1855 (Jan 12) small cover to "Capn Jno Bishop/Port Lincoln" with a very fine Perkins Bacon London Printing 2d rose carmine SG 2 (margins just clear - at lower-right - to large with a fragment of the adjoining unit above), part circle-in-bars cancel clear of the portrait, very fine 'PAID/ L /=ADELAIDE SA=' cds in red alongside. [South Australia's first stamp was issued 1.1.1855. Usage in the first fortnight of issue is very scarce]

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1855 (Nov 19) complete 'ADELAIDE PRICES REALISED' over the name of Edward Stirling, to Oxfordshire "p James Baines/Via Melbourne" with very fine Perkins Bacon London Printing 2d rose-carmine SG 2 strip of 3 (margins just clear to large) tied by dumb cancels of the GPO, Liverpool (MR4/56) & London transits the latter also tying the stamps, indistinct 'CHIPPING NORTON' arrival b/s. Remarkably fine for such flimsy paper. Edward Stirling was born to a Scottish slaver & Jamaican mother of African descent. His father financed his pastoral interests in the Colony, where he arrived in 1839. His woolbroking & produce business was established in 1855, so this is a very early Prices Realised. Only a year later, he entered into partnership with Thomas Elder, which later morphed into Elders Ltd. The firm financed early copper mining operations at Moonta & Wallaroo.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,500

1856 (Feb 7) large-part flimsy entire to "Batavia" endorsed "pr Walvish" with very fine Perkins Bacon London Printing 6d deep blue SG 3 (margins close to large with a fragment of the adjoining unit above) just tied by dumb cancel, 'PAID/ 3 /=ADELAIDE SA=' cds in red alongside, unusually without an arrival marking but rated "30", remarkably fine with a lovely First Issue franking, to a scarce destination. [The letter is apparently written in Dutch]

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$2,000

1856 (March 1) cover to "Register & Observer/Hindley Street" with very attractive Perkins Bacon London Printing 1d deep green SG 1 horizontal pair (full margins except at right where a little cut-into & a fragment of the adjoining unit at left) cancelled with discernible '56' & large-part Mordan-type 'LANGH[ORNE'S CR]EEK/=STH-AUSTRALIA=' cds (rated RRRR; ERD & far superior to the example illustrated in the Handbook), GPO arrival backstamp of MR4/1856, minor blemishes. An appealing First Issue cover, enhanced by the rare cds from an outlying office. [The South Australian Register was the Colony's first newspaper. In the early-1850s, the Adelaide Observer was added to the stable. J Kemp Penney was a local reporter] Most of the major collections, including Griffiths, Butler, Jaffé and 'Besancon' have lacked an SG 1 cover. Michael Blake's very fine cover but with the stamps heavily cancelled sold for $4890. The two 'Chartwell' covers - both with the stamps "touched in places" - sold for £2280 & £2160 respectively. The very fine pair on cover - minor blemishes - in Don Pearce (II) sold for $7670

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$5,000

1856 (mid) stampless consignee's letter endorsed "pr Robertina/p Kind favour of the Captain" to Mauritius with largely fine '[crown]/MAURITIUS/OC13/1856/ =GPO=' datestamp on the face & rated "1/-" in red, very fragile but of good facial appearance.

Grade C (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

1856 (Sept) stampless OHMS outer to the Commissioner of Police with a complete & largely very fine strike of the huge crowned-oval 'POST OFFICE/PORT LINCOLN/S A/4SE--/18--' datestamp (rated RR) & rated "8d" in black, Adelide arrival backstamp of SP8/1856, horizontal filing fold. PO 20.6.1839. [Most strikes of the datestamp are incomplete]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

1856 (Oct 6) large-part outer endorsed "Customs" at lower-left, to the Auditor-General with Perkins Bacon London Printing 6d deep blue SG 3 horizontal pair (margins just clear - at lower-left - to good; Cat £360+ x3+ on cover), light but clear numeral '1' & fair 'PORT-ADELAIDE/ =SOUTH-AUSTRALIA=' cds alongside, very fine GPO arrival backstamp of the same day, horizontal & vertical filing folds well clear of the stamps. An unusually high local rate of 2d per ½oz up to 1oz plus 4d for each successive ounce up to 3oz. A unique domestic item.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,500

1857 (March 6) cover to Cumberland with Perkins Bacon London Printing 6d deep blue SG 3 (margins just clear - at the top - to good), indistinct circle-in-bars cancel and fine 'PAID/=ADELAIDE-SA=' cds in red, London 'PAID/ HI /9MY9/1857' arrival and 'd5' accountancy handstamp both in red, fine 'PENRITH/MY10/1857' arrival backstamp in blue, minor blemishes. 

