ESSAY: 1912 (circa) stamp-size photographic reduction of 1d Map & Flags essay with vignette of Australia's first Prime Minister, Edmund Barton, affixed to piece of thin brown card that has a closed spikehole at U/R suggesting storage in an official file. An intriguing item of unknown provenance. Unrecorded in the ACSC. The production elements are consistent with other photographic reductions of the period. It is also clear that on the original essay, the vignette had been glued in place, also consistent with production of the bicoloured Kangaroo essays. The design is very similar to the so-called Type 1 Kangaroo & Map essays but has had the map redrawn & amended to include Tasmania. We also note that the ornaments at the sides are different. But it is almost certain that this is the work of the same artisan. As such, we believe it was produced officially and not as an entry in a stamp design competition. This item was discovered in 2008 and, to the best of our knowledge, no other examples have been recorded.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

IMPERFORATE PLATE PROOF: Die I pair in red on thin buff card ACSC 2PP(1)A, large margins and free of the wrinkling/creasing that affects most such proofs, Cat $650+. Ex Julian Sterling: sold for $366. [The ACSC states these proofs are on "thick buff manilla paper", which is inaccurate]

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

IMPERFORATE PLATE PROOF: Die I imperforate plate proof block of 4 in red on thin buff card ACSC 2PP(1)A with complete interpanneau margin at the base, large margins and virtually free of the wrinkling/creasing that affects most such proofs, Cat $1300++. Ex Arthur Gray: sold for US$690 (= A$958 at the time). [The ACSC states these proofs are on "thick buff manilla paper", which is inaccurate] The block has been plated as Die I Plate B [L49-50/57-58], the third unit being the No Monogram position, distinguished by the white spot in the marginal line. A makeready correction largely eliminated the spot on the printed sheets.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

FIRST DAY COVER: 1d Die I single (tonespot at top) & block of 4 tied to Fred Hagen front to the prominent collector HL White at Scone by 'REGISTERED/2JA13/SYDNEY NSW' cds being the First Day of Issue BW #2y, Sydney orange/black Registration Label (stain), Cat $15,000+. Postage was letter rate 1d x2 + 3d registration. An outstanding item for the serious collector of Kangaroos or First Day Covers. Ex Greg Pope: sold at the Prestige auction of 24.1.2004 for $13,440. The ACSC notes that eight FDCs are recorded, of which two are in the Australia Post Archives and another is in the Royal Collection. Of the five remaining in private hands, this is the only registered item, the others bearing a single 1d only tied by a usually incomplete Sydney machine cancellation. The ACSC valuation of $15,000 is for these solo franking covers. [With an extract from "The Australian Philatelist" of Autumn 1989 concerning the discovery of this item]

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$8,000

FIRST DAY COVER: Die I single & pair tied to philatelic cover by Melbourne Krag machine cancel of 4JAN13 being the First Day of Issue at Melbourne. Superb! [The ACSC states at least eleven FDCs cancelled at Sydney 2.1.1913 are recorded, Cat $15,000. Melbourne FDCs are probably scarcer but are neither listed nor priced. This example is far superior to a cover with solo franking that sold at our auction of 30.11.2019 for $1377]

Grade A+ (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

Duplicated selection of obvious varieties 'ROSTAGE' ACSC #2(B)d x7, Island SW of Tasmania ('Two Tasmanias') #3(E)d x8, Dot before 'POSTAGE' #3(E)f x23 including two in pairs, Island off Yorke Peninsula #3(F)h x20, Cut Throat on Roo #4(G)j x14 including in a pair, Ferry Wake NE from Cairns #4(K)f x13, Value Circle Broken at Base #4(K)h x9 and apparently unlisted Island Before 'AUSTRALIA' & Damaged Top of 'T' of 'AUSTRALIA' x26 and Island off Cape Leeuwin x10, many cancelled clear of the varieties, condition a bit mixed, Cat $8000 + the two unlisted varieties. An outstanding opportunity for the serious student. (Qty 150+)

