Modest little group with some nice advertising covers including illustrated types for Victoria Varnish Co (closed tear), Alcock & Co Billiard Tables and Frank Vial & Son Industrial Belts. (16)

Estimate AU$100

1852 entire unstamped letter headed "No 182 King St Melbourne/...Decr 30th 1852" & signed "Roberts Bros", to London endorsed "Registered Letter" & "Per Great Britain", also "Registered" & "G Roberts" on the reverse both in red crayon, variously rated, oval 'SHIP LETTER/[crown]/JA*1/1853/MELBOURNE' b/s in red, boxed 'LIVERPOOL/ SHIP/AP2/1853/ B ' transit & poor London arrival b/s, light overall soiling.

The lengthy letter provides marvellous content including "...many of our characters are sets of desperate fellows chief part of them are old convicts out of their time, many escape from Van Dieman Land...they have no respect for life or property, the vagabonds are not contented with robbing the successful gold diggers on our country roads, but they must discharge a revolver loaded with ball, through the thickest part of their victims thigh sometimes through their hands against a tree. The Bushrangers on the Roads to the diggings they go in gangs from 4 to 8 men...our horse police in the bush find it a difficulty to catch the wretches...You could not travel 350 miles...without being devoured by the aboriginal natives...I am afraid if these northerly hot winds, should it continue, the Bush must catch fire..."

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$2,000

1859 (Nov 17) cover to London with delightful three-colour franking of Queen-on-Throne 6d plus Emblems Rouletted 2d & Perf 12 1d all tied by BN '2' of Gellong (b/s), bold 'M' h/s indicating transit via Marseilles, London arrival cds of JA7/60 in red. [NB: the illustration is above Lot 822]

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$800

1861 (Mar 25) cover to London "Via Marseilles" with scarce franking of Beaded Ovals 4d rose strip of 3 tied by BN '4' of 'SANDHURST' (small oval d/s at L/L, Melbourne transit b/s & London arrival cds of MY13/61 in red.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

Double-Circle Relief Datestamps selection comprising 'BARNAWARTHA' (rated RRRR), 'BRIM' (or 'BRIMBOAL' ?; both unrecorded), 'CARAMUT' (!! = the only recorded example), 'COLBENA[BBIN]' (spelling error; !!), 'DIAMOND CREEK' (RRRR), 'FERN TREE GULLY' (!!) on piece with BN '789', 'FORREST' x2 (RRRRR), 'GAFFNEYS CREEK' (RRR) on Tatts cover, 'GT STHRN UP TRAIN' TPO (reconstructed), 'IVANHOE' (!!), 'JUNG' (RRRRR), '[L]ETHBRIDG[E]' (!!), 'MT EGERT[ON]' (!!), 'OUYEN' x2 (RRR), 'S K IL A Y' on PPC (= St Kilda Rly Stn), 'SO TO' (= Sorrento), '[T]HOONA' (!!; the only recorded cds for this office), 'TARRAWINGEE' (!!), 'ULTIMA' (!!), poor 'WA[RRION]' (!!) arrival on PPC, 'WATCHE[M]' (RRRR), and 'YAN YEA[N STH]' (!!), plus a selection of unidentifiable strikes. Rare & grossly underappreciated datestamps. Ex Max Watson: sold at our auction of 24.11.2018 for $5031. The buyer removed only a few Gippsland items & has resubmitted the balance. (26 items + unknowns)

The datestamp comprised moveable type within a "collar". The inscriptions were often off-centre &/or oddly spaced and the type often sat below the height of the collar, all these factors adding to the difficulty of identification

Estimate AU$2,000

Three albums of mostly PPCs with some better datestamps & numeral/cds 'ties', some duplication, also 1864 piece with 'STAFFORDSHIRE REEF' cds & poor numeral, condition very mixed. (100s)

Estimate AU$600

Box of covers with many useful items & some very scarce datestamps & numerals, a few "ties", mostly 1890s-1912 but some earlier, condition very mixed. Ex 'Tamiami'. (300+)

Estimate AU$1,000

Extensive CDS collection in eight expensive Lighthouse binders, lots of scarce datestamps & very fine strikes but much of the material needs to be upgraded, hence the very enticing estimate. Ex 'Tamiami'. (1000s)

Estimate AU$1,000

Box of 1960s-80s mostly black & white photgraphs of Victorian Post Offices, all different & identified on the reverse, many closed even at that time. Ex John Webster, Alec Gavin & Ken Smithies. Terrific boost for any postmark collection. (400+)

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

BARRED NUMERALS: Collection in seven expensive Lighthouse binders that includes lots of fine to very fine strikes rated up to RR - including many on better stamps including lots of Half-Lengths to Laureates - but generally is more about quantity than quality. There are some obvious more highly rated numbers but most RRRR & RRRRR items are optimistic at best. Ex 'Tamiami'. Our recommendation is to buy this as the foundation for a serious collection and upgrade, upgrade, upgrade. (Qty)

Estimate AU$2,000

BUTTERFLIES: '37' of Melbourne on NSW Sydney View 2d (four margins, ironed-out crease).

