382nd Auction

3d. on Käwieng, position 1, with variety "s in Deutsch appears inverted", without gum, tiny thin at top, otherwise fine, certificate Ceremuga (2001)

3d. on Friedrich-Wilhelmshafen, vertical strip of four, positio 1, fresh color and good perforation, the 2nd stamp with variety "missing ( before Deutsch", without gum, lower stamp small corner crease, otherwise fine and attractive multiple

3d. on Friedrich-Wilhelmshafen, marginal horizontal pair, positions 4-5, the left stamp showing variety "missing stop after d", fresh color and good perforation, without gum, very fine and attractive, certificate BPA (1980)

3d. on Käwieng, horizontal pair, positions 4-5, the left stamp showing variety "missing dot after d", fresh color, without gum, very fine and attractive, certificate Ceremuga (1999)

3d. on Kieta, block of four, position 4-5, fresh color and good perforation, left stamps showing variety "missing dot after d", without gum, very fine and attractive multiple

3d. on Rabaul, vertical pair with right sheet margin, position 5, the lower stamp with tilted double-overprint "G.R.I.", unused, very fine with just three copies recorded a great and very attractive rarity, signed Holcombe with certificate (1993) (Gibbs 33d)

3d. on Friedrich-Wilhelmshafen, block of four, positions 2-3, fresh color and good perforation, without gum, very fine and attractive

3d. on Manus (sans serif), block of four, positions 3-4, fresh color and good perforation, mint never hinged, horizontal perforation partially separated, a fine and attractive multiple, certificate Ceremuga (2004)

3d. on Manus (sans serif) with right sheet margin, position 5, unused, very fine 

3d. on Manus (sans serif) from the upper left sheet margin, fresh color and good perforation, unused with large part original gum, fine

3d. on Rabaul, fresh color and good perforation, straight edge at right, showing variety "Deutsch-Neuguinea", in combination with horizontal pair NWPI ½d., tied by oval "RABAUL JUN 8 - 1915" to cover addressed to Kodak Ltd. in Sydney, some very minor aging, otherwise fine and attractive

3d. on Kieta, position 4, fresh color and good perforation, unused, very fine

3d. on Manus (serif), fresh color and good perforation, position 5, unused, very fine and attractive, very rare with just approx. 25 printed from this setting, signed Holcombe with certificate (1999)

3d. on Herbertshöhe, marginal horizontal pair, positions 9-10, the right stamp showing variety "comma shaped dot after d", fresh color, without gum, some perf faults at top, otherwise very fine and attractive

Provenance: Marquess of Bute (Robson Lowe, 1959)

3d. on Stephansort, block of four (#962-963, 967-968), positions 3-4 and 8-9, block of four, vertical perfs re-enforced, fresh color and good perforations, used with clear strikes of cds. "STEPHANSORT", a very rare and attractive multiple, just 50 labels were overprinted for postage from this setting (numbered between 951 and 1000), Gibbs stating on page 103 of the handbook, that no unused examples are recorded, this being one of just three known multiples, two blocks of four (including this one) and a pair (sold at Corinphila in 2018)

Provenance: Robert M. Gibbs (78. Corinphila, 1988)

Reference: depicted in G.R.I. by Robert M. Gibbs, page 98

3d. on Kieta "301", position 10, showing typical flaws except for the letter "R" whichs seems to have been substituted from Setting H, Position 10, unused without gum, very fine and interesting item, signed Bloch and certificate Sismondo (2006)

The following 9 lots represent one of the two known sets of covers of N.W.P.L/German New Guinea Reg. labels surcharged GRI prepared by Major J. P. Fry of the Rabaul Australian Naval and Military Exped. Force. This, the first set, has the "Passed by Censor" handstamp, the second set does not have this.

3d. on Rabaul "#992" in combination with KGV "N.W. PACIFIC ISLANDS." 1d. red, block of four, left stamps Die I, right stamps Die II, all tied by cds. "STEPHANSORT 13" to cover with adjacent straight-line "PASSED BY CENSOR", adhesives some toning, otherwise fine, one of the two known

3d. on Rabaul "#993" in combination with Kangaroo "N.W. PACIFIC ISLANDS." 2d. grey, block of four, all tied by cds. "STEPHANSORT 13" to cover with adjacent straight-line "PASSED BY CENSOR", adhesives some toning, otherwise fine, one of the two known

3d. on Rabaul "#993" in combination with Kangaroo "N.W. PACIFIC ISLANDS." 2½d. indigo, block of four, setting C, all tied by cds. "STEPHANSORT 13" to cover with adjacent straight-line "PASSED BY CENSOR", adhesives some toning, otherwise fine, one of the two known

