Great Britain, [R.M.S. Titanic] Titanic Facing Slip for 3 Letters to Brooklyn, N.Y., a remarkably clean example with an exceptionally clear strike of Titanic's "Transatlantic Post-Office 7/ AP 10/ 12" c.d.s., as well as the mail clerk, Oscar Scott Woody's "O.S. WOODY" handstamp and two strikes of the straightline "TITANIC", Extremely Fine. Suggested Bid $7,500-10,000 (Image)
Suggested Bid $7,500-10,000
Opening US$ 6,250.00
Sold...US$ 6,250.00
Closed..Jul-15-2020, 10:11:17 EST
Sold For 6250
Sale No: 741
Lot No: 2
Symbol:
Cat No: 168
Great Britain, [R.M.S. Titanic] "TITANIC", straightline handstamp on a cover from France to Washington D.C. franked with a 25c blue Sower (168) tied by one of two strikes of a "Gare des Saintes" c.d.s., March 3, 1912; addressed to patent medicine manufacturers, The M.A. Winter Co. with a manuscript "Dossier No. 5446" (in the hand of the sender), a handstamped blue control number and handstamped purple "Received/ Mar 19 1917", the last apparently applied by the addressee; backstamped Paris (Mar 4) and Washington D.C. (Mar 18); minor opening tear at the top, Very Fine. One of just 20 such covers, this one previously unrecorded (see Tom Fortunato's online census atwww.titaniccovers.com),
The "TITANIC" handstamp is believed to have been applied in Paris in transit to the port of Cherbourg, where the mail was to have been put aboard Titanic. However, due to complications with completing Titanic's finishing touches, the date of her maiden voyage was rescheduled from March 20 to April 10. When the French Post Office became aware of this schedule change, the mail, having already received the "TITANIC" handstamp, was placed on the next available ship to America.
This is one of just 20 recorded covers intended for the original March 10 sailing of Titanic and marked with a "TITANIC" handstamp. 18 of the covers originated in France, the other two originated in Denmark and in Spain. All but one were sent to M.A. Winter in Washington D.C.; the Danish cover went to Seattle. Also, the Danish and Spanish covers bear a slightly different TITANIC handstamp. Suggested Bid $2,000-3,000 (Image)
Suggested Bid $2,000-3,000
Opening US$ 2,000.00
Sold...US$ 2,000.00
Closed..Jul-15-2020, 10:12:31 EST
Sold For 2000
Sale No: 741
Lot No: 3
Symbol:
Cat No: UX38
Great Britain, The Beatles, "Love from The Beatles" with Paul, John, George and Ringo's signatures, on the reverse of a US 2¢ postal card (#UX38); signatures clean and as fresh as the day they were written; card with small faults of no consequence; accompanied by Royal Post's 2007 Beatles issue presentation pack to provide a colorful and fun backdrop. Suggested Bid $5,000-7,500 (Image)
Suggested Bid $5,000-7,500
Opening US$ 3,750.00
Sold...US$ 3,750.00
Closed..Jul-15-2020, 10:13:35 EST
Sold For 3750
Sale No: 741
Lot No: 5
Symbol:
Cat No: 499/502
Great Britain, 1949, U.P.U. complete, imprimaturs (SG 499/502), matched set of left margin singles, a stellar set with exceptional color and impression, fully margined top, right and bottom; National Postal Museum (NPM) handstamp on reverse of each, o.g., never hinged, Very Fine, one of only five sets released in the NPM Archive sale. Scott 276-279 vars. Suggested Bid $1,500-2,000 (Image)
Suggested Bid $1,500-2,000
Opening US$ 850.00
Sold...US$ 850.00
Closed..Jul-15-2020, 10:15:21 EST
Sold For 850
Sale No: 741
Lot No: 6
Symbol:
Great Britain, 1997, Queen Elizabeth II, deep green (as used for 2p), light grey (as used for the 29p), flame (as used for 1st class, undenominated trials), full panes of 100, a limited supply of these were discovered, o.g., never hinged, Very Fine, each with photocopies of 2017 R.P.S.L. certificates that were issued for the discovery set of sheets,
Machin trials discovered after 20 years
Sheets of three trials of the Machin head, produced in 1997, have come to light in this the 50th anniversary of the introduction of Arnold Machin's iconic portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Machin definitives were first printed in lithography in 1980 as Royal Mail expanded its range of suppliers. However, by the mid-1990s it had decided that all the standard definitives should be printed in gravure. At the time The House of Questa, based in south London, did not have gravure capability.
