THE TWO CENTS: ONE OF TWO EXISTING SINGLE EXAMPLES IN PRIVATE HANDS 1850-51, 2 cents black on pale rose, Townsend Type A, with initials of postal official Smith "JBS", cut round, with central 7 October 1851 Demerara datestamp, usual defects (see certificate) of no significance for such an important rarity; (SG £325'000). The rarest stamp of the legendary "Cotton-Reel" primitives, being one of the only two single examples remaining in private hands. Two pairs, each on cover, are also known outside institutions, of which one is offered in this sale; the other two single stamps belonging to the collections of the British Library in London and the Post and Telecommunications Museum in Bonn (Germany). IN TERMS OF CLASSIC WORLDWIDE RARITIES, THIS "NUMBER ONE" OF BRITISH GUIANA IS CONSIDERED TO BE AMONGST THE GREATEST OF ALL PHILATELIC TREASURES. With only two singles off cover and two pairs on two covers in private hands, this worldwide gem is still remarkably underestimated in the SG catalogue in comparison to other primitive rarities like the 'Blue Mauritius' (SG £1'500'000, with five singles off cover known in private hands) or the 'Missionary' of Hawaii 2 cents (Scott $250'000, with eleven singles off cover known in private hands). Note: This 2 cents value was issued in 1851 to pay a local town letter rate (the Georgetown Penny Post), a service which was unpopular and little used, with no town post usages being known to have survived. This is the first example of the 2 cents circular to be found, being discovered by N. R. McKinnon in 1877, a local resident and well known vendor of British Guiana stamps at that time. Provenance: Philipp von Ferrary Sir William B. Avery Théodore Champion King Farouk (Lot 1231, H.R.Harmers, February 1954) Ernest Hunt René Berlingin (David Feldman SA, 1978, sold for CHF66'000) John E. du Pont (Lot 60000, David Feldman SA, June 2014, sold for €190'000) Expertise: Cert. BPA (2014) (Image)

THE FAMOUS "MISS ROSE" COVER ONE OF THE MOST CELEBRATED COVERS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE 1850-51 2 cents black on pale rose, vertical pair, both being Townsend Type C showing the usual thick frame line, with initials of postal official Dalton "E.T.E.D.", partially cut round showing portions of outer frameline, clearly tied by two strikes of "DEMERARA/5.AU.1851" double-arc on entire letter addressed to "Miss Rose, Blankenburg", this cover being found by Miss Rose when she was asked to donate any early stamps to a charity bazaar taking place in Demerara, with the proceeds going to Christ Church; (SG £650,000 as two singles). The earliest known cover of the just three recorded exhibiting this denomination, this bearing the only known examples of type C, with the other eight, comprising two pairs and four singles, being type B. Of the ten 2 cents examples recorded, only two single stamps and two covers are available to collectors, the third cover being part of the collection of the Queen, and the two singles belonging to the collections of the British Library in London and the Post and Telecommunications Museum in Bonn (Germany). In addition, this is the only cover where the cancellations tie the stamps to the outer letter sheet. This cover exhibits the rarest value of the "Cotton-Reel" primitives and is consequently also regarded as one of the most important covers of the British Empire. ONE OF THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT ITEMS OF BRITISH GUIANA. A SUPERLATIVE RARITY OF WORLDWIDE PHILATELY. In the 1977 Claude Cartier sale by Stanley Gibbons, it was described as "one of the 'top ten' philatelic rarities". The catalogue value of two singles off cover is £650,000, which seems very conservative compared to the prices for which major British Empire rarities have sold lately, as the British Guiana 1c Magenta (sold for $8.3 million) and the Mauritius 'Post Office' 1d 'Ball Invitation' cover (sold for hammer €8.15 million). Note: The 2 cents stamps were issued in 1851, eight months after the other values. It was issued to pay a local town letter rate (the Georgetown Penny Post), a service which was unpopular and little used. No town post usages are known to have survived. It is not known how many stamps there were to the sheet; the method of printing suggested is that the four tubes were arranged in a straight line in a form to print a strip of four at each operation of the press. The three recorded multiples of the 2 cents establish that the stamps in the lower row were vertically below the stamps in the upper row; the three multiples are vertical pairs , and in no pair is there more than one type, with the two stamps being well aligned one above the other, although the distances between stamps vary, with the conclusion being that the paper was repositioned by hand in the press to enable the next row to be impressed. The 2 cents was first discovered by N. R. McKinnon in 1877. Provenance (as listed in the Encyclopaedia of Rare and Famous Stamps by L.N. Williams, both stamps numbers VII and VIII): 1896 Miss Rose presented the letter to Christ Church, Demerara 1896 E.C. Luard bought the letter for $1,005 (£205) 1896 Stanley Gibbons Ltd. bought the letter for £600 1896 H.J. Duveen bought the letter for £650 1922 Arthur Hind bought the letter through Charles Phillips for about $5,000 1934 May 7th Auction H.R. Harmer, Hind sale 2 - £1,300 ($5,656) and bought by Theodore Champion for his own collection 1960 (?) Acquired by Mrs. John Denny Dale 1969 February 17th Auction H.R. Harmer Inc., Dale-Lichtenstein sale 3, lot 410 - $34,000 (bought by Stanley Gibbons) 1970 (?) Claude Cartier bought the letter 1977 April 21st Auction, Classics from the Claude Cartier sale (Stanley Gibbons), lot 23 - £70,000 ($168,000 approx.) 1990 May 11th Auction Stanley Gibbons sale 5686, lot 17 - £161,000 ($318,000 approx.) 1996 November 28th - December 2nd ANPHILEX ´96 New York display as Aristocrat of Philately No. 8 on loan from an anonymous collector 2006 Acquired by Tatiana at the Spink auction during the Washington Exhibition 2016 Acquired privately by the current owner THE STORY OF THE "MISS ROSE" COVER This is one of the most remarkable philatelic finds ever made. On Easter Day 1896, Christ Church in Demerara was overdrawn at the bank to a sum of £100 or so, and in order to make the instalments on the mortgage and other claims, efforts were being made to raise money. An old lady, Miss Preston, sent two stamps as a donation which were sold for $33.60 and so on Easter Monday Canon F.P.L. Josa visited Miss Preston to thank her for the gift. Whilst there he enquired if she had any more stamps as buyers were offering over £100 for the 2c. rose of 1851. Miss Preston told him that she had given all her stamps away but then brought out an old basket filled with receipts and bills, and it was here that Canon Josa discovered the 'Miss Rose' letter. As it happened, Miss Rose herself was present in the room as the discovery was made and was overjoyed to be able to give something worthwhile to the church. This happened in Blankenburg (also indicated in the addressee's panel), the plantation on the west coast where Miss Rose had her residence. (Image)

