1844: Cover from Kororarika (later Russell) mailed to Auckland endorsed 'OHM Service' at top, struck with double arc NEW-ZEALAND datestamp (Jan 12) in black (RL HS23) and rated '4' pence in manuscript to pay. Reverse, with one side flap missing, showing fine strike of oval framed "CROWN / KORORARIKA / 1840 / NEW ZEALAND datestamp in black as supplied by the New South Wales Post Office. Rare. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1853/55: Essay prepared by Perkins, Bacon & Co., showing the Chalon half-length portrait engraved by William Humphrys printed in black on smooth surfaced white paper (76 x 50 mm.), with superb cross-hatched 'engine-turned' background and circular frame divided from the portrait by white circle (State 2). Rare and most attractive frontispiece for a specialised Chalon collection. (Image 1) (Image)

1855 (July 20): 1 d. dull carmine, wmk. Large Star on white paper, a fine unused example with large even margins all round, of splendid rich colour, without gum, light horizontal crease and small nick in top margin not detracting from the appearance of this rare and lovely stamp. Cert. BPA (1994) Scott 1 = $ 85'000/Gi. = £ 70'000. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1855 (July 20): 2 d. dull blue, wmk. Large Star on blued paper, an unused example with enormous margins, with portion of adjoining stamp at left, of excellent colour and beautiful appearance, with large part og. Peter Holcombe certificate harshly states 'a little soiled in places'. An immensely rare stamp unused and without doubt one of the finest of the few recorded examples extant. Signed Holcombe. Certs. RPSNZ (1972), Peter Holcombe (1991) Scott 2 = $ 40'000/Gi = £35'000.rnProvenance: Collection "Antipodes", Corinphila sale 79, Sept 1988, lot 3137; Collection 'Samos', Ivy, Shreve & Mader, London, June 1991, lot 820. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1855 (July 20): 2 d. dull blue, wmk. Large Star on blued paper, an unused example with large margins on three sides and just clear at left, of good true colour with redistributed og. An extremely rare stamp unused. Signed Holcombe. Cert. Holcombe (1993) Scott 2 = $ 40'000/Gi = £ 35'000. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1855 (July): 1 s. pale yellow-green, wmk. Large Star on very lightly blued paper, the unused example with large margins all round in a rich shade of exceptional freshness, unused without gum. A delightful example of this rare stamp. Cert. RPSL (2015) Scott 3 = $ 55'000/Gi = £ 45'000. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1855 (July): 1 s. pale yellow-green, wmk. Large Star, on blued paper, a magnificent used example with huge margins all round for this rare stamp, slight natural paper wrinkle at right, lightly cancelled in black. A very fine example of this rarity. Cert. RPSL (1952) Scott = $ 6'000/Gi = £ 5'500. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1855 (Dec): J. Richardson First Printing, 1 d. orange, wmk. Large Star, printed on white paper, the famous unused example with large margins all round, of vibrant rich colour and large part og. Tiny stain from gum at top and horizontal gum crease on reverse having no impact on the appearance of this extremely rare stamp. Exceptional. Cert. BPA (1990) Gi = £ 32'000.rnProvenance: Collection Philippe Ferrary de la Renotière; Collection H. Gordon Kaye, Nov 1991.rn (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1855/58: 1 d.red on blued, a fine horizontal pair with close to good margins cancelled numeral "18" obliterator in black of Otago and 2 d. blue on blued (7) wirth three single examples and two horizontal pairs, all with part SANDS & MCDOUGALL / MELBOURNE watermark. The 2 d. values with one single and a pair defective, but all of fine colour and appearance, on the Gerald Ellott original album page. An extremely scarce and most attractive group Gi = £ 6'100++. (Image 1) (Image)

