DIE PROOF: Composite Sunken Presentation Die Proof for Recess 2d carmine-lake 3d blue & 5/- dark green ACSC 146-148DP(1) each on white wove paper, mounted in recessed card (180x145mm) with 'DESIGNED, ENGRAVED AND PRINTED AT THE/COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA/NOTE PRINTING BRANCH, FITZROY' label affixed at lower-right, minor aging marks, Cat $75,000. Unique & stunning. The ACSC notes that "the only recorded example of this composite proof came from the estate of WCG McCracken, General Manager of the Note Printing Branch, 1940-63". No other die proofs of the Recess (Engraved) denominations are known; the two recorded die proofs of the 2d Letterpress are held by the Reserve Bank of Australia. Featuring one of Australia's most iconic stamps and with no other example known nor held in institutional collections, this is without a doubt the most important die proof of the Commonwealth of Australia. [By comparison, three die proofs of the £2 Kangaroo are known]

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$25,000

2d Recess Type A block of 4 from the right of the sheet with Two Plate Dots below Red Line in the right-hand margin ACSC 146zb, unmounted, Cat $750. Tillie Mitchell's block of 12 (2x6) sold for $826.

Grade A A1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

2d Recess Type A block of 4 from the right of the sheet with Three Plate Dots below Red Line in the right-hand margin ACSC 146zc, a couple of trivial gum marks in the margin, unmounted, Cat $1000. Tillie Mitchell's similar block sold for $649.

Grade A B2 (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

2d Recess Type A block of 4 from the right of the sheet with Four Plate Dots below Red Line in the right-hand margin ACSC 146zc, the upper units with a small hinge remainder, the lower units unmounted, Cat $850 for mounted. Tillie Mitchell's unmounted block - minor perf separation - sold for $620.

Grade A/A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

2d Recess Type B block of 4 from the left of the sheet with One Plate Dot above Red Line in the left-hand margin ACSC 146z, unmounted, Cat $750. Tillie Mitchell's block of 12 (2x6) sold for $307.

Grade A A1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

2d Recess Type A Plate 3 complete sheet of 80 (10x8) with Three Plate Dots below Red Line at right and John Ash Imprint ACSC 146Azc & 146Aze, also Perforation Guide Dots in the upper margin (unlisted in the ACSC) between units 3 & 4 and units 5 & 6, a couple of small hinge remainders in the margins intruding on one upper-row unit, the stamps otherwise all unmounted, Cat $2875+.

Grade A/A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$600

2d Recess Type B Plate 2 complete sheet of 80 (10x8) with Two Plate Dots below Red Line at right and John Ash Imprint ACSC 146Bzb & 146Bze, also Perforation Guide Dots in the lower margin (unlisted in the ACSC) below the imprint, a small excess ink mark in the margin at lower-left otherwise superb unmounted, Cat $1680+.

Grade A+ (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

2d Letterpress John Ash Imprint block of 4 ACSC 149zd autographed "John Ash" in the margin, the upper units with small hinge remainders, the lower units unmounted. Tillie Mitchell's similar item sold for $248.

Grade A/A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

2d Letterpress complete sheet of 88 (8x11) with John Ash Imprint in the central gutter ACSC 149zd, a couple of tiny ink marks on the reverse of two units, unmounted, Cat $915+. The only Australian issue with this unusual sheet format.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

2d Letterpress Postal Forgery ACSC 149c marginal corner block of 4 from the lower-left of the sheet with a perforation guideline (?) dot to the left of the lower-left unit, reasonably well-centred, a couple of very minor aging marks on the reverse of the upper-left unit and between a couple of perfs in the margin, unmounted, Cat $16,000+ for singles. Much scarcer than the KGV 2d red Postal Forgery from the same source: see Lots 312 & 313 above. Ex Maurice Williams; sold for $8625. The forgeries were created in Sydney as part of an elaborate fraud involving the mailing of a faked prospectus for the Irish Sweepstakes, and for forwarding tickets to unwitting subscribers. An Adelaide doctor who received an example of the KGV 2d forgery in his mail, noticed differences from the normal stamps, and contacted the Postmaster- General's Department requesting details of the "new issue". The subsequent official investigation resulted in the arrest of two persons, one the process engraver who had created the printing plates for the forgeries. Both men were sentenced to a year in jail. The principal exhibit at their trial was a complete sheet of the 2d Bridge forgery, now held in the Australia Post Archival Collection.  Michael Kino states that this is "the only block known to exist" [in private hands].

Grade A/A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$6,000

2d Letterpress Postal Forgery ACSC 149c with manuscript pen cross, quite well-centred, a tiny gum skip at the base but unmounted, Cat $3000 for 'used'. The ACSC states that "The authorities defaced a portion of the seized stock with manuscript pen lines (used price quoted is for these)". It is believed that the racket was exposed before any of the 2d Bridge forgeries were postally used. The ACSC states "All used examples seen of the 2d Bridge forgery, including covers, are dated after the arrest of the gang".

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

3d blue blocks of 4 from the upper-left corner of the sheets with Plate Numbers '1' to '4' ACSC 147z/za/zb/zc plus John Ash Imprint block of 4 ACSC 147zd, the Plate '4' block Type A, the others Type B, all bar the Plate '1' block CTO with 'REGISTERED PERTH/14MR32/WESTN AUSTRALIA' cds being the First Day of Issue, a couple with minor blemishes, no gum, Cat $400 for unmounted (unpriced used/CTO).  (5 blocks)

Grade A/A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$100

3d blue Type B marginal pair from the base of the sheet autographed "John Ash" in the margin, lightly mounted. Ex Tillie Mitchell; sold for $496.