Grade B C1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$100

Hordern Vale: 'HORDERN VALE/21AU17/VIC' cds on KGV 1d red while RO only. Renamed from Calder River RO circa -.12.1912; PO 1.7.1927; TO 1.9.1956; closed 3.5.1972. [Otways: 15km WSW of Apollo Bay]

Grade A A2 (Image1)

Estimate AU$100

Kenley: 'KENLEY/15MY35/VIC.' cds on KGV 2d red on piece. RO 1.11.1923; PO 1.7.1927; TO 9.9.1944; closed 1.3.1967. [Mallee: 22km N of Piangil]

Grade A A1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$100

Melbourne: Collection in expensive Lighthouse stockbook with a handy range of duplexes including some nice covers, good range of 1895-99 cds & double-circle types. (100s)

Estimate AU$250

Quarantine Station: 'RELIEF STAMP VIC/31MR38/ 11 ' three strikes on philatelic cover - corners clipped as usual - with red/white 'Quarantine Station/Victoria' label with Rat's Tail variety, large 'QUARANTINE STATION/PORTSEA' h/s, a few blemishes. [The PO was open only during periods when people were quarantined]

Grade B A1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$150

Quarantine Station: 'QUARANTINE STATION/5AP38/VIC-AUST' two strikes on philatelic cover - corners clipped as usual - with red/white 'Quarantine Station/Victoria' label, a few blemishes.

Grade B A1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$150

Upper Delegate River: 'UPPER DELEGATE RIVER/13AU45/VIC.' cds on blank blue R label on piece. RO 18.2.1918; PO 1.7.1927, provisionally closed 30.9.1953; closed 31.12.1953. [Victorian Alps: 11km NNE of Bonang]

Grade A A1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$100

Waanyarra Rush: 'WAANYARRA RUSH/29AP35/VIC.' cds on piece from a Registration Envelope. RO circa 1903; PO 1.7.1927; closed 30.11.1969. [Goldmining: 9km NE of Dunolly]

Grade A A1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$100

OVERPRINTED 'Reprint': Perforated marginal blocks of 4 comprising Octagonal 1/- blue (two units lightly mounted), Beaded Ovals 3d blue & 4d pink, Netted Corners 1d bright yellow-green, Redrawn 6d black, and Bell 1/- (overprinted in Red), full unmounted o.g. Rare & superb multiples. Sold in 2011 for $931. (6 blocks)

Grade A+ (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

OVERPRINTED 'Reprint': 1850 Half-Lengths 1d, 2d from the Defaced Plate (one unit mounted), & 3d perforated U/L corner blocks of 4, full unmounted o.g. Rare & superb multiples. Sold in 2011 for $632. (3 blocks)

Grade A+ (Image1)

Estimate AU$550

OVERPRINTED 'Reprint': 1856-58 Queen-on-Throne 1d yellow-green, 1d blue-green & 6d blue imperf blocks of 4 from the top of the sheets virtually full o.g. the lower units being unmounted o.g. Rare & superb multiples. Sold in 2011 for $920. (3 blocks)

Grade A+ (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

OVERPRINTED 'Reprint': 1863-73 Laureates 1d green, 2d violet, 3d orange, 4d rose, 6d blue, 8d orange, 10d grey, 1/- blue/blue and 5/- red & blue blocks of 4, the 6d 8d 1/- & 5/- are marginal, full unmounted o.g. Rare & superb multiples. Sold in 2011 for $1610. (9 blocks)

Grade A+ (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,500

CANCELLED-TO-ORDER: Mostly perforated array in close to the issued colours including Half-Lengths set, Queen-on-Throne 1d x2 2d & 6d (all imperf), Beaded Ovals 3d blue x2 (one a rare cobalt-blue shade) & 4d, Laureates set to 5/-, Bell set, etc, full unmounted. o.g. Superb! Sold in 2011 for $805. (31)

Grade A+ (Image1)

Estimate AU$700

CANCELLED-TO-ORDER: Half-Lengths 1d, Beaded Ovals 3d blue & 4d, Redrawn 6d, Laureates 1d & 4d, Bell 9d and Naish 1d & 4d all CTO 'JY11/02' and rare thus, no gum. Sold in 2011 for $506. (9)

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$450

CANCELLED-TO-ORDER: Perforated blocks of 4 comprising Beaded Ovals 3d in cobalt-blue (rare shade; minor creasing) & 4d pink, Netted Corners 1d, Redrawn 6d, Bell 1/-, and Naish 1d 2d & 4d, full unmounted o.g. Rare & superb multiples. Sold in 2011 for $1524. (8 blocks)

Grade A/A+ (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,250