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Whilst my main interest lies in Fiji, I have been trying to find records of the use of a lozenge canceller appearing on a Fiji QV 1/- deep brown stamp. This type of inclined diagonal diamond-shaped obliterator was not used in Fiji, but seemingly was used by French colonies in the late 19th century. I came across an old publication by Robert Stone which gives examples of all the lozenge cancellers he could trace, and it appears that the closest match is Tahiti as the receiving port for the package bearing this stamp.

I have a copy of a book by Sinais and Venot, published by Sinais in 1989, on the cancellations of the French colonies in the Pacific. They say that only two examples of the Tahiti lozenge cancellation of 49 points had been recorded, on covers with a cds dated 11 .8.1869 and 11.1.1870. Presumably a duplex canceller. The reason for its use and the full period of use are not known. Of course, more examples and information may have come to light since 1989.

I would add that the cancellation on your stamp does look like it is the 49-point type (i.e. Tahiti). New Caledonia also used lozenge cancellations in the 1860s and 1870s but they were composed of 64 points.

Thanks for the publication reference John. I will try to find a copy, maybe in the British Library. Robert Stone mentions in his study that the Tahiti lozenges obliteration is "extremely rare" but he did not inform exactly "how many rare". The Sinals and Venot ref is both more informative and more recent. In Stone's study he gives examples of Tahiti and New Caledonia lozenges, but the latter lozenges (being more numerous) are mere blobs compared to the sharp points on the 49-diamond Tahiti example.

If the BL cannot help, the RPSL library has a copy of the Sinais and Venot publication.