383rd Auction

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)

1915, O.H.D.M.S. MAFIA: Fiscals "STATISTIK DES WAAREN-VERKEHRS" 24p. - 1r. and "ÜBERSETZUNGS-GEBÜHREN" 25h., all fresh color and good centering, 24p. and 25h. small corner crease, few minor imperfections, a very attractive and indeed rare set, with only a handful of complete sets in existence, certificates RPSL (1978) and BPA (1962)

G.  R. POST MAFIA (Type M4) in violet on 7½h. red, fresh color and good perforation, just one blunted perf at upper left, minor ageing, unused, an extremely rare stamp, mentioned in Gibbons footnote and Gibbs on page 253. Signed Holcombe with certificate (1988)

Karisimbi Issue Large format Yacht type 2½-30h. and with additional overprint "G.E.A. BRITISH OCCUPATION" 3c. on 4h. - 25c. on 30h., neatly mounted into small older presentation folder, with sales note on the front "Deutsch-Ost-Afrika Lettow-Ausgabe....", some aging, but scarce and interesting item

Karisimbi Issue Large format Yacht type 2½-30h., used with fieldpost cancellation, 15h. small thin, otherwise fine, scarce

Karisimbi Issue Large format Yacht type with additional overprint "G.E.A. BRITISH OCCUPATION" 3c. on 4h. - 25c. on 30h., fresh color and good perforation, unused, very fine and scarce

Karisimbi Issue Large format Yacht type with additional overprint "G.E.A. BRITISH OCCUPATION" 3c. on 4h. - 25c. on 30h., fresh color and good perforation, used with fieldpost cancellation, fine

Karisimbi Issue Large format Yacht type with additional overprint "G.E.A. BRITISH OCCUPATION" 3c. on 4h. - 25c. on 30h., fresh color and good perforation, each tied by cds. "FIELD POST OFFICE 11 DEC 18" to small pieces, fine and scarce

Karisimbi Issue Large format Yacht type with additional overprint "G.E.A. BRITISH OCCUPATION" 3c. on 4h. - 25c. on 30h. imperforated, fresh color and good perforation, used, fine and rare

1917, George V. 1c. black, horizontal strip of three, with additional franking, tied by cds. "WILHELMSTAL 21.07.21" to registered cover from the Lunatic Asylum in Lutindi to Berlin with german censor cachet on front, some minor transportation wear, fine and attractive entire

1917, George V. 3c. green as matching additional franking on postatl stationery card 3c. from "WILHELMSTAL 1 AP 20" to Lübeck with straight-line censor mark "OPENED BY CENSOR" and german boxed "M.P.K" alongside, at left with senders cachet "Rev. Franz Gleiss. Missionary Wuga near Wilhelmstal..", sime minor wear, attractive and scarce

Georgve V. 15c. tied by cds "MOSCHI JA 11" to reverse of cover addressed to the International Peace Buero in Bern, on front two strikes of censor mark "PASSED CENSOR C.T. Dsm" and at top with censor label "OPENED UNDER MARTIAL LAW", minor aging, otherwise fine, very scarce

1917, George V. 15c. blue and 25c. green/red tied by large format cds. "MOSCHI" to registered cover with handwritten "r-label" to Prague, transit marks on reverse, some minor aging and transportation wear, scarce and attractive

1917, George V. 20r. black and purple on red, from the upper right sheet corner with plate number "1", fresh color and good perforation, mint never hinged, hinge remainder in the margin only, very fine and fresh

1917, George V. 50r. carmine and green, from the upper right sheet corner with plate number "1", fresh color and good perforation, unused, margins lightly folded, tiny age spot at lower left, otherwise very fine and attractive

1921, George V. 2r. red/blue, fresh color and mostly good perforation, used with clear central cds. "LINDI 24 AP 1922", very fine and scarce used

1921/22, Judicial George V. 5r. blue and dull purple, fourteen singles, all tied by large circular handstamp "TOWN MAGISTRATE COURT DAR-ES-SALAAM" and handwritten date and green crayon to large piece, very attractive usage

1921/22, Judicial George V. 1c., 12c. as pair, 2r. and 3r. on piece (1c. with two small punch holes), and 5r., five singles, 10r. and 20r., two singles, all tied by large circular handstamp "TOWN MAGISTRATE COURT DAR-ES-SALAAM" and handwritten date to two pieces, fine and attractive

1916, picture postcard (Porters at Rest) from a soldier endorsed "Active service" from "MASARA 08.07.16" via "MOMBASA 17 JY 16" to Paris, long message, slight corner crease, otherwise fine