ORANGE WINEBIRD | NEW ZEALAND WINEPOST

THE ORANGE WINEBIRD 1990

WP#0

The Orange Wine Bird was printed and issued for postal trials beginning in October. The best issue date we have is Oct 10. And it was used in to November. Printed in sheets of 24. There are thought to be about 5 sheets all hand numbered. Two mint sheets reside in our archive that are mint and still have the mini-sheets attached. It was also printed in smaller sheets that were only used for trials of paper types and various proofing. It is not yet known if other colors were trialed. The plate was derived from the same master artwork for the Burgundy Wine Bird issued in December.

The Orange Wine Bird belongs to the Forrunner issues that go back to the 1980's, but has been given a main catalogue number because it was used for postage. There exist small trial printings from early artwork in blue that were gummed or not gummed. These were part of the trials for printing, gumming and paper type and the method of assembling large sheets. It is intended to feature these here also and any other forerunner material that comes to light from the archive. A connected piece of history is the first Wine label printed in 1976 on gummed photographic paper.

Before the Forerunner issues there were the Primitives. These are important in the evolution of the New Zealand Wine Post.

12 cent Red Regatta Day organized by the Purakanui Royal Yacht Club roulette perforated self-adhesive. Two types exist- this one and a purple one. Also sheets of each with gum or self adhesive were printed. These were used on the invites for the first course committee dinner in 1982.

1985 New Zealand Wine Post Forerunner Halley´s Comet.jpg

The 1985 Halley Comet stamp. Did not contain the winebird signergraph or Glyph used on winery label of the era. The stamp depicted Halley Comet over the Saddle hill- a local iconic hill. It was sepia and was perforated by roulette and was gummed. It landmarks an advance in the stamp production.

1985-1989 Weston's Postage & Revenue bottle values imperforate and Arabic gummed black of various wine label designs that depicted the wine types. Examples of every stamp exist.

Back to 1990

These early stamps of the Wine Post were issued at the Berwick St Winery as far back as 1980. These are known as Forerunner issues. All contain the Wine Bird Signergraph or Glyph. The designs were derived from the wine labels themselves. Mint examples of these are scarce. They are an important part of the historical foundation of the Winery and The Wine Post which was officially adopted 1990. What follows is a simplified list of these Forerunner stamps:

Blue Wine Bird design trial 'sheet'.
1982 Red Purakanui 12 cent Royal Yacht Club roulette perforated self-adhesive.
1985 sepia 1 Bottle Halley's Comet Arabic gummed postage stamp.
1985-1989 Weston's Postage & Revenue bottle values imperforate and Arabic gummed. Color- black, of various wine label designs.
1989 Postage Paid 1 Dollar black imperforate Winebird stamp 1990.
The postal used trial Orange Wine Bird 1 dollar perforated and gummed issue 1990.