

16th September 2023

Added prices realised to auction 133

8th September 2023

Added a reminder to the auctions page that auction 133 closes a week today, on 15th September.

1st September 2023

Replaced Maurice Harp's GB line engraved perfins exhibit "Full House" with an expanded version containing an extra 21 pages of material.  Click here for Maurice's exhibits

31st August 2023

Added an article "McDougall Bros - Chemical Manufacturers" by Maurice Harp from the August Bulletin giving a brief history of the inventors of self-raising flour and user of the McD/BROS perfin, to the articles page.

27th July 2023

Updated the Catalogues for sale page with the new identities and new dies published with the August 2023 Bulletin.

26th July 2023

Added auction 133, closing 15th September.

9th July 2023

Updated the meetings page with further details of our AGM.

7th July 2023

Updated the auction page with details  of forthcoming auctions. 

1st July 2023

Updated the meetings page with the date and venue for our AGM.

4th June 2023

Replaced Maurice Harp's exhibit "Line Engraved Railway Perfins" with an updated and expanded version containing an extra 17 pages of material.  Click here for Maurice's exhibits

1st June 2023

Added an article by Bob Szymanski "A mysterious cover" showing a 1938 cover bearing both US stamps and perfinned GB stamps of the United States Lines shipping company, to the articles page.

28th May 2023

Replaced the Perforated Postal stationery of Great Britain catalogue with an updated version, compiled by Rosemary Smith and Maurice Harp.

26th May 2023

Updated the Catalogues for sale page with the new identities and new dies published with the June 2023 Bulletin.

16th May 2023

Updated the auction page with news of our next auction. 

13th May 2023

Added prices realised to auction 132

5th May 2023

Updated the auction page with a reminder that our current auction closes on Friday 12th May

30th April 2023

Updated the meetings page following yesterday's London meeting.

3rd April 2023

Added an article by Maurice Harp "Earliest Sloper Arrow Cancel" showing a newly discovered postcard with a Sloper arrow cancel used earlier than any previously known London arrow cancel, to the articles page.

30th March 2023

Updated the Catalogues for sale page with the new identities and new dies published with the April 2023 Bulletin.

27th March 2023

Added auction 132, closing 12th May.

18th March 2023

Added prices realised to auction 131.

12th March 2023

Updated the auction page with a reminder that our current auction closes on Friday 17th March and an update on the timing of future auctions.

21st February 2023

Replaced the Perfins on SG F11 & SG F12 1d Inland Revenue Stamps catalogue by Jeff Turnbull with an updated version.

19th February 2023

Replaced Part 1 of the Foreign Bill Stamps of Great Britain catalogue by Jeff Turnbull with an updated version.  There is no update for Part 2 this time.

18th February 2023

Replaced the Perfin Contract Note Stamps catalogue by Jeff Turnbull with an updated version.

15th February 2023

Replaced Jeff Turnbull's GB and Ireland Official and Crown Circle Perfin Cancels catalogue with an updated version.

13th February 2023

Replaced the Perfin Telegraph Stamps catalogue by Jeff Turnbull with an updated version.

9th February 2023

Replaced all four parts of Jeff Turnbull's Perfins of Africa catalogue with updated versions.

7th February 2023

Replaced the Perfin Stamps of Malaya catalogue by Jeff Turnbull with an updated version.

6th February 2023

Updated Jeff Turnbull's Perfins of Mauritius catalogue.

4th February 2023

Added Bulletins from 2017 to the past Bulletins page.

2nd February 2023

Added a two page article "Who was Mr. Streeter?" by Maurice Harp from the February Bulletin, investigating the user of the GB curved full name perfin MR. / STREETER in the 1880s, to the articles page.

1st February 2023

Replaced the Perfin Stamps of Ceylon and Sri Lanka catalogue by Jeff Turnbull with an updated version.

30th January 2023

Replaced all parts of Jeff Turnbull's Perfins of India catalogue with updated versions.

29th January 2023

Updated the Catalogues for sale page with the new identities and new dies published with the February 2023 Bulletin.

28th January 2023

Updated the meetings page with details of our meeting on 29th April.

26th January 2023

Added a new updated version of Jeff Turnbull's Perfins of the British Caribbean Islands and area catalogue.

25th January 2023

Added auction 131, closing 17th March.

4th January 2023

Replaced the Brief History of the Perfin Society with a new version updated by Roy Gault.

21st December 2022

Replaced Melvyn Green's display of perfins on the topic of religion on the exhibits page with an expanded version containing an extra page of material at the beginning of the exhibit.

4th December 2022

1. Added an article from the December Bulletin "Diamonds are Forever" by William Hall, illustrating all 14 perfins known on GB stamps that consist of letters within a diamond shape, to the articles page.

