Sale 305



 
Lot 4

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1851, 12d black, laid paper (3), ample to large margins with sharp, prooflike impression and neatly struck target cancel. Fresh and choice Very Fine. Unitrade C$100,000 ($75,000).
Scott $50,000

AMONG THE FINEST USED EXAMPLES OF THIS CLASSIC RARITY IN EXISTENCE.

Expertization: 1950 R.P.S. and 1986 Holcombe Certificates.

Provenance: Lees-Jones, Amundsen

Realized $60,375



 
Lot 221



1857, 2d scarlet vermilion (2), deep color, sharp impression, large margins all round, part original gum. Very Fine. SG 2. Unitrade C$20,000 ($15,000).
Scott $12,500

AN EXCEPTIONAL EXAMPLE OF THIS RARE CLASSIC STAMP-- OF OPTIMUM QUALITY.

Expertization: photocopy of 1976 R.P.S. Certificate.

Realized $18,400



 
Lot 313



Airmail, 1932, $1.50 on $1 Dornier DO-X Flight, inverted surcharge (C12a), deep bright color, well centered. Original gum, never hinged. Very Fine and wonderful post office fresh example. SG 221a. Unitrade C$50,000 ($37,500).
Scott $16,000

ONLY 20 EXAMPLES KNOWN WITH SURCHARGE INVERTED, OF WHICH ONLY A FEW ARE NEVER HINGED.

Expertization: 1992 B.P.A. Certificate.

Realized $24,150



 
Lot 226



1sh orange-vermillion on vertically laid paper (15 footnote), pale color and "dry" impression, distinctly visible laid lines. Large part original gum. Minor gum stains just show through to margin at top and left. Very Fine. SG 15 footnote. Unitrade 10 C$20,000 ($15,000).
Scott $10,500

ONLY THREE EXAMPLES FORMING A RECONSTRUCTED STRIP OF THREE ARE RECORDED BY PRATT.

Expertization: 1972 P.F. Certificate.

Provenance: Pratt, Gilbert

According to Robert Pratt, the 1/- on vertically laid paper is an extremely rare plate proof from an original block of six printed in 1860 as a color trial.


Realized $20,700



 
Lot 291



Airmail, 1919, 3¢ Hawker Flight (C1), quite well centered for this, strong overprint highlighted by bright color. Original gum. Initials "JAR" of Postmaster General Dr. J.A. Robinson on gum as always. Very Fine example of this famous airmail rarity. SG 142. Unitrade C$30,000 ($22,500).
Scott $15,000

Expertization: 1999 B.P.A. Certificate.

Of the 200 overprints produced, 18 were damaged or destroyed, 95 were used to frank covers carried by Lieutenant H. Hawker on his Trans-Atlantic flight, 11 were given as presentation copies and the remaining 76 were sold in aid of the Marine Disaster Fund.


Realized $16,100



 
Lot 314



Airmail, 1932, $1.50 on $1 Dornier DO-X Flight, inverted surcharge (C12a), radiant color on bright paper, exceptionally well centered. Original gum, lightly hinged. Extremely Fine and rare. SG 221a. Unitrade C$25,000 ($18,750).
Scott $11,500

ONLY 20 EXAMPLES KNOWN WITH SURCHARGE INVERTED.

Expertization: signed Bloch, 2002 Greene and 2004 B.P.A. Certificates.

Realized $14,375



 
Lot 17



½d rose, vertical stitch watermark (8, 8 var.), block of four with stitch watermark through left pair, large margins all round, deep color and full original gum bottom pair never hinged. Tiny tear upper left stamp, horizontal crease affecting top pair. Otherwise a Very Fine and unique multiple. Unitrade 8, 8iii.
Estimate 20,000 - 30,000

A REPORTEDLY UNIQUE BLOCK CONTAINING THE ONLY TWO RECORDED MINT EXAMPLES OF THE VERTICAL STITCH WATERMARK.

Expertization: 1974 P.F. Certificate notes "unused, o.g." and mentions faults; a later owner has appended a note about the stitch watermark.

Unsold



 
Lot 211



1857, 6d dark green (5), deep bright color accentuated by its clear impression, full margins all round, much original gum. Very Fine and a marvelous example. Unitrade C$20,000 ($15,000).

AN EXTREMELY RARE STAMP UNUSED, OF WHICH ONLY A FEW TRULY SOUND EXAMPLES ARE KNOWN AND FURTHERMORE VIRTUALLY UNOBTAINABLE WITH ORIGINAL GUM.

Expertization: 1973 Diena Certificate.

Provenance: Lord Symms

Nicholas Argenti considered this stamp to be rarer than the 1/- purple unused and possibly as rare as the 1/- cold violet unused. He could only trace a few sound examples in auction over his thirty years of research, since the majority of the dozen or so offered were either in inferior condition or suspect.


Realized $32,200



 
Lot 303



Airmail, 1927, 60¢ De Pinedo Flight (C4), tied by St. John's machine cancellation, May 20, on cover with St. John's G.P.O. corner card, Trepassey transit c.d.s., May 21, Rome receiver, June 22, on reverse; address crossed out and the cover returned to the original sender "John J. Jackman, G.P.O., St. John's"; light soiling and end wrinkles, Fine. Unitrade C$25,000 ($18,750).
Scott $12,500

ONLY 225 COVERS WERE CARRIED BEARING THE OVERPRINTED STAMP, AND THIS IS MOST PROBABLY THE ONLY RETURNED FORWARDED USE.

Expertization: 1996 P.F. Certificate.

Realized $9,775



 
Lot 238



1d reddish brown, prepared for use but never issued (16), the more desirable dark shade with characteristic heavier impression, part original gum. Tiny nick in margin at lower left which is merely an irregularity in the separation of the stamps. Very Fine and an elusive color. SG 16a. Unitrade C$18,000 ($13,500).
Scott $5,500

A SUPERLATIVE EXAMPLE OF THIS VERY RARE PRINTING.

Expertization: 1997 B.P.A. Certificate.

Provenance: Gilbert

The current theory as to the production of this shade rarity is best expounded by Robert Pratt. Quite simply, only 80 sheets, or 9,600 stamps of the 1d were available following the initial printing on 23 November 1861; however, the invoice was for 10,080 stamps. The additional 480 stamps are in the red-brown color. This anomaly occurred as a result of a further four sheets being printed following the 5d. As the ink was running out prior to the conclusion of the 5d printing, the printers supplemented the dwindling ink supply with rose ink and then followed on the 5d printing with the printing of the last four sheets of the 1d.


Realized $8,625