De La Rue Design 2d lilac mostly used selection on annotated pages with a range of shades & a couple of multiples, also Perf 13 Double Perfs x2 (at base or at left respectively), Perf 12 Decapitated Queen variety (partly obscured by cancel) plus Perf 13 mint & unused, generally fine to very fine, Cat £300+.  (30) (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

1870-73 De La Rue Design 2d lilac Perf 13 SG 169 with Decapitated Queen (Diagonal Line from Left Frame to Queen's Chignon), light partial Barred Numeral largely clear of the variety. Geoff Kellow states at page 188 that this "... is quite rare, and must have occurred late in the life of the plate". Only about a dozen examples have been recorded.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

William Bell Designs collection predominantly used on annotated pages by watermarks & perfs with all values represented, noted Saunders Paper 9d mint & used x9, V/Crown Wmk (V1) Perf 13 ½d blocks of 4 mint x2 & used, 2d mint x8 and 1/- mint x6, Perf 12 ½d blocks of 4 mint & used, 2d Double Perforations at Left, Perf 12½ ½d mint x5, 1d mint x5 & 2d mint & unused plus a used selection (all unpriced by Gibbons) including 2d Double Perforations at Top, Emergency Printings on Coloured Papers ½d on pink mint x4 including a marginal single & a pair, 1d on yellow mint x3 & on drab unused, and 2d on green & on brown x2 each used, V/Crown Wmk (V2) ½d block of 4 plus a single with Double Perforations at Top & Base, etc, also varieties, other multiples, potential postmark interest, condition variable but most are fine to very fine, Cat £7500+ minimum.  (240+) (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,500

William Bell Designs TH Saunders Paper Single-Line Numeral Watermark 9d red-brown/pink Perf 13 as SG 172a but with the Watermark '10' Inverted, neat duplex cancel, Cat £48+ for normal upright watermark, the variety unlisted by Gibbons. Not recorded by Geoff Kellow, who - in discussing the regularly-found watermark varieties on the 9d on 10d Laureates surcharge - states at page 175 that "the 9d Bell design of 1873, shows no such watermark varieties" and more generally (p20) that "With a few exceptions ... inverted watermarks from the period 1860-1882 are very scarce to rare".

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

William Bell Designs V/Crown (W19) Watermark ½d lilac-rose as SG 176d (Mixed Perf 13 and 12) but with Mixed Double Perforations at Left creating an unlisted Irregular Compound Perf 13x13x13x12½, neat Barred Numeral '1' of Melbourne, Cat £400+, for the listed variety. The stamp is Perf 13 on all sides (12¾ exact) with an additional line of Perf 12½ (12¼ exact) at outside left cutting the design of the adjoining unit. Geoff Kellow states at page 193 that "there is ... a used copy recorded with mixed perfs 13 and 12". The Gibbons listing is may refer to this item. if Geoff Kellow sighted the item, he would no douobt have recorded the Perf 12¼ line as "Perf 12½": whoever did record it may well have rounded this down to "Perf 12". The confusion caused by the convention of 'rounding' gauges to the nearest half is nowhere more apparent than here, and strongly suggests that quarter-perf notations should be quoted where appropriate. [Submitted to the RPSofV for expertising]

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

William Bell Designs V/Crown (W19) Watermark ½d lilac-rose as SG 176e (Compound Perf 12x13) but Compound Perf 12½x13, apparently unused, unpriced by Gibbons mint or used. Geoff Kellow states at page 193 that "The comb perf 13 and 12½ machines could be used sideways (the stamps were half as wide as a normal-sized stamp was high), leaving alternate rows to be finished by one of the single-line machines  ... there is no confirmed evidence of compound perf 13 and 12, or 12½ and 12, so only line perf 13 and 12½ machines seem to have been used". This implies that Compound Perf 12½x13 does exist, while at the same time suggesting that the Gibbons-listed Perf 12x13 probably does not exist. The exact gauges in this instance are 12¾x12¼, this being another example of the confusion caused by the convention of 'rounding-up' gauges to the nearest half. [Submitted to the RPSofV for expertising]

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

William Bell Designs V/Crown (W19) Watermark 1d green Perf 13 as SG 177a but Compound Perf 13x12½, neat partial Horsham '51' duplex, unlisted by Gibbons. Geoff Kellow states at page 195 that "Perforation was mostly by comb 13 and 12½ machines, but there was use of the single-line 12 gauge throughout. No example of a compound perforation has been recorded on the 1d". [Submitted to the RPSofV for expertising]

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

William Bell Designs V/Crown (W19) Watermark 1/- deep blue/blue Perf 13 with the Watermark Sideways SG 180a, very well-centred, untidy cancellation but entirely clear of the portrait, Cat £750. Approximately a dozen examples are believed to exist, but only seven (including two in the Royal Collection) are recorded. Ex Gary Diffen; sold at our auction of 10.4.2010 for $863.  

