360 / Mai 2015 London

1857/64: 8 d. scarlet-vermilion, a diagonally bisected example with large margins on the remaining sides, used as 4 d. to pay the single rate on 1860 cover to Baltimore (Tucker correspondence), tied by barred obliterator in black. 'St. Johns-Newfoundland-Paid' cds in red at left (Dec 5) somewhat overstruck by 'Boston Br. Pkt. / 5' datestamp of transit (Dec 15) in black. Minor file fold but an impressive and rare cover, #29 in the Pratt census Scott 8a = $ 6'000 / Gi. = 4'250. Provenance: John F. Seybold (1910).

1857: 8 d. scarlet-vermilion, a vertically bisected example (right half) with huge margins, used to pay the 4 d. rate, tied to 1860 cover to Baltimore, USA, Tucker correspondence, by barred obliterator in black with 'St Johns Newfoundland / Paid' cds alongside in red (July 4). 'Boston / Br. Pkt. / 5' (July 12) transit in black at left. File fold well away from the adhesive. A rare cover. Cert. Graves Greene (2004) Scott 8a = $ 6'000 / Gi = £ 4'250. Provenance: Alfred H. Caspary (Oct 1956) lot 348; Henry H. Conland (April 2001) lot 518.

1860: Triangular 3 d. deep green, a superb large margined example used on small 1864 envelope to New Perlican, lightly tied by barred obliterator handstamp in black with fine 'St. Johns-Newfoundland-Paid' cds (Jan 9) struck in black alongside. Reverse with 'New Perlican' arrival cds (Jan 15) in black. Pratt census #33. A fine and scarce cover. Cert. Friedl (1962) Scott 11A = $ 2'000.

1860: 4 d. orange-vermilion, a clear to large margined example of good colour, small corner crease at lower right, used on 1860 cover to Baltimore (Tucker correspondence) and cancelled by black barred obliterator and 'St. Johns-Newfoundland-Paid' cds in red (Oct 16). 'Boston Br. Pkt. / 5' charge marking in black (Oct 17) alongside. The cover crossed by two file folds but a rare usage, Pratt records just 6 covers used with single 4 d. to the USA, this being #3 in the census. Rare. Cert. BPA (1968) Scott 12 = $ 6'000. Provenance: Dr. Chan Chin Cheung (Sept 1995) lot 145.

1860 (Aug 15): First Day of Issue, the famous cover bearing 4 d. orange-vermilion, used example with large margins at top and at base, shaved at right and touched at left, used on 1860 cover to Baltimore (Tucker correspondence) cancelled by barred obliterator in black. 'St. Johns-Newfoundland-Paid' in red alongside (Aug. 15), overstruck with 'Boston Br. Pkt. / 5' charge marking in black (Aug 22). Despite the small faults, a remarkable and rare cover, only six covers recorded thus - this being used on First Day of Issue of the 4 d. adhesive and the earliest recorded usage of any of the orange-vermilion issue. Pratt census #1. Cert. BPA (1986) Scott 12 = $ 6'000. Provenance: Col. Robert H. Pratt (Oct 1986) lot 290; H. Conland (April 2001) lot 529.

1861/62: 4 d. rose-lake, a superb four margined example used on 1864 cover to Cow Bay, Cape Breton; the stamp with scissor cut in margin at base and in upper left corner margin, neither apparent with the naked eye, cancelled by barred obliterator in black. 'St. Johns-Newfoundland-Paid' cds in red at left (June 29) and reverse with 'North Sydney / CB' datestamp of receipt (July 1). The earliest known usage of a 4 d. provincial rate cover (#1 in the Pratt census), with just four covers recorded Scott 18 = $ 5'000. Provenance: John du Pont (1977).

1861: 5 d. red-brown, a fine four margined example, colour slightly affected by lightening of cancellation, used on 1865 cover to Sydney, Cape Breton endorsed 'per Merlin', tied by black segmented cork cancellation with 'St. Johns / Newfoundland' cds alongside (Dec 27) struck in red. Reverse with both 'North Sydney / NB' and  'Sydney / NB' datestamps (Jan 3, 1856) in black. Minor file folds but only 10 covers are recorded bearing the 1861 5 d. (all shades) this being Pratt #9 in the census Scott 19a = $ 6'500. Provenance: Jephcott; Dr. Chan Chin Cheung (Sept 1995) lot 182; Edward M. Gilbert (Oct 2004) lot 125.

1861: 6 d. rose-lake, a superb large margined example in a deep shade, small contemporary affixing crease at left mentioned for accuracy, used on 1862 cover from Greenspond to Poole, England tied by barred obliterator in black. Fine GREENSPOND datestamp at left (Aug 7) in black and 'St. Johns-Newfoundland-Paid' cds in red at left (Aug 15) of transit on front, reverse with black St. John's cds and Poole arrival cds (Sept 13). Envelope with some manuscript docketing but a great rarity - only 12 covers are recorded in the Pratt census (this is #4) - and this is the earliest recorded usage of this stamp. Illustrated in 'The Pence Issues of Newfoundland' by Robert Pratt on page 173. Cert. Graves Greene (2004) Scott 20 = $ 9'250. Provenance: John Hubbard; Col. Robert H. Pratt (Oct 1986) lot 277; Dr. Chan Chin Cheung (Sept 1995) lot 184; Henry H. Conland (April 2001) lot 536.