SOUTH AUSTRALIA 1855 Perkins Bacon London Printing - Issued Stamps
Sale No: 249
Lot No: 1007
Symbol: #
Cat No: 1
ONE PENNY: 1d dark green SG 1, close even margins, unused, Cat £12,000. Unused, this is a notoriously difficult stamp in fine to very fine condition. Most examples of which we are aware have faults, or have been repaired or cleaned. The Sir Gawaine Baillie and Maurice Burrus/'Besancon' (I) mint examples both with margins close to good sold for $11,500 & €15,000 respectively. However, during expertising, the 'Besancon' stamp was found to have a trivial thin & redistributed gum. It was re-offered in 'Besancon' (III) & sold for €5325.
ONE PENNY: 1d dark green SG 1 marginal horizontal pair from the left of the sheet, margins just clear - at lower-left - to massive, a little aged with a few blemishes & the right-hand unit with an ironed-out vertical crease at left, large-part o.g., Cat £24,000++ (for unused singles without gum). A rare multiple, especially for retaining the original gum. We know of only one other unused multiple, also a pair, in private hands.
ONE PENNY: 1d dark green SG 1 marginal example from the top of the sheet, margins just clear - at lower-right - to huge with a fragment of the adjoining unit at left, light '1' cancel of Port Adelaide, Cat £500. An unusually fine example.
ONE PENNY: 1d dark green SG 1 horizontal pair, margins close to large with a fragment of the adjoining unit at left, '1' cancels of Port Adelaide, Cat £1000+. An unusually fine pair. Ex Louise Boyd Dale/Alfred Lichtenstein.
ONE PENNY: 1d dark green SG 1 horizontal strip of 3, the third unit a little cut-into at upper-right otherwise superb with margins close to large & a fragment of the adjoining unit at left, numeral '71' cancels of Goolwa, Cat £1500+ for singles. The superb 'Besancon' (III) strip of 3 sold for €1935.
ONE PENNY: 1d dark green SG 1 horizontal pair, very fine with margins close to large with ragged fragments of three adjoining units at left & base, minor scissor-cut at the base clear of the design, on front only to the Advocate-General, legible '51' cancels (inverted) & 'MOUNT-BARKER/MR11/ 1856/SOUTH-AUSTRALIA' cds at lower-left. A very fine multiple and a very scarce franking. Ex Henry Frenkle.
The addressee, Richard Davies Hanson, was an early proponent of a 'free' colony in South Australia. After quite a colourful career as a lawyer including a controversial stint in New Zealand, Hanson arrived in Adelaide in 1846 & established a legal practice. In 1851, he was appointed Acting Advocate-General. He was the prime drafter of the Colony's Constitution and, in June 1856, became Attorney-General. He was Chief Minister from 30.9.1857 until 9.5.1860. The next year he was appointed Chief Justice, a position he held until his death in 1876 at his home 'Woodhouse Manor' at Mount Lofty.
Sale No: 249
Lot No: 1013
Symbol: C
Cat No: Collection
ONE PENNY: 1d dark green SG 1 horizontal pair, very fine with margins just clear - at upper-left - to large, tied to cover to "Mt Remarkable" by bold circle-in-bars cancels and fine 'PAID/MR13/1856/ 5 / =ADELAIDE SA=' cds in red alongside, ironed-out vertical fold & the flap removed, Cat £3000+ on cover. Ex Rev James Mursell and Colonel Harry Napier: illustrated on the back cover of the Napier catalogue.
Most of the major collections, including Griffiths, Butler, Jaffé and 'Besancon' have lacked an SG 1 cover. Don Pearce says "this cover is definitely one of the best". It is more attractive than Michael Blake's very fine cover - the stamps heavily cancelled - that sold for $4890. The two 'Chartwell' covers - both with the stamps "touched in places" - sold for £2280 & £2160 respectively.
The post office at Mount Remarkable, 40km SE of Orroroo, opened in 1854, and was renamed Melrose 8.1.1857. It is the oldest town in the Flinders Ranges and was the site of minor copper-mining ventures. The addressee was Henry Robert Bacon, one of the pioneer settlers in the district.
