360 / Mai 2015 London

1854 (Sept/Oct): Lithographed ½ anna deep blue imperforate, wmk. Coat of Arms sideways, Die I, Stone 'A', a splendid block of twelve from top of sheet of 96 subjects, positions 1-6/9-14, showing position 6 with the prominent retouch to the Chignon, margins ample to large all round, some minor aging and minor corner bend at upper right of no real significance and not detracting from the beauty of this rare multiple, cancelled by diamond lozenge of dots in black and part double ring datestamp at left. A rare and most appealing multiple. Provenance: Jochen Heddergott Grand Prix Collection (Sept 1986), lot 40

1854 (Aug/Nov): ½ anna blue imperforate, wmk. Coat of Arms, Die II, Stone 'C', a delightful sheet marginal mint block of 24 from base of the sheet of 96 subjects with full italic imprint, positions 73-80/74-88/89-96, slight thin on position 86, and bend on fifth row, otherwise fresh and extremely fine, unused as issued. A marvellous and most attractive multiple. Cert. BPA (2015) Gi = £ 3'000+.

1854 (Aug/Sept): 1 anna dull red, part paper-maker's watermark, Die II, a splendid sheet marginal mint block of 40 from the centre of the sheet of 96 subjects, positions 17-24/49-56,of excellent rich colour with the watermark splitting positions 36 and 44, showing the italic marginal inscriptions at left 'Price SIX RUPEES Per Sheet - EIGHT ANNAS per Row. or' and at right, 'Amount to be cut off and affixed towards the RIGHT HAND CORN(ER)', slightest of aging, fresh and fine unused as issued. Rare and most attractive multiple. Cert. BPA (2015).

India Fieldpost, Abyssinian Campaign, 1867 (Dec 7): Early incoming cover to Captain H. B. Elliot of the Sapper's & Miner's attached to the "Field Force, Abyssinia", franked at Officer's rate by India 1866 4 a. green tied by Bangalore duplex and manuscript "Stamped". Reverse with Bombay transit (Dec 11) and fine strike of "FIELD FORCE POST OFFICE / ABYSSINIA" datestamp "29 DE 67" in red. This cover is mentioned in Sciaky on page 41 as one of two recorded arriving at Zulla prior to 1868. Minor vertical bend to the left of adhesive otherwise a fine and very rare cover.

India used in Singapore: 1856/64, 4 a. black in horizontal pair, tied by octogonal "B172" and additional pen stroke to entire letter via Triest to Germany with adjacent tax mark "6¼"; one stamp slightly fixed over the edge of the entire, but still fine; also from the same correspondence: 8 a. carmine on blue glazed paper, tied by "B172" to letter sheet 1861, again over Triest, now with new tax stamp "6", introduced after the currency change in Austria; a few short perfs and light filing folds not effecting the stamp. A scarce and attractive pair.

1912/23, George V $ 100 black and carmine on blue, fresh colour and good perforation, unused with large part o.g., fine and fresh, signed A. Diena and Enzo Diena.

1848, early impression 2 d. blue, nice deep fresh colour and good to wide even margins, cancelled by superb central strike of black target cancel; an extremely fine and exceptional beautifull copy of this rare stamp; certificate Holcombe (1982)

Worn impression 2d. blue on bluish, good to wide even margins and nice fresh colour, cancelled by central target; very fine and scarce; certificate Holcombe (1983).

1859, Dardenne 2d. blue, horizontal pair with interesting printing flaw in chignon of top stamp, nice deep colour and large even margins, each copy with clear target cancel; an extremely fine pair, certificate Holcombe (1993)   Provenance: Kanai (D.Feldman 1993)

1858: Britannia (4 d.) green imperforate, ample to large margins all round, tied to 1859 entire letter endorsed 'via Marseilles' to Genoa, Italy by circular target handstamp in black. Manuscript 'Short Paid 8d.' alongside adhesive and reverse with Crown 'Mauritius / GPO' datestamp of despatch (June 20), single ring 'Malta' transit cds (July 17) and Paris arrival (July 21), where charged '10' décimes due in manuscript. A rare and most unusual entire. Cert. BPA (1995).

