1932 SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE 1932 Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sale No: 242
Lot No: 393
Symbol: **
TWO PENCE: 2d red corner block of 12 (2x6) from the lower-left of the sheet with One Plate Dot above Red Line in the L/H margin ACSC 146z, unmounted, Cat $750+ for a block of 4. Superb!
TWO PENCE: 2d red corner block of 12 (2x6) from the lower-right of the sheet with Two Plate Dots below Red Line in the R/H margin ACSC 146zb, unmounted, Cat $750+ for a block of 4. Superb!
TWO PENCE: 2d red marginal block of 4 for the right of the sheet with Three Plate Dots below Red Line in the margin ACSC 146zc, unmounted, Cat $1000. Rare and superb!
TWO PENCE: 2d red marginal block of 4 for the right of the sheet with Three Plate Dots below Red Line in the margin ACSC 146zc, CTO with '...NE PYLON' cds of 19MR32 being the Opening Day of the Bridge, large-part o.g., Cat $500++ (mounted).
TWO PENCE: 2d red marginal block of 4 for the right of the sheet with Four Plate Dots below Red Line in the margin ACSC 146zd, unmounted, Cat $1250. Rare and superb!
TWO PENCE: Typographed 2d red John Ash Imprint block of 4 ACSC 149zd autographed in the margin by "John Ash", lightly mounted. Sold at a Sydney auction for $489.
TWO PENCE: 'Typographed' 2d red Postal Forgery ACSC 149c, very well centred, very lightly mounted with large-part o.g. Much scarcer than the KGV 2d postal forgery from the same source. The finest example we have seen: far superior to Arthur Gray's corner example - "minor gum-spotting" - that sold for $2176]
The forgeries were created in Sydney as part of an elaborate fraud involving the mailing of a faked prospectus for the Irish Sweepstakes, and for forwarding tickets to unwitting subscribers. An Adelaide doctor who received an example of the KGV 2d forgery in his mail, noticed differences from the normal stamps, and contacted the Postmaster- General's Department requesting details of the "new issue". The subsequent official investigation resulted in the arrest of two persons, one the process engraver who had created the printing plates for the forgeries. Both men were sentenced to a year in jail.
It is believed that the racket was exposed before any of the 2d Bridge forgeries were postally used. The ACSC states "All used examples seen of the 2d Bridge forgery, including covers, are dated after the arrest of the gang".
FIVE SHILLINGS: 5/- dark green, well centred, tied to small envelope piece by 'OUTER HARBOUR/16MR36/STH AUSTRALIA', undercatalogued at $500. Postally used examples are very scarce: Arthur Gray's two examples sold for $665 & $786 respectively.
FIVE SHILLINGS: 5/- dark green + KGV 1/4d greenish blue single & pair and Typo Large Kookaburra 6d tied to parcel piece by 'COLLINS ST/24AU32/MELBOURNE' cds. A terrific commercial usage.
FIVE SHILLINGS: 5/- dark green with central telegraph punch, part 'RECEIVING ROOM/CETO' cds [= Chief Electric Telegraph Office] of Melbourne. Very scarce. [Maurice Williams' similar example sold for $907]
FIVE SHILLINGS: 2d red (Typo), 3d blue & 5/- dark green, all CTO with very fine strikes of the 'CHIEF TELEGRAPH OFFICE/19MR32/SYDNEY' cds being the Opening Day of the Bridge, full unmounted o.g. Unusual.
(Qty 3)
FIVE SHILLINGS: 5/- dark green U/R corner single with Plate Dot at U/R ACSC 148za, well centred, unmounted, Cat $3000+ (for mounted). [A plate dot appeared in one corner of each of the guillotined four sheets of 25. Examples are very scarce because, in most cases, they were guillotined-off or obstructed by the perforations. Arthur Gray's unmounted example sold for $1571]
FIVE SHILLINGS: 5/- dark green L/L corner single with Plate Dot at L/L ACSC 148zb, minor hinge remainder, Cat $4500+ (for mounted). [The lower plate dots are significantly scarcer than those from the upper corners]
FIVE SHILLINGS: 5/- dark green marginal single from the base of the sheet with complete John Ash Imprint, the gum a little 'suntanned' but unmounted, Cat $1500+.
FIVE SHILLINGS: 5/- dark green John Ash Imprint strip of 3 ACSC 148zf, well centred, a couple of short perfs, CTO with 'SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE NE PYLON/19MR32' cds on the Opening Day of the Bridge, one unit lightly mounted otherwise full unmounted o.g., Cat $3750 (for mounted mint).
Sale No: 242
Lot No: 414
Symbol: **
Cat No: Collection
FIVE SHILLINGS: 5/- dark green L/L corner single with Double Perfs at Left, unmounted. Unlisted in the ACSC and absent from Maurice Williams' and Arthur Gray's collections.
OVERPRINTED 'O S': 2d red L/L block of 4 with Blind Perfs between the R/H Units & at the Base, unmounted. Superb! Unlisted in the ACSC. Sold at a Sydney auction in 2015 for $2146.
Sale No: 242
Lot No: 419
Symbol: **
Cat No: 146(OS)zc
OVERPRINTED 'O S': 2d red marginal block of 4 from the right of the sheet with Four Plate Dots below Red Line ACSC #146(OS)zc, unmounted, Cat $2500+ (for a mounted block of 4). Superb! Ex Arthur Gray: sold for $3143.
Sale No: 242
Lot No: 422
Symbol: P*/**
Cat No: Collection
'CINDERELLAS': 1936 Western & Southern Provincial Airlines (WASP) Sydney Harbour Bridge label group comprising a proof sheet with three impressions each of the black design & the block for the greenish blue overlay Frommer 48e, superb; an Imperforate block of 4 from the base of the sheetlet of 6, black adhesions on the gum; perforated sheetlet autographed "For Ray Kelly With regards Ern Crome", superb unmounted; and a perforated example on flight cover signed by the pilots "P Graham" & "CD Salisbury", minor blemishes.
(Qty 4 items) (Image1)
Estimate AU$350
Opening AU$ 600.00
Sold...AU$ 600.00
Closed..Aug-28-2020, 18:00:00 EST
Sold For 600
Sale No: 242
Lot No: 423
Symbol: **
'CINDERELLAS': 1937 NSW Sesquicentary poster stamp of a bronzed Aussie beckoning tourists with 'SPECIAL FARE CONCESSIONS' at the base, the R/H unit with Dark Blue Printing Largely Omitted as a result of a stray piece of paper resulting in the Sydney Harbour Bridge being exposed!, unmounted. Superb!
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]
