This 1899 photo shows a Lakatoi, a vessel employed to sail on the tail of the south-east monsoon up the coast of Papua to trade pottery for Sago. The image was used to create the vignette for the Papua Lakatoi stamps issued from 1901 to 1932.
The Territory of Papua
In 1884, the southern part of the country now known as Papua New Guinea became a British protectorate. Four years later, together with some adjacent islands, the territory became known as British New Guinea (BNG). In 1905, with the passage of the ‘Papua Act’, the province was officially placed under Australian control and renamed the Territory of Papua. Stamps issued under the banner of Papua were produced from 1906 to 1932.
Among the issues produced during this 26-year period were the Papua Lithographed Lakatoi series delivered to Papua between 1908 and 1911. These stamps were printed in Melbourne, Australia by