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1857 (April 8) mourning cover to England "per Columbian" with Perkins Bacon London Printing 6d deep blue SG 3 (very fine with margins close to huge with a fragment of the adjoining unit below), circle-in-bars cancel of the GPO & 'PAID/=ADELAIDE SA=' cds in pale red, London arrival cds of 12JL12/1857 & '5' accountancy handstamp both in red, minor blemishes. The mail would have been carried by coastal vessel to Melbourne to connect with 'Columbian' ex Melbourne 16.4.1857, arrived Suez 28.5.1857; overland to Alexandria then per 'Jura' ex Malta, arrived Southampton 11.7.1857.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1857 (May 12) cover with all-over advertising on the reverse for George Green Land Agent printed in green, to Glen Osmond with Perkins Bacon Adelaide Printing Imperf 2d blood-red SG 8 (a beautiful stamp, with margins close to large & a fragment of the adjoining unit at left), dumb cancel & light 'PAID/=ADELAIDE -SA=' cds in red alongside, minor soiling & blemishes, opened-out for display. Apart from Prices Current, this is believed to be the earliest advertising cover from South Australia. The screed states "...TOWNSHIPS laid out...Government Sections Purchased in accordance with instructions from parties absent from Adelaide...MONEY TO LEND/LOANS NEGOTIATED/CASH ADVANCED/In Large or Small Sums' etc. George Green arrived in 1848 & by June 1853 was holding himself out as a land agent. The envelope also mentions a Melbourne office operated by William Green, apparently no relation.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

1857 (Dec 13) entire headed "Glencoe" signed "RR Leake", to his brother Charles in "Tasmania" (officially changed from van Diemen's Land 1.1.1856), unusually large and superb Perkins Bacon Adelaide Printing Imperf 6d slate-blue SG 10 (margins good to huge with a fragment of the adjoining unit at left) tied by slightly indistinct Diamond Numeral '60' and largely fine Mordan-type 'PENOLA/DE17/1857/=STH AUSTRALIA=' cds (rated RR; inverted '2' slug for '7') alongside, Adelaide (DE22) & Tasmanian diamond ship letter transit backstamp of 4JA4/1858 in red. PO 1852. A very scarce inter-colonial franking. On 1.4.1857, the rate was doubled, from 3d to 6d. BPA Certificate (1992). Don Pearce considers this to be "by streets" the finest quality imperforate franking from South Australia. [Despite little difference in Gibbons' prices, used singles of SG 10 are much scarcer than the earlier SG 3. It is the same with usage on cover. More than 150 have been recorded with the London Printing 6d, and only about 20 with the Adelaide Printing 6d] Robert Rowland Leake was elected (appointed?) to the House of Assembly in -.2.1857 but resigned later that year. He states "...We have about finished sheep sheering. Wool long in staple [?] but clean ... year or two I shall have lots of fat Cattle. I have resigned my seat in the House of Assembly the insurance and expence being too great to attend in Adelaide from this District ..."

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$3,000

1858 (Jan 7) cover to Adelaide with postmaster's endorsement "SO Log/7 1 58" at upper-left and Perkins Bacon Adelaide Printing Imperf 2d red (margins just shaved, at right, to large) with light Diamond Numeral '26' (rated R) & tied by 'TOO-LATE' handstamp, GPO arrival backstamp of the same date, obscured ink marks at lower-left. Shea Oak Log PO 1.1.1855. Ex Rose (13.1.1960). [Only four items with the postmaster's manuscript have been recorded, three of them with the 'TOO-LATE' handstamp]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

