1853 (Sept 1): 1 d. pale brick-red on deeply blued paper, a used example with huge margins and showing portions of adjoining stamps on all three sides, lightly cancelled by CGH obliterator in black. A spectacular stamp. Signed J. Saatchi Gi = £ 450. (Image 1) (Image)

1853 (Sept 1): 4 d. deep blue on deeply blued paper, a used example with large even margins all round, lightly cancelled in black. A fresh and fine stamp. Signed Ferchenbauer Gi = £ 275. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

1855/63: 1 d. rose on cream paper, a used block of four with close to large margins all round, one pair superb, the other with infintessimal marginal thin and closer margins, neatly cancelled by "3" numeral obliterator of Grahamstown in black. An attractive block. Signed Pfenninger. Cert. Ferchenbauer (1987) Gi = £ 1'200+. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

1884/90: ½ d. black, 1 d. rose, 4 d. blue and 6 d. reddish lilac, used with Fiscal Stamp Act 6 d. lilac on registered 1888 cover to Brussels tied by '2' numeral obliterators in black. Port Elizabeth oval despatch at left (Feb 22) in black and rate split '2½' in red on obverse and reverse with Brussels arrival (March 20) in black. An attractive and unusual cover. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1855/64: Small group with 1858 1 d. rose on white paper in a used block of four with one stamp closed tear but would make a good strip of three (cert. Brandon 2018); 1858 6 d. pale rose-lilac on small piece with bisected 4 d. blue tied by CGH in bars, 1861 1 d. carmine 'Woodblock' rebacked and placed onto piece and forged cancel applied (would make a fine spacefiller, cert. BPA), 1864 6 d. bright mauve, fine used example with re-entry in value tablet etc. (Image 1) (Image)

Dutch East India Company 1652: Letter-sheet on watermarked paper endorsed at base "pr. Ship "Walvis, Aan God te bewaren" addressed to "Jan van Rubac, Commander, at Fort de Goode Hope aende Cabo de Bona Esperanca". One of, if not the earliest, of the recorded covers, it was carried by the 'Walvis' which was to have accompanied Van Riebeeck but was delayed. It sailed later with the 'Oliphant' and arrived at the Cape in May 1652, a month after Van Riebeeck's arrival on April 6, 1852, the journey was perilous with 130 passengers and crew being buried at sea. The letter inside has faded and is, sadly, unreadable. Rare and most attractive for such an early cover.rnrnNote: Johan Van Riebeeck was commander at the Cape of Good Hope from 1652-1662, building the initial settlements and planting crops for the Dutch East India Company (VOC) so that ships in transit could call for supplies.rnrnrnrn (Image 1) (Image)

Second British Occupation 1806: Cover endorsed at top 'On His Majesty's Service' and, in faint red ink "Cape Pd. 5d.", addressed to 'Sir John Thomas Duckworth, Vice Admiral of the White' in London, with the front panel further annotated by the sender, Sir Edward Pellew. Struck on despatch with fine oval 'CROWN / POST OFFICE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE / GR' (Goldblatt MLS 1) and, on arrival with oval 'SHIP / Crown / LETTER' in black (Robertson S10). London datestamp of receipt on reverse (Oct 28) in red where charged 2/9d. to pay in manuscript . A fine and rare cover, mailed just a few months after the second British occupation of the Cape.rnrnNote: 'Vice-Admiral of the White' - the Naval parlance of the time, indicating their place in the line of battle - white was the vanguard, red the centre and blue the rear. Duckworth (1748-1817) was Commander-in-Chief at Jamaica from 1803-1805 and promoted to Admiral in 1810, thereafter being C-in-C of Newfoundland until 1813. Sir Edward Pellew (1757-1833) was promoted to Rear Admiral in 1804 and C-in-C of the East Indies. He destroyed the Dutch fleet in the East Indies in 1807 and was to become famous for the bombardment of Algiers (1816) securing the release of 1'200 Christian slaves. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1852/53: Perkins Bacon 1 d. Die Proof in black, an exquisite pair on India paper on thick card with champfered corners, cut to framelines, minor surface scrapes of no importance, fresh and very fine. Rare.rnrnProvenance: Collection 'Bonaventure', RL, Sept 1993, lot 4.rn Collection Mrs. Ad. Indhusophon, Spink, May 1999, lot 12. (Image 1) (Image)

1852/53: Perkins Bacon Plate Proof for the 1 d. value, printed in black on toned wove paper, with large margins all round and a fine impression, slight aging on reverse and minute bend on one corner of no significance. A rare and most attractive multiple.rnrnProvenance: Collection Maria de la Queillerie, Harmers, May 1970, lot 2 (as a block of twelve).rn Collection 'Salisbury', RL, Sept 1995, lot 1002.rn Collection Mrs. Ad. Indhusophon, Spink, May 1999, lot 16.rn (Image 1) (Image)