THE FINEST 4 CENTS EXAMPLE KNOWN 1850-51, 4 cents black on orange, Townsend Type B, with initials of postal official Lorimer "WHL", deep fresh colour, cut octagonally with good to large even margins, central clear full strike of Demerara datestamp on 9 November 1859, in an exceptional condition for this very rare stamp; (SG £16'000+). Cut round, or cut square 4c orange "Cotton Reels" have usually touched or cut into margins. Examples possessing wide margins all around and without faults are major rarities. This extraordinary example is the finest known, and one of only two recorded off cover without faults and complete margins. Provenance: Philipp von Ferrary (Lot 33, Sale I, June 1921, "très beau") John E. du Pont (Lot 60001, David Feldman SA, June 2014) Expertise: Cert. BPA (2014). (Image)

ONE OF FIVE COVERS RECORDED BEARING THE 4 CENTS BLACK ON ORANGE AS SINGLE FRANKING 1850-51, 4 cents black on orange, with initials of postal official Lorimer "WHL", cut round with good margins for this stamp, used on cover (with letter inside) from Mahaica to Georgetown, showing uncommon centrally struck Demerara datestamp of 21 January 1851, tied at foot of the stamp to the cover; (SG £64'000+). Only five covers are known with this stamp, this being further enhanced by exhibiting the most beautiful cancellation and being the earliest recorded. Additionally, one cover exists bearing a 4c and an 8c. Provenance: John E. du Pont (Lot 60002, David Feldman SA, June 2014) Expertise: Signed Alberto Diena, cert. BPA (2014) (Image)

THE BEST MARGINED 8 CENTS CUT ROUND EXAMPLE 1850-51, 8 cents black on blue-green, Townsend Type C, initials of postal clerk Wight "EDW", thin frame, particularly fresh and vibrant colour with astonishingly large margins all around, very light central datestamp of Demerara December 1851 -this being the latest recorded month of usage for the 8 cents; the tiny pinhole and "thin spot at top" stated in the certificate are almost invisible and were never mentioned in past auction catalogues; very appealing and rare. One of the finest examples in existence, displaying the largest even margins known for any 8 cents cut-round example; (SG £16'000). Provenance: Philipp von Ferrary (Lot 174, Sale X, June 1924, "très bel exemplaire") John E. du Pont (Lot 60004, David Feldman SA, June 2014) Expertise: Signed Alberto Diena, George Behr, Cert. BPA (2014) (Image)

