Samoa

1886-1900 Palmtrees

Perf 11 2/6d purple vertical strip of 3 from the base of the sheet

Imperforate Between the First Two Units SG 64ba, part o.g.,

undercatalogued at £450+. Similar strip sold

for £747 at auction in 2003]

SOLOMON ISLANDS

1907 Large Canoes

½d to 1/- imperforate plate proof blocks of 4 in the issued

colours on ungummed unwatermarked paper, vibrant colours.

[Absent from John Darnell's collection. Colonel Harrie Evans' two sets

of singles sold for $403 & $426 respectively

£ 1000+ Retail Guide Price

MALAYA

MALAYA - Straits Settlements

1936 Survey Department essays 15c Sailing Vessel on ungummed

unwatermarked paper highly surfaced on both sides comprising singles

with four different KGV portraits (plus one extra) in black, se-tenant

strip of the four designs in carmine & a similar strip in black & dull rose.

Very attractive group. [All have neat pencil notations on the back indicating

they were from Lot 635 in Robson Lowe's auction of November 1950

£ 600+ Retail Guide Price

SOUTH AFRICA

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE

1863-64 De La Rue Triangles 4d deep blue SG 19 corner

block of 8 (4x4), margins large to enormous, deep rich colour,

large-part o.g., Cat £1440++. A magnificent exhibition item.

Cat Value under priced in my personal opinion .

£ 2000+ Retail Guide Price

Togo

1914 (Oct) Overprints on German Togo

Narrow Setting (Lines 2mm Apart) & 'Anglo-French' 16mm Long 1mk

red SG H23 (Gibbs #23), well centred, "Harmer Rooke" pencilled on the

reverse, Cat £7000. One of the great rarities of World War I British Occupation Issues.

Gibbs at page 190 states "Approximately 40 were issued. The majority of the recorded examples are used...About 10 unused examples are known, one of which is in the Royal Collection."

£ 7000.00 Retail Guide Price

ZANZIBAR

ZANZIBAR 1936 New Currency 50/- Dhow

1936 New Currency 50/- Dhow imperforate die proof in dull orange

with margins 3-5mm, affixed to a small piece from the De La Rue day book

which is endorsed "26 Oct 1935" & in pencil "Approved" but also with

"This value was never issued". A beautiful item & a "must" for

the serious KGV collector, Superb very rare item .

£ 4500.00 Retail Guide Price CV much Higher

ZANZIBAR 1908-09 Sultan Ali bin Hamoud Essay

1908-09 Sultan Ali bin Hamoud stamp-size essay for a 2a value

comprising the printed frame in bright blue - highlighted with Chinese

white - superimposed over photographic vignette of the Sultan affixed to thin

card (90x114mm), endorsed "C" & dated "July 18th 97" at upper-right,

further endorsed "approved for the anna stamps down to 3:", initialled &

with date h/s '25JUL197' [sic] at lower-right, some very minor/insignificant soiling

that does not affect the stamp. A stunning essay!

Ex De La Rue Archives and Ian Borrie. De La Rue prepared three essays,

this being the approved version. However, the Zanzibar currency changed from

annas to cents in early-1898, requiring amended designs.

£ 750.00 Retail Guide Price CV much Higher

MAURITIUS

MASTER DIE PROOF 1900-05

1900-05 New Colours & Values master die proof for the rupee values with

blank value tablet in black on glazed card reduced to stamp-size & affixed to a

small piece from the De La Rue day book (49x54mm) endorsed "Dec 31/60 leads

& six/extra" & in red "Ap 30 97" showing that the die was prepared five years

before the rupee values were issued.