1852/53: Perkins Bacon 4 d. Plate Proof in dull grey-blue on watermarked bleutê paper, a fine pair with large even margins all round, of good colour, without gum. Scarce and appealing Proof pair. Signed Oliva. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1852/53: Perkins Bacon 4 d. Plate Proof in deep blue on bleutê paper, the block of eight with good to large margins all round, one stamp slight thin not affecting the dramatic appearance of the block. Tiny closed nick in margin only at lower left (as can be seen in the Indusophon photo-plate where the paper was presumably folded, not noticeable in the Bonaventure photo-plate), fresh and very fine, a stunning block of excellent provenance.rnrnProvenance: Collection Arthur Hind, sale 4, Harmers, June 1934, lot 71.rn Collection Maria de la Queillerie, Harmers, May 1970, lot 6.rn Collection 'Bonaventure', RL, Sep 1993, lot 19.rn Collection Mrs. Ad Indhusophon, Spink, May 1999, lot 21.rn (Image 1) (Image)

Perkins Bacon PrintingsrnWe have done our best to describe and attribute the stamps offered here in line with the Stanley Gibbons catalogue numbers. There were some 12 different printings of the 1d. value alone and both the shades and the degree of blueing can alter over the years.rnrn1853 (July): 1 d. pale brick-red on blued paper, an unused example with good to large margins all round, of good colour, fresh and fine and of excellent appearance, without gum Gi = £ 4'500. (Image 1) (Image)

1853 (July): 1 d. deep brick-red on blued paper, strong Ivory Head, a used example with clear margin at base and two large margins at sides showing portion of adjoining stamp at left, light cancelled in black Gi = £475. (Image 1) (Image)

1853 (July): 1 d. deep brick-red on blued paper, a used example with ample to large margins all round, neatly cancelled by part 'Heidelberg' datestamp. Tiny corner bend not affecting the delightful appearance Gi = £ 475. (Image 1) (Image)

1853 (July): 1 d. deep brick-red on blued paper, strong Ivory Head, a used example with large margins all round and portion of adjoining stamp at left, lightly cancelled in black. Tiny stain at lower right but a most attractive stamp Gi = £ 475. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1853 (July): 1 d. deep brick-red on blued paper, strong Ivory Head, a used example in a 'chocolate' shade, with large even margins all round, lightly cancelled in black. A fine stamp Gi = £ 475.rnrnProvenance: Collection 'Solomon', Köhler sale 236, June 1982, lot 26. (Image 1) (Image)

1853 (July): 1 d. pale brick-red on blued paper, a used pair with large margins all round, lightly cancelled by CGH obliterator in black. Natural paper crease on one stamp, a fine and attractive pair. Ex collection Contini Gi = £ 900.rnrnProvenance: Collection Sir Maxwell Joseph, Sothebys, Oct 1982, lot 191. (Image 1) (Image)

1853 (July): 1 d. pale brick-red on blued paper, a used pair with ample to good margins all round, in a very rosy shade, lightly cancelled by CGH obliterator in black. An attractive multiple Gi = £ 900+. (Image 1) (Image)

1853 (July): 1 d. pale brick-red on blued paper, a used horizontal strip of four, good to large margins all round, one stamp just grazed at base and another with portion of adjoining stamp at base, minor thin on one stamp but of good colour, lightly cancelled by CGH obliterator in black. An attractive multiple. Signed A. Diena Gi = £ 1'800. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1853 (July): 1 d. pale brick-red on blued paper, a fine used block of four with good to large margins all round, tied to 1857 cover endorsed 'Paid' to Colesberg by three strikes of the CGH obliterator in black. Oval framed CRADOCK despatch datestamp at left (Oct 4) in black and reverse with COLESBERG oval datestamp of arrival (Oct 5). The front panel with two small holes not affecting the appearance of a delightful and rare cover of exceptional provenance.rnrnProvenance: Collection Alfred J. Caspary, Harmers, Feb 1958, lot 251.rn Collection Maria de la Queillerie, Harmers, May 1970, lot 38.rn Collection Sir Henry Tucker, Harmers, Nov 1979, lot 20. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1853 (July): 4 d. deep blue on blued paper, an unused example with large margins all round, in an excellent rich deep shade, fresh and very fine unused without gum. Cert. BPA (1972) Gi = £ 3'500.rnrnProenance: Collection C. Emerson Huston, Harmers, June 1961, lot 86.rnrn (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1853 (July): 4 d. deep blue on blued paper, an unused sheet marginal pair with 'AGE' of POSTAGE in marginal watermark, ample to large margins all round, slight surface rub on one stamp, but of fresh colour and large part og. An extremely rare multiple, especially so with gum. The finest of the three outstanding pairs offered in the Dale-Lichtenstein collection Gi = £ 7'000+.rnrnProvenance: Collection Dale-Lichtenstein, Harmers, Nov 1989, lot 95. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1853 (July): 4 d. blue on blued paper, a fine example with ample to large margins all round, used on 1854 cover to Cradock tied by CGH obliterator in black with CRADOCK oval datestamp on front (Nov 2) and oval GRAHAMSTOWN despatch in red on reverse (Oct 31). The stamp has been lifted for checking and hinged back in to place, and shows two re-entries (see Stevenson page 53) with extra line under APE of CAPE and retouched NC of PENCE. A fine and attractive cover. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1853 (July): 1 d. brick-red on lightly blued paper, a used example with large margins all round and showing portion of adjoining stamp at left, perhaps a shade more blued on reverse than normal, of fine delicate colour and lightly cancelled in black. Signed G. Bolaffi, Williame Gi = £ 350. (Image 1) (Image)

1853 (July): 1 d. brick-red on lightly blued paper, a used pair with large margins all round, some minor paper wrinkles, cancelled in black Gi = £ 700+. (Image 1) (Image)