Grade A/B (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

Used array in small box including many blocks of 4 or 6 plus blocks of 8 & 12 and an interpanneau strip of 6, many Large 'OS' including a block of 4 & a single with Double 'OS', plenty of 'OS/NSW' punctures including strips of 3 & 4, potential for varieties or postmarks, condition variable but mostly fine to very fine. (Qty 1000+) (Image1)

Estimate AU$150

Blocks of 4 comprising Die I x4, Die II x5 & Die IIA x2 with shade variation, generally very fine with many units unmounted, Cat $2000++. Ex Arthur Gray, on his exhibit pages. An extremely difficult group to assemble. (Qty 11 blocks)

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

Dramatic Double Print that is a famous fake, minor creasing, 'NEWCASTLE/24JE13/NSW' cds. Ex Arthur Gray, who stated that, using genuine stamps, these were created 'by chemical transfer' in 1927, and that six examples showing different patterns of doubling have been recorded. [Arthur Gray's other two examples sold for US$719 & US$862 = A$998 & A$1198 respectively at the time. See also Adams Bell & Pope at pp354-5]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

Die I punctured Large 'OS' with Extensive Damage in the nature of a 'Tin Shed Flaw', most evident through 'STR' of 'AUSTRALIA' to Arnhem Land and 'ONE P' of 'ONE PENNY' plus numerous white flaws and several significant frame-breaks, lightly cancelled. A truly extraordinary stamp.

Grade A C1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

Die II horizontal pair in an unusual pale dull red shade, cds of 11DE13.

Grade A C1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$100

Die II 'Cherry-Red' shade, well centred, very fine 'MANNUM/12OC13/STH AUSTRALIA' cds. A famous albeit unlisted shade that is a very distinctive deep brown-red. [Superior quality to & better centred than the example in our Online Auction 4 of 19.2.2021 that sold for $1557]

Grade A B1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

DIE I - PLATE A: Quarter-sheet of 30 (6x5) from the U/R of the R/H pane including White Scratch from Upper L/H Frame SSE to Western Australia Coast [24] but before appearance of the similar flaw on [11], generally well centred, a few minor imperfections but most units are unmounted, Cat $1000++. Ex Arthur Gray. Positional pieces & large blocks from Plate A are extremely scarce. This plate was quickly withdrawn and broken-up to extract electros for printing postal stationery. A previous owner suggested that Plate A varieties and blocks should be worth at least 10 times those from Plates B & C. This scarcity was borne out in our recent online auction where large blocks Cat $800+ and $2800+ sold for $3594 & $3474 respectively.

Grade A/A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$2,000

DIE I - PLATE A: Interpanneau block of 24 (12x2) with both No Monogram blocks of 6 ACSC 2z & za, unit [R51] with Retouch below 'Y' of 'PENNY' & Frame Break below 'N' of 'PENNY', all but two units are unmounted, Cat $4600++. Ex William & Hugh Morgan: sold for £3360. Technically important and the most significant piece in the collection. [Illustrated by Adams Bell & Pope at p221]

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$6,000

DIE I - PLATE B: Block of 8 from the base of the L/H pane [51-54/57-60] with full Intersheet Gutter at the base & vertical marginal watermark line at right, unit [57] being the No Monogram unit, distinguished by the small white dot in the upper Jubilee line, creasing in the margin as should be expected, unmounted. Ex Arthur Gray. [A similar single punctured Large 'OS' sold at our Online Auction of 19.2.2021 for $2156]

Grade A C1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$2,500

DIE I - PLATE B: Watermark Sideways with the Crown Pointing Left as seen from the Face ACSC 2ab block of 4 [R15-16/21-22], well centred, the first unit with a couple of thins & a minor surface blemish otherwise fresh & attractive, Cat $9000+. A rare multiple. [Better centred than the block of 4 - three units unmounted - sold at our auction of 30.11.2019 for $7787]

Grade C/A B1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$3,500

DIE I - PLATE B: No Monogram block of 12 (6x2) ACSC 2za, well centred, a couple of minor gum bends, unmounted, Cat $2000++ for a mounted No Monogram strip of 3.

