British stamps collection of 'the finest lady philatelist' makes $4.7m

The collection of Lady Mairi Bury sold last week at Sotheby's, with very impressive results...

The sale of one of the world's finest collections of British postage stamps concluded at Sotheby's on Friday, having significantly exceeded pre-sale expectations.

'The Great Britain Philatelic Collections of Lady Mairi Bury' reached an impressive sale total of £3,045,924, beating its estimate of £2.6m.

Described as a "collector's collector", Lady Mairi Bury was one of the finest lady philatelists of our time. Her collection represented her excellent eye for quality and rarity as well as the unusual, and the three-day sale saw packed auction rooms with collectors from around the globe vying for its treasures.

The sale's top lot was 'The Balance of Lady Mairi's collection of King Edward VII' stamps', a comprehensive collection of 91 pages housed in two Frank Godden exhibition boxes and arranged by order of value from ½d. to £1. It contained several specimen stamps, numerous plate flaws and a superb range of blocks of four. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it smashed its estimate of £20,000 - £25,000 eventually selling for £66,000.

'The Balance of Lady Mairi's collection of King Edward VII' stamps' sold for £66,000

Other notable lots included a rare unused 1840 Two Pence Blue, Plate 1 which sold for £43,200, more than four times its high-end estimate of £10,000, and a 'VR' Official Penny Black which sold for £36,000 (far beyond its £15,000 - £20,000 estimate).

Stamp expert Adrian Roose, who dealt with Lady Mairi on many occasions, said:

 "She was a truly dedicated philatelist, who gave real love and care to her collection. She knew the benefits of investing in the best quality stamps, and this collection is a testament to her passion."

The auction, which achieved a sell-through rate of 83% by lot and 84% by value, was hailed as a great success and an indicator of the continuing strength of the market. 2010 has seen some record-breaking stamp sales, with figures proving them to be better investments than traditional stocks and shares, and many collectors are already gearing up for an equally-exciting 2011.

• Click here to view our rare stamps for sale
• Learn how you can get pleasure and profit by investing in rare stamps
• Read all the latest Stamps & Covers news

Join our readers in over 200 countries around the world - sign up for your free weekly Collectibles Newsletter today or download our free Collectors News app for your iPhone

Recent and related articles...

·  Fabergé and Bill Gross's 'most important' Russian stamps could bring $75,000 | 23 November 2010

This 1k orange pair was formerly owned by the House of Fabergé and the billionaire 'bond king'

·  'Hong Kong's most important stamp' is set to auction in 2011 | 22 November 2010

The '96c Olive-Bistre Block of Four' is regarded as the most sought-after item in Hong Kong philately

·  Rare Russian and Chinese stamps lead $700,000 auction at Raritan | 18 November 2010

A total of over 1,500 lots are going under the hammer including rarities from all over the world

·  Stamps to turn your world upside-down... Classic invert errors star at Spink Shreves | 15 November 2010

The upcoming rare stamps auction in New York is led by Greek, Jamaican and Australian beauties

·  From a King's collection: $50,000 stamp sells in Cherrystone's New York auction | 12 November 2010

Though it boasted rare stamps and covers from around the world, the sale was clearly led by China

www.paulfrasercollectibles.com

Images: Sotheby's