Great Britain and British Commonwealth OFFICIAL MAIL - FRANK STAMPS
Sale No: 5
Lot No: 1025
Symbol: PS
Cat No: Collection
Group of unused envelopes (mostly) comprising '...DEFENCE' h/s in blue on postcard with 'SENIOR CADET BATTALION' header on the reverse; '...PUBLIC INSTRUCTION' h/s in blue; '...RAILWAYS' printed in black on c.1900 penalty envelope; 'COMMR OF TRADE & CUSTOMS' printed in black; 'SOLICITOR GENERAL' printed in black on two sizes; 'THE SPEAKER' h/s in blue with 'FEDERAL CONVENTION/PARLIAMENT HOUSE MELBOURNE' imprint & embossing on the flap; 'THE TREASURER' h/s in blue, printed in blue on a postal card perforated on three sides (minor spotting), & printed in black on penalty envelope with two bars across the Frank (slit open at the top); most are fine to very fine. A very scarce group. [There was a time you couldn't buy any unused Frank article for less than $100. This is what you call ground-floor opportunity]
(Qty 10) (Image1)
Estimate AU$500
Opening AU$ 380.00
Sold...AU$ 440.00
Closed..May-20-2021, 18:00:00 EST
Sold For 440
Sale No: 5
Lot No: 1026
Symbol: PS
'MINISTER OF JUSTICE' & 'SOLICITOR GENERAL' handstamps in blue or blue-black on 1880s envelopes with 'DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE' or 'Crown Law Offices' imprints at L/L, both with the Frank with manuscript "Cancelled/[initials]", horizontal and vertical bends. Very scarce.
(Qty 2)
COMMANDANT LOCAL FORCES: Fine strike in dull blue on envelope with 'PUBLIC WORKS OFFICE/Melbourne' imprint at L/L (S&W #E90), 'ST KILDA/DE15/81/VICTORIA - 78' duplex, to "Major Newman/Commt Volunteer Engineers/Brisbane" (b/s), very minor blemishes. Rated RR. The only recorded item for this user. [A most unusual "out-of-department" usage, presumably from a volunteer officer with the Public Works Department]
COMMANDANT LOCAL FORCES: Superb strike in blue on 1883 envelope (265x115mm) with 'Victorian Naval Forces' imprint at L/L (S&W #E120; only two others recorded), minor blemishes. This cheap! Really!?
CROWN LANDS & SURVEY, COMMISSIONER OF: Handstamp in blue largely very fine strike on 'RENTS OF RUNS' broadsheet - folded to 265x112mm - with very fine 'MELBOURNE' duplex with damaged datehead, a few faults. The only recorded example. [Apparently the addressee, the "Receiver & Paymaster/Geelong", was to enter the required details onto the opened-out document and display it in a prominent position in his office]
DEFENCE, MINISTER OF: 1894-1901 all-different envelopes with printed frank including black/orange with printed address (S&W #E30; the only recorded example of this dramatic item), and with imprints at L/L comprising 'DEFENCE DEPARTMENT/ Ordnance Branch...' x2 (only two others recorded), 'From...Captain/...Rifle Club' (unlisted), 'From.../...Company/ Rangers' (unlisted), 'From/...Company/V Rangers' (only two others recorded), 'HEAD-QUARTERS, CADET CORPS/...' (#E290; the only recorded example), 'HEAD-QUARTERS, VICTORIAN MILITARY FORCES/...' x7 (one unused), 'HEAD-QUARTERS/Victorian Mounted Rifles/...' (#E360; the only recorded example), 'VICTORIAN ARTILLERY/Queenscliff' (#E490; the only recorded example) & 'VICTORIAN NAVAL FORCES/Williamstown' (addressed but unused; presumably #E470), and postcards with 'From...Capt/...Rifle Club' imprint and 'Commonwealth of Australia/DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE' (#80; only one other recorded), 'Military District Pay Office/...' very late usage in 1910 (#P130; the only recorded example) or 'The Secretary of Defence' headers on the reverse; condition variable but most are fine to very fine. [Let's get this straight: there are 24 covers, including six unique items, but the estimate is only $21 per item! You have got to be kidding me! Line up for this one]
(Qty 24) (Image1)
Estimate AU$500
Opening AU$ 380.00
Sold...AU$ 460.00
Closed..May-20-2021, 18:00:00 EST
Sold For 460
Sale No: 5
Lot No: 1031
Symbol: PS
Cat No: Collection
DEFENCE, MINISTER OF: Group of envelopes with all-different imprints comprising '1st Battalion Infantry Brigade/...', 'A Co 1st Batt VR/...', '4TH BATTALION/INFANTRY BRIGADE' (used at Castlemaine), 'SENIOR CADET BATTALION', 'FROM CAPTAIN/KEW RIFLE CLUB' (toning, mostly on the reverse) and 'Hon Sec/Victorian Rifle Association/...', all used at Melbourne, plus green imprints & beautiful embossings on the flaps for '1st-3rd V Regt' and '3rd Bn I Bde' both used at Ballarat, mostly fine to very fine. A very scarce & desirable group.