1858 (April 28) front from an overweight cover to Hampshire with Perkins Bacon Adelaide Printing Imperf 6d slate-blue (3½ margins, small fault at centre-left) tied by very fine Diamond Numeral '50' with almost as fine Mordan-type 'ECHUNGA/=SOUTH-AUSTRALIA=' cds (rated RRRR) alongside, largely very fine 'INSUFFICIENTLY/STAMPED' handstamp in blue applied at Adelaide, in England manuscript "d6 more/d6 fine/1/- to pay" added at upper-left & largely very fine 'MORE/TO/PAY' in circle handstamp in red, minor blemishes. Echunga (2) PO 1.10.1852. [The finest of the four recorded covers/fronts with the Mordan-type cds] 

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

1858 (June 11) front with embossing of 'ABRAHAM ABRAHAMS/MERCHANT/ADELAIDE' at upper-left, to London "Pr Contract Packet/via Marseille 11 6 58", Perkins Bacon London Printing 6d deep blue SG 3 (three margins & a little cut-into at the top) plus Adelaide Printing Imperf 1d yellow-green SG 5/6 (margins close to large) overlapped on 2d pale red SG 9 (apparently with full margins), circle-in-bars cancels of the GPO and 'PAID/=ADELAIDE-SA=' cds in blue alongside, 'LONDON/ MY /AU9/58/PAID' arrival cds in red, minor blemishes and ironed-out horizontal filing fold clear of the stamps. A rare three colour franking from the first two issues. [The addressee, John Tamm, was a manufacturer of safes]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

1858 (Sept 22) outer to Kapunda with Perkins Bacon Adelaide Printing Imperf 2d red SG 9 (faults) tied by 'PAID/=ADELAIDE=' cds & 'TOO LATE' handstamp both in blue, 'KAPUNDA' arrival backstamp (rated RR) of the next day where endorsed "Try Redruth" with partial 'KOORINGA' backstamp of OC--/1858 (RR) & endorsed on the face "Not known at Redruth", a second Kooringa cds of NO14/1858 and returned with Kapunda transit & GPO arrival of the next day, fine double-vertical-oval 'ADVERTISED UNCLAIMED/NO30/1858/ADELAIDE' handstamp, a bit soiled. [The 'UNCLAIMED' handstamp could have been applied at Kooringa or Kapunda. Redruth was in the Burra copper-mining area, 4km N of Kooringa. In 1858, the first jail outside Adelaide was erected here, and a Receiving Office opened about the same time. Raised to PO 1863; closed 30.9.1905]

Grade C (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

1859 (Feb 23) cover to Somersetshire, England with Perkins Bacon Adelaide Printing Imperf 2d blood-red SG 8 horizontal strip of 3 (almost full margins, just touched in a couple of places at the top, the right-hand unit with a minor fault at upper-right), light but obvious '28' cancels & largely-fine strike of the Mordan-type 'KOORINGA/=SOUTH-AUSTRALIA=' cds (rated RR), indistinct GPO transit & light 'BRISTOL/MY2/59' arrival backstamp, minor blemishes. A very scarce multiple, especially on cover, and a really dramatic example of the blood-red shade.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

1860 (March 17) long cover endorsed at lower-left "Letter [ie Power] of Attorney/without letter/H Betteridge/Brompton", to Surrey, England with Perkins Bacon Rouletted 2d pale red SG 24a tied by superb 'PAID/MR17/1860/=ADELAIDE=' cds in blue, light London transit backstamp of JY8/60 in red, vertical fold & a bit discoloured. A very scarce rates item. The letter rate was 6d per ½oz. The commercial papers rate of 2d up to 4oz plus 1d for each successive ounce represented a huge discount. See also Lot 2097.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

1860 (April 7) outer to Victoria "p Lady Bird" with Perkins Bacon Rouletted 6d slate-blue SG 17 (rouletting on three sides & cut from the sheet at left to preserve the design) tied by Diamond Numeral '1' with 'PORT ADELAIDE/S-A' cds alongside, tiny Melbourne arrival backstamp of AP10/60 in red. On 1.4.1857, the rate was doubled, from 3d to 6d. [Harry Lower's 6d on 1859 entire to Melbourne sold for $755]

