DIE PROOFS: Samuel Reading's Fullface 1d design in brownish grey - not 'grey-brown' as in the ACSC - literally on a scrap of paper (127x102mm) from a form letter! ACSC #P1(DP2), light inconsequential soiling, folded for insertion in a non-contemporary mount (which is included), Cat $10,000. Unique! Ex Samuel Reading and Dr Leslie Abramovich. [The ACSC records six die proofs across three entries. Two of them are in the Australia Post Archives. This example is a progressive proof: compare with the next lot. Cooke was notorious for pulling die proofs on whatever scraps of paper happened to be to hand!]

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$5,000

SURFACED PALE GREEN STOCK ACSC #LC1: 'LAUNCESTON/TAS' (King's Bridge) in brown, to GB with 'MELBOURNE/4MAY11' Krag machine cancel, superb 'BIRMINGHAM/JU5/11/ 4 ' arrival cds on the face, redirected with 'EVESHAM' arrival b/s, minor blemishes and reinforced along the fold which has slightly split. The only recorded First Day 'Cover' of #LC1. [There was no official release date & evidence suggests it was not uniform. The message within, from stamp dealer AH (Arthur) Davis, states "Am sending you a sample of our new Letter Card out today...Empire penny postage started for us on the 1st (Monday...)" = 1.5.1911. The ACSC states that an example used at Melbourne 4.5.1911 has a message "inferring this was the date of issue". Clearly, Davis' statement "...out today" is more than an inference. An example of #LC2 used at Launceston on 3.5.1911 is recorded]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

SURFACED PALE GREEN STOCK ACSC #LC1: 'BOTANIC GARDENS/ADELAIDE SA', 'BOTANIC GARDENS/BRISBANE Q' (used), 'BUSH HUT/VIC', 'EXHIBITION BLDGS/MELB VIC', 'LAUNCESTON/TAS', 'MOSMAN'S BAY/SYDNEY NSW' & 'ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS/PERTH WA' (superb) all in shades of brown/sepia, a few small blemishes & some minor characteristic discolouration of the stock, unused, Cat $2200. About as fine as they come. [For the initial printing, in dull brown shades only, 12 scenes - two from each State - were intended. However, the sheets of board weren't large enough, resulting in the printing being 9-on] (6)

Grade A-/A+ (Image1)

Estimate AU$800

SURFACED PALE GREEN STOCK ACSC #LC1: 'BOTANIC GARDENS/ADELAIDE SA' in bright blue, to Launceston with message headed "Westbury/June 8th" & endorsed "1d to pay late fee", Postage Due 1d tied by indelible pencil. Rare. [The ACSC states "These views should be equally scarce in any of the printed colours". This is incorrect: cards printed in black, red or blue are from the second printing & are very scarce. Our vendor stated that fewer than ten cards printed in 'colour' are recorded]

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

SEMI-SURFACED PALE GREEN STOCK ACSC #LC2: 'BOTANIC GARDENS/ADELAIDE SA' in dull blue-green, used Adelaide to Kooringa but uncancelled, faults, Cat $1000. Rare: the ACSC states that only five examples of #LC2 have been recorded, across four views.

Grade C (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

SEMI-SURFACED PALE GREEN STOCK ACSC #LC2: 'EXHIBITION BLDGS/MELB VIC' in dull blue-green, to GB with 'BUSSELTON' (WA) cds of 30MAY11 & 'GLOUCESTER/JY3/11' arrival b/s, small opening fault on the reverse, Cat $1500.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$600

UNSURFACED THIN CHALKY STOCK ACSC #LC3: The complete set of twelve views in various colours, 'LAUNCESTON' (margins intact), 'MOSMAN'S BAY' & 'PINEAPPLES' are used, Cat $3250. A remarkably fine set. [Larger sheets of board allowed for this to be the first issue featuring the originally intended 12 views. The 'new' views were 'QUEEN'S GARDENS/PERTH WA', 'SYDNEY HARBOUR/NSW' & 'THE GORGE/LAUNCESTON TAS'. The porous nature of the stock made it unsuitable for fountain pens. Resultant complaints caused new stock to be sourced] (12)

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$2,500

UNSURFACED THIN CHALKY STOCK ACSC #LC3: 'MOSMAN'S BAY/SYDNEY NSW' in claret, to Germany with rare uprating with Western Australia ½d Swan Imperforate at Base ACSC #W4b (Cat $2000+ in 2004) & 1d tied by light 'BALBARRUP/NO9/11/WESTERN AUSTRALIA'. A delightful & rare usage. RPSofV Certificate (1991). [The ACSC states that five examples of the error stamp are recorded, of which three are institutionalised, and "one...is used on a 1913 postcard", surely an error for this 1911 Letter Card. Cecil Walkley's used stamp - roughly separated at the base - sold at the Prestige auction of 14.4.2005 for $4600]

