WESTERN AUSTRALIA 1860-64 Printed in the Colony from the Perkins Bac
Sale No: 249
Lot No: 2415
Symbol: P
Cat No: Collection
TWO PENCE: 2d imperf plate proof block of 4 in black on ungummed unwatermarked paper, margins just touching - at lower-left - to good, ironed-out horizontal crease at the base of the upper units doesn't detract from the very fine facial appearance. Ex John Dibiase: sold for $2035. An important proof that was absent from the Dr Cecil Walkley & 'Besancon' collections. This block is at least the equal of Lord Vestey's block of 4, the significance of which was not appreciated on that occasion.
Pope & Reynolds at pp19-22 of 'The Two Pence Perkins Bacon Plate' (1995) give a detailed analysis of the various plate proof sheets. This block, from the Alpha proof sheet, is almost identical to that illustrated at p19 (Ex Western Australian Museum) where it is stated that it "has markings which cannot be found on the Beta proof sheet, the Imprimatur sheet, or on the stamps as issued". This therefore reveals a case of progressive plate proofs, a situation most unusual for recess-printed issues from any country.
PLATE PROOFS: 4d imperforate marginal horizontal pair in dull claret on ungummed unwatermarked paper from the right of the sheet, margins just clear - at the top - to huge. [The 4d colour proof sheet was rejected, with an instruction to make "a much greater distinction between the 4d & 1d [red] stamps"]
PLATE PROOFS: 6d imperforate plate proof marginal horizontal pair in dull mauve on ungummed unwatermarked paper, margins close to huge. Ex John Dibiase: sold for $575. [The 6d colour trial sheets were rejected with an instruction to make this value "more of a slate colour", though the issued sage-green hardly conforms to that directive]
Sale No: 249
Lot No: 2420
Symbol: F
Cat No: 24 with Plank
ISSUED STAMPS 2d pale orange SG 24 with Plank on Swan's Head [9], margins just touched - at upper-right - to good, light 15-bar '13' cancel of Pinjarrah largely clear of the variety. Ex John Dibiase: sold for $745. [Pope & Reynolds at pp23-25 discuss the cause of this flaw - a foreign object on the plate - and state that only 6 examples, all unused, had been recorded. Arthur Tilby, editor of 'The Black Swan' has advised that there are now ten unused & eight used examples recorded]
ISSUED STAMPS: 2d pale orange SG 25, orange-vermilion SG 25a & a deeper brighter shade (with Chris Ceremuga Certificate that states "rare intermediate shade but not deep enough to classify as SG 25b"), all with full margins, unused, Cat £430+. (3)
ISSUED STAMPS: 2d orange-vermilion SG 25 marginal block of 9 from the right of the sheet [38-40/58-60], margins just touched - middle stamp at left - to huge, unused, Cat £1350++. Ex Frank Chadwick and John Dibiase: sold for $2395. [This block demonstrates how the application of the ink was irregular. The three units at right have a distinctive Dry Ink appearance &, by themselves, would be classified as 'pale orange' SG 24]
ISSUED STAMPS: 6d sage-green SG 28, margins close to good, unused, Cat £3250. Although a slightly deeper shade than the previous lot, we hesitate to classify it as "deep" sage-green SG 28a, which is unpriced unused.
