SOUTH AUSTRALIA 1868-79 Large Star Watermark - Perf 11½-12½
Sale No: 249
Lot No: 1131
Symbol: */**
Cat No: 64
ONE PENNY: 1d dark green SG 64 marginal block of 8 (4x2) from the top of the sheet with Perforation Guide-Hole in the margin, large-part o.g. with four units being unmounted, Cat £1600++, for unused singles. A spectacular multiple. [There is some natural gum-coagulation on the reverse of the second-last unit and in the margin: the gum in those areas is darker in colour, but this is neither toning nor 'rust']. Harry Lower's pair sold for $640.
ONE PENNY: 1d dark green SG 64 + 6d Prussian blue SG 73 & De La Rue Perf 10 2d tied by 'GPO ADELAIDE/ K /MR28/74/SA' cds to cover to England "via Brindisi", very fine 'LONDON-WC/ 7B /MY11/74/PAID' arrival cds in red on the face, minor repaired tears on the reverse. A very attractive Three-Colour Mixed-Issue franking. [The addressee was a 'wood engraver']
THREE PENCE: '3-PENCE' on 4d Prussian blue SG 66 from the right of the sheet with marginal vertical watermark lines, full rich shade, a few minor surface blemishes, large-part o.g., unrecorded unused by Gibbons. One of the most important 'straight' stamps of South Australia, being the only recorded unused example of this famous and dramatic shade.
THREE PENCE: '3-PENCE' on 4d Prussian blue SG 66, full rich shade, an unusually large & attractive example, GPO cds, Cat £850. Most examples have significant faults & this is one of the finest we have seen. It is superior to Gary Diffen's example that sold for £600 (2009). A very fine example in our auction of 25.1.2003 sold for $895.
THREE PENCE: '3-PENCE' on 4d sky-blue SG 67, slightly stained by the large-part (brown) o.g., Cat £650. Very scarce & underrated. Michael Blake's similar example with no gum sold for $730.
THREE PENCE: '3-PENCE' on 4d sky-blue Imperforate SG 67a, good even margins & fragments of the adjoining unit at right with no trace of perforations or roulettes, 'PORT ADELAIDE/ JA10/71/[SA]', unpriced by Gibbons. Superb. Ex Julian Beresford. BPA Certificate (1956). [See also Lot 1188 for the unique example on cover]
THREE PENCE: '3-PENCE' on 4d sky-blue SG 67, a very fine example on outer to "Consul for Germany/Melbourne" endorsed "pr Aldinga", very fine 'GPO/MY2/71/ADELAIDE' cds & Melbourne arrival b/s of three days later, very minor blemishes. A very scarce usage: fewer than 10 covers have been recorded with the 3d on 4d used for its originally-intended purpose of paying the inter-colonial shipletter rate. Ex Wise (1950) and Bernhard Forster.
As noted in the docketing within, the sender was "JCC Vielhaack/Adelaide". The family name is found among immigrants from Germany in the 1850s. Harry Lower's similar 1873 cover sold for $1515.
THREE PENCE: '3-PENCE' on 4d bright ultramarine SG 68 corner block of 6 (3x2) from the upper-right of the sheet, Double Vertical Perforations between the Second & Third Columns and in the Margin at Right, minor stains in the right-hand margin, large-part but a little aged o.g. that doesn't affect the very fine facial appearance, Cat £1080++, for normal unused singles. The largest recorded unused multiple, greatly enhanced by the double perforations. Ex Rev James Mursell, Colonel Henry Napier and John Griffiths. Michael Blake's mint strip of 3 sold for $2565.
THREE PENCE: '3-PENCE' on 4d bright ultramarine SG 68 horizontal strip of 4, lovely colour, the first unit with an insignificant thin, very fine to superb 'GPO ADELAIDE/AU10/76/SA' cds, Cat £36++. Ex Harry Lower: sold for $730. The largest recorded used multiples are this strip of 4 and a block of 4: see the next lot.
Sale No: 249
Lot No: 1140
Symbol: F
Cat No: 68 block of 4
THREE PENCE: '3-PENCE' on 4d bright ultramarine SG 68 block of 4, lovely colour, intriguingly cancelled with both the 'PORT MACDONNELL' cds & the Receiving Office '6' cancels of Redruth (presumably after being reallocated to the GPO), Cat £36++. The largest recorded used multiples are this block of 4 & a strip of 4: see the previous lot.