2. Updated the Catalogues for sale page with the new identities and new dies published with the December 2022 Bulletin.

13th November 2022

Added prices realised to auction 130.

29th October 2022

Updated the auctions page with a reminder that auction 130 closes on Friday 11th November.

With postal strikes scheduled for 2nd - 4th November, members bidding by post are encouraged to send their bids early.

22nd October 2022

Added an article from the October Bulletin "A common perfin to and from an uncommon country?" by Bob Szymanski featuring two parcel cards with Danish stamps with perfins of Wessel & Vett, used within or to Greenland, to the articles page.

3rd October 2022 

Updated the Catalogues for sale page with the new identities and new dies published with the August 2022 and October 2022 Bulletins.

2nd October 2022

Added officers reports from the AGM to the meetings page.

30th September 2022

Following yesterday's AGM, updated the meetings page and added Melvyn Green's display at the meeting of perfins on the topic of religion to the exhibits page.

29th September 2022 

Updated the Catalogues for sale page with the new identities and new dies published with the June 2022 Bulletin.

28th September 2022

Added auction 130, closing 11th November.

13th September 2022

Added a new study of Municipal Perfins by Stephen Steere.  

This brings together information on perfins used by local councils in Great Britain.  

Reports of additional information are welcome.

10th September2022

Added prices realised to auction 129 which closed on 9th September.

3rd September 2022

Updated the auctions page, including a reminder that auction 129 closes on Friday 9th September.  With postal strikes on the 8th and 9th September, members are advised to email bids if possible.

1st September 2022 

Added a four page article by Roy Gault "Valdemar Lutzen - Faroe Islands", featuring the V.L and D.D.P.A. perfins used in the Faroe Islands, to the articles page.

24th August 2022

Updated Jeff Turnbull's GB and Ireland Official and Crown Circle Perfin Cancels catalogue and his  Perfins on SG F11 & SG F12 1d Inland Revenue Stamps catalogue.

23rd August 2022

Updated Jeff Turnbull's Perfinned Foreign Bill Stamps catalogue.

21st August 2022

Updated Jeff Turnbull's Perfin Telegraph Stamps catalogue.

Jeff has made a great number of alterations to this catalogue in order to bring it up to date with the latest SG catalogue numbers. 

12th August 2022

Updated the The Perfin Contract Note Stamps of Great Britain catalogue by Jeff Turnbull.

10th August 2022

Updated the Perfins of the British Caribbean Islands & Area catalogue by Jeff Turnbull.

9th August 2022

Updated the Perfin Stamps of Ceylon and Sri Lanka catalogue by Jeff Turnbull.

8th August 2022

Updated all parts of Jeff Turnbull's Perfins of India catalogue.

4th August 2022

Updated Jeff Turnbull's Perfins of Mauritius catalogue.

1st August 2022

Updated the Perfin Stamps of Malaya catalogue by Jeff Turnbull. 

31st July 2022

Updated Part 3 (British East Africa) and Part 4 (British West Africa) of Jeff Turnbull's Perfins of Africa catalogue.

30th July 2022

Updated Part 2 (Union and Republic of South Africa) of Jeff Turnbull's Perfins of Africa catalogue.

Jeff has produced this new edition with the pages in a different format which includes images of the stamps.

27th July 2022

Added auction 129 which closes on 9th September.

26th July 2022

Updated Part 1 (The four South African provinces) of Jeff Turnbull's Perfins of Africa catalogue.

Jeff has produced this new edition with the pages in a different format which includes images of the stamps.  Part 2 will be updated in similar fashion soon.

8th July 2022

Updated the auction rules to clarify the requirements for bidding by email (rule 1) and responsibility for bank fees and import taxes (rule 10).

20th June 2022

Added an article from the June 2022 Bulletin "Cory Bros & Co perfin on ½d Bantam Plate 9" - a seven page article by James Norris featuring a CORY/C perfin on the scarce plate 9 bantam ½d and other perfins of Welsh firm Cory Brothers & Co., to the articles page.

31st May 2022

Replaced the Perforated Postal stationery of Great Britain catalogue with an updated version, compiled by Rosemary Smith and Maurice Harp.

27th May 2022 

Corrected the date of our Annual General Meeting on the meetings page.

26th May 2022

Updated the meetings page with details of our Annual General Meeting.

14th May 2022 

Added prices realised to  Auction 128

3rd May 2022

A reminder that Auction 128, a bumper auction of 500 lots, closes in ten days' time on 13th May.

9th April 2022

Added a six page article from the April 2022 Bulletin, "Two Brothers - Five Perfins!" by Roy Gault, about tailors Curzon Brothers and the CB perfin that they used on the stamps of five different countries, to the articles page.