TWO PENCE: 2d rose-carmine SG 2 horizontal pair [R4/2-3] the right-hand unit with Defective First 'E' in 'PENCE', margins just clear - at right - to good, large-part o.g., Cat £1700++. Superb. [See also Lots 1005 and 1018]
TWO PENCE: 2d rose-carmine SG 2 horizontal pair from the base of the sheet, margins good to huge, '1' cancels of Port Adelaide, Cat £180+. Magnificent & superb.
TWO PENCE: 2d rose-carmine SG 2 horizontal strip of 5, virtually full margins except where just touched at upper-left, the fourth unit with a minor stain otherwise very fine, light '25' cancels of Gawler, Cat £450+.
TWO PENCE: 2d rose-carmine SG 2 horizontal strip of 5, the third unit with Defective First 'E' in 'PENCE', margins clear to large, indistinct numeral cancels & small-part 'GAW[LER]' cds, Cat £450++. Superb. [See also Lots 1005 & 1015]
TWO PENCE: 2d rose-carmine SG 2, margins close to good, two superb part-strikes of the Perkins Bacon 'CANCELLED' handstamp, Cat £12,000. This is Position 3 from the original block of 6: see 'CANCELLED by Perkins Bacon' by Peter Jaffé at page 64, where Position 3 is not recorded.
Six similarly defaced stamps from many Colonies were gifted by Perkins Bacon to Rowland Hill's nephew Ormonde Hill, an egregious error of judgment that saw Perkins Bacon lose their stamp-printing contracts. Peter Jaffé's two examples - Positions 2 & 5 - sold for $14,950 & $19,805 respectively. The 'Besancon' (I) example - Position 1 - sold for €8400.
According to our records, with the exception of the Trinidad 6d & 1/-, this appears to be the only other Ormonde Hill 'CANCELLED' stamp of the 75 known for which all six positions are now recorded.
TWO PENCE: 2d rose-carmine SG 2, margins just touching - at lower-right - to good, on front-only to the Commissioner of Police endorsed "Tender for Hay & Corn", with very fine '55' cancel & largely-superb 'STRATHALBYN/DE12/1855/=SOUTH-AUSTRALIA=' cds in blue, superb 'TOO-LATE' handstamp.
The addressee, Peter Egerton Warburton, was a notable explorer & the first man to lead an expedition across the Great Sandy Desert. He was Commissioner of Police from 8.12.1853 until early-1867, when he was dismissed for unspecified reasons.
SIX PENCE: 6d deep blue SG 3, margins just clear - at left - to large with a fragment of the adjoining unit at top, part o.g., Cat £5500. This is an underrated stamp in unused condition. It appears that this stamp may have been the adjoining unit to the right of the next lot.
SIX PENCE: 6d deep blue SG 3, large even margins, part o.g., Cat £5500. A magnificent stamp. Larger than the 'Besancon' (I) example that sold for €7865.
It might be thought that the margins on this stamp are impossibly large. However, Perkins Bacon's chaotic plate-making technique resulted in wide disparities in the distance between stamps, both vertically and horizontally across the sheet. See also Lot 1458.
Sale No: 249
Lot No: 1023
Symbol: F
Cat No: 3 block of 4
SIX PENCE: 6d deep blue SG 3 block of 4, margins just shaved in a couple places to large, ironed-out horizontal crease between the rows, circle-in-bars cancels of the GPO, Cat £720++. for singles.
SIX PENCE: 6d deep blue SG 3 block of 6 (3x2), a little cut-into at places but two units have full margins, circle-in-bars cancels of the GPO, Cat £1080++. for singles. Michael Blake's very fine block of 6 with full margins sold for $3145.
SIX PENCE: 6d deep blue SG 3, very fine with margins close to huge with a fragment of the adjoining unit below, circle-in-bars cancel of the GPO, on mourning cover to England "per Columbian" with 'PAID/AP8/1857/=ADELAIDE SA=' cds & '5' accountancy h/s both in red, London arrival cds of 12JL12/1857 in red, minor blemishes.
The mail would have been carried by coastal vessel to Melbourne to connect with 'Columbian' ex Melbourne 16.4.1857, arrived Suez 28.5.1857; overland to Alexandria then per 'Jura' ex Malta, arrived Southampton 11.7.1857.