1850-51, 8 cents black on blue-green, Townsend Type D, faint initials "EDW", thick frame, cut hexagonally with very large margins all around, cancelled by two strikes of Demerara datestamp on 26 November 1850, small thin at lower left in the margin clear of stamp design; very rare and most desirable with these extraordinary margins, which rank this stamp in a category much above the majority of the cut-square examples; (SG £16'000). Provenance: William Augustus Townsend (Lot 5, Harmer's London, October 1969, illustrated on the front cover) John E. du Pont (Lot 60005, David Feldman SA, June 2014) Expertise: Cert. BPA (2014) (Image)

1850-51, 8 cents black on blue-green, Townsend Type C, exhibiting the rare initials "JBS" of J. B. Smith (Clerk to Imperial Branch), thin frame, cut round with full margins all around, this being a rare characteristic, used with Demerara datestamp of 27 November 1850, thinned although of little significance for this stamp, as most of the examples in existence have such fault, being of very fresh appearance and displaying a bright colour; very desirable and rare; (SG £16'000). Provenance: Philipp von Ferrary (Lot 185, Sale II, October 1921) Expertise: Signed Roumet and Roger Calves (Image)

THE EARLIEST OF ONLY FOUR 8 CENTS COVERS RECORDED 1850-51, 8 cents black on blue-green, Townsend Type D, initials of postal official Lorimer "WHL", thick frame with full to wide margins all around, deep fresh colour, used on entire letter from Plantation Foulis (Duff correspondence, full letter enclosed) to Demerara, tied by a light strike of a Demerara datestamp on 5 November 1850; (SG £64'000 for a single on cover). To our knowledge, only four covers are known bearing the 8 cents, this being the earliest recorded and one of only two in perfect condition bearing the stamp with full margins. A major British Guiana rarity. Provenance: Frederick T. Small (Lot 8, Robson Lowe London, March 1970, "superb"), showing his "Comet" hs on reverse John E. du Pont (Lot 60006, David Feldman SA, June 2014, sold for €156'000) Expertise: Signed Van Dieten, Cert. BPA (2014) (Image)

THE "BURRUS" 8 CENTS COVER 1850-51, 8 cents black on blue-green, Townsend Type B, with initials of postal clerk Wight "EDW", deep fresh colour, cut octagonally and preserving its frame, used on entire letter from Plantation Profit, Abary Coast, addressed to Georgetown, tied by a full strike of Demerara datestamp on 29 August 1851; (SG £64'000 for a single on cover). According to our records, only four 8 cents covers are recorded, this with the added importance of being one of just two exhibiting complete margins all round. Provenance: Maurice Burrus (Lot 7, Robson Lowe, November 1963) John E. du Pont (Lot 60002, David Feldman SA, June 2014) Expertise: Cert. BPA (2014) (Image)

1850-51, 8 cents black on blue-green, with initials of postal clerk Wight "EDW", fresh colour, cut round with most of the frame being visible, touched in small places and with only a very small portion of the frame lacking, used on entire letter from Plantation Foulis (Duff correspondence) to Demerara, light strike of Demerara datestamp DE 18 1850, stamp tied by archive folds; (SG £64'000 on cover). To our knowledge, only four complete covers are known bearing this stamp, three of them being offered in this sale. Provenance: George Walcott (1935) Robert S. Emerson (1938) Henry C. Gibson (1944) Sir John Wilson (1963) John E. du Pont (Lot 60008, David Feldman SA, June 2014) Expertise: Cert. BPA (2014) (Image)

ONE OF THREE UNUSED 12 CENTS RECORDED 1850-51, 12 cents black on blue, Townsend Type A, thick frame, without initials, cut round with the circular borders of the stamp being visible all around, small stain spot at top, in an uncommonly deep bright colour; (unpriced in SG). One of only four unused examples recorded in the "Cotton-Reel" primitives, this being one of three representing the 12 cents (the other two with initials, one sold in the Hind sale in 1935, the other belonging to the J. Simon Greenwood collection); one of the great unused rarities of the British Empire. Provenance: Philipp von Ferrary (Lot 195, Sale II, October 1921) John E. du Pont (Lot 60009, David Feldman SA, June 2014) Expertise: Signed Roger Calves, Cert. BPA (2014) (Image)