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

1860 (May 14) mourning cover to Oxfordshire, England "via Marseilles" with Perkins Bacon Rouletted 6d violet-blue SG 28 pair, indistinct Diamond Numeral '38' and a largely fine strike of 'MELROSE/S-A' 25mm unframed cds (rated RRRR) alongside, GPO transit of MY17/1860 in blue & 'OXFORD/JY9/60' arrival backstamp. Replaced Mount Remarkable PO 8.1.1857.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1860 (July 25) outer to London "p Ottawa/via Marseilles" with rare franking of Perkins Bacon Rouletted 1/- orange SG 18 (rouletting on all sides) just tied by 'PAID/=ADELAIDE-SA=' cds in blue, 'LONDON/ DR /SE13/60/PAID' arrival cds in red on the face, a small part of the address obliterated with minor damage caused by the iron in the ink. Don Pearce has recorded only four covers franked with SG 18.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

1860 (Sept 22) stampless OHMS outer rated "4d" in black (unpaid) with fine 'MELROSE/SP22/60/S-A' 25mm unframed cds (rated RRRR) and Mordan-type 'PORT-AUGUSTA/ SP22/1860/=SOUTH-AUSTRALIA=' arrival backstamp, horizontal filing fold at the base. Melrose PO replaced Mount Remarkable 8.1.1857.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

1860 (Oct 21) cover with 'EDWARD'S-TOWN/S.A' cds (rated RRR; inscriptional error - the town name should be one word), to Staffordshire with the stamp/s washed-off and fine boxed 'Saved from the wreck of/the Colombo' handstamp (Peace Type 4) on the reverse, 'LONDON EC/FE5/63/ PAID' transit cds in red on the face & 'WOLVERHAMPTON' arrival backstamp of the next day, damage consistent with it having been submerged in seawater but quite presentable. PO 3.1.1850; renamed Clarence Gardens (2) 19.6.1967. Number SA8 in Brian Peace's listing of 10 covers from South Australia & illustrated by him at page 99: "... interesting on [three] counts ... not from Adelaide ... several days earlier than on most [of the] SA mail ... [and] from the final boxes of mail recovered some four weeks after the wreck ..." [A similar 'late-recovered' cover from Woodside with Penrith arrival cds of FE6/63 sold at our auction of 25.3.2021 for $1355] The 'Colombo' departed Calcutta 9.11.1862 and arrived Galle (Ceylon) 16.11.1862, where the Australian mails were transferred from the 'Bombay'. 'Colombo' departed Galle 17.11.1862 & was totally wrecked off Minicoy Island two days later.

Grade C (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

1860 (Oct 27) cover to London with with GPO cds, the stamp/s washed-off and almost fine boxed 'Saved from the wreck of/the Colombo' handstamp (Peace Type 2) on the face, 'LONDON/JA2/63/ PAID' arrival cds in red also on the face, damage - including part of the back missing - consistent with it having been submerged in seawater but quite presentable. Number SA5 in Brian Peace's listing of 10 covers from South Australia and illustrated by him at page 99. [A similar item sold at our auction of 27.4.2022 for $945]

Grade C (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1861 (Jan 21) OHMS cover with 'Crown Land and Immigration Office/...' imprint at lower-left, to "Robe Town" with Perkins Bacon Rouletted 2d vermilion tied by very fine Mordan-type 'PAID/ 5 / =ADELAIDE-SA=' cds in blue, similar 'ROBE' arrival backstamp (rated RR) of JA23/1861, minor imperfections. Robe PO renamed from Guichen Bay -.6.1847. [As strange as it may seem, there are far more covers with Departmental frankings (84, at last count) than there are earlier OHMS covers with stamps. Don Pearce had only two others, both offered in the Departmentals sale]

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

1861 (March 25) cover to "S Servan/Ille & Vilaine/France" endorsed "pr Overland Mail/Via Marseille" above 'CIRCIER HAWKE & Co/ADELAIDE' cachet in blue (obscured by docketing) with Perkins Bacon Rouletted 6d dull violet-blue SG 28 tied by GPO cds in blue, light French 'AUSTRALIE/11/MAI/61/V SUEZ...' cds in red on the face & rated '5' (decimes), on the reverse fair transits of Paris & Rennes and 'ST SERVAN' arrival cds. The via Marseille rate was 1/1d per ½oz (reduced to 8d from 1.4.1862). However, if carried per French mailboat from Egypt, as here, the rate was only 6d, the same as by the Long Sea Route to Southampton. St Servan is some 1100km NW of Marseilles. 

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$400