THREE PENCE: '3-PENCE' on 4d bright ultramarine as SG 68 but with Major Double Print that is obvious across the entire design, thinned, part-cds. Unlisted by Gibbons. Ex Baron Ferrari de la Renotiere Seventh Sale 13-15.6.1923, part (!) of Lot 106, illustrated on Plate 3. Only one unused and four used examples have been recorded. This stamp is far more striking than Peter Jaffé's and Michael Blake's very fine examples that sold for $719 and $2445 respectively.
There are many examples of South Australian stamps that exhibit 'kiss print' characteristics, and Gibbons state "we no longer list these". However, in de-listing these, Gibbons have also removed a few genuine 'Double Prints' - from sheets that actually passed through the printing press twice - from their listing. This is one such stamp that should be reinstated.
THREE PENCE: '3-PENCE' on 4d bright ultramarine as SG 68 but Rouletted, rouletting on three sides & cut from the sheet at right largely clear of the design, indistinct Receiving Office numeral cancel. An extremely rare stamp that is listed in error by Gibbons as SG 67b 3d 'sky-blue' (Cat £1400). BPA Certificate (1965), which repeats the error.
Sale No: 249
Lot No: 1143
Symbol: F
Cat No: Collection
THREE PENCE: 4d deep ultramarine with '3-PENCE' in Black Surcharge Omitted SG 68c, minor separation faults at right largely clear of the design, light 'WATERLOO/SA' cds, Cat £55,000. Ex WE Lyle, AE Fryar, Brigadier DAK Redman, Julian Beresford and Laurie Malin. BPA Certificate (1959). Gary Diffen's very fine example sold for £44,000.
One of the Crown Jewels of Australian Colonies philately!
The 4d with Surcharge Omitted is the great rarity of South Australia. Only three unused examples (one in the Royal Collection) and eleven used examples - four in institutions - have been recorded: see Geoff Kellow's illustrated census in 'Sydney Views' (Nov 2011), where this stamp is listed as 'U6'. That leaves only two unused & seven used examples potentially available to collectors. This makes it significantly rarer than Western Australia's fabled 'Inverted Frame', Cat £180,000. To quote Geoff Kellow: "If the Inverted Frame is Australia's classic & most famous stamp error, then following close behind is the South Australia '3-PENCE' on 4d with the Surcharge Omitted...[which] created the 4d ultramarine Error of Colour."
Sale No: 249
Lot No: 1144
Symbol: C
Cat No: 68 two
THREE PENCE: '3-PENCE' on 4d ultramarine SG 68 two singles on mourning cover to "Digby/Victoria", Port Adelaide cds of SP17/72, Melbourne transit of SP20/72, 'HEYWOOD' transit of SE23/72 & part-'DIGBY' arrival backstamp of the same date, a couple of minor peripheral tears and a small cosmetic repair at upper-right (clear of the stamps, that have some lightly toned perfs). A rare franking paying double the scarce 3d inter-colonial shipletter rate. [A 'scenic route' cover. Heywood is only 28km north of Portland, which is roughly equi-distant between Adelaide and Melbourne. Digby is 40km NNW of Heywood. The cover probably returned by sea from Melbourne to Portland]
THREE PENCE: '3-PENCE' on 4d bright ultramarine SG 68 two unusually well centred singles on cover to Cornwall, GPO cds of OC4/77 & very fine 'PENRYN/NO26/77' arrival b/s. Most attractive. Ex Wise (1943).
THREE PENCE: '3-PENCE' on 4d deep ultramarine SG 68 plus 6d indigo SG 74 on cover to Shropshire "via Brindisi", light '64' (inverted) cancels & 'CLARENDON/MY20/73/S.A' cds, GPO transit & 'SHREWSBURY/ JL8/73' arrival backstamps. Very attractive: iIllustrated on the front cover of 'South Australian Numeral Cancellations' by Hugh Campbell & Don Pearce.
FOUR PENCE: 4d plate proof in black Perf 11½-12½ on ungummed unwatermarked paper, corner block of 36 from the upper-right of the sheet, generally very well centred, a few light bends and minor blemishes. A rare survivor & the first time we have encountered this proof, which is not recorded in 'The Empire in Australasia' by Robson Lowe. Our first thought was that this was a perforation trial for the new Perf 11½-12½ machine. However, that may not be the case: the perfs are quite rough, indicating that the pins were significantly worn.