THE FINEST TWELVE CENT "COTTON REEL" MULTIPLE 1850-51, 12 cents black on blue, Townsend Types C & B, horizontal pair showing both thin and thick frames se-tenant, with initials of postal clerk Wight "EDW", cut octagonally with large to huge margins all round, of exceptional freshness displaying a beautiful brilliant colour, lightly cancelled by Demerara datestamps on 21 March 1851. We know of the existence of only four 12 cents pairs in private hands, this being unique in absolutely sound condition (the other three have the usual imperfections). If we even compare this pair with the cut-square 12 cents singles, only two (originating from the Webster and Townsend collections) are sound. Its exceptional combination of beauty and rarity make this item one of the great gems of British Guiana and the British Empire: THE FINEST MULTIPLE OF ALL "COTTON REEL" PRIMITIVES and the only recorded in sound condition among all multiples known. An amazing showpiece. Provenance: Philipp von Ferrary (Lot 38, Sale I, June 2021) Tomasini (Lot 6, Stanley Gibbons, October 1973) John E. du Pont (Lot 60017, David Feldman SA, June 2014) Expertise: Cert. BPA (2014) (Image)

1850-51, 12 cents black on blue, Townsend Type A, with initials of postal clerk Wight "EDW", cut square with margins ranging from clear to large, cancelled with central Demerara datestamp of 9 May 1851, corner added at lower left which does not affect the design, very rare; (SG £35'000). Provenance: John E. du Pont (Lot 60010, David Feldman SA, June 2014) Expertise: Cert. BPA (2014) (Image)

1850-51, 12 cents black on blue, on thick paper, Townsend Type B, with initials of postal clerk Wight "EDW", cut square with good to very large margins on three sides, barely touched at base, cancelled by light strike of Berbice datestamp; (SG £35'000). One of only about eight 12 cents cut square examples without faults. Provenance: Philipp von Ferrary (Lot 190, Sale II, October 1921) John E. du Pont. (Lot 60011, David Feldman SA, June 2014) Expertise: Signed Bloch, Cert. BPA (2014) (Image)

1850-51, 12 cents black on blue, Townsend Type B, with initials of postal clerk Wight "EDW", cut square with spectacularly large margins at left and right, being clear on other sides, displaying light 9 May 1851 Demerara datestamp, small thin at right not detracting from the great freshness, very rare; (SG £35'000). Provenance: W. J. Webster (Lot 7, Harmer Rooke, February 1942) John E. du Pont (Lot 60015, David Feldman SA, June 2014) Expertise: Signed Roger Calves, Cert. BPA (2014) (Image)

1850-51, 12 cents black on blue, Townsend Type B, with initials of postal clerk Lorimer "WHL", cut square with close to good margins on three sides, showing central Demerara datestamp of 22 October 1850, central thin spot, very rare; (SG £35'000). Provenance: John E. du Pont (Lot 60016, David Feldman SA, June 2014) Expertise: Cert. BPA (2014) (Image)

1850-51, 12 cents black on blue, Townsend Type A, with initials of postal official Wight "EDW", cut square with clear to wide margins on two sides, deep colour displaying light Berbice datestamp of 1st August 1851, surface thins and vertical crease as usually encountered, very rare; (SG £35'000). Provenance: John E. du Pont (Lot 60013, David Feldman SA, June 2014) Expertise: Cert. BPA (2014) (Image)

1850-51, 12 cents black on blue, Townsend Type A, with initials of postal official Wight "EDW", cut round in a nonagon with close to good margins clear of the circular frame-line, excellent impression showing a deep vibrant colour and cancelled by clear 2 May 1851 Demerara datestamp; (SG £11'000). Cut round examples of the 12 cents are even rarer to find than in the cut square version, although they are catalogued in S.G. for a bit less than one third of the cut square examples. In sound condition, showing full margins all around, we have recorded only six singles in private hands. A great rarity in this outstandingly good state of preservation. Provenance: John E. du Pont (Lot 60012, David Feldman SA, June 2014) Expertise: Pemberton guarantee and signed Roger Calves, Cert. BPA (2014) (Image)

1850-51, 12 cents black on blue, with initials of postal official Wight "EDW", cut round with outstandingly good even margins well clear of the circular frame-line, in an unusual Prussian blue shade -which is difficult to represent in the scanned version-, exhibiting full Demerara datestamp of 14 January 1851, small part of original cover still adhering to reverse and crossed by archive fold; (SG £11'000). It is important to remark that this example displays the largest margins of any cut-round 12 cents single, and in addition it exhibits an ideal full strike of the Demerara datestamp, thus being very difficult to find in this issue. Provenance: John E. du Pont (Lot 60019, David Feldman SA, June 2014) Expertise: Signed Bloch, Cert. BPA (2014) (Image)