The original essay prepared by Perkins, Bacon & Co. Ltd, showing Chalon half-length portrait engraved by William Humphrys with engine-turned background and ornamental circular surround, State 2 with circular frame-line dividing the portrait from the engine-turned background, in printer's file copy in black on surfaced wove paper (42x47mm.) with various die numbers and "see vol 7 p 181" in red ink, very rare and attractive. Provenance: Joseph Hackmey (2010)

The original essay prepared by Perkins, Bacon & Co. Ltd, showing Chalon half-length portrait engraved by William Humphrys with engine-turned background and ornamental circular surround, State 1 without circular frame-line dividing the portrait from the engine-turned background, in black on india paper (65x50mm) die sunk on soft wove card (88x74mm), very fine and attractive. Provenance: Harry Lacoste Bartrop (October 1984) Joseph Hackmey (2010)

Die Proofs: 1d. black on India paper, affixed to card (39x43mm), very fine and extremely rare, certificate Holcombe. Provenance: Christie's Robson Lowe (October 1989) Joseph Hackmey (2009)

2d. black on India paper, affixed to card (40x43mm), very fine and extremely rare, certificate Holcombe PROVENANCE: Christie's Robson Lowe, October 1989                           Joseph Hackmey (2009)

3d. black on India paper, on card (23x30mm) with angled corners, very fine and extremely rare, certificate RPSL. Provenance: Christie's Robson Lowe (October 1989) Sir Gawaine Baillie (March 2006) Joseph Hackmey (2009)

4d. stamp-size in black on India paper, affixed to card (40x44mm), very fine and extremely rare, signed Holcombe with certificate. Provenance: Christie's Robson Lowe (October 1989) Joseph Hackmey (2009)

6d. stamp-size in black on India paper, affixed to card (40x44mm), very fine and extremely rare, signed Holcombe with certificate. Provenance: Christie's Robson Lowe (October 1989) Joseph Hackmey (2009)

1/-, stamp-size in black on India paper, affixed to card (35x38mm), showing part of a straight line h.s. on face either side of the design and showing, on reverse, part of Perkins Bacon & Co., Ltd oval rubber handstamp in violett, very fine and extremely rare, signed Holcombe with certificate. Provenance: "Antipodes" Collection (October 1988) Joseph Hackmey (2009)

1855/57, watermark 'Large Star': 1d. dull carmine on white paper, fresh and bright colour, clear to large margins nearly all round with the frame-line just shaved at two points, unused without gum, a most presentable example of this rarity, signed Holcombe with certificate. Provenance: Joseph Hackmey (2010)

2d. dull blue on blued paper, fresh and bright colour, nice even margins all round, unused with some regumming, a very appealing example of this rare stamp, certificate RPSL. Provenance: Joseph Hackmey (2010)

2d. dull blue, fresh colour and clear to large margins with part of adjoining stamp at bottom, tied by numeral "10" to folded lettersheet endorsed "via Talcahuano" to London, rated "2/-", reverse with despatch and arrival (17.5) c.d.s., fine. A very rare routing with only two covers recorded on this, the sole occasion during the Chalon era, when mail was sent via South America, certificate RPSL. Provenance: Joseph Hackmey (2010)

1/- pale yellow-green on blued paper, fresh colour and good to large margins all round, unused without gum, two tiny surface imperfections in the circular engine-turned background, neither of which affect the attractive appearance of this exceptionally rare stamp, certificate RPSL. Provenance: Joseph Hackmey (2010)

1/- pale yellow-green on blued paper, fresh colour with good to large margins, large degree of bluing in the paper, neatly cancelled with numeral "9" of New Plymouth, very fine, certificate BPA. Provenance: Joseph Hackmey (2010)

1/- pale yellow-green on blued paper, horizontal pair with good to enormous margins and part of adjoining stamp at left and top left, neatly cancelled with a centrally placed strike of numeral "10" of Wellington, very attractive and for sure one of the finest pairs extant, certificate BPA. Provenance: Baron Philipp Ferrary de la Renotière Sale (3 April 1922) Dr. Mario Tomasini Maurice Burrus (July 1963) Major Henry Dumas, (March 2000) Joseph Hackmey (2009)

