382nd Auction

G.R. POST 6 CENTS MAFIA: Black overprint on 4h. with upper sheet margin, mint never hinged, hinge in the margin only, very fine, natural gum bend, a very rare stamp, certificate Brandon (1996)

G.R. POST 6 CENTS MAFIA: Violet overprint on 7½h. with initial overprint G.R. MAFIA, unused, imperceptible crease not detracting, a very rare and attractive variety of which only a handful are known, certificate BPA (1966)

G.R. POST 6 CENTS MAFIA: Black overprint on 15h., unused without gum, very fine, a very rare stamp, certificate Ceremuga (2003)

Provenance:  Marquis de Bute

STAMPS OVERPRINTED BY THE GOVERNOR IN MANUSCRIPT: "G R Mafia JDM" on 2½, 4, and 7½H., fresh colors, unused, 7½h. somewhat flat perforation at top, 2½h. onobtrusive corner crease, otherwise fine, the small flaws completely trivial with only 10-15 pieces known per stamp, signed and certificate Holcombe (for 7½H; 1990)

1915, G.R. POST MAFIA: Fiscals "STATISTIK DES WAAREN-VERKEHRS" 24p. - 1r. and "ÜBERSETZUNGS-GEBÜHREN" 25h., all fresh color and good centering, 24h. tiny thin, 12½ and 50h. slightly toned, otherwise fine and of no importance, a very attractive and indeed rare set, with only a few of complete sets existing

"O.H.M.S. MAFIA" red boxed surcharge on Zanzibar Sultan bin Harub 1-15c., fresh colors, unused, very rare stamps, signed and certificate Holcombe (1994) (see also Robert M. Gibbs page 254)

Indian Expeditionary Forces with G.R. POST MAFIA: 1r. red-brown/deep blue-green with greenish-blue overprint, unused, very fine

Indian Expeditionary Forces with G.R. POST MAFIA: 1r. red-brown/deep blue-green with violet overprint, unused, very fine, signed Holcombe

Indian Expeditionary Forces with G.R. POST MAFIA: 1r. red-brown/deep blue-green with dull-blue overprint, unused, very fine, certificate BPA (1980)

Indian Expeditionary Forces with G.R. POST MAFIA: 3p. grey - 2a. purple and 3a. orange - 1r. red-brown/deep blue green, all tied by cds. "MAFIA" to large piece, fine, certificate Brandon (1995)

Indian Expeditionary Forces with G.R. POST MAFIA: 1a. aniline carmine, two singles with black resp. violet overprint, unused, black overprint slightly toned, otherwise fine

Indian Expeditionary Forces with G.R. POST MAFIA: 2a6ps. ultramarin, upper marginal single with green overprint on the gutter and black overprint on the stamp, tied by backdated cds. "MAFIA JA 23 1915" to small piece, a fine and interesting item

1917, Indian Expeditionary Forces ½a. green tied by blue cds. "MAFIA 20 SP 16" to picture postcard to Zanzibar with clear cds. "ZANZ(IBAR) SP 2? 16", scarce and attractive usage of the Mafia cds. which was used for less than a year, certificate BPA (2010)

Provenance: The Irwin Weinberg Inventory (Robert A. Siegel, 2016)

1917, Indian Expeditionary Forces Postal stationery card with new G.R. POST MAFIA overprint: ¼a. grey, used with cds. "MAFIA NO", a scarce an interesting item, message added at a later date, fine

2d. on 10 pfg., position 3, fresh color and good perforation, in combination with 3d. on Rabaul, setting A, position 3, both tied by first day oval "RABAUL JAN 4 1915" to cover addressed to Sydney, very fine and attractive

2d. on 20 pfg., position 1, showing part of the a second overprint "2d" at top, fresh color and good perforation. Tied by rare Gibbs Type 1 pre-first day cancel "RABAUL Oct. 13 1914" to cover addressed to Mrs. R.J.A. Travers sent by her husband Captain Travers who played an important part in the action on the Bitapaka Road, reverse with typewriter text "I hereby certify that the stamp...one of the original stamps of the 16 issued...", a very interesting and rare cover with only 9 similar covers recorded. This is the sole used copy of this variety registered, the unused copy being damaged at bottom right, certificate BPA (1982) (Gibbs 4c)

Provenance: "Creed Collection", Uncommon Market (1966) 

3d. on 25pfg. black and red/yellow, fresh colour and good perforation, position 3, used with Gibbs Type 2 straight-line "RABAUL 17 1914", fine, certificate Ceremuga (2002)

3d. on 30pfg., position 8, fresh color and good perforation, used with Gibbs type 2 canceller, fine, signed Holcombe

3d. on 30 pfg. black and orange/buff, clear double surcharge, position 9, fresh color and good perforation, tied by Gibbs type 2 violet "*RABAUL* *Oct, 17 1914*" to local cover (vertical fold). A major rarity with a total of just 10 printed with only 5 recorded, three unused and two used, both on cover(front), certificate Holcombe (1998)

3d. on 30pfg., 4d. and 40 pfg. and 5d. on 50 pfg., all fresh color and mostly good perforation, tied by blue Gibbs type 3 cancel "* RABAUL * NOV 8 1914" to local cover, 4d. small corner fault, otherwise fine and very attractive, certificates Corson and Brandon (1991)

4d. on 40pfg., position 4, fresh color and good perforation, used with Gibbs type 2 "RABAUL Oct 17 1914", fine, certificate PF (item still on small piece; 1986)

1914, 4d. on 40 pf. black/carmine, with clear double print, position 6, unused with small part original gum, a little soiled, a very rare stamp with only 20 printed, certificate BPA (1981)

4d. on 40 pfg. with clear double overprint, position 10, showing the variety "1 for I", together with 1d. on 5 pfg. - 2d. on 20 pfg. and 3d. on 25 and 30pfg., all tied by Gibbs type 2 cancel "*RABAUL * *Oct. 22 1914*" to local cover, some pressure marks, partially erased writing, folded twice between stamps, the stamps in fine condition, only 20 stamps with double overprint have been printed out of those only 2 with the variety, extremely rare thus, signed Holcombe with certificate (1994)

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)