SIX PENCE: 6d deep blue SG 3, very fine with margins just clear to large, tied to cover to England "per Royal Charter' by part-strike of the circle-in-bars of the GPO with 'PAID/AU10/ 1857/=ADELAIDE SA=' cds & 'd1' accountancy h/s both in blue, the stamp also tied by London arrival cds of 1857/17OC17 in red, three small peripheral tears well clear of the stamp.
In August 1857, there was no contract 'homebound' sailing to England: see Colin Tabeart at page 197. The cover was carried as a private shipletter per clipper.
ONE SHILLING: 1/- violet SG 4 rejoined horizontal pair, excellent colour, the left-hand unit with margins close to large, the right-hand unit with margins just touching - at upper-left - to large and both with fragments of the adjoining units above, unused, Cat £80,000+. Superb.
The Shilling Violet is South Australia's most famous stamp, and one of the great rarities of the British Empire. The entire consignment of 500,000 stamps received in Adelaide was destroyed due to concerns that the colour could be confused with the 6d deep blue. It is believed that all surviving examples are derived from a block of 24 released by Perkins Bacon. Six of these bore the 'CANCELLED' handstamp, of which four are known. Of the other 18, Tony Presgrave has accounted for the whereabouts of 15, of which several have problems and four are in institutions: see 'Shilling Violet' Issue No 1 (Aug 1985). The very fine singles in Michael Blake and 'Besancon' sold for $51,260 and €55,660 respectively.
Sale No: 249
Lot No: 1028
Symbol: R
Cat No: Collection
ONE SHILLING: 1/- as SG 4 but a reprint from the worn plate in dull violet on thin ungummed card, margins good to large. Ex Garvan Thomas. Colonel Harry Napier had a similar example, stated to be on "thick white paper" but presumed to be the same stock as this stamp. See 'The Empire in Australasia' at page 134, where stated to be "on thick wove". In the Napier catalogue, it was stated that "the only other example known to us is in the Royal Collection".
ONE PENNY: 1d imperforate plate proof in close to the issued colour, marginal pair from the left of the sheet on ungummed unwatermarked paper, margins close to huge. Harry Lower's pair sold for $1437.
ONE PENNY: 1d imperforate plate proof in close to the issued colour, block of 4 on ungummed unwatermarked paper, margins just shaved - at left - to large with fragments of both adjoining units at right, a couple of ironed-out creases do not affect the fine facial appearance. Probably the equal-largest recorded multiple. Pencilled notation on the reverse states "JLea/£5/Nov 1930". Michael Blake's block of 4 with ironed-out crease sold for $2445. (Image1)
Estimate AU$1,500
Opening AU$ 1,150.00
Sold...AU$ 1,250.00
Closed..Nov-08-2022, 18:00:00 EST
Sold For 1250
Sale No: 249
Lot No: 1003
Symbol: P
TWO PENCE: 2d posthumous uncleared die proof of the defaced die in black on wove paper (66x82mm). A beautiful proof & exceptional exhibit item. Several impressions were taken in 1931. This die was rejected because of the "Knitting Needle" flaw through the Queen's Brow. Harry Lower’s & Michael Blake's similar proofs sold for $3220 & $3375 respectively.
TWO PENCE: 2d Plate 2 imperforate plate proof in dull carmine-lake, vertical strip of 3 on ungummed unwatermarked paper, margins close to good. [Harry Lower's marginal pair sold for $1320 & Michael Blake's marginal strip of 5 sold for $2910]
TWO PENCE: 2d Plate 2 imperforate plate proof in black, marginal block of 36 (6x6) from the upper-left corner of the sheet on ungummed unwatermarked paper being [Pos 1-6/61-66], margins good to enormous, two units comprising a vertical pair [R2/4 over R3/4] both with evidence of the whole designs having been burnished off the plate & re-entered, another unit [R4/3] with Defective First 'E' in 'PENCE', ironed-out heavy horizontal crease across the fifth row with some minor splitting, minor overall soiling. Ex Ron Butler: sold for £1840.
Technically, a highly significant multiple that is also probably the largest surviving piece from the sheet of 240. Peter Jaffé's similar plate proof block of 36 of the 6d in blue - minor faults - sold for $5520.