£ 500.00

Australian 1882 Large Chalons & Proofs

IMPERFORATE PLATE PROOFS ON CARD

10/- blue-green imperforate pair on thick wove paper handstamped 'SPECIMEN.' in rosine across the two units, with a higher faint impression that was probably applied first. [Basset Hull at page 159 refers to a single of the 10/- in blue-green "overprinted [sic] 'SPECIMEN' horizontally in black in large sans-serif capitals, probably extending over three stamps". This may well have been derived from the same sheet as this item & the h/s may be the same, as its length of 27mm is sufficient to appear on 3 units]

AUD$ 1000.00

IMPERFORATE PLATE PROOFS ON CARD

10/- blue-green complete imperforate sheet of 30 (5x6) with 'BRADBURY, WILKINSON & CO BANK NOTE ENGRAVERS &c. LONDON' imprint below units 2-4 on the bottom row, "on yellowish wove paper of medium thickness" (Basset Hull's terminology) & affixed to a piece of thin board. An exceptional exhibition item that fits neatly on a standard page. It appears that the imprints were burnished-off the plates before the main print-runs commenced in Brisbane. Apart from the imperforate proofs, only a few perforated stamps handstamped 'SPECIMEN' are recorded with part-imprint.One of the most outstanding items from the Bradbury Wilkinson Archives and the only such sheet in the sale: sold for £5175 at auction in 2000. The Robson Lowe "Encyclopaedia" states "Plate proof sheets of the 2/- 5/- 10/- & £1 appear also to have been included in the consignment forwarding the steel plates." Clearly, this particular sheet was retained by the printers & may have been the only such sheet kept for their archives. Very few other complete proof sheets have survived: Sir Gawaine Baillie's set of sheets were all defective.

AUD$ 12500.00

2/- die proof in black on thin card

reduced to stamp-size with margins good to large.

[Basset Hull recorded the 10/- only but states

"Similar die proofs may exist for the other values"]

AUD$ 5000.00

DIE PROOFS

Master die proof with blank value tablets below the Queen's portrait

& in the four corners, in black on thin card (55x60mm) recessed behind a

larger piece of grey card (120x114mm) to which is attached a printed
'ENGRAVED BY BRADBURY, WILKINSON & CO. LTD.' label, a few insignificant

tonespots on the Queen's neck otherwise very fine.

A dramatic item of the highest level of importance. Ex Bradbury Wilkinson Archives.

[This most beautiful of all Australian Colonial designs was engraved by Herbert Bourne]

Superb Very Rare aprox value AUD$ 15000.00

Australian Essays & Proofs

APPROVED DESIGN PLATE PROOFS

6d Die II imperforate marginal block of 6 (2x3) in

bright yellow-green on thin card, margins good to huge.

APPROVED DESIGN PLATE PROOFS

4d Die II imperforate marginal block of 12 (4x3) from the

lower-right of the sheet in yellow-orange on thin card, margins close to large.

Ex Wm Knight, JH Chapman & Colonel Harrie Evans: sold for $2688.

Multiples of this size - and quality - are rare.

APPROVED DESIGN PLATE PROOFS

2d Die II imperforate marginal block of 4 from the base of the sheet on crudely gummed watermarked paper, margins close to huge, endorsed "[E]lectrotyp[e]" in red pencil in the margin, minor stain & small scissor-cuts between the units at top & right. Ex Wm Knight, JT Chapman & Colonel Harrie Evans: sold for $784.

APPROVED DESIGN PLATE PROOFS

2d imperforate pair in bright ultramarine on thick wove paper,

margins good to large. Rare colour.

APPROVED DESIGN PLATE PROOFS

2d imperforate block of 4 in dull blue on thin card,

good even margins. Ex Slade-Slade.

Australian Essays & Proofs

WILLIAM BELL ESSAYS

1880 essay for a ½d+½d reply postal card with two impressions of Bell's ½d essay Type C (with void background and corrected 'Q') both on the face, the divided address panel endorsed 'NAME & ADDRESS OF PERSON TO WHOM SENT' at left & 'NAME & ADDRESS OF SENDER' at right and also 'Before reposting please obliterate this address' at lower-left & "Over" at lower-right, the reverse also divided & headed 'MESSAGE TO BE SENT' at left & 'REPLY' at right and also 'When no reply is required both Spaces may be occupied' at lower-left & 'The Card must not be cut' at lower-right, manuscript "Essay 1880" in the upper margin, a couple of insignificant blemishes on the reverse in no way detract from this extraordinary item. Ex Ron Butler: sold for £3525 at auction in 2005. Almost certainly modeled on a private essay for a British ½d+½d reply postal card on which both stamp impressions were also on the face. Neither of these innovative, but confusing, ideas was adopted.