1857 (Sept): 6 d. green, no wmk., on blued paper, an unused example with ample to large margins all round, of fresh colour but with heavy horizontal crease leaving some minor surface damage, large part og. A good example of an extremely rare stamp. Cert. RPSL (2000) Gi = £ 40'000. rnProvenance: Collection Major K.M. Beaumont, 1948; Collection Major Henry Dumas, Spink, 15 March 2000, lot 68. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1857 (Sept): 1 s. green, no wmk. on blued paper, an attractive horizontal pair, clear to huge margins all round except at lower left of first stamp where the design is just touched, small bleach spot in left margin, neatly cancelled by "10" numeral obliterator of Wellington in black. A rare multiple. Cert. BPA (1992) Scott 6 = $ 9'500/Gi = £ 7'500.rnProvenance: Collection Charles Lathrop Pack, Harmers, New York, Dec 1944, lot 1356.rn (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1857 (Sept): 1 s. green, no wmk. on blued paper, a used example with just touched to large margins and portion of adjoining stamp at left, on 1859 cover from Wellington to Liverpool endorsed 'via Marseilles', tied ny numeral '10' obliterator in black. Reverse with Wellington despatch cds (July 2) and Liverpool arrival cds (Oct 8) struck in blue. Slightest of file folds but a very rare stamp on letter and extremely fine for this rarity. Cert. RPSL (2006).rnProvenance: Collection Marcel Stanley, RL, London, 8 Nov 1977, lot 518; Collection 'Yeroc', Gregson, Bristol, Jan 2000, lot 61; Collection John Woolfe, Spink, London, 3 Oct 2006, lot 251. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

1857 (Jan): Richardson printing, 1 d. dull orange, wmk. Large Star on white paper, the famous 'Castle' cover front bearing a horizontal pair of vibrant colour, touched to large margins, right hand stamp with vertical scissor cut at top and small printer's creases, lightly cancelled by "18" numeral handstamps of Dunedin in black with AUCKLAND / NEW ZEALAND arrival cds at left (January 19, 1857). This cover is mentioned in the Robson Lowe Encyclopædia, volume IV on page 404, and in the Stanley Gibbons Part One footnote - this is the only recorded multiple of this stamp - just eight examples being recorded, two of which are 'Dwarf' examples and one of those is in the British Library. An extraordinary and very rare piece. Certs. Odenweller (1990), BPA (1990) Gi = £ 60'000.rnProvenance: M.P.Castle, President of the Royal Philatelic Society (1913-1917); Collection Charles Lathrop Pack, Harmers, New York, Dec 1944, lot 1358; Collection Dale-Lichtenstein, Harmers, London, 14 May 1990, lot 377; Collection Joseph Hackmey, Spink Shreve, New York, 19 Feb 2009, lot 1074. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1857/62: 2 d. blue, no wmk., a fine used example with large margins all round, sheet marginal at left and imperceptibly touched at top right, used on 1862 cover from Wanganui to Wellington tied by indistinct numeral in black. Reverse with 'Wanganui' despatch cds (Nov 13) in black and obverse with Wellington arrival cds (Nov 15) in black. File fold well away from the adhesive, a scarce cover. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1857/63: 1 s. blue-green, no wmk. on hard white wove paper, a used horizontal pair and a used horizontal strip of three, almost certainly from the same original letter - the colour shade is matched in both pairs as is the numeral "12" cancellation of Wanganui, the stamps with margins all round to just touched in places, all stamps with imperfections but a remarkable pair of multiples Gi = £ 9'000. (Image 1) (Image)