Perkins Bacon's workmanship is distinguished by exceptional engraving but haphazard plate-making. This block demonstrates their rather chaotic technique, with numerous units out of alignment with their neighbours. This is the principal reason why imperforate stamps with full margins are very elusive.
SIX PENCE: 6d imperforate plate proof in close to the issued colour, marginal block of 6 (3x2) from the left of the sheet on ungummed unwatermarked paper, margins close to very large. Superb. Although the Jaffé and Blake blocks were larger, they had a few problems. Harry Lower's superb block of 9 sold for $930.
Sale No: 249
Lot No: 1029
Symbol: F
Cat No: Collection
ONE PENNY: 1d yellow-green SG 5/6 group, good even margins except at the top where close, bold 'PAI[D]/JU--/1859/=ADELAID[E GPO=]' cds in blue, Cat £600. A rare dated example.
As noted in the introductory chapters, our experience suggests that SG 5 & 6 should be treated as a single entry, there being little difference in shade across the many examples we have handled. Note also, that most examples in the market are, or are likely to be, SG 13 or 14 with the roulettes trimmed-off. This situation means that genuine examples of the Imperf Adelaide Penny are much scarcer than the catalogue value would suggest.
Sale No: 249
Lot No: 1030
Symbol: F
Cat No: Collection
ONE PENNY: 1d yellow-green SG 5/6 group horizontal pair, margins close to large, the right-hand unit with a small writing-ink mark at the top, light indistinct numeral cancels largely clear of the portraits, Cat £1200+ for singles. A very scarce multiple. RPSofL Certificate (1943) does not mention the blemish, perhaps because it was evident in the photograph.
Sale No: 249
Lot No: 1031
Symbol: C
Cat No: Collection
ONE PENNY: 1d yellow-green SG 5/6 group horizontal pair, margins just touching - at lower-left - to large with fragments of both the adjoining units below, both units but especially the left-hand stamp stained by the acidic gum, the pair just tied by numeral '71' of 'GOOLWA/JU6/1859/=STH AUSTRALIA' (cds alongside) to an outer lettersheet, GPO arrival b/s of the next day, Cat £1200+ x2+ for being on cover, the cover itself has an ironed-out horizontal filing-fold but is otherwise very fine. A very scarce franking. Ex Julian Beresford and Henry Frenkle. Michael Blake's very fine pair on piece only - also with '71' cancels & Goolwa cds - sold for $1165.
ONE PENNY: 1d yellow-green SG 5/6 (margins close to large) overlapped on 2d pale red SG 9 (apparently with full margins) and London Printing 6d deep blue SG 3 (three margins & a little cut-into at the top) on outer with embossing of 'ABRAHAM ABRAHAMS/MERCHANT/ADELAIDE' at upper-left, to London "Pr Contract Packet/via Marseille 11 6 58", circle-in-bars cancels of the GPO & 'PAID/JU11/1858/=ADELAIDE-SA=' cds in blue, 'LONDON/ MY /AU9/58/PAID' arrival cds in red, minor blemishes and ironed-out horizontal filing fold clear of the stamps. A rare franking.
TWO PENCE: 2d blood-red SG 8 with Obvious Doubling of the Design, margins just clear - at base - to large with a fragment of the adjoining unit at right, unused, Cat £3500+. A rare stamp in unused condition, and a technically interesting variety. Michael Blake's large example - "a little soiled" - sold for $5125.
Because of the heavily-saturated 'blood'-red ink, many examples have the blurry appearance associated with 'double' or 'kiss' prints. The doubling here is most noticeable on the inscriptions in the upper & lower tablets, where it presents more as extensive re-entries to the plate rather than double-printing of the sheet. Considering the evidence of re-entered electros on Lot 1005, we offer the suggestion that this may have been the case here.
Sale No: 249
Lot No: 1034
Symbol: G
Cat No: 8 block of 4
TWO PENCE: 2d blood-red SG 8 block of 4, margins just touching - at upper-left - to large with fragments of the two adjoining units at right, both upper units affected by Dry Ink or Ink-Stripping at the top, a couple of ironed-out creases/bends, indistinct circle-in-bars cancels of the GPO clear of the pale areas. Acquired at our auction of 23.9.2011 for $1105.