1850-51, 12 cents black on blue, Townsend Type B, with initials of postal clerk Wight "EDW", cut round with clear to good to margins, cancelled by central Demerara datestamp of 21 March 1851, faults including crease, water stains and discolouration, but unusually exhibiting well clear margins which provide a valuable premium to this example; (SG £11'000). Provenance: John E. du Pont (Lot 60020, David Feldman SA, June 2014) Expertise: Cert. BPA (2014) (Image)

THE EARLIEST USAGE RECORDED OF A BRITISH COLONY POSTAGE STAMP IN AMERICA 1850-51, 12 cents black on blue, Townsend Type B, without initials, cut round mainly displaying very large margins, appearing all clear of the circular frame-line, strong deep shade, affixed to large piece by sealing wax and tied by Demerara datestamp on 2 AUGUST 1850, one month and one day after the "Cotton Reels" were issued (1st July 1850); (SG £11'000+). The earliest recorded usage of a British Guiana postage stamp, as well as the earliest of any British Colonial issue in the whole American continent (not considering the "Lady McLeod" of Trinidad, which was a private ship letter stamp). Of two items recorded with this date, this is the vastly superior in quality (the other item being a 4c on orange, ex Champion, Gilbert and "Tatiana"), as in this example the datestamp clearly exhibits the date. Provenance: Philipp von Ferrary (hs on reverse, also mentioned by Townsend) William Augustus Townsend (Lot 11, Harmer's, October 1969) Maurice Burrus (Lot 4, Robson Lowe, November 1963) John E. du Pont (Lot 60018, David Feldman SA, June 2014) Expertise: Cert. BPA (2014) (Image)

1850-51, 12 cents black on blue, a dangerous forgery Townsend no. 9, with forged "EDW" initials and Demerara (22 August 1851) datestamp. Note: It is interesting to highlight the well execution of this forgery, which was good enough to mislead the famous German expert Heinrich Köhler, who signed this example as genuine. Provenance: John E. du Pont (Lot 60014, David Feldman SA, June 2014) Expertise: Signed Koehler (Berlin), Cert. BPA (2014) (Image)

THE "BILL GROSS" 12 CENTS INDIGO EXAMPLE 1850-51, 12 cents black on indigo, with initials of postal clerk Wight "EDW", cut square with three clear to large margins, just cut very slightly into at top and still displaying the circular frame closed, lightly cancelled by Berbice datestamp, minor faults and small thin, but of very good appearance for this stamp (SG £45'000). According to Townsend, only eleven examples of the rare indigo shade are recorded (the majority being used at Berbice), a rarity of the British Empire. Provenance: William H. Gross Expertise: Signed Pfenninger, Cert. BPA (1995) (Image)

THE "AMUNDSEN" 12 CENTS INDIGO EXAMPLE 1850-51, 12 cents black on indigo, so-called sugar paper shade, with initials of postal clerk Wight "EDW", cut square with close to good margins on two sides, light 1851 Berbice datestamp, tiny thins which are probably more due to the nature of the primitive sugar paper than to real abrasion; (SG £45'000). The rarest shade of the 12 cents value, of which only eleven examples are recorded according to Townsend. Provenance: W. J. Webster (Lot 11, Harmer Rooke, February 1942) Lars Amundsen (Lot 72, Stanley Gibbons, December 1967) John E. du Pont (Lot 60021, David Feldman SA, June 2014) Expertise: Cert. BPA (2014) (Image)

THE "DALE-LICHTENSTEIN" 12 CENTS PALE BLUE 1850-51, 12 cents black on pale blue, Townsend Type D, with initials of postal clerk Wight "EDW", cut square with close to clear margins and showing circular frame-line intact, with light central July 1851 Berbice datestamp, very rare; (SG £40'000). The finest cut-square example of nine recorded; unmatched in quality by any other cut-square single we could find in our records, exhibiting full margins all around (two recorded with this feature), clearly showing the denomination and the frame circle, and additionally in perfect condition. An extremely fine and desirable gem. Provenance: Dale-Lichtenstein (Lot 409, H.R. Harmer, February 1969) John E. du Pont (Lot 60022, David Feldman SA, June 2014) Expertise: Signed Bloch, "ED" Enzo Diena, Cert. BPA (2014) (Image)