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$600

William Bell Designs V/Crown (W19) Watermark Perrf 13 1/- pale blue/blue with the Watermark Sideways SG 180ca, very well-centred, two overlapping strikes of a duplex, Cat £750. The existence of the variety in this shade was unknown until Les Molnar's example - also with the Watermark Reversed, but poorly-centred with faults including a tear at base - sold at our auction of 29.6.2012 for $265.  

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$600

William Bell Designs V/Crown (W19) Watermark '8d/EIGHTPENCE/8d' Surcharge on 9d lilac-brown/pink SG 191, four examples comprising Thick Overprint, Thin Overprint and Overprint Misplaced ('E' Missing) plus Broken 'I' (Lower-Case 'i'), three with very fine Barred Numerals '109' '149' or '201', fine to very fine.   (4)

Grade A/A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

William Bell Designs V/Crown (W19) Watermark '8d/EIGHTPENCE/8d' Surcharge on 9d lilac-brown/pink with 'F.IGHT' for 'EIGHT' SG 191a, duplex cancel intrudes on the variety, Cat £600. Kellow states (p197) that "Probably only about a dozen copies are known; the only unused example is in a pair in the Royal Collection". Ex John Gartner and Gary Diffen: sold at our auction of 5.8.2021 for $590.  

Grade A B1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

William Bell Designs V/Crown (W19) Watermark Emergency Printings on Coloured Papers ½d deep rose-red/pink SG 195 block of 10, large-part original gum with most (all?) units apparently unmounted, Cat £1000++, for mounted singles. A rare & beautiful block. Ex 'Dubois' (I): sold for SFr670.

Grade A/A+ (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,250

William Bell Designs V/Crown (W19) Watermark Emergency Printings on Coloured Papers 1d yellow-green/drab SG 197, quite well-centred, part original gum, Cat £275.

Grade A B1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

William Bell Designs V/Crown (W19) Watermark Emergency Printings on Coloured Papers 2d dull violet-mauve/lilac SG 198, very fine light BN '11' of Williamstown, Cat £1500. Geoff Kellow states at page 191 that "This rare stamp was not discovered by philatelists until 1904, since which time probably 30-40 used copies have come to light. No unused copies, no multiples, and no covers have been reported". This distinctive paper was otherwise used only for the Laureates 2d mauve/lilac SG 167/167a. [Submitted to the RPSofV for expertising]

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$800

William Bell Designs V/Crown (W19) Watermark Emergency Printings on Coloured Papers 2d dull violet-mauve/brown SG 200, large-part original gum, Cat £350.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

Charles Naish Designs selection on pages with a range of shades and a few multiples, includes V/Crown Wmk (V1/W19) 1d green */unused x6, 2d brown Perf 12½ * x2 and Perf 13 * (unpriced in Gibbons) & Double Perforations at Left used and 4d rose-carmine *, also V/Crown Wmk (V2/W33) 2d brown block of 4 * (one unit with stain on gum) plus four used examples with No Watermark (Marginal Lines Only), 2d mauve * x2 and 4d rose-red *, condition a little variable but most are fine to very fine, Cat £2000 approx.  (70+) (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

Charles Naish Designs V/Crown (W19) Watermark 2d sepia Perf 12½ SG 202 marginal block of 4 from the base of the sheet, large-part original gum, the upper units with hinge remainders, the lower units unmounted, Cat £320+. Geoff Kellow states at page 201 that "Unused blocks are very scarce".