Such varieties are a feature of the blood-red printing, caused by inconsistent wiping of the printing-plate. This and the next lot are the only two 'blood-red' blocks recorded.
Sale No: 249
Lot No: 1035
Symbol: F
Cat No: 8 block of 4
TWO PENCE: 2d blood-red SG 8 block of 4, margins just clear - at upper-right - to large, light & indistinct numeral cancels, pencilled initials "AD" (= Alberto Diena) on the reverse, Cat £260+. Superb! A rare & beautiful block. Ex AE Fryar. [This and the previous lot are the only two 'blood-red' blocks recorded]
TWO PENCE: 2d blood-red SG 8 three singles with All-Over Kiss Print, Major Misplaced Offset or Pre-Printing Paper-Fold (a little cut-into) and a pair with Pre-Printing Paper-Fold on the first unit, Cat £325++ as normal singles.
(4)
TWO PENCE: 2d blood-red SG 8, superb example with margins close to large, tied to Captain Bishop cover to Port Lincoln by light circle-in-bars cancel of the GPO, 'PAID/JY7/1857/ =ADELAIDE SA=' cds in blue & worn 'TOO LATE' h/s. A superb-quality Classic cover.
TWO PENCE: 2d pale red Printed on Both Sides SG 9a with the original light impression upright relative to the 'face', almost three margins, very fine small circle-in-bars cancel of the GPO, Cat £2500. A very rare error in the imperforate issues. Gary Diffen's examples with the original impression upright, as here, was unsold, and with the original impression inverted sold for £1440.
TWO PENCE: 2d red SG 9 superb single on very fine town letter being a largely-printed Bank of Australasia demand on a dischonoured cheque. [The addressee, Padman & Co was a brokerage business formed by Thomas Padman, who arrived at Adelaide in 1848. For many years, he was the very successful South Australian agent for the Australian Mutual Provident Society (AMP)]
SIX PENCE: 6d slate-blue SG 10, an unusually large example with margins good to very large, light parcel-roller cancel of the GPO, Cat £200. Superb: the finest example we have encountered, superior to Harry Lower's large example - graded 'A' - that sold for $1630. This is a perennially underrated stamp, yet it is priced by Gibbons at only £20 more than the much more often-seen London Printing 6d deep blue SG 3. Our experience suggests that the ratio between surviving examples of SG 3 & SG 10 is at least 10:1.
SIX PENCE: 6d slate-blue SG 10 horizontal strip of 3, margins just clear - at upper-right - to large, ironed-out horizontal crease from where the stamps were folded over the edge of the envelope, light indistinct cancels, grossly undercatalogued at £600+, for singles. Ex Colonel Harry Napier. The largest recorded multiple.
SIX PENCE: 6d slate-blue SG 10, margins just touched - at lower-right - to large with a fragment of the adjoining unit at left, a little aged, solo franking on cover paying the shipletter rate to England with light circle-in-bars cancel & 'PAID/MR4/1858/=ADELAIDE SA=' cds in blue, London arrival cds of MY12/58 in red, peripheral soiling on the envelope. A very scarce franking.
SIX PENCE: 6d slate-blue SG 10 two overlapping singles on mourning cover to Scotland "overland/via Marseilles", small circle-in-bars cancels of the GPO and 'PAID/JU17/1859/ =ADELAIDE-SA=' cds in blue, unframed 'PAISLEY/AU6/1859' arrival backstamp, minor opening-tear across the flap. A very scarce franking. Harry Lower's pair on 1858 entire to Great Britain sold for $3030.
ONE SHILLING: 1/- imperforate plate proof/colour trial in dull rose-pink on ungummed Large Star Watermark paper, horizontal pair from the left of the sheet with 'P' of 'POSTAGE' from the sheet watermark in the margin & vertical marginal watermark lines across the first unit, the second unit bisected leaving about 75% of the design, light ironed-out diagonal crease & the partial unit with a small stain. Ex AE Fryar, where it was stated to be "the only recorded proof on this watermark".