The 1861 "CANCELLED" OBLITERATIONS: 1/- pale yellow-green, position 4 in the vertical block of six, small split at right and other small faults, nevertheless of fine appearance, certificate RPSL. Provenance: E.W. and W.W. Mann Charles Williams (1947) Major Henry Dumas (March 2000) Joseph Hackmey (2009)

White paper wm 'large star': 1d. orange, fresh colour and clear to good margins on three sides, just touched at left, unused with large part original gum, small gum crease at foot and tiny thins in upper corners, otherwise very fine appearance, certifate BPA. Provenance: Benjamin Goodfellow (Plumridges 1918) H. Gordon Kaye (November 1991) Joseph Hackmey (2009)

1855/58, 1d. red. fresh colour and large to very large margins with part of adjoining stamp at bottom, unused without gum. An outstanding and very attractive example, certificate BPA. Provenance: "Antipodes" Collection (1988) "Samos" Collection (1991) Joseph Hackmey (2009)

1/- green vertically bisected with good margins on three sides, tied by indistinct obliterator to cover to Dublin, reverse with clear despatch and arrival cds, a very rare and attractive example of this rare bisect, this cover is number 20 of the 26 recorded Richardson bisect covers reported by Gerald Elliott. Certificates RPS of New Zealand (1973) and BPA. Provenance: "Antipodes" Collection (October 1988) Christie's Robson Lowe (October 1989) Joseph Hackmey (2009)

1857/63, 1d. dull orange, two vertical strips of three tied by numeral "18" of Otago to folded lettersheet to Edingburgh, despatch and arrival cds. on reverse, both strips filing creases and with other small faults through use, nevertheless a remarkable and highly unusual franking of the 6d. rate, certificate Holcombe.

6d. brown, horizontal strip of four, fresh and warm colour, clear to large margins on three sides, two stamps slightly touched at top, cancelled with numeral "1" of Auckland, one stamp with tiny toned spot mentioned in certificate, very fine appearance, certificate RPSL.

6d. pale brown, clear to large margin all round, tied by numeral "14" to mourning cover with adjacent Nelson transit cds. endorsed "via Southampton" to London, reverse showing despatch and arrival cds, fine, a rare stamp on cover, certificate RPSL. Provenance: 'Yeroc' Collection (2000) John Woolfe (October 2006)

1892/93, Coat of Arms £ 10 brown, unused with large part fresh original gum, a fine copy of this scarce stamp, private signature, certificate BPA (1956).

1961, Tristan Relief 2½ c.+3d. to 10 c.+1sh., tied by cds. "ST HELENA OC 12 61" to small envelope, adressed locally; are fine and rare set, certificate BPA (2015)

1860, (4 d.) blue, watermark small star, neatly handstamped with large part strike of the "CANCELLED" obliterator, pos. 5 in block of 6, very fine, certificate RPS (2013) (SG £ 9.000,-) In August 1861 the printers 'Perkins, Bacon & Co.' provided 6 examples of each stamp in their position to Ormond Hill (eldest son of Sir Rowland Hill) for members of his family

1861, 1 d. rose-red, vertical pair and 2 single stamps with 1862, 2 d. deep green, 2 single copies, all cancelled by "A10" with adjacent date stamp "SAINT VINCENT DE 11 65" to lettersheet via London to Paris; a very fine and scarce double-rate franking from the well-known 'Polignac' - correspondence; certificate BPA (2010).

1861: 1 d. rose-red, no. wmk., rough perf. 14-16, in two horizontal pairs, used in combination with 1862 6 d. deep green, two examples on 1865 second page of entire letter (Duke of Polignac correspondence) to Paris at double rate, all tied by 'A10' obliterator handstamps in black. 'St. Vincent' single ring despatch cds in black (Nov 8), London 'Paid' transit cds (Nov 29) and 1/2 in red manuscript credit to Britain. The stamps all of excellent rich colour and a most attractive and scarce franking.