383rd Auction

4d. on 40 pfg., horizontal strip of three with bottom sheet margin with complete inscription "KAMERUN", all stamps with triple surcharge, two albino, unused, very fine, rare and attractive multiple, certificate BPA (1980; for former block of 8

4d. on 40 pfg. with clear triple surcharge, two albino, unused, fine and scarce

6d. on 50 pfg. with clear double surcharge, one albino, mint never hinged, fine and scarce

6d. on 50 pfg., horizontal pair, the left stamp with clear double surcharge, one albino, mint never hinged, fine and scarce, signed Holcombe with opinion (1994)

1s. on 1m. carmine - 5s. on 5m. carmine and black, all fresh color, good perforation and neatly used, 5s. tied by cds. "DUALA 14.7.15" to small piece, 3m. small thin and few perfs rebacked, otherwise fine

1s. on 1m. carmine with tilted surcharge, unused, very fine

1s. on 1m. carmine with variety "s inverted", unused, very fine, signed Holcombe

2s. on 2m. blue with variety "s inverted", unused, tiny thin spot, otherwise very fine, signed Holcombe

2s. on 2m. blue, vertical pair with right sheet margin, the lower stamp with variety "s inverted", unused, margin small thins and partially separated, the stamps very fine, scarce multiple, signed Holcombe

3m. on 3s. violet-black, tied by cds. "DUALA" to small piece, very fine

3s. on 3m. violet-black with variety "s inverted", unused, very fine, signed Holcombe

3m. on 3s. violet-black, with variety "inverted s", tied by cds. "DUALA -9.8.15" to small piece, very fine and attractive, signed Köhler

3s. on 3m. violet-black, with clear double-surcharge, unused with slightly tropicalized as all the known copies have, two perfs at right slightly shortened, a very fine copy of this rare stamp with only 20 printed (one of which with the "inverted s" variety), signed Holcombe with certificate (1992)

5s. on 5m. carmine and black, with variety "s inverted", with right sheet margin, unused, gum slightly tropicalized and soaked in, otherwise very fine, signed

5s. on 5m. carmine and black, vertical pair with right sheet margin, the upper stamp with variety "s inverted", unused, lower stamp tiny tear, otherwise fine, scarce multiple, signed Holcombe

5s. on 5m. carmine and black, with variety "broken s at top", unused, one short perf at left, otherwise fine

"On Active Service  - No stamps available" endorsement on cover from "DUALA 27.10.14" to Wicklow, Ireland, reverse with arrival mark "GREYSTONE 28 NO 14", some minor wear, otherwise fine

"AKABO" violet straight-line on horizontal pair 1d. on 10 pfg. on small piece with adjacent cds. "LONDON 22 FE 16 F.S.62", the adhesives some minor imperfections, a very rare and interesting cancellation which was used by the Elder Dempster and Company's steamship S.S. Akabo

1923, personally signed letter of confirmation from J.D. Mackay about the creation of the G.R. MAFIA overprints during the occupation "....I certify that the German East Africa stamps overprinted G.R. MAFIA were issued by me for postal purposes....", neatly pasted on cardboard, a very interesting document

1915, G.R. MAFIA handstamp in black: 4h. green, fresh color and good perforation, unused, a very fine example of this rare stamp with approximately only 30 issued, signed Hoffmann-Giesecke

1915, G.R. MAFIA handstamp in black: 7½h. red, fresh color and good perforation, just one blunted perf at bottom, unused, a very fine example of this rare stamp with approximately only 30 issued, signed Hoffmann-Giesecke

1915, G.R. MAFIA handstamp in black: 15h. blue, fresh color and good perforation, just one blunted perf at top right, tiny age spot, unused, a very fine example of this rare stamp with approximately only 30 issued, signed Hoffmann-Giesecke

1915, G.R. MAFIA handstamp in black: 20h. black and red/yellow, with upper sheet margin, fresh color and good perforation, a very fine and attractive example of this rare stamp with approximately only 30 issued, signed Hoffmann-Giesecke