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$4,000

SURFACED IVORY STOCK ACSC #LC4: 'MOSMAN'S BAY/SYDNEY NSW' in sepia-brown, underpaid to Switzerland but detected only on arrival, very fine 'NEUCHATEL/EXP LETTER' arrival b/s, boxed 'PORTO' h/s & mss "T30" in blue, a couple of insignificant blemishes, Cat $250.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$125

SURFACED IVORY STOCK ACSC #LC4: 'SHEEP STATION/WIMMERA SA' error in sepia-brown, minor reinforced splits on the fold, unused, Cat $600. [The Wimmera is entirely within Victoria. The mistake was reported by a member of the public, causing the offending text to be immediately corrected on remaining stock with a small 'VIC' handstamp]

Grade (A-) (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

SURFACED IVORY STOCK ACSC #LC4: 'SHEEP STATION/WIMMERA SA' in sepia-brown, local usage at Geelong, Cat $400.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

SURFACED IVORY STOCK ACSC #LC7: 'BOTANIC GARDENS/BRISBANE Q' in sepia-brown, tiny & insignificant tone flecks, unused, Cat $1750. Rare: the ACSC states only four examples, of only 3 views, all unused, have been recorded. [This was a very small printing on the same stock residue as #LC4 & again in sepia only. It was the first issue with the reset admonition, which was a slightly larger font than the "...any" cards, introduced because of complaints the original font was too small. Ironically, the 3 lines of the original setting were fractionally higher than the new setting!]

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$800

UNSURFACED GREYISH/GREENISH STOCK WITH COMMA AFTER 'Australia,' ACSC #LC8: 'BLUE LAKE MT GAMBIER SA' in dull purple (superb!), 'BUSH HUT/VIC' in sepia, 'MONTEZUMA FALLS HOBART' in violet (superb!), 'MOSMAN'S BAY/SYDNEY NSW' in bright blue, 'PINEAPPLES/Q' in dull violet, 'SYDNEY HARBOUR/NSW' in crimson, 'THE GORGE/LAUNCESTON TAS' in pale emerald (sealed) & 'ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS/PERTH WA' in sepia, unused, Cat $1675. (8)

Grade A/A+ (Image1)

Estimate AU$600

UNSURFACED GREYISH/GREENISH STOCK WITH COMMA AFTER 'Australia,' ACSC #LC8: 'BOTANIC GARDENS/ADELAIDE SA' in dull yellow-green overprinted on the face & inside with advertising for Hobart newspapers, a few blemishes. Most unusual.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

UNSURFACED GREYISH/GREENISH STOCK WITH COMMA AFTER 'Australia,' ACSC #LC8: 'HUON RIVER/TASMANIA' (bridge) in dull blue, faint stain above the scene, unused, Cat $400. This shortlived scene was a substitution for the damaged 'LAUNCESTON/TAS' - see Lot 2028 - and did not reappear on the enamelled card #LC11.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$150

UNSURFACED GREYISH/GREENISH STOCK WITH COMMA AFTER 'Australia,' ACSC #LC8: 'LAUNCESTON/TAS' (King's Bridge) in bright blue, fine unused; plus the same view with Plate Crack through 'L' of 'LAUNCESTON' to the Bridge, used to Germany with a stamp neatly removed, minor blemishes; Cat $1175. [The fault caused this view to be substituted with 'HUON RIVER' (bridge)] (2)

Grade A/B (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

UNSURFACED GREYISH/GREENISH STOCK WITH COMMA AFTER 'Australia,' ACSC #LC8: 'PINEAPPLES/Q' in black three examples affixed together & tied to each other by the 42mm 'POSTES ET TELEGRAPHES/COLLECTION/DE/BERNE/MADAGASCAR' cachet in magenta, a couple of minor blemishes. Unique! With a fine unused example with the same view for comparison. [The 'strip' is illustrated in the ACSC]

Grade A/A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$600

UNSURFACED GREYISH/GREENISH STOCK WITH COMMA AFTER 'Australia,' ACSC #LC8: 'SHEEP STATION/WIMMERA SA' in purple-black, & in dull purple the inscription amended with 'VIC' Handstamp, Omeo (Vic) duplex or 'BRIGHT/SA' squared-circle (rated RRR), Cat $1100. [A sarcastic letter to the 'Argus' of 13.7.1911 stated "...Evidently the [PMG's] department has acted hastily but lazily on the knowledge that the position of the [SA] boundary was recently in dispute". Stock on hand was handstamped the next day!] (2)