Sale No: 249
Lot No: 1148
Symbol: F
Cat No: Collection
FOUR PENCE: 4d dull purple SG 70 from the base of the sheet with large Imperforate Margin at the Base, tiny thin spot, GPO cds of MY25/68. Rare: absent from Gary Diffen's exceptional collection of Errors. RPSofL Certificate (2004).
FOUR PENCE: 4d dull purple SG 70 on double-rate cover, 'GPO/MR10/69/ADELAIDE' cds & part-'KAPUNDA' arrival b/s of the same day, repaired opening tear across the flap. Solo 4d frankings are very scarce. Ex Harry Lower: sold for $256. [Kapunda was the site of a significant copper discovery in 1842]
FOUR PENCE: 4d deep dull purple SG 70 on double-rate cover to "Bishop & Warburton/Port Lincoln", small unframed 'G. P. O/ G /SP10/72/ADELAIDE' cds & large 'P' handstamp found only on mail to Port Lincoln, arrival backstamp of SP11/72, part of the flap missing otherwise very fine.
SIX PENCE: 6d bright pale blue SG 72, unused, Cat £700. A very scarce stamp. Superior to Michael Blake's unused example - "a little soiled" - that sold for $490.
Sale No: 249
Lot No: 1152
Symbol: G/F
Cat No: 72 block of 9
SIX PENCE: 6d bright pale blue SG 72 block of 9, quite well centred, the upper-right unit with a small closed tear at the top otherwise remarkably fine, Adelaide parcel-roller cancels, Cat £99++. A beautiful block that is the largest recorded used multiple. Ex Rev James Mursell and Colonel Harry Napier.
SIX PENCE: 6d bright pale blue SG 72 with Grossly Misplaced Perfs and cut from the sheet at left & base to preserve the design, light toning around the stamp, on mourning cover to "Portland/Victoria" endorsed "Via Melbourne", 'PORT ADELAIDE/AP14/69/SA' cds, Melbourne transit of AP17/69 & 'PORTLAND' arrival b/s of AP20/69, repaired opening tear across the flap just intrudes onto the face. Only one other cover with SG 72 has been recorded: see the next lot. [The scenic route. Portland Bay is almost equi-distant between Adelaide & Melbourne but the coastal vessel presumably did not stop there]
SIX PENCE: 6d bright pale blue SG 72 plus De La Rue Rouletted 2d dull orange-red SG 153 x2 on cover to England "via Marseilles", 'ANGASTON/MR3/69/S.A' cancels, GPO transit backstamp & London arrival cds in red on the face, minor blemishes. An attractive mixed issue franking. Only one other cover with SG 72 has been recorded: see the previous lot.
SIX PENCE: 6d Prussian blue SG 73 marginal example from the left of the sheet Imperf at Left plus Perf 10 1/- red-brown (weak corner perf) on double-rate cover to England with 'VIA MARSEILLES' capsule amended by hand to "Brindisi", GPO cds of MR1/71 and 'KINGSTON- ON-THAMES/AP15/71' arrival backstamp, minor toning. Gary Diffen's example on 1874 double-rate long sea route cover (6d x2) sold for £288.
NINE PENCE: 9d bright mauve Printed on Both Sides SG 76a, the original impression on the 'reverse' is quite faint & upright relative to the 'face', GPO cds of SP1-/7[3], Cat £900. Usage at the GPO between September & November 1873, and at Port Adelaide between October & November 1873, coupled with the difference in the quality of the original printings, indicates that at least two sheets were affected. The faint 'Adelaide' impressions are significantly scarcer than the more obvious 'Port Adelaide' inpressions. Peter Jaffé's similar GPO example sold for $860.
NINE PENCE: 9d bright mauve Printed on Both Sides SG 76a, the original impression on the 'reverse' is well-defined & upright relative to the 'face', Port Adelaide cds of 73/OC10, Cat £900. Peter Jaffé's two similar Port Adelaide examples sold for $860 & $975 respectively. Harry Lower's similar stamp of the same date sold for $1395.
NINE PENCE: 9d bright mauve Printed on Both Sides SG 76a, the original impression on the 'reverse' is quite faint & upright relative to the 'face', on cover to London "via Brindisi" with GPO cds of NO5/73, three different London b/s all of DE22/73, the stamp has been lifted & hinged in place. A rare and truly remarkable franking. Ex Henry Frenkle.