7th April 2022

Updated the Catalogues for sale page with the new identities and new dies published with the February 2022 and April 2022 Bulletins.

1st April 2022

Updated the meetings page with news of the cancellation of our Spring meeting.

30th March 2022    

Added Auction 128, a bumper auction of 500 lots closing on 13th May.

21st March 2022   

Added prices realised to Auction 127 

5th March 2022  

Added a note to Auction 127 explaining that there will be a slight delay in publishing the results.

The auction closes on 17th March.

4th March 2022 

Updated the Catalogues for sale section with further details of the new catalogues published on 13th March 2022 and available to pre-order now.

3rd March 2022 

Added two exhibits shown at our meeting at the London 2022 show to the exhibits page:

1. "Newspaper and Publisher Perfins" by Melvyn Green.  Click here for Melvyn's exhibits

2. "Perfin die configurations 1868-1880" by Maurice Harp.  Click here for Maurice's exhibits

2nd March 2022 

Updated the meetings page with details of our London meeting on 30th April.

26th February 2022

Updated the Catalogues for sale section with details of the forthcoming Gault-2 catalogue of GB perfins and the Sloper 154 data stick which are published on 13th March 2022 and available to pre-order now.

18th February 2022  

Added a Catalogue of Perfins found on the Stamps of Finland 1890-1940 by Roy Gault.

17th February 2022 

Added a Catalogue of Perfins found on the Stamps of Gibraltar 1900-1908 by Roy Gault.

16th February 2022

Added a Catalogue of Perfins found on the Stamps of Malta 1885-1945 by Roy Gault.

15th February 2022

Added a Brief History of the Society, originally written by the late Michael Rucklidge, updated by Roy Gault.

3rd February 2022

Updated the meetings page with further details of our meeting on 22nd February at the London International Stamp Exhibition.

1st February 2022

Updated the articles page, adding an article  "Memories of visit to J. Sloper Checkpoint Ltd." by James Norris published in the February 2022 Bulletin.

26th January 2022

Added Auction 127 which closes on 17th March.

23rd January 2022

Updated all parts of Jeff Turnbull's Perfins of Africa catalogue.

15th January 2022

Updated the Perfin Stamps of Malaya catalogue by Jeff Turnbull. 

13th January 2022

Updated all parts of Jeff Turnbull's Perfins of India catalogue.

12th January 2022

Updated the Perfin Telegraph Stamps catalogue by Jeff Turnbull. 

10th January 2022

Updated Jeff Turnbull's GB and Ireland Official and Crown Circle Perfin Cancels catalogue. 

9th January 2022

Updated both parts of Jeff Turnbull's Perfins on Inland Revenue Stamps catalogue.

8th January 2022

Updated Jeff Turnbull's Perfins of Mauritius catalogue. 

6th January 2022

Updated the The Perfin Contract Note Stamps of Great Britain catalogue by Jeff Turnbull.

5th January 2022

Updated the Perfin Stamps of Ceylon and Sri Lanka catalogue by Jeff Turnbull.

4th January 2022

Updated the Foreign Bill Stamps of Great Britain catalogue by Jeff Turnbull.

3rd January 2022

Updated the Perfins of the British Caribbean Islands & Area catalogue by Jeff Turnbull.

2nd January 2022

Added an articles page, transferring all articles from the last five years from the old website and adding two articles, from the October 2021 and December 2021 Bulletins, that have not previously been published online.

Older Bulletin articles can be found in the archive of past Bulletins on the Bulletin page.

27th December 2021

Expanded the Bulletin page to include the indexes to the Bulletin and pdf files of past Bulletins from 1957 to 2016.  Bulletins from 1962 - 1968 are published online for the first time, other years have previously been available on our old website.

4th December 2021

Added prices realised to Auction 126

2nd December 2021

Added new identities files for December 2021 and an updated combined file of all new identities reported since the publication of the Gault catalogue.

View new identities

30th November 2021

Added a fillable bid form download the to auctions page.  Auction 126 closes on 3rd December.

16th November 2021

Added an exhibit "Pipe, Tobacco and Cigarette Manufacturers", shown at the 2021 AGM by Melvyn Green.  Click here to see Melvyn's exhibits.

7th November 2021

Added prices realised to Auction 125

20th October 2021

Added an exhibits page, transferring all the exhibits from the old website.

30th September 2021

Added two new auctions the to auctions page.

24th September 2021

Added the Catalogues for sale section.  All catalogues are now in electronic format.

17th September 2021

Added the online catalogues section.  This includes two updated catalogues:

Part 1 of Perfins of Africa by Jeff Turnbull

Part 1 of the Security (Advertising) Rings Reference Collection by Maurice Harp

The other online catalogues have been transferred from the old site unchanged.

4th September 2021

New site went live