WILLIAM BELL ESSAYS

1877 Void Background with Corrected 'Q'

(Type C) ½d imperforate plate proof in carmine-pink

on ungummed watermarked paper, margins close to large,

'SPECIMEN' handstamp diagonally in blue.

[The only colour recorded by Robson Lowe,

who also recorded the h/s in violet only]

WILLIAM BELL ESSAYS

1877 Void Background/Vertically-Lined Background

both with Reversed 'Q' (Types B/A) ½d imperforate

plate proof se-tenant pair in blue on ungummed watermarked paper,

margins close to large. [This colour unrecorded by Robson Lowe]

WILLIAM BELL ESSAYS

1877 Void Background/Vertically-Lined Background

both with Reversed 'Q' (Types B/A) ½d imperforate
plate proof se-tenant pair in plum on ungummed watermarked paper,

margins close to large except at upper-right where a little cut-into.

[Such pairs were unrecorded by Robson Lowe,
and he also had not noted the Reversed 'Q' on Types A & B]

WILLIAM BELL ESSAYS

1880 Vertically-Lined Background

with Reversed 'Q' (Type A) ½d imperforate plate proof

in orange on ungummed watermarked paper

(unusually with the Watermark Upright),

marginal example from the top of the sheet,

margins large to humungous. [Unrecorded by Robson Lowe]

WILLIAM BELL ESSAY

1880 Vertically-Lined Background with

Reversed 'Q' ½d imperforate plate proof in plum

on ungummed watermarked paper,

large even margins.

[Robson Lowe recorded Type A proofs in black & purple only]

WILLIAM BELL ESSAYS

1880 Vertically-Lined Background with

Reversed 'Q' (Type A) ½d imperforate plate proof in black

on thick wove paper, margins good to large.

WATERLOW & SONS PRINTERS SAMPLES

1878 2d plate proofs in pale turquoise

or purple-brown on white wove paper, close even margins,

both affixed to small pieces of thin card.

The first is Ex Sir Gawaine Baillie

WATERLOW & SONS PRINTERS SAMPLES

1878 2d plate proofs in black-brown on buff

or in dark blue on blue wove paper, close even margins.

[Coloured papers not recorded by Robson Lowe]

WATERLOW & SONS PRINTERS SAMPLES

1878 2d plate proof in black on white wove paper,

Very Unusual proof.

WATERLOW & SONS PRINTERS SAMPLES

1878 2d die proof in a delicate shade of grey-purple on thin wove paper (30x32mm). Ex Sir Gawaine Baillie . [This colour is unrecorded by Robson Lowe]

Newfoundland 1865 24c SG no. 30 imperf. plate proof

Newfoundland 1865 24c SG no. 30 imperf. plate proof

in dark blue on India paper in a bottom-marginal horizontal strip of

three showing the A.B.N. Co, New York imprint below the centre stamp

and mounted on card, with good and well balanced margins on the other

three sides and displaying extremely sharp impression, in absolutely

perfect quality, delightfully fresh and truly beautiful, all in all

an exquisite and rare item,

very seldom seen.

Monaco 1891-94 second issue imperforated proof without the figure

of value in the value tablet and printed in black on light buff cardboard

of medium thickness and of a rather silky texture, of obviously very high

quality for that period, ungummed and with good and equal margins all

around, creating a wonderful aspect which is enhanced by the outstanding

quality as well, without any faults or defects whatsoever and truly pristine

in all respects, the sharpness of the impression is absolutely remarkable,

much better than that of the issued stamps and of impressive finesse, from

the aesthetic perspective, this proof is a true work of art in itself, and from

the philatelic point of view it is indeed a very rare item which very rarely

surfaces the market, a great item destined for a knowledgeable philatelist

with an eye for wise investments.
Monegasque philately, although fascinating valuable and most decorative,

is a very straightforward one, with a very limited number of spectacular

varieties or variations from the basic, issued stamps, even during its classic

period. Hence, the undenominated proofs for the second and first issues of

Monaco are most probably amongst the most interesting

(if not “the” most interesting) Monegasque items available, and the vast

majority of the already extremely few existing proofs for the second issue

are printed on normal paper. Those on cardboard, like this one is, are virtually

non-existent and constitute the supreme refinement as far as distinguished

classics of Monaco are cconcerned, and also such proofs are missing from

most collections.
Another such proof for the second issue of Monaco is being currently offered

by the French auctioneers Behr (http://www.behr.fr) in their Net Price Sales

no. 87 for €800 (~ $ 1,040) – lot no. 3075 –

but that is inferior as it is on normal paper.

