This is a new discovery of stamp FF of plate 9, in black and in state 2.There's not much that I would disagree with Osborne on.
One thing though is his treatment of the repairs to units FC, FF, GA, GB, GC, GD and GE of plate 9.
To me it is quite wrong for these repairs to be classified in the final repair of this plate, apparently simply because black prints had not been seen.
The fact remains that the repair to these units has the characteristics of the earlier provisional repair, not the later operation.
In the former, the stars are weakened by re-entry due to the use of a transfer roller with blank upper corners.
The latter repair strengthens the stars, from use a roller with complete upper corners.
The units listed above are clearly in the former category.
In support of this, I see that SG has the repair of stamp FC in the provisional repair listings, so I assume as a black print in state 2 has since been identified.
Further, a couple of years ago I discovered a black print of stamp FF showing the repair - see scan.
It is my belief that the remaining units GA to GE also exist in black in the second state - they simply haven't been found yet.
Some of the provisional prints (ie black stamps in state 2) of this plate, whilst not common, are seen fairly often - A and B row stamps.
So why are the others apparently so elusive?
To me there can be only one answer - the provisional repair to this plate must have been a spilt operation with some of the units operated on at a later time, but still before the emergency order for 10,000 sheets of stamps in black had been filled.
If the second tranche of repairs was very close to the date when red printings recommenced, then that would make examples of those repairs in black very scarce indeed - and that certainly seems to be the case here.
The discovery of stamp FF in black in state 2 proves that this unit should be included in SG Spec AS60.
Also that red state 1 prints are pre-provisionals, and as such should be included in SG Spec AS63.