As the company wished to participate in all future tenders for Royal Mail stamps, whether printed by litho or gravure, in gummed or self-adhesive versions in sheets or stamp booklets, it decided to make a major investment in a gravure press and an automated booklet maker. To achieve the best, Questa partnered with a number of highly qualified and renowned organisations to deliver the skills, processes and technology required to ensure it would be ready for production in less than 18 months.
Courvoisier, based in Switzerland, was at that time arguably the finest gravure stamp printer in Europe. The company agreed to assist Questa with technical advice and cylinder making. As part of this process Royal Mail gave permission for a print trial at Courvoisier using the Machin head: the original material to enable the trial to take place was supplied by Questa. Part of the thinking at the time was that Courvoisier might undertake the production of the cylinders needed for final stamp printing on behalf of Questa, but this did not materialise.
The undenominated trials were produced in October 1997 in sheets of 100 (from larger sheets of 200 guillotined in two) with the Courvoisier imprint along the vertical margins. They exist in three colours: deep green (as used for the 2p), light grey (as used at the time for the 29p), and flame (as used for 1st class). Courvoisier had printed the then current Kenya definitives, these being of the same overall size as the Machin definitives. As a consequence, the trials were printed on coated paper without phosphor bands, and have perforation 15 x 14. However, the stamp image is slightly smaller than that used on Machin definitives.
Barry Robinson, then Design Director of Royal Mail, visited Courvoisier to see the preparations. It is believed the trial sheets were printed on one of the small gravure printing presses at Courvoisier, some being printed during the visit.
The gravure press and the automated booklet line were produced by ATN in France. The new machinery would not fit within Questa's original base in Camberwell: the move to Byfleet was part of the development.
Courvoisier was founded in 1880 and started printing stamps in 1937. It was noted for the high quality of its photogravure work, but sadly it ran into financial difficulties and ceased trading in 2001. Suggested Bid $8,000-12,000 (Image)
Suggested Bid $8,000-12,000
Opening US$ 5,000.00
Sold...US$ 5,000.00
Closed..Jul-15-2020, 10:15:55 EST
Sold For 5000
Sale No: 741
Lot No: 7
Symbol:
Cat No: L237s
Great Britain, Telegraph, 1877, £5 orange, overprinted SPECIMEN type 8 (S.G. Spec. L237s), watermarked Shamrocks sideways inverted, quite fresh with strong color; light surface soiling which we do not see and is a hrash comment, Fine to Very Fine, one of Engalnds iconic stamps, with 2019 R.P.S.L. certificate. S.G. Spec. £2,400+ ($3,100) Suggested Bid $500-750 (Image)
S.G. Spec. £2,400+ ($3,100) Sugge
Opening US$ 600.00
Sold...US$ 600.00
Closed..Jul-15-2020, 10:16:35 EST
Sold For 600
Offices in the Turkish Empire
Sale No: 741
Lot No: 8
Symbol:
Cat No: 25
British Offices in the Turkish Empire, 1906, King Edward VII, 1pi on 2d Beirut provisional (Scott 25), canceled partial Beirut REGISTERED oval, Fine to Very Fine. SG 15; £700 ($900). Scott $700 Suggested Bid $200-300 (Image)
Scott $700 Suggested Bid $200-300
Opening US$ 225.00
Sold...US$ 225.00
Closed..Jul-15-2020, 10:17:32 EST
Sold For 225
Parliamentary Envelopes
Sale No: 741
Lot No: 9
Symbol:
Cat No: Collection
British Occupation of Italian East Africa, 1941, unissued overprints, lacking only the 3L and the rare 10c & 20L, o.g., never hinged; 40L with a small edge tear, 8L on 10L nicked at left, 50L with a lightly natural paper wrinkle. A rare group, especially never hinged, Sassone 14, 19 & 20 signed Oliva, with his 1974 certificate. Sassone 12-17, 19-20; €19,850 ($22,250). Suggested Bid $2,000-3,000 (Image)
