382nd Auction

5d. on 50pfg., position 4, fresh color and good perforation, used with Gibbs type 8 canceller, fine

2d. on 20 pfg., two singles, in combination with Marshall-Island 2d. on 10 pfg., also two singles and NWPI 2½d., all tied by oval "RABAUL FEB 4 1915" to registered cover with uncancelled 3d. on Rabaul at lower left (Setting A, position 5) to Sheffield with London transit on reverse, one 10 pfg. value applied at edge, thus small imperfection, otherwise a very fine and attractive entire

5mm Spacing: 1d. on 3 pfg., horizontal pair from positions 4-5, the left stamp with variety "short 1", mint never hinged, slightly toned, fine

1d. on 3 Pfg., block of six from the upper left sheet corner, showing positions 1-3 in the first row and 1-4 in the second row, due to position 1 being printed on the sheet margin, position 1 shows a distinctive "broken 1", position 4 with "1 with top straight serif", the upper stamps mint never hinged, the bottom stamps unused, small corner crease in the upper left sheet margin, two stamps small thin, lower left stamp re-enforced perforation, otherwise a fine and attractive multiple, signed Holcombe a.o.

1d. on 5 pfg. with four additional light impressions of the overprint, position 3, suggesting an early attempt by an untrained printer to correctly position the overprint, some minor imperfections, an attractive and very interesting item, opinion Holcombe )

1d. on 5pfg., block of four, positions 1-2, the right stamps with variety "straight serif on 1", used with clear cds. "STEPHANSORT", fine and attractive multiple, signed Holcombe with opinion (1993)

2d. on 20 pfg. with double overprint, one inverted, position 8 and 3-4 for the inverted, good perforation and centering, unused, slightly toned and small thin not detracting from the overall appearance, a fine and rare variety, signed with certificate Holcombe (1992)

3d. on 30 pfg., position 2 with only a small remainder of the "stop after d", fresh color and good perforation, tied by oval "RABAUL" to small piece, very fine and scarce, certificate BPA (1996)

4d. on 40pfg., block of four with upper sheet margin, positions 9-10, fresh color and good perforation, showing pencil guidelines, the upper stamps mint never hinged, margin and bottom stamp with light hinge remainders, a fine and attractive multiple

4d. on 40pfg. with double overprint, one inverted, good color and perforation and centering, unused, lightly toned, otherwise very fine and attractive, signed Holcombe with certificate (1992)

5d. on 50pfg., position 7 with variety "thin 5", the "5" being from a totally different font, fresh color and good perforation, used with oval "RABAUL" cancel, Holcombe in his certificate records five examples, Gibbs states, on page 89 of the handbook, that just three examples are recorded in used condition, extremely rare and most attractive, signed Holcombe with certificate (1996)

8d. on 80 pfg., position 3, fresh color, tied by cds. "STEPHANSORT" to small blanket paper with additional overprint, slightly toned and corner crease at upper left, scarce and attractive item, signed Champion and Holcombe

8d. on 80pfg., vertical pair, the upper stamp with clear double overprint, position 3, fresh color and good perforation, the upper stamp unused, the lower mint never hinged, upper stamp light horizontal pressure mark, no crease as described in the certificate, a fine and rare se-tenant pair, certificate RPSL (1992)

8d. on 80pfg., left marginal single with double overprint, one inverted, position 1 resp. 10 for the inverted, fresh color and good perforation, unused, a very attractive copy of this rare variety, signed Köhler and Holcombe with certificate (1993)

1d. on 5 pfg. green, two singles in combination with NWPI Kangaroo 2d. grey and 3d. yellow-olive, all tied by cds. "RABAUL 10 OC 16" to registered cover to Sydney with arrival marks, showing a fine strike of oval violet "THE TREASURY / RABAUL" handstamp at bottom left, with further strike on reverse. On front handwritten delivery note "Not Home 6.11.16" and signature, some slightly imperfections not detracting from the overall appearance of this rare mixed issues cover, signed Holcombe with certificate (1993)

3d. on 25 pfg., position 3, fresh color and good perforation, unused, very fine, signed Sellschopp a.o. and certificate PF (1969)

