FIRST DAY COVER: 2d red, 3d blue & 5/- dark green tied to plain locally addressed cover by 'BUNBURY/ 14MR32/WESTERN AUSTRALIA' cds, minor gum stains & a light bend clear of the stamps otherwise very fine, Cat $5000. [See also Lots 616 to 618]
OPENING OF THE BRIDGE: 5/- dark green on cover to Tasmania, tied by 'POSTED ON BRIDGE/DURING OPENING/CELEBRATIONS' slogan of 19MAR/1932 which was the Opening Day.
OPENING OF THE BRIDGE: 5/- dark green with full John Ash Imprint on cover to Cootamundra, tied by 'POSTED ON BRIDGE/DURING OPENING/CELEBRATIONS' slogan of 19MAR/1932 which was the Opening Day, light toning at U/R clear of the stamp.
OPENING OF THE BRIDGE: 2d red, 3d blue x2 & 5/- dark green on Samuel Wood PPC of the Bridge, 'POSTED ON BRIDGE/DURING OPENING/CELEBRATIONS' slogan mis-struck at an angle so three strikes of the 'SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE/19MR32/- 1 -' reserve cds applied. An extraordinary usage.
OPENING OF THE BRIDGE: 2d red (both types), 3d blue & 5/- dark green on illustrated 5th Anpex cover with 'SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE SE PYLON/19MR32' cds which was the Opening Day, blue & black/white R label, Sydney transit b/s, a trifle aged.
OPENING OF THE BRIDGE: 5/- dark green block of 4 - the second unit detached - with central 'SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE SE PYLON/19MR32' cds on illustrated 'FIRST DAY COVER/TO COMMEMORATE THE OPENING OF THE [bridge]/SYDNEY HARBOUR BRDIGE' envelope, blue & black/white R label (stained), Sydney & Melbourne transit & 'CAULFIELD/VICTORIA' arrival b/s. An extraordinary franking.
OPENING OF THE BRIDGE: 5/- dark green tied to cover to South Australia by 'SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE SE PYLON/31MR32' cds, blue & black/white R label, Sydney transit & 'WOLSELEY/SA' arrival b/s, minor wrinkles.
Sale No: 242
Lot No: 431
Symbol: C
Cat No: Collection
OPENING OF THE BRIDGE: 5/- dark green - a few gum-stained perf tips - tied to cover to Wimbledon Surrey by 'SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE SE PYLON/1AP32' cds (April Fools Day), blue & black/white R label, Sydney transit & oval 'REGISTERED/9MY32/WIMBLEDON SW19' arrival b/s. A terrific item for a Tennis collection.
OPENING OF THE BRIDGE: 2d red, 3d blue & 5/- dark green marginal examples on Mitchell illustrated 'COMMEMORATING THE OPENING OF THE/[bridge]/SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE' cover, 'SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE NE PYLON/19MR32' cds which was the Opening Day, blue & black/white R label, Sydney transit & Perth arrival b/s. Superb!
OPENING OF THE BRIDGE: 2d red (both types), 3d blue & 5/- dark green on cover to Yorkshire, 'SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE NE PYLON/24MR32' cds, blue & black/white R label, Sydney transit & oval 'REGISTERED/30AP32/WAKEFIELD' arrival b/s, minor blemishes.
OPENING OF THE BRIDGE: 2d red (Typo) pair, 3d blue pair & 5/- dark green (minor red marks) on cover with large illustration of the Bridge, 'SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE NE PYLON/31MR32' cds, blue & black/white R label, Sydney transit & superb 'NEWTOWN/NSW' arrival b/s. [We don't recall having seen this type of cover]
5th AUSTRALASIAN PHILATELIC EXHIBITION: 2d red (both types), 3d blue & 5/- dark green on illustrated 5th Anpex cover, boxed Exhibition d/s of 22MR32 (Opening Day) in green & backstamped with the Exhibition cds in red, blue & black/white R label, Sydney arrival b/s. Superb! Ex Theodore Steinway (endorsed on the reverse).
5th AUSTRALASIAN PHILATELIC EXHIBITION: 2d red (both types), 3d blue & 5/- dark green (L/L corner example) on illustrated 5th Anpex cover, Exhibition cds in red & boxed d/s in blue both of 23MR32, also with 'gold foil' commemorative label, blue & black/white R label (damaged on opening), Sydney transit & 'NORTH SYDNEY' arrival b/s, a little aged. [NB: the margins on the 5/- are large enough to strongly suggest that the foil label is covering a Plate Dot]
5th AUSTRALASIAN PHILATELIC EXHIBITION: 2d red (Typo), 3d blue & 5/- dark green on illustrated 5th Anpex cover, Exhibition cds in red & boxed d/s in blue both of 22MR32 (Opening Day), to USA with American 'REGISTERED' h/s also attractively cancelling the 5/-, two Chicago b/s in purple.
ILLUSTRATED SOUVENIR TELEGRAMS: Red-brown/yellow telegram with message "A unique souvenir of a wonderful feat" & SE Pylon cds, with the matching envelope to Perth with Bridge Opening Celebrations slogan cancel, the envelope opened a bit roughly.
(Qty 2 items)
ILLUSTRATED SOUVENIR TELEGRAMS: Red-brown/yellow telegram with message "Ideal weather for opening of bridge" & SE Pylon cds, with the matching envelope to Perth with the scarce 'SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE/ -1- ' reserve cds used on articles that were otherwise uncancelled.
(Qty 2 items)
ILLUSTRATED SOUVENIR TELEGRAMS: Red-brown/yellow telegram with message "I will meet you over there" (at the SE Pylon?), with the matching window envelope.
(Qty 2 items)
Sale No: 242
Lot No: 442
Symbol: C
Cat No: Collection
ILLUSTRATED SOUVENIR TELEGRAMS: Red-brown/yellow telegram very late usage with promotional message from the postmaster "...in SE Pylon we have 45 permanent employees & 60 entertaining attractions in most amazing exhibition in Southern Hemisphere...", superb 'CHIEF TELEGRAPH OFFICE/23MR34/SYDNEY' cds, minor peripheral faults. Rare. Ex George Gundersen: sold at the Prestige auction of 26.11.2005 for $815. [The NE Pylon & SE Pylon offices closed 2.4.1932, after the opening ceremonies. A permanent Sydney Harbour Bridge post office opened 19.3.1934 & closed 14.7.1942. Remainder stock of the telegrams was used up by the postmaster to encourage visitors to the bridge]
EXHIBITION TRADE SHIP: 2d red (Typo) tied by a magnificent strike of the undated 48mm 'POSTED ON BOARD FIRST AUSTRALIAN EXHIBITION SHIP TO THE EAST/TSS/NIEUW HOLLAND/.../APRIL-MAY 1933/...' Pristine!
CATAPULT FLIGHT: 3d blue + KSmith 2d red x2 tied to flight-endorsed cover to Germany by Brisbane cds of 19MR32 (FDI for the Bridge set) and United States 15c Air tied by a different Brisbane cds of 28MR32, superb 'FERRY STATION' b/s in purple applied at San Francisco & German 'Mit Luftpost/befordert/Postamt 1 Hannover' cachet in rosine on the face. [Prepayment of US internal airmail fees had been permitted since 1924 but was discontinued by this time. It appears that the GPO clerk cancelled the Australian stamps but referred the cover to a supervisor who, 9 days later, gave approval for the US stamp to be cancelled. The Ferry Station h/s indicates carriage across San Francisco Bay to the airport at Oakland]