Monaco 1885 first issue imperforated proof without figures of value in the

value tablets, printed in black on buff cardboard of medium thickness

ungummed and displaying large and well balanced margins all around, the

quality and sharpness of the impression are absolutely outstanding and

to describe this wonderful and immensely rare proof as “perfect” would

probably be an under-statement, not only it has no defects whatsoever

displays vibrant colour and superb freshness as well, a fantastic item,

Monegasque philately, although fascinating valuable and most

decorative, is a very straightforward one, with a very limited number

of spectacular varieties or variations from the basic, issued stamps,

even during its classic period. Hence, the undenominated proofs for

the first and second issues of Monaco are most probably amongst the

most interesting (if not “the” most interesting) Monegasque items

available, and the vast majority of the already extremely few existing

proofs for the first issue are printed on normal paper. Those on cardboard,

like this one is, are virtually non-existent and constitute the supreme

refinement as far as distinguished classics of Monaco are cconcerned, and also

such proofs are missing from most collections.

As reference, the French auctioneers Behr (http://www.behr.fr) are offering

a similar yet inferior proof (as it is on normal paper) in their current Net Price Sale

no. 87 for €4,000 (~ $ 5,200) – lot no. 3047.

Monaco 1885 first issue 1c block of twelve (4 x 3) with complete

gutter margin attached at right and with eight stamps

MNH rarely offered in general and almost never

available this fine, no. 1 in any catalogue, Yvert cat. value as

two blocks of four and four singles,

all hinged, is already €440 (~ $ 575), but this mostly unmounted

block must certainly deserve a huge premium over that value.

GOLD COAST 1904-6 2/6 OPT.

SPECIMEN MINT, SG 57s.

India 25 Rupee Victorian Telegraph Stamp

QV 1879 Perkins Bacon Essay

Ridgway designed 'Perkins, bacon & Co' essay. Imperforate example,

in grey-brown with gum. The 'W' check letter is the initial of the

designer W. Ridgway. Eventual contract was

awarded to de-La-Rue. Scarce item.

India Proofs

HYDERABAD STATE INDIA 1908 PROOFS

Plate Proofs Unwatermarked on wove paper

scarse item

King Geaorge V Imperfs

SG 441var 1934 rare Photo 1½d

Colour Trial in Bright Magenta marginal imperf example

on unwatermarked paper

SG 429 1/- bistre-brown

overprinted SPECIMEN, Type 23,

imperf, Spec N45t, Cat £110

SG 428 SPEC N44t 10d TURQUOISE

IMPERF OVPT SPECIMEN TYPE 2

IMPERF TRIAL WITH APPROVED HEAD

1d IN ROYAL-BLUE top marginal

(On ungummed paper)

Very Scarce

1934-36 King George V, Photogravure,

1 1/2d grey-green. imperforate

colour trial on watermarked paper

1d SG 357 IMPERF OVPT CANCELLED TYPE 24

BLOCK OF FOUR bottom gutter marginal

with pillar bars

5/-. SG 401

IMPERF PLATE PROOF IN ISSUED COLOUR

(dramatically underinked),

Very Unusual

SG 357 1d scarlet, imperf block of 4

overprinted SPECIMEN,

Type 26, Spec N16u, Cat £280+, scarce multiple.

KGV Royal Cypher 1/2d green

Specimen

KGV Royal Cypher 1d scarlet

Specimen overprint

SG 372 2½d blue

imperf "CANCELLED" example Spec N21v

Cv £160.00

1912 King George V, Downey head 1d carmine die 2 paper trial.

Imperf copy on John Dickinson

very white paper. S.G. Trial

GB KG5 1934 PHOTOGRAVURE 1½d IMPERF COLOUR TRIAL BLUE
1½d photogravure colour trial in ultramarine
imperforate on watermarked paper .