1915, G.R. MAFIA handstamp in black: 30h. black and carmine, fresh color and good perforation, just one slightly blunted perf at right, a very fine and attractive example of this rare stamp with approximately only 30 issued, signed Hoffmann-Giesecke

1915, G.R. MAFIA handstamp in black: 30h. black and carmine, vertical pair with left sheet margin, fresh color, bottom stamps few short perfs, otherwise good perforation, mint never hinged, tiny age spots, an exceedingly rare multiple, with approximately only 30 stamps issued

1915, G.R. MAFIA handstamp in black: 45h. black and mauve, fresh color and good perforation, just one slightly blunted perf at right, a very fine and attractive example of this rare stamp with approximately only 30 issued, signed Hoffmann-Giesecke

1915, G.R. MAFIA handstamp in black: 1r. carmine, fresh color, mostly good perforation, just a few very slightly blunted, unused with fresh original gum, an exceptionally rare stamp with just 15 (David Field) issued or 20 examples (Bob Gibbs) believed to have been issued regardless of overprint colour; Gibbs estimates just 8 stamps were overprinted in black, signed Hoffmann-Giesecke

1915, G.R. MAFIA handstamp in black: 2r. green, fresh color and good perforation, minor ageing, unused with fresh original gum, an exceptionally rare stamp with just 15 (David Field) issued or 20 examples (Bob Gibbs) believed to have been issued regardless of overprint colour; Gibbs estimates just 8 stamps were overprinted in black, signed Hoffmann-Giesecke

1915, G.R. MAFIA handstamp in black: 3r. blue-black and red, fresh color and good perforation, one blunted perf and one with soaked in gum at lower right, minor ageing, unused with fresh original gum, an exceptionally rare stamp with just 15 (David Field) issued or 20 examples (Bob Gibbs) believed to have been issued regardless of overprint colour; Gibbs estimates just 8 stamps were overprinted in black, signed Hoffmann-Giesecke a.o.

1915, G.R. MAFIA handstamp in violett: 2½-20h., fresh color and good perforation, 15h. as horizontal pair, just 20h. short perf at top, all washed and without gum, otherwise fine, opinion Holcombe (1997)

1915, G.R. MAFIA handstamp in violett: 2½-15h., fresh color and good perforation, 15h. with upper sheet margin, mint never hinged, one tiny age spot on 2½ resp. 15h., very fine, signed Bühler/ Hoffmann-Giesecke

1915, G.R. MAFIA Handstamp in violet: 3r. blue-black and red, fresh color, good centring and perforation, unused with usual brownish gum, an exceptionally rare stamp with just 14 (David Field) issued or 20 examples (Bob Gibbs) believed to have been issued regardless of the overprint colour; Gibbs estimates just 12 examples were overprinted in reddish violet, several known pieces have flaws, a really pristine piece, one of the greatest rarities of the "Mafia" issue, signed Hoffmann Giesecke a.o. and certificate BPA (1947)

G.R. POST 6 CENTS MAFIA: Violet overprint on 20h., with lower sheet margin, fresh color and good perforation, mint never hinged, hinge remainder in the margin only, a fine and very rare stamp

G.R. POST 6 CENTS MAFIA: Black overprint on 30h. black and carmine, fresh color and good perforation, tied by fieldpost cancellation to small piece, one perf tip with minor ageing spot, otherwise a fine example of this very rare stamp, signed Kilian a.o. and certificate GPS (1983)

G.R. Post MAFIA (Type 5) in blue on Yacht type 4h. green, without gum, slightly washed, otherwise fine. Very interesting item, mentioned in Gibbs page 253, certificate Holcombe (1996; for two values)

1915, O.H.D.M.S. MAFIA: Fiscals "STATISTIK DES WAAREN-VERKEHRS" 24p. tied by cds. "MAFIA 6 JY 16" to small cover to Zanzibar with arrival mark, fine and scarce, certificate BPA (1996)