1891 (Oct 19) OHMS cover with Post Offfice & Telegraph Department imprint at lower-left, to London with scarce franking of Thick 'O.S.' Overprint on De La Rue Perf 10 '2½d.' on 4d blue-green SG O53 (Cat £90 used; no cover multiplier given) tied by very fine strike of the rare 'SECRETARY G.P.O./S.A' cds, London arrival backstamp of NO23/91. [The Handbook at Adelaide p18 records an earlier version of the cds 1878-79 only. This cds is 23mm across with larger inscriptions]

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

1892 (March 8) cover to "Taganrog/Russie meridionale" [Central Russia] endorsed "via Port Said" with odd franking of De La Rue 1d blue-green & '2½d.' on 4d blue-green tied by 'RHINE VILLA/S.A' cds, the reverse with 'SEDAN' & 'KEYNETON' squared-circles & indistinct 'RAILWAY' cds, 'TAGANROG on DON/25/APR/1902/...' Russian Cyrillic arrival cds, light vertical fold at left. The rate was 2½d per ½oz. Perhaps the 1d green was added in error instead of another '2½d.' green, or in the belief that 'a little extra' might be required to get the item to this remarkable destination. [Rhine Villa 1.4.1880; renamed Cambrai 1.7.1918 (to expunge the Germanic name) is in the Mount Lofty Ranges E of Adelaide. Sedan is 10km N of Rhine Villa. Keyneton is 18km WNW of Sedan, to connect with the railway to Adelaide. Taganrog is near the mouth of the Don River, on the north shore of the Sea of Azov]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

1892 (May 18) cover to "Dead Letter Dept/GPO Alexandria/Egypt" with De La Rue Perf 10 Bantam ½d brown. 2d orange & '5D.' on 6d brown (very scarce on cover) tied by light 'SHIP MAIL ROOM/ADELAIDE SA' cds, bilingual 'SUEZ/12VI92/...' backstamp, minor blemishes. The rate was triple 2½d per ½oz UPU letter. [Illustrated in 'Shilling Violet' (June 1994)]

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

1892 (May 18) double-rate cover with embossed  'D&J FOWLER/PORT ADELAIDE/LONDON/ ADELAIDE' on the flap, to "Fifeshire/NB" [North Britain], Scotland with De La Rue Perf 10 '5D.' on 6d brown with 'DJ/F' perfin tied by GPO duplex, superb 'ANSTRUTHER/JU19/92' arrival backstamp, horizontal fold below the stamp.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

1892 (July 12) cover to "York Hotel, Rundle Street, Adelaide" with Hong Kong QV 2c rose-carmine & 5c ultramarine tied by British-pattern 'SHANGHAE/JY12/92' cds, taxed with 'T'-in-circle handstamp endorsed "1½d" in blue pencil, Hong Kong transit & GPO arrival backstamp of AU24/92 where large '1("½")' handstamp applied, minor blemishes. The UPU letter rate was 10c per ½oz; the sender appears to have assumed that the concessional 7c per ½oz rate to Great Britain would also apply to the Australian Colonies. [The York Hotel, at the corner of Rundle & Pulteney Streets, operated from at least 1849 & was demolished in 1909, to be replaced by the Grand Central Hotel (1911-24)] With the enclosed 5pp social letter headed "Barque Kingdom of Saxony/...Shanghai/...July 6th 1892", in which the writer complains about the voyage from Albany, and makes such racist comments as "One is amongst white people there at any rate ... by far the most ugly set of creatures I have ever seen" and in postscript added two days later "We go to Hong Kong to load tea for Callao ... hope never to come back to [China] again".

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1892 (Nov 8) cover with Otto Treichel's imprint at the top, to the Austro-Hungarian Vice-Consul in Bulgaria with De La Rue Perf 10 Bantam ½d brown x4, 1d green & '2½d.' on 4d greeen tied by 'REGISTERED ADELAIDE/S.A' squared-circle, 'R'-in-oval handstamp, the reverse with Italian 'UDINE' cds, 'BUR AMB.../TZARIBROD-HARM...' TPO transit & bilingual '.../3/XII/92/SOFIA' arrival backstamp, minor peripheral faults. A terrific destination, in any period: illustrated on the front cover of 'Shilling Violet' (June 1994). [Udine is north of Trieste, which suggests that was the entry point to Europe. Tzaribrod is today Dimitrovgrad in south-eastern Serbia, not to be confused with Dimitrovgrad in eastern Bulgaria]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

1893 (March 21) usage of Postal Card 1d violet with 'THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN/.../MARKET GARDENERS' cachet in violet on the reverse, to Siam (Thailand) uprated with De la Rue 1d green (convenience overpayment of ½d) tied by GPO cds of MA21/93 ('MA' slugs for March - easily confused with May - should no longer have been in use), fine 'BANGKOK/ 2 /16 4/93' arrival cds on the face. A very scarce destination in this period.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