3d. on 25 pfg. black and red/yellow, fresh color and good perforation, position 4, used with oval "RABAUL" cds., fine

3d. on 30 pfg., position 2, fresh color and good perforation, unused, very fine, signed Holcombe with opinion (1998)

3d. on 30 pfg., position 2, fresh color and good perforation, with variety "no stop after d", unused, very fine and scarce, signed Hoffmann-Giesecke and certificate Gibbs (2009)

4d. on 40 pdf. carmine/black, 5d. on 50 pfg. black and purple/buff and 8d. on 80 pfg. black and carmine/rose, positions 5,2 and 7, all fresh color and good perforation, tied by oval "RABAUL JAN 26 1915" to small piece, fine

5d. on 50 pfg. with variety "d omitted", fresh color and good perforation, without gum, very fine and rare, signed Kilian BPP and Holcombe with certificate (1988)

8d. on 80 pfg. black and carmine/rose, fresh color and good perforation, position 1, showing faint kiss-print of "8" and unattributed printed bards in reverse, tied by oval "RABAUL" to piece (lifted), very fine and interesting, certificate BPA (1996)

1d. on 2d. on 10 pfg., horizontal pair, positions 5-6, fresh color and good perforation, used with clear oval "RABAUL", fine

1915, 1 on 2d. on 20 pfg. ultramarine, left marginal single, fresh color and good perforation, position 1, used with part of oval "(RABAUL) NEW BRITAIN" cancellation, a fine and very attractive example of this rare stamp, signed with certificate Holcombe (1994) (enclosed a picture showing the original piece of mail with another SG 64 on it)

1915, 1 on 2d. on 20 pfg. ultramarine with inverted large superimposed "1", position 4, fresh color and good perforation, used with, most likely forged, oval "RABAUL" cancellation, very fine, only two stamps with inverted overprint known, this is the sole "used" example, very fine and attractive, signed Holcombe with certificate (1989)

 Provenance: Collection Marquess of Bute (Robson Lowe, 1959)

5d. on 50pfg., position 9, fresh color and good perforation, unused, very fine, signed

1d. on 2d. on 10 pfg, position 8 with overprint variety "small 1", mint never hinged, very fine

6mm Spacing: 2½ on 10 pfg. in combination with Marshall-Islands 1d. on 5 pfg. with 5mm spacing, both positions 4 resp. 3, tied by cds. "MANUS 7 JA 15" to small piece, stamps printed from the fourth setting with 5mm spacing are quite rare, fine and attractive, opinion Holcombe (1998)

2½d. on 20 pfg., block of four, positions 9-10, fresh color and good perforation, mint never hinged, fine

SETTING 4/5: 2d. on 20 pfg. with variety "inverted R in GRI", fresh color and good perforation, tied by cds. "(STEPH)ANS(ORT" to small piece, a very fine example of this striking variety, a true rarity with only a total of 5 copies printed, signed Kosack and certificate BPA (1949)

3d. on 30 pfg., originally block of four, two vertical pairs, positions 8-9, fresh color and good perforation, mint never hinged, otherwise fine and attractive multiple

5d. on 50pfg., position 5, fresh color and good perforation, unused, very fine, signed

1d. on 5 pfg., horizontal strip of four, positions 6-9, fresh color and good perforation, unused, slight seperations, a scarce and fine positional piece

Reference: top half of block of eight depicted in G.R.I. by Robert M. Gibbs, page 32

2½d on 10 pfg., left marginal single with overprint on the margin, thus showing position 2 of the setting on the stamp, fresh color and good perforation, unused, very fine and attractive, signed and opinion Holcombe (1989)

2½d. on 20 pfg., position 10, fresh color and good centering, used with part oval "RABAUL", few nibbed perfs, small stain on reverse not detracting, otherwise fine, a rare stamp, certificate Holcombe (1997)

3d. on 30 pfg., right marginal single with overprint on the margin, thus showing position 10 of the setting on the margin, fresh color and good perforation, unused, very fine and attractive, copy of certificate for former pair BPA (1955)