3d. on Rabaul "#995" in combination with Kangaroo "N.W. PACIFIC ISLANDS." 3d. yellow-green, block of four, setting A, all tied by cds. "STEPHANSORT 13" to cover with adjacent straight-line "PASSED BY CENSOR", adhesives some toning, otherwise fine, one of the two known

3d. on Rabaul "#996" in combination with KGV "N.W. PACIFIC ISLANDS." 4d. yellow-orange, block of four, top stamps setting B and lower stamps setting C, all tied by cds. "STEPHANSORT 13" to cover with adjacent straight-line "PASSED BY CENSOR", adhesives some toning, otherwise fine, one of the two known

3d. on Rabaul "#997" in combination with KGV "N.W. PACIFIC ISLANDS." 5d. brown, block of four, top stamps setting A and lower stamps setting B, Rabaul label with interesting variety "thin l in Rabaul", all tied by cds. "STEPHANSORT 13" to cover with adjacent straight-line "PASSED BY CENSOR", adhesives some toning, otherwise fine, one of the two known

3d. on Rabaul "#998" in combination with Kangaroo "N.W. PACIFIC ISLANDS." 6d. ultramarine, block of four, setting A, Rabaul label with interesting variety "missing bracket aber Neuguinea", all tied by cds. "STEPHANSORT 13" to cover with adjacent straight-line "PASSED BY CENSOR", adhesives some toning, otherwise fine, one of the two known

3d. on Rabaul "#999" in combination with Kangaroo "N.W. PACIFIC ISLANDS." 9d. violet, block of four, top stamps setting B, bottom stamps setting C, Rabaul label with variety "missing bracket afer Neuguinea", all tied by cds. "STEPHANSORT 13" to cover with adjacent straight-line "PASSED BY CENSOR", adhesives some toning, otherwise fine, one of the two known

3d. on Rabaul "#1000" in combination with Kangaroo "N.W. PACIFIC ISLANDS." 1sh. green, block of four, setting A, all tied by cds. "STEPHANSORT 13" to cover with adjacent straight-line "PASSED BY CENSOR", adhesives some toning, otherwise fine, one of the two known

"* RABAUL * NOV 9 14", Gibbs type 3 cancel on unfranked cover to New York, reverse with machine transit cancel "SYDNEY NO26", upon arrival in New York cancel "DUE 10 CENTS NEW YORK" applied thus reverse with postage due 10c. tied by cds. "NEW YORK DEC 14", backflap roughly opened, a small tear continues on the front side, an extremely rare and attractive usage, 

POSTAL STATIONERY: 2d. on 10 pfg. with additional typewriter font "Sold at 1D." running vertically next to the stamp, blank card with oval "RABAUL  JAN 5 1915", very fine and rare, only a handful copies known, signed with certificate Holcombe (1996)

OFFICIAL STAMPS: SETTING 3: 1915, 1d. on 3 pfg., block of four, partially re-joined by hinges, used with central Gibbs Type 14 German Imperial District Court seal "KAISERLICHES BEZIRKSGERICHT", very fine

Provenance: 84. Corinphila Auktion (1992)

1d. on 3 pfg. and 1d. on 5 pfg., two singles each together with regular issua 1d. on 5pfg., all tied by Gibbs Type 10 canceller in black "RABAUL 25 OC 19" to registered cover to London with transit cancel "REGISTERED SYDNEY 6 DE 19" and London arrival, one value small small paper abrasion at bottom, otherwise fine and rare

1d. on 3pfg., position 9, fresh color and good perforation, tied by Gibbs type 17 cancel, defaced mail bag seal, "FRIEDRICH-WILHELMSHAFEN" to large format cover addressed to "The Adjutant 3rd Batt. Naval Military Forces Headquarters", a very rare and possibly unique usage, certificate Gibbs (2008)

OFFICIAL STAMPS: SETTING 3: 1915, 1d. on 3 pfg. and 1d. on 5 pfg., each as block of four from the upper sheet margin, positions 7-8, mint never hinged, fine and attractive

1914, ½d. on 3 pfg. with overprint variety "Comma after I", unused, very fine, signed Holcombe with certificate (1988) (Gibbs 1c)

1914, ½d. on 5 pfg. with overprint variety "Comma after I", tied by cds "APIA 14.9.14" to small piece, fine

1914, ½d. on 5 pfg. with overprint variety "Comma after I", unused, fine (Gibbs 2c)

2½d. on 20 pfg. with inverted surcharge, unused, fine, scarce with only 8 printed, signed with opinion Holcombe (1987) (Gibbs 4e)

2½d. on 20 pfg. as tête-bêche pair, the left stamp with inverted overprint, tied by cds. "APIA" to small piece, fine, with only 10 double prints known as pair especially attractive and rare, certificate Holcombe (1990) (Gibbs 4e+4)