1893 (May 30) unusual green envelope to Bavaria with De La Rue Perf 10 Bantam ½d brown & '2½d.' on 4d blue-green pair all with 'OD/C' commercial perfins tied by 'REGISTERED ADELAIDE/ MY30/93/S.A' squared-circle, 'R' in-oval handstamp, 'REGENSBURG 2 Bahnhof/2/jul/93' arrival backstamp & '12' in-circle postman's handstamp alongside. Superb. The rate was 2½d UPU letter plus 3d registration fee. [The perfin is of Ostermeyer Dewez & Co (Woolbrokers), founded in 1884]

Grade A+ (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

1893 (Nov 23) cover from prominent philatelist FC Krichauff (endorsed on the flap) to stamp dealers in Illinois with scarce franking of De La Rue Perf 10 4d lilac vertical pair tied by 'REGISTERED ADELAIDE/SA' squared-circle, large-part 'R'-in-oval & very fine strike of the extremely rare 'AR'-in-oval handstamp, various American transits and on the face 'FOR NOTICE AT...' & 'NOT FOUND' markings plus very fine fancy-boxed 'DLO Record/no...' (with 'VOL 17' vertically at left) all in purple, Chicago return backstamp of JAN 29 1894 and 'DEAD LETTER OPFFICE/MA29/94/ADELAIDE' arrival backstamp in red, small piece of the flap missing otherwise superb. A lovely cover and the only pre-1901 'AR' article recorded from South Australia. The rate was 2½d UPU letter plus 3d registration fee plus 2½d Avis de Reception fee.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1894 (Feb 20) double-rate cover to Pomerania, Germany with Four Colour franking of De La Rue Perf 15 Bantam ½d brown, 1d blue-green, '2½d.' on 4d blue-green & 4d mauve tied by 'REGISTERED ADELAIDE/S.A' squared-circle, 'R' in-oval handstamp, 'ZANOW/25 3/94' arrival backstamp, central vertical fold. A very unusual destination: Zanow, today Sianow, is a town on the Baltic Coast of what is today Poland. [Only three covers franked with the Perf 15 4d have been recorded]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

1895 (circa) usage of ½d violet Wrapper with Bold 'O.S.' Overprint, to "Station Agronomique/Reduit/Mauritius" with rare uprating of Thin 'O.S.' Narrow Setting Overprint on De La Rue Bantam Perf 11½-12½ ½d brown x2 tied by an apparently makeshift cancel & pen-strokes. A marvellous official postal stationery use.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$350

1895 (early-April) cover with embossed 'THE ADELAIDE CLUB' in blue on the flap & 'PRIVATE SECRETARY'S/ OFFICE/ADELAIDE' cachet in purple at lower-left, to Buckinghamshire, England with rare franking of Thin 'O.S.' Narrow Setting Overprint on De La Rue '5D.' on 6d brown Perf 10 SG O72 (Cat £20 x50+ on cover) tied by one of two light but obvious inverted strikes of 'MARINE PO/S.AUSTRALIA' cds, very fine 'MARLOW/MY13/95' arrival backstamp crossed by central horizontal fold. Stated to be one of only three covers recorded with this stamp: see also Lot 2241. [The addressee, Lt-General Sir George Wentworth Alexander Higginson, was a career soldier who served through the Crimean War & was finally promoted full General in 1890. We expect his son was aide-de-campe to then Governor, the Earl of Kintore, whose term ended 10.4.1895]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1895 (June 5) cover headed 'ON SALVATION ARMY SERVICE' with 'SALVATION/ ARMY/AUSTRALASIA' flags insignia at upper-left & 'War Office for the Colony/... Adelaide' imprint at lower-left with all printing in rosine, to Germany with De La Rue 2½d violet-blue tied by light 'MENINGIE/SA' squared-circle, Adelaide transit & Frankfurt arrival backstamp of 15.7.1895, minor blemishes that hardly detract from what is a beautiful cover.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

1895 (Aug 30) cover with imprint of WC Harrison & Co Millers at upper-left, to New Caledonia endorsed "Overland to Sydney/thence per Birksgate" with De La Rue 2½d violet-blue tied by light 'PT ADELAIDE/S.A' squared-circle, no transit or arrival markings, minor tonespots. [The SS 'Birksgate' was an island trading vessel owned by the Australian United Steam Navigation Co. 'Birksgate Mansion', in the Adelaide suburb of Glen Osmond, was built in 1851 for Arthur Hardy, who sold it in 1864 to Thomas Elder. In 1972, it was bulldozed to create a housing estate.]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

1896 (Jan 7) rose-pink/white 'TELEGRAPHIC [coat of arms] DESPATCH' envelope-front, to Scotland with scarce franking of Thin 'O.S.' Narrow Setting Overprint De La Rue Perf 10 '2½d.' on 4d blue-green SG O71 (Cat £35 x50+ on cover) tied by GPO duplex, largely superb 'EDINBURGH/FE10/96/ 5 ' arrival cds where redirected locally, small repaired tear at the top & light vertical fold clear of the stamp.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1896 (Jan 8) wrapper with printed 'ON PUBLIC SERVICE' heading & pre-printed 'Officer in Charge/Police Station' address to "Westport/New Zealand" with rare solo franking of Thin 'O.S.' Narrow Setting Overprint on De La Rue Bantam ½d brown SG O60 (short perfs at left) tied by GPO duplex. From 1.7.1893, the inter-colonial newspaper rate was ½d up to 10oz, which extended to New Zealand. [Westport is on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island. In the 1860s it was the entry point for goldminers. More enduringly, it was the outlet for coal exports from the region]