Grade A C1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

3d blue Type B John Ash Imprint blocks of 4 ACSC 147Bzd x2 each with Perforation Guide Dot in the lower margin (one at left; one at right) plus a strip of 3 from the top of the sheet with Perforation Guide Dot in the upper margin, also 2d Recess Type B John Ash Imprint blocks of 4 ACSC 146Bzd x2 each with Perforation Guide Dot in the lower margin (one at left; one at right), all bar two upper units on one of the 2d blocks are unmounted, Cat $350+ for normals.  (5 pieces) (Image1)

Estimate AU$100

3d blue Type B complete sheet of 80 (10x8) with John Ash Imprint and Plate Number '1' at upper-left ACSC 147Bz & 147Bze, Perforation Guides in the left, right & lower margins (unlisted in the ACSC), a few minor creases mostly in the margins, light excess gum marks in the upper & lower margins, a couple of small perf separations and a few minor aging marks mostly on the reverse plus a tiny tear in the lower-left corner margin re-inforced with cello tape (fortunately only on the back), the stamps all unmounted, Cat $1960+.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

3d blue Type B complete sheet of 80 (10x8) with John Ash Imprint and Plate Number '2' at upper-left ACSC 147Bza & 147Bze, Perforation Guides in the left, right & lower margins, a small perf separation in the margin below the imprint otherwise superb unmounted, Cat $1960+. The perforation guide dots were usually guillotined-off before the sheets were delivered to Post Offices. They are not listed in the ACSC.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

5/- dark green CTO with very light corner cancel ACSC 148w (SG 143), extremely well-centred, Cat $225 (£225). Superb.

Grade A+ A1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

5/- dark green corner block of 4 CTO unusually with the small (23mm) 'GPO/MELBOURNE' cds, plus 2d Recess scarlet & 3d blue corner blocks of 4 similarly CTO, all with unmounted full original gum, Cat $960+. Rare multiples. Ex King Farouk: each unit with his distinctive 'Pyramid' cachet on the reverse. Ex Maurice Williams; sold for $1725.  (3 blocks)

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

5/- dark green ACSC 148 with commercial perfin large fancy 'F' - sideways - of Farmer & Co (Sydney), light but slighty untidy Sydney Chief Parcels Office roller cancel, some uneven perfs, Cat $400 for postally used without perfin. Perfins on the 5/- value are rarely seen.

Grade A- C2 (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

5/- dark green ACSC 148 with commercial perfin 'VOCo' - inverted - of Vaccum Oil Company, well-centred, light corner CDS cancel, one pulled perf at left and a few other uneven perfs, Cat $400 for postally used without perfin. Perfins on the 5/- value are scarce.

Grade A- A3 (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

5/- dark green well-centred solo franking tied by very fine 'BAIRNSDALE/-5AP32/VIC' cds to cover registered to Ceylon, blue/black R label on face, Melbourne transit & Colombo arrival b/s, Cat $3500 on cover. Superb. Obviously overpaid (the rate was 2d letter plus 3d registration) and philatelically-inspired, nevertheless the stamp is definitely postally-used, the cover clearly travalled through the mail, and this is one of the finest we have seen.

Grade A+ B1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

5/- dark green with Retouched Sky over Centre of Bridge [Sheet A Pos 4] ACSC 148d, CTO with light 'GPO' corner cancel, extremely well-centred, a couple of slightly uneven perfs, large-part original gum with a small hinge remainder, Cat $750 for used.

Grade A A2 (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

5/- dark green with Retouched Sky over Left-Centre of Bridge [Sheet D Pos 12] ACSC 148e, well-centred, small hinge remainder, Cat $800.

Grade A- B1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

5/- dark green corner blocks of 4 each with a Single Plate Dot at the corner ACSC 148z/za/zb/zc from the upper-left of Sheet A (unmounted; very fine), the upper-right of Sheet B (unmounted; very fine), the lower-left of Sheet C (small hinge re-inforcing just intruding on two units; light even gum aging), and the lower-right of Sheet D (the upper units very lightly mounted; the lower-right unit with a minor gum bend; light even gum aging), Cat $30,650+ for four mounted Plate Dot singles, nine unmounted singles & three mounted singles. Ex Maurice Williams; sold for $37,950 (his Sheet A block without side margin). As described in the Maurice Williams sale, this is almost certainly a unique 'set' of Plate Dots in blocks of 4. The plate dots were usually guillotined-off and very few examples have survived. Since acquiring the original 'set', Michael Kino was able to replace the Sheet A block with one that has a side margin.  (4 blocks)

Grade A/A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$20,000

5/- dark green marginal single from the upper-left corner of Sheet A with Single Plate Dot at the corner ACSC 148z, two slightly untidy strikes of Perth (?) '..MR32' cds, quite well-centred, a little light overall aging hardly detract, Cat $3000 for a mounted Plate Dot single (unpriced used). The plate dots were usually guillotined-off and very few examples have survived: mint examples are rare; commercially used they are the proverbial 'hen's teeth'.

Grade A- B1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$3,000