Postage Stamps

Australia King George V 1914 (March) Perkins Bacon 1d die proof, SG21, state 4 (the final approved state, with wattles now fully shaded and Emu re-engraved), i carmine-rose on surfaces card (125x95mm).

Insignificant blemishes mentioned for accuracy (small crease at extreme NE corner of surround, trivial marks on reverse) but an important and most attractive proof of the highest rarity, being one of only 4 recorded full size proofs in this colour (including examples in the Royal and Australia Post collections), and endorsed 'final' in pencil on reverse. 

Australian Stamp Catalogue No: 70 DP(14)Ba/c

Australia 1932 'Sydney Harbour Bridge' 5s, fine cancelled-to-order. Used. SG 143

Bahamas 1919 3d black and brown, type 15 'WAR TAX' overprint, variety watermark reversed, lower marginal, fine original gum. Unmounted Mint. SG 105x

Bahamas 1954-63 set of 16 to £1, blocks of 4, fine used with central 'NASSAU' circular date stamps, dated '21 MAR 61'. Attractive. Used. SG 201/16

Basutoland 1948 Royal Silver Wedding set in blocks of 4, the low value lower right corner with plate number, the high value with imprint, unmounted original gum. Unmounted Mint. SG 36/7

Batum British Occupation 1920 (12 Jan) 50r on 3k carmine-red, SG24, type 4 surcharge, fine used with part circular date stamp.

One of the key rarities of Batum with only 200 being issued. Used examples are rarer than mint.

Accompanied by a 2004 British Philatelic Association (BPA) Certificate of Authenticity.

The SG catalogue price is £2,000.

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Bermuda 1938-53 5s dull yellow-green and red/yellow, SG118b/bd/be perforation 14¼ LINE, lower right corner block of 4 with plate number, showing varieties 'Broken top right scroll' (R5/11) and 'Broken lower right scroll' (R5/12) on lower pair with original gum, (varieties unmounted).

Typical lightly toned gum but a rare and attractive positional multiple. Only 200 sheets printed, with a high degree of postal usage.

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British Guiana 1850-51 12c black and indigo "Cotton Reel", type 'C' with thin frame, SG6. Indistinct MS initials, cut square with clear margins except frameline barely touched by "GU" of "GUIANA", neatly cancelled by large part "BERBICE" circular date stamp dated "DEC 6 1851".

Typical paper blemishes characteristic of the coarse "sugar" paper (tiny pinholes and insignificant traces of thinning) but much above average for this classic rarity, whose primitive charm is best appreciated in strong sunlight. Accompanied with a clear Friedl certificate (1979) as Scott 5b. The SG catalogue price is £45,000. A rare opportunity to own what is of the world's great stamp rarities.

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British Guiana, Used, 1850-51 4c black on orange "Cottonreel', violet M/S initials 'WHL' of W.H. Lortimer, cut round with frameline intact, affixed to piece by a wafer and tied by 1851 Demerara 'MR 20" circular date stamp, SG2. 

The method of affixation has caused some minor wrinkles not detracting in any way from the fact this is an attractive example of this classic rarity, particularly so with such fresh colour.

These crude and primitive stamps from British Guiana are extremely popular with collectors and investors alike. Accompanied with an independent certificate of authenticity from Holcombe (1985). The Stanley Gibbons catalogue price for this rarity is £16,000.

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British Virgin Islands 1883 (28 Feb) colour scheme proofs (160 x 215mm, headed "Appendix" in miniature sheet and with handstamped date at upper right) submitted by De La Rue to the Crown Agents in response to an order for a new ½d value. The problem was that the current 1d keyplate was already in emerald-green (SG24), although "green" was now the international colour for a ½d stamp.

To illustrate this, De La Rue affixed the current 1d (SG24) and 2½d (SG25) in the upper line, and IMPERFORATE ½d colour trials, watermark CA, in blue, carmine and green, below each item handstamped "CANCELLED" (type D7). In the event, the first printing of the ½d was in yellow, but the universal colours were adopted for the  ½d (green), 1d (carmine) and 2½d (blue) later in 1883-84. A unique and beautiful document with fantastic provenance, ex. J.L. Fredrick and De La Rue archives (The De La Rue Collection p.6506). 

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Canada 1875-92 Registration Stamps 5c green (shades) perforations 12 x 11¾, unused, SGR11.

A fine quality unused example with large part original gum of this difficult to find shade of the earliest Registration stamps from Canada.