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

1896 (June 25) cover with 'Australian Stamp Company' imprint & eight lines of promotion at upper-left plus all-over advertising on the reverse, with De La Rue Bantam Perf 11½ ½d brown pair & block of 9 tied by 'REGISTERED ADELAIDE/S-A' squared-circles, to Brazil endorsed "Via Frisco", New York Exchange Office registration label on the face & two backstamps of 9/30/96, Rio de Janeiro cds of 24/OUT/96 & Sao Paulo arrival cds, opened-out for display & overall soiling/aging. The rate was 2½d UPU letter plus 3d registration fee.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

1896 (July 8) cover with 'Australian Stamp Company' imprint & eight lines of promotion at upper-left plus all-over advertising on the reverse, to Fiji with De La Rue Bantam Perf 11½ ½d brown x10 (including two strips of 4) tied by 'REGISTERED ADELAIDE/S-A' squared-circles, minor opening faults at the top.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

1896 (Nov 19) usage of Postal Card 1d brown to "Argentinia" [sic] with De La Rue Bantam Perf 11½-12½ ½d brown tied by 'MONARTO/S-A' cds, the reverse with 'CALLINGTON' transit of the same day & two different Rosario arrival cds of EN26/97, two minor bends. [Oddly, the reverse has a printed heading for stamp dealer 'Karl Petersen, Hochkirch, Victoria...' and the message in German is signed by him]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$175

1897 (Jan 9) cover to "La Torretta/Cornigliano/Ligure/Italy" with De La Rue 2d orange, 2½d Kangaroo dull violet-blue & 6d blue tied by indistinct 'REGISTERED ADELAIDE/S.A' squared- circle & 'R' in-oval handstamp, two Italian backstamps of 28/2/97, minor blemishes. The rate was triple 2½d per ½oz UPU letter plus 3d registration fee.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

1897 (Nov 30) OHMS long-format envelope with printed 'Registered' cachet & lines and Education Department imprint at lower-left, to "White Cliffs" with Thin 'O.S.' Narrow Setting Overprint on De Le Rue 2d orange & 2½d Kangaroo violet-blue x2 tied by 'REGISTERED ADELAIDE/S.A' squared-circle and 'PEKINA' (rated R) & 'ORROROO' squared-circle backstamps both of DE1/97, two vertical folds clear of the stamps. The rate was 2d per ½oz domestic letter x2 plus 3d registration fee.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

1898 (Feb 20) complete OHMS parcel address label with printed endorsement 'Book Parcel Only' and Chief Secretary's Office imprint, to "College of Commerce/University of California/Berkeley" USA with rare solo franking of Thin 'O.S.' Narrow Setting Overprint Perkins Bacon on Perf 10x11½-12½ 2/- crimson SG O35 (shade) tied by light GPO duplex, very light horizontal bend at the base of the stamp where apparently affixed over a 'join' in the parcel. The book post rate to foreign countries was 1d per 2oz x24 for an item weighing up to 48oz (3lbs). A remarkable & extremely rare usage.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,500

1898 (Sept 16) cover addressed in Turkish Arabic & French to "le President de la Municipalite/ Adelhaide" (Lord Mayor of Adelaide) with Overprints on Great Britain '40 PARAS' on 2½d & '80 PARAS' on 5d tied by 'BRITISH-POST-OFFICE/CONSTANTINOPLE' cds with 'R' in-oval handstamp in violet below, reverse with Alexandria & Suez transits & 'REGISTERED ADELAIDE/OC24/98/S-A' arrival cds (F1-3), minor blemishes.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

1898 (Sept 11) Postal Card 1sn blue with photo of 'FUJIYAMA' on reverse, uprated with 2sn only tied by 'KIOTO/JAPAN' cds, Japanese-language cds in red & 'KOBE' cds of the next day alongside, taxed with superb ' SA /T' and ' KO /T/("2")/CTMS' handstamps, Brisbane transit backstamp, large '1' tax marking struck at Adelaide & large-part 'GLENELG/OC21/98/S-A' arrival squared-circle, minor bends & reinforced centrally. Very unusual & attractive.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

1899 (Jan 17) cover with 'AWT WHITE/ADELAIDE' imprint on the flap, to a British firm in "Kobe/Japan" with De La Rue Perf 11½-12½ ½d brown, 1d blue-green & 2d orange x2 tied by 'REGISTERED ADELAIDE/S.A' squared-circle cds & 'R' in-oval handstamp alongside, indistinct Japanese backstamp, slightly trimmed at left on opening. The rate was 2½d UPU letter plus 3d registration fee. A very scarce destination from South Australia.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$300