1850 8c black on blue-green, initialed "EDW" of postal clerk Wight, cut round with most of the frame being intact, just slightly cut-in at top, fresh color, canceled by Nov. 15, 1850 Demerara postmark on complete folded letter from Plantation Foulis (Duff correspondence) to Demerara, usual filing folds, one through the stamp at right, with Nov.16, 1850 arrival pmk on back, fine and attractive 8c Cotton Reel on cover, with 1931 and 2023 Royal certificates. One of perhaps only four covers recorded with 8c green (SG 4, £64,000) (Cat No. 4a) (Image)

Est.US$10,000

1850 12c black, blue, cut round, unused, postmaster's signature lightened, with 1935 and 2023 Royal certificates, the latter stating: "unused, reduced signature above "12 Cents", genuine, ex-Hind Collection - Harmer Rooke Sale 30 October, 1935" (E.T.E. Dalton, deputy Postmaster of Demerara was responsible for issuing the official notice announcing the issue. However, when he saw the stamps prior to their issue, he was very aware of their lack of sophistication and felt that some additional form of security was necessary ("As they could be imitated in any printing office, I was obliged to counter-sign them. They were of the most ordinary workmanship") The decision was taken that each stamp should be initialed by a postal official as an additional protection against forgery. The stamps were produced with the values in italics in the center and "British Guiana" around the edge inside a circle, made from printer's brass rules bent to shape. The stamps were printed in black on colored paper to facilitate easy recognition of the values (2c on rose, 4c on orange, 8c on green and 12c on blue). One of only four unused "Cotton Reels" recorded, one of the three 12c values, this one making its first appearance since the Harmer Rooke auction of 1935. Certainly among the greatest unused rarities of British Empire philately (SG 5, unpriced unused) (Cat No. 5) (Image)

Est.US$25,000

1852 1c black on magenta, large margins all around, canceled by "Demerara June 1853" postmark on small piece, faint trace of a crease at bottom (really just the result of extending over the piece), fresh and remarkable quality for this difficult stamp, without the usual paper cracking or rubbing, signed by Bolaffi and Peter Holcombe, with their 1963 and 1981 certificates ("it is in exceptional and unrubbed condition for this rare stamp", ex-Burrus and Caspary collections (SG 9) cat. £6500 (Cat No. 6) (Image)

Cat. £6500, Est.US$7,500

1852 1c black, magenta, horizontal pair canceled by "Demerara Au 30 1853" postmarks on small piece, cut in at top and at right, left stamp with vertical crease, excellent color, rare multiple, with 2023 Royal certificate "surface rubbing, genuine" (SG 9,£13,000) cat. $14000 (Cat No. 6) (Image)

Cat. $14000, Est.US$1,500

1852 4c black, deep blue, used, margins all around, surface rubbing and minor erosion in places, margins all around, good color, fine appearance, with 2023 Royal certificate "surface rubbing, genuine" (SG 10,£12,000) cat. $13000 (Cat No. 7) (Image)

Cat. $13000, Est.US$1,500

1853 1c vermilion, used, partly on piece, margins all around, fresh color, fine, with 2023 Royal certificate (SG 11,£1,700) cat. $1750 (Cat No. 8) (Image)

Cat. $1750, Est.US$750

1860 4c blue, numerals in corners framed, used, margins all around, thin spots, fine appearance, cat. $850 (Cat No. 12) (Image)

Cat. $850, Est.US$200

1856 4c black, rose carmine, used, large margins all around, extensively repaired, but mostly intact design, with 2023 Royal certificate "genuine, subject to comments on condition: extensive abrasions to the surface that have been over-painted in magenta in order to improve the visual appearance", still attractive appearing example of this rarity (SG 25,£40,000) cat. $40000 (Cat No. 14a) (Image)

Cat. $40000, Est.US$5,000