NINE PENCE: 9d claret SG 75 on 1872 cover to Greenwich; 9d bright mauve SG 76 plus 6d Prussian blue for late fee on 1873 cover to Gloucestershire with part-'MA[RINE PO]/ S-AUSTRALIA' transit & 'MORETON-IN-MARSH' arrival b/s, minor repaired tear; and 9d red-purple SG 77 pair on 1875 double-rate outer to Ayrshire with light 'ELDER SMITH & CO/ADELAIDE' cachet at lower-left & poor 'GREENOCK SORTING TENDER' transit backstamp; all endorsed "via Brindisi". Attractive trio, with the three listed shades.
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NINE PENCE: 9d red-purple SG 77 horizontal strip of 3 on linen-lined cover to Ayrshire "Via Brindisi" with light 'ELDER SMITH & CO/ADELAIDE' cachet in purple at lower-left, framed 'G.P.O. ADELAIDE/FE26/76/S.A' cancels, ' AP /GREENOCK/AP10/76' arrival backstamp, a couple of minor imperfections but unusually fine for this famous correspondence. A scarce franking.
Sale No: 249
Lot No: 1162
Symbol: G/F
Cat No: Collection
TEN PENCE: 'TEN PENCE' in Blue on 9d yellow-orange SG 78 the six sub-types of the overprint, GPO cds cancels, Cat £300. Difficult group to assemble.
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TEN PENCE: 'TEN PENCE' in Blue on 9d yellow-orange SG 78 with Overprint Sub-Type II ('C' of 'PENCE' Dropped) on cover to the Midlands with 'VIA MARSEILLES' "ribbon" at upper-left & embossed 'FRANCIS CLARK & SONS/BLYTH ST/ADELAIDE' (affected by a minor opening tear) on the flap, GPO cds of MR3/69 & very fine 'BIRMINGHAM/AP19/69' arrival backstamp, minor blemishes.
TEN PENCE: 'TEN PENCE' in Black on 9d yellow-orange SG 79 with Overprint Sub-Type VI (First 'E' of 'PENCE' Raised), unusually well centred, the small black marks at the top are from the overprint on the adjoining unit above, large-part o.g., Cat £475.
Sale No: 249
Lot No: 1165
Symbol: G/F
Cat No: Collection
TEN PENCE: 'TEN PENCE' in Black on 9d yellow-orange SG 79 the six sub-types of the overprint, GPO cds cancels, Cat £390. Another challenging group to complete.
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TEN PENCE: 'TEN PENCE' in Black on 9d yellow-orange as SG 79 but apparently Imperforate, margins good to huge with a fragment of the adjoining unit below, from the right of the sheet with marginal vertical watermark lines at right, very fine GPO cds of OC12/70. Unlisted by Gibbons and the only recorded example. Necessarily offered 'as is' but the edge-of-sheet position and size of the margins cause us to share Don Pearce's confidence that this is a genuine error.
TEN PENCE: 'TEN PENCE' in Black on 9d yellow-orange SG 79 with Overprint Sub-Type V ('TEN' not curved) on cover to London "via Marseilles", very fine GPO cds of MR2/70 & London arrival cds of 18AP70 in red on the face, very minor imperfections.
ONE SHILLING: 1/- SG 83 in bright red-brown, on double-rate Long Sea Route cover to Herefordshire "via Southampton", faint cds of JA29/76 & 'LEDBURY/MR22/76' arrival b/s, a couple of repaired opening tears & a few tonespots.
ONE SHILLING: 1/- red-brown SG 83 plus 6d Prussian blue SG 73 on double-rate outer to Scotland "via Brindisi" with oval 'ELDER SMITH & CO/ADELAIDE' cachet at lower-left, GPO cds of AP23/74 & Edinburgh arrival backstamp of JU8/74, vertical filing fold.
TWO SHILLINGS: 2/- deep carmine Printed on Both Sides SG 87a with the original impression on the 'reverse' misplaced showing portions of four units & inverted relative to the 'face', GPO cds of JY18/70, Cat £750. Ex Colonel Harry Napier. Superior to Harry Lower's example - "a bit stained" - that sold for $1165.
TWO SHILLINGS: 2/- deep carmine SG 87 plus 1/- pale red-brown on quadruple 9d-rate cover to Scotland "Via Brindisi" with 'ELDER SMITH & CO/ADELAIDE' cachet in violet at lower-left, GPO cds of NO6/75 & 'GREENOCK' arrival backstamp of DE20/75, very minor blemishes. One of the finest of the small number of surviving 2/- frankings. Superior to Harry Lower's 1877 solo franking (8d x3) from the same correspondence - "vertical fold at left" - that sold for $2095.