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$600

UNSURFACED GREYISH/GREENISH STOCK WITH COMMA AFTER 'Australia,' ACSC #LC8: 'SHEEP STATION/WIMMERA SA' in grey-black with 'VIC' Handstamp, light even discolouration of the viewside, unused, Cat $2000. [The ACSC states "...The original view [in this issue] is scarcer than the handstamped correction, but much less sought after']

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

UNSURFACED GREYISH/GREENISH STOCK WITH COMMA AFTER 'Australia,' ACSC #LC8: 'SYDNEY HARBOUR/NSW' (Captain Cook's Statue in the middle-distance) Bicolour with the stamp & text in reddish violet & the view in brownish grey, unused, Cat $200++. [The view is off-centre as a result of the Perfs being Misplaced. This was the first issue in which bicoloured cards appeared, caused by adding new colour inks to the presses before the previous colour inks were exhausted]

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

UNSURFACED GREYISH/GREENISH STOCK WITH COMMA AFTER 'Australia,' ACSC #LC8: 'VIADUCT/NEAR ADELAIDE SA' (the Melbourne-Adelaide Express) in blue, sealed & blemishes on the address side, unused, Cat $250; also JBS PPC with the photo adopted for the letter card, unused; and South Australia 1904 1d essay 'Viaduct near Adelaide' proof in black-purple utilising the same photo, insignificant surface abrasion. The essay is unique! Ex Martin Walker & Nelson Eustis: acquired at a Melbourne auction in 2003 for $2070]

JB Cooke, while SA Government Printer, submitted three similar essays as suggestions for a uniform CofA issue of Postal Cards. Although rejected, they were later used by Cooke for the 1908 South Australian issue &/or for this scenic Letter Card. The similar 'WOOL CARTING' proof card sold at the Prestige auction of 24.1.2004 for $3920. (3)

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$2,500

UNSURFACED GREYISH/GREENISH STOCK WITH COMMA AFTER 'Australia,' ACSC #LC8: 'ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS/PERTH WA' in sepia, underpaid to Germany with South Australian ½d only tied by 'CALLINGTON' (SA) cds, superb 'T/20CTS'-in-circle h/s of Adelaide but no evidence that the postage due was collected. [1½d was the foreign postcard rate. However letter cards had to be paid at the letter rate of 2½d]

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$150

SURFACED GREYISH STOCK WITH COMMA AFTER 'Australia,' ACSC #LC9: 'MONTEZUMA FALLS, HOBART' in dull blue, the stamp with a far-more advanced state of the damage illustrated in the ACSC, unused, Cat $1000. Rare: only several examples, all of this view and all in blue, have been recorded. [NB: Erroneously listed in the ACSC as 'white surfaced' stock. Our vendor noted it as 'off-white'. It is certainly without the greenish tinge of #LC8/10. Most accurately, it is a 'pale grey, semi-surfaced' stock]

The inscription is an error: Montezuma Falls are near Rosebery on Tasmania's west coast & some 300km NW of Hobart. To say that Cooke was careless with his captions is a classic understatement.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

THICK WHITE ENAMELLED STOCK (OFF-WHITE TO CREAM INSIDE) ACSC #LC11 - Text Setting A with comma after 'Australia,': 'ADELAIDE SOUTH AUST' (Adelaide Savings Bank) in dull red (sealed), 'BLUE LAKE MT GAMBIER SA' in grey-green (used but with the margins intact), 'COUNTRY SCENE/TASMANIA' in light brown (sealed), 'GOVERNMENT HOUSE/PERTH' in bright violet, 'LAUNCESTON/TAS' in purple, MOSMAN BAY SYDNEY' in purple, 'MOSMAN'S BAY/SYDNEY NSW' in crimson, and 'QUEEN'S GARDENS/PERTH WA' in greenish blue, a few minor blemishes, unused, Cat $1075. (8)

Grade A/B (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

THICK WHITE ENAMELLED STOCK (OFF-WHITE TO CREAM INSIDE) ACSC #LC11 'GIANT RED GUM VIC' Bicolour with the stamp & inscription in grey-green & the view in dull violet, unused; plus a 1904 PPC using the same photograph. Most striking. [This is yet another of Cooke's inscriptional errors: the tree is a mountain ash] (2 items)

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$250