We have ascribed this proof to the Adelaide Printings for the following reasons: 1) all the known London proofs are on unwatermarked paper; 2) the London Shillings were officially destroyed so a new printing, in a new colour, was required for this denomination; and 3) the quality of the impressions is consistent with having been made subsequent to the violet printing in London. In 1905, reprinted plate proofs in five different colours were produced on ribbed card. Peter Jaffé had a single in "rose-carmine" (that sold for $1105) & Harry Lower had an example in "deep yellow-green", that sold for $1280. The fact they were reprints, significantly enhances the status of the watermarked proof offered here, which is still the only recorded example and, we believe, the only known proof in this design produced in Adelaide.
ONE SHILLING: 1/- red-orange SG 11, margins just touched - at upper-left - to large, two fine strikes of the circle-in-bars cancel of the GPO, grossly undercatalogued at £750. There is a major discrepancy between the catalogue values for SG 11, which is rare, and SG 12 (Cat £500), which is not. Michael Blake's very fine example sold for $1280.
Our experience suggests the ratio between 'orange' or, more correctly 'yellow-orange' shades and the 'red-orange' is in the region of at least 50:1. Except for examples on three covers, SG 11 was absent from most of the auction catalogues we have consulted, which supports our contention that SG 11 is greatly under-appreciated and undervalued. In all, we identified a mere twelve other examples, including Maurice Burrus' exceptional strip of 3, the current wherebouts of which is unknown. At least two of the singles, both Ex AE Fryar, are defective. Interestingly, research by Don Pearce has shown that there was only one 1/- printing, that became increasingly darker during the run. He says the 'red-orange' stamps were printed last but ended up on top of the pile of sheets and were therefore issued first.
ONE SHILLING: 1/- yellow-orange SG 12 horizontal strip of 5, remarkably with virtually full margins, folded between the third & fourth units, a few tiny & almost insignificant imperfections at the base, fine strikes of the 'PAID/OC11/1858/=ADELAIDE SA=' cds in blue, Cat £2500+ for singles. A very rare multiple, stated by Don Pearce to be "the second-largest imperforate 1/- item known". The very fine 'Besancon' (III) strip of 3 sold for SFr3385.
ONE SHILLING: 1/- yellow-orange SG 12 with 2½ margins tied to small envelope to Shropshire by the 'PAID/JY8/1858/ADELAIDE SA=' cds in blue & another strike alongside, 'SHREWSBURY/ SP10/1858' transit b/s & 'WEM' arrival cds of 'SP 1' (an error for 'SP 11') on the face, overall soiling. Not the prettiest, but a very scarce franking. Harry Lower's similar 1858 cover, to Scotland, the 1/- with three close margins & a fault at lower-right, sold for $5125.
Wem is an ancient settlement, touted by its own local newspaper as "one of the finest medieval-planned castle towns in England".
TWO PENCE: 2d red SG 15 block of 4 with Dry Printing affecting both right-hand units, rouletting in places & otherwise cut from the sheet to preserve the design, 'PAID' cds of JY22/1861 in blue, Cat £92+++. A very scarce & desirable multiple.
Sale No: 249
Lot No: 1050
Symbol: F
Cat No: Collection
TWO PENCE: 2d pale red Printed on Both Sides SG 15a with the original impression on the 'reverse' being unusually strong & orientated upright relative to the 'face', rouletting significantly misplaced so cut from the sheet to largely preserve the design, a few split roulettes, GPO cds of 1860, undercatalogued at £950. A rare & desirable error. RPSofL Certificate (1973) states "defective" which we consider to be unnecessarily harsh.
Rouletting of these issues was effected with hand-held wheels & the accuracy of the process was only as good as the clerk's hand-eye coordination. Stamps with roulettes clear of the design on all side are rarely encountered. Many stamps were separated along roulettes that passed through the designs, resulting in 'deformed' impressions, or were cut from the sheets using scissors on one or more sides in an effort to retain most if not all of the design. This is not so much a 'defect' as a consequence of haphazard workmanship.
It was standard practice for sheets of stamps that were underinked, printed at an angle, or with otherwise unacceptable impressions, to be turned-over and printed on the other side. In this instance, the reason for the re-printing is not obvious: the impression on the 'reverse' is well-defined & correctly orientated. Gary Diffen's example exhibited the same characteristics: he stated that there were only three examples, all used, in private hands, plus two others in the Royal Collection. We support the comment there that this stamp is easily confused with the similar error in the Second Roulettes (SG 24ab).