(Qty 8) (Image1)
Estimate AU$500
Opening AU$ 380.00
Sold...AU$ 380.00
Closed..May-20-2021, 18:00:00 EST
Sold For 380
Sale No: 5
Lot No: 1032
Symbol: PS
Cat No: P120)
DEFENCE, MINISTER OF: Printed - different dies - on Postcards with imprints at L/L 'From...Capt/...Rifle Club' (S&W #P120), 'From/...Captain/ ...Rifle Club' (unlisted) or 'From/...Coy/Victorian Mounted Rifles' (#210, a bit aged), unused. A very scarce trio.
(Qty 3)
JUSTICE, MINISTER OF: Handstamp in blue-black on 1880s envelope with 'DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE' imprint at L/L, the Frank with manuscript "Cancelled/[initials]", horizontal and vertical bends.
Sale No: 5
Lot No: 1034
Symbol: PS
Cat No: Collection
PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, MINISTER OF: Printed in black on both halves of a reply-lettersheet requiring an attendance report in respect of named children, minor defects, unused. The only recorded example, and the only such return-usage item recorded apart from the famous hoard of 1870s-1880s Justice of the Peace forms.
PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, MINISTER OF: Die 1 ('F' of 'FRANK' below 'U' of 'PUBLIC') h/s in blue superb strike on 1870s envelope with pre-printed address, minor blemishes, unused; largely very fine on 1873 envelope with 'EDUCATION DEPARTMENT' imprint plus 'WOODFORD' arrival b/s & 'UNCLAIMED'-in-oval h/s in green (folds); and largely fine on 1873 postcard with 'EDUCATION DEPARTMENT imprint on the reverse.
(Qty 3)
ROYAL MINT: Very fine h/s in blue on 1901 mourning envelope for Queen Victoria with seriffed 'ROYAL MINT/...' imprint at L/L (S&W #E20), to NSW with Sydney arrival b/s, light overall aging. This used to be one of the most desirable Franks: 20 years ago this item would have sold for $1000+.
SOLICITOR-GENERAL: Handstamp in blue-black on 1880s envelope with beautiful embossed crest in purple on the reverse & 'Crown Law Offices' imprint at L/L, the Frank with manuscript "Cancelled/[initials]", light bend at the base.
TRADE & CUSTOMS, COMMISSIONER OF: Die 2 superb strike in violet on 1883 envelope with 'DISTILLERIES AND EXCISE OFFICE/...' imprint at L/L (not in the census; only two others recorded), and light but very fine strike in blue on 1887 orange-buff envelope with 'Distilleries and Excise Office' imprint at L/L (S&W #E300; the only recorded example).
(Qty 2)
Sale No: 5
Lot No: 1039
Symbol: PS
Cat No: Collection
TREASURER, THE: Die 2 printed in black or blue on all-different envelopes with imprints at L/L including 'CURATOR'S OFFICE/New Zealand Chambers...', 'GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE' (only one other recorded), 'IMPERIAL AND VICTORIAN PENSIONS OFFICE' (S&W #E450; the only recorded example), 'Imperial Pensions only' (at upper-left; unlisted, unused), 'Public Service Board' (#640), 'RECEIPT AND PAY OFFICE' x7 (one unused), ditto '.../TREASURY' (#E840; only two others recorded) and ditto '.../TREASURY MELBOURNE' (#850; incorrectly listed & the only recorded example) and 'STORES AND TRANSPORT OFFICES' (#E990; the only recorded example), etc; on postcards with imprint on reverse 'RECEIPT AND PAY OFFICE' (unused) & 'TREASURY, MELBOURNE' (#P30; the only recorded example), registration envelopes x3, lettersheet with 'CURATOR'S OFFICE/...' imprint with handstamped address correction (#LS10; the only recorded example), wrappers x5 (one a front only) & two address labels fashioned from 'GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE' envelopes; generally fine to very fine. [If you're serious about forming a much better than average collection of Frank stamps or official mail, you must be all over this lot. No fewer than five unique items and at an estimate that averages only $11 per piece!!!!!]
(Qty 44) (Image1)
Estimate AU$500
Opening AU$ 380.00
Sold...AU$ 500.00
Closed..May-20-2021, 18:00:00 EST
Sold For 500
Sale No: 5
Lot No: 1040
Symbol: PS
Cat No: P20)
TREASURER, THE: Die 2 printed in blue on 1870s postcard with 'RECEIPT AND PAY OFFICE' imprint on the reverse (S&W #P20), a joined pair (sensibly reinforced with archival tape), unused. The only such 'multiple' recorded for any Department or user. [The cards are perforated on two or three sides. We expect they were supplied in books - not sheets - and that a "page" was a vertical strip of either three or, less likely, four cards]