1860: Pin Roulette 10 at Nelson, 6 d. brown in a horizontal pair, shaved at base and rouletted at top and vertically at sides, cancelled by unclear numeral obliterators in black. Right hand stamp with thin but of extreme rarity, more especially so as a multiple, Cert. BPA (1991) Gi = 8'500+.rnProvenance: H. Gordon Kaye, RL, 12 Nov 1991, lot 125. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1862: Serrated perforation 18 produced in Nelson, 1 s. blue-green, a used example showing portion of adjoining stamp at right, cancelled by fine "15" numeral obliterator of Nelson in black. The stamp thinned at base but this does not affect the appearance of this rarity. Cert. BPA (1997) Gi = £ 6'500. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1863: Perforated 13 at Dunedin, 2 d. pale blue in a used horizontal pair, neatly cancelled by numeral "17" obliterator of Dunedin. The left hand stamp with natural diagonal crease and the paper slightly aged but an extremely fine multiple: a rarity and almost certainly unique. Cert. RPSL (2000) Gi = £ 7'000.rnProvenance: Collection W.H. Silk, 1944; Collection Major K.M. Beaumont, 1948; Collection Major Henry Dumas, Spink, London, 13 March 2000, lot 112. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1862/64: 1 d. orange-vermilion, a used horizontal pair in a bright shade, ample to large margins all round and portion of adjoining stamp at right, on 1863 cover from Hampden to Shag Valley cancelled by "03" in bars obliterator with 'Waikoua' datestamp below (Jan 16) in black. Reverse with 'Hampden / Otago' cds in black. Minor staining removed from the pair at top but a fine and most attractive cover from the central Otago Goldfields. Cert. Holcombe (1988).rnProvenance: Collection Marcel Stanley, RL, 8 Nov 1977, lot 559; Collection "Antipodes", Corinphila sale 79, Sept 1988, lot 3303.rnNote: Both the Hampden despatch and Waikoua arrival datestamps are the earliest recorded examples. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

1862/64: Davies 2 d. blue, Plate I, worn, a fine example with large margins on three sides and just grazed at top on frameline, used with 1862/63 6 d. black-brown and 1 s. deep green on pelure paper, the 6 d, touched at base but with sheet margin at right, the 1 s. with good margins but slightl surface scuff as applied in upper left corner of 1863 cover from Dunstan to Ponte Capriosca, Tessin, Switzerland; all tied by "023" numeral obliterators in black. Reverse with Dunstan / Otago despatch cds (Feb 12) and Lugano cds (April 15) in black, obverse with Dunedin transit cds and circular 'Poss. Ang. Suez' transit in red. A scarce and attractive cover to an unusual destination. Cert. BPA (2010). (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

1862 (May): Rouletted 7 at Auckland, 2 d. deep blue in a fine horizontal pair used with single 6 d. red-brown, tied lightly by barred numeral handstamps in black to large piece, the roulettes clearly showing. Reverse with part Auckland cds (Dec 5, 1863) in black. A fine and rare piece. Cert. Holcombe (1988) Gi = £ 1'425.rnProvenance: Collection Charles Lathrop Pack, Harmers, New York, May 1946, lot 170; Collection "Antipodes", Corinphila, sale 79, Sept 1988, lot 3393. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Rouletted 7 at Auckland 1862 (May): 3 d. brown-lilac, fine used examples (2) with large margins all round and showing the rouletting clearly, used on 1863 cover to Portsmouth cancelled by "1" numeral obliterators of Auckland in black. Reverse with Auckland despatch cds (June 1) and Portsmouth arrival cds (Aug 19) in black. The stamps lifted for checking and replaced. A rare usage and particularly fine stamps. Cert. BPA (1993) Gi = £ 1'600+ off cover. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

1862 (May): Rouletted 7 at Auckland, on Davies printing 6 d. brown, a horizontal used pair, left hand stamp very fine, the right hand stamp somewhat truncated, neatly cancelled by "1" numeral obliterator of Auckland in black. Scarce multiple. Cert. RPSL (2000) Gi = £ 1'200. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

Serrated perforation 16 to 18 at Nelson 1862 (July): 6 d. black-brown, a fine used example in a deep rich shade used on cover to London tied by numeral "15" obliterator in black, the serrated perfs. clear on three sides, scissor separation at right. Reverse with 'Nelson' despatch cds (Aug 25) and obverse with 'London / Paid' cds in red (Dec 30). The cover pressed but an extremely rare stamp on letter. Cert. RPSL (1984) Gi = £ 1'800 off cover.rnProvenance: Collection "Antipodes", Corinphila sale 79, Sept 1988, lot 3416. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

1862 (Aug): Pin-Perforated 10 at Nelson, Davies printing 6 d. black-brown, a good example of the Trial separation showing pin-perf. 10 at top, cancelled by indistinct, probable"15" numeral obliterator of Nelson in black. Slight thinning but of great scarcity. Cert. BPA (1970c), RPSL (2000) Gi = £ 4'000. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)