Provenance: Ex ‘Jura’ 2007.

Accompanied with a 1978 certificate of authenticity from the Royal Philatelic Society (RPS).

The SG catalogue price is £1,000. 

Canada 1875-92 Registration Stamps Unused in blocks of 4, SGR1, R7a, R8/9

A fantastic and difficult to assemble collection of the earliest Registration stamps from Canada (2c, 5c and 8c) in fine quality blocks of four, the 2c and 8c blocks as marginal examples.

Canada Registration stamps 2c orange marginal block of four from the foot of the sheet, SGR1. Large part Montreal imprint, large part original gum; one stamp with a tiny corner crease and some oxidisation on gum though remains of fine appearance.

Canada Registration stamps 5c dull sea-green block of four, SGR7a. Fresh unused with large part original gum, the lower pair being unmounted mint. The upper pair each with a tiny thin speck, otherwise fine and an attractive multiple of this scarce shade.

Canada Registration stamps 8c blue block of four from the lower right corner and showing trace of Montreal imprint, SGR8/9. A fine fresh example with large part original gum. A scarce multiple and highly attractive.

The SG catalogue price for single example of all 12 stamps comes to a total value of £2,750. Consequently, the offer price of £1,950 is exceedingly attractive, particularly when factoring in the expected premium valuation associated with rarer blocks of four.

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Canada 1942-48 War Effort set of 14 to $1 in IMPERFORATE pairs, SG375/88.

A very fine set of mint original gum imperforate pairs from this famous Canadian stamp issue. All horizontal pairs except 12c (vertical from upper right corner of sheet), with 1c to 5c and 13c unmounted mint.

A rare and most attractive set. 150 pairs existed of 5c, 100c of 1c to 4c and 8c, 50 each of 13c to $1.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue price for this set is £7,700. 

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Ceylon 1862 5d lake-brown, no watermark, perforations 13, SG40.

fresh and well-centred mint example with large part original gum. A rarity in such fine condition, with lovely colour.

Accompanied with British Philatelic Association certificate of authenticity (1996).

The SG catalogue price is £1,800. 

Ceylon 1921-32 Script wmk 100r grey-black (SG359he). 1921-32 Script watermark 100r grey-black, variety 'Break in lines below left scroll' (R4/9).

Well-centred very fine example with lovely fresh colour and original gum. The odd shortish perforation mentioned for accuracy only as this is a particularly prominent example of this variety.

Very rare. Accompanied by a Sismondo Certificate of Authenticity (2011) incorrectly describes the shade as 'brownish grey', but gives the correct SG number.

An ex Stanley Gibbons stock item with a Catalogue value of £5,500.

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China (Shanghai) 1893 (Dec), Chungking Local Post "Pagoda and Junk" 2ca red-orange, perforations 12½, SGM1.

Block of twenty comprising two complete lower rows of ten, margins largely intact except at lower right. Suffers from some characteristic gum toning, which is apparent on face in places, yet represents above average quality for this issue and surprisingly still retains full original gum across entire block of twenty stamps.

This is a very rare multiple and the only block of twenty we have ever seen for this issue.

Catalogue price is £5,000.

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China (Shanghai) 1896 Amoy Postage Due overprint in black, 2c blue (stone I), SGD14.

A fine quality marginal example. A couple of shortish perforations evident but benefiting from large part original gum.

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China 1878 1ca green, 3ca brown-red and 5ca orange, thin paper, 2½mm spacing, each used by part to large part Chefoo seal in black. SG 1/3.

A fine quality used set of the first stamp issue from the Chinese Empire.

China 1878 The First Issue "Large Dragons" 3ca brown-red, 2½mm spacing on thin paper, horizontal pair from setting 1, clichés 11-12.

Fine used by light CUSTOMS/NINGPO circular datestamp in blue, cliché 12 showing constant variety 'break in dragons' lower-right claw', left stamp minor imperfections (mentioned for accuracy).

In 1878 a postal service was first established between the various Treaty Ports by the Customs and a set of 3 stamps was printed for the collection of mail taxes. The first issue was composed of three values, 1,3 and 5 candareens.

The first printing of December 1878 was on thin hard paper in sheets of 25 stamps. A wonderful multiple of the first stamp printings from the Chinese Empire.

A scarce multiple. SG2

China 1883 1ca green and 3ca pale red, thicker paper, 2½mm spacing, rough perforations, SG7,8a.

Lovely fresh examples, unused without gum.

The SG catalogue price is £2,250.