Grade A/A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

Charles Naish Designs V/Crown (W19) Watermark 2d brown with Mixed Double Perforations at Left creating Irregular Compound Perf 12x13x12x12 SG 203a, partial 'TPO/3' duplex cancel, undercatalogued at £650 (as it has been since 2006). RPSofV Certificate (1997) simply states "genuine mixed perforation". Unique. Illustrated by Geoff Kellow at page 201 where he records "A single used copy is known perf 12 all around, with an extra line of perf 13 at left, cancelled with the TPO 3 duplex". Kellow's description is incorrect: the stamp is Perf 12 at top & base and Perf 13 [12¾ exact] at the sides - cutting the design at left with blind perfs - with an additional row of Perf 12 at left to correct the Perf 13 row. Prior to the correction, this stamp was in fact also an unlisted Regular Compound Perf 12x13. Sold at our auction of 7.12.2012 for $863.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

William Bell Designs V/Crown (W33) Watermark ½d rosine Perf 12½ SG 207 block of 6 (3x2), large-part original gum, Cat £390+.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

William Bell Designs V/Crown (W33) Watermark 1d green Perf 12½ SG 208 block of 9 (3x3), quite well-centred, large-part original gum, the upper three units with hinge remainders & light perf re-inforcing, the lower six units unmounted, Cat £765+. A remarkable and beautiful multiple. Geoff Kellow states at page 196 that "The largest recorded unused multiple is a block of 9". We are unsure whether this is the block to which he refers, or a more recent discovery.

Grade A/A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

William Bell Designs V/Crown (W33) Watermark 1d green Perf 12½ as SG 208 but Compound Perf 13x12½ block of 4, light Echuca '40' duplex of SE27/83, minor central perf re-inforcing, a few uneven perfs. Unlisted by Gibbons. A very scarce multiple. Geoff Kellow states at page 196 that "Perforation was almost exclusively by the comb perf 12½ machines. The exception is a small quantity single line perf 12". Geoff Kellow does not record the use of any Perf 13 machine after 1880, stating at page 25 that "after 1880 up to Federation the situation was fairly simple - three comb machines gauging 12¼-12½ x 12¼-12¾ for the normal-size stamps, and two single line machines gauging 12¼-12½ for the large format stamps" (all of which Gibbons list as Perf 12½). However, the paper on which this stamp is printed did not arrive in Melbourne until July 1882, and the horizontal rows here are Perf 13 exactly. [Submitted to the RPSofV for expertising]

Grade A/A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$800

William Bell Designs V/Crown (W33) Watermark 1d bright yellow-green Perf 12½ as SG 208 but an unlisted shade additionally with the Die II Plate Crack from the Triangle at Lower-Left to the Frame at Base and with the Watermark Inverted, virtually full original gum, Cat £85+. Although Gibbons lists this as "yellow-green", almost all examples we have seen are in a regular "green" shade (see the previous two lots). The release of this paper was accompanied by introduction of the 'print & turn' technique. Half the sheet was printed the sheet was then removed and inverted; and reinserted upside-down. Thus 50% of each such printing has the watermark inverted. 

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$100

Charles Naish Designs V/Crown (W33) Watermark 2d chocolate Perf 12 SG 210ab, superb duplex cancel, Cat £425. Geoff Kellow states at page 210 that these show "very characteristic large holes and sharp teeth ... about six used copies are known". See also the next lot. Ex Les Molnar; sold at our auction of 29.6.2012 for $437.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

Charles Naish Designs V/Crown (W33) Watermark 2d light (milk) chocolate Perf 12 SG 210ab, light numeral cancel, Cat £425. Geoff Kellow states at page 210 that these show "very characteristic large holes and sharp teeth ... about six used copies are known". See also the previous lot. Les Molnar's two examples sold at our auction of 29.6.2012 for $437 each.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

Charles Naish Designs V/Crown (W33) Watermark 2d mauve Mixed Double Perforations at Top creating Irregular Compound Perf 12x12½x12½x12½ SG 211c, on small piece with large-part 'TALBOT - 244' duplex cancel, slightly trimmed at upper-right & corner fault at lower-left prior to affixing, undercatalogued at £750. The additional Perf 12 row was applied to correct the Perf 12½ row cutting the design through 'VICTORIA' at top. This is the stamp illustrated by Geoff Kellow at page 202, where he states it to be the only recorded example. The only other example of which we are aware - Compound Perfs 12x12x12x12½ - sold at our auction of 12.5.2007 for $3105 (Cat £750, which has not changed in the 17 years since).

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,500