Grade A B1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

DIE I - PLATE B: Large-part sheet of 96 (12x8) with listed varieties 'ROSTAGE' [L1], Scratch in Bight [L24], Island off Northern Territory [R15], Islands off SW Western Australia [R23], Colour Flaw below first 'N' of 'PENNY' [R32] and Frame Dent opposite Brisbane [R47] but before the appearance of varieties on [L40, 45, 48, & 53] and on [R18, 32 & 47], a couple of faults in the margins otherwise very fine unmounted, Cat $2000++. A technically interesting and significant piece, being the almost complete pane of Plate B.

Grade A

Estimate AU$1,200

DIE I - PLATE C: Punctured Large 'OS' 'CA' Monogram block of 36 (6x6) ACSC 2(C)z with Notch in Frame off Cape Leeuwin [L26] & Fishing Line from 'L' of 'AUSTRALIA' [L37] but before appearance of White Flaw in Gulf of Carpentaria [L38] & Break at Left of Value Circle [L42], very fresh apart from the top row which is threatening to secede, one unit in the top row mounted otherwise unmounted. The ACSC states that varieties punctured Large 'OS' are worth double the unpunctured stamps: on that basis, Cat $3000 for a mounted monogram strip of 3 plus $240 for the two mounted varieties, plus $75 x30 for the other unmounted singles = $5500++.

Grade A C1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,500

DIE I - PLATE C: 'JBC' Monogram block of 12 (6x2) ACSC 2(C)zb with Colour Flaw at L/R [R60] ACSC 2(C)zb, well centred, a band of toning at the top & another affecting the first three units on the second row & just impinging on the monogram unit, most units including the monogram strip of 3 are unmounted, Cat $1500++ for mounted.

Grade A-/B (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

DIE I - PLATE C: Interpanneau block of 24 (12x2) with 'CA' and 'JBC' Monogram blocks of 6 ACSC 2(C)z & zb, unit [R60] with Colour Flaw at L/R Corner plus unlisted varieties Islands in Bass Strait [L50] and Archipelago in the Coral Sea [L60], gum disturbance affects the gutter block but both monogram strips of 3 are very fine unmounted, Cat $3000++. Another rare block. Ex Jack Kilfoyle and William & Hugh Morgan: sold for £1560.

Grade A/B (Image1)

Estimate AU$2,000

DIE II - PLATE D: 'CA' Monogram block of 12 (6x2) ACSC 3(D)z, lightly mounted, Cat $2000. [Adams Bell & Pope state: "Lower Plate D is one of the most interesting of the Penny Red plates. It was in commission for a very short time...so material is in short supply and there are only a few flaws"]

Grade A C1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

DIE II - PLATE D: Virtually complete L/H pane of 60 (6x10) missing only the last unit, with the 'CA' Monogram block of 6 and listed varieties White Flaw over 'T' of 'AUSTRALIA' [L20] and White Flaws over 'AUS' [L31], remarkably well centred including the monogram strip of 3, unmounted, Cat $5900+++ for 55 unmounted normal units plus mounted varieties and monogram strip. Ex Arthur Gray. Effectively the complete pane of Plate D, and one of the stand-out pieces in the collection.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$3,000

DIE II - PLATE E: Vertical pair [L36/42] the upper unit with White Flaw to Left of 'O' of 'ONE' and both units with Double PerforatIons on Three Sides ACSC 3b, the lower unit is unmounted, Cat $875+. Ex Arthur Gray.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

DIE II - PLATE E: Block of 4 [L25-26/31-32], the first unit being the Pre-Substituted Cliché ('Two Tasmanias') ACSC 3(E)d, lightly suntanned gum, Cat $840+. [Adams Bell & Pope rate this as one of the most elusive of all plate flaws. Our vendor believes this is the only recorded example in a block]

Grade A- B1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$400