North West Pacific Islands 1916 (Aug): £ 1 chocolate & dull blue, Die II, wmk. narrow Crown, the superb unused vertical strip of three showing Types a/b/c, of fresh vibrant colour, well centred and full unmounted og. A delightful positional piece and a rare and very fine multiple Gi = £ 1'000+.rnrn (Image 1) (Image)

Setting 12 / GRI and Value 6 mm. Apart 1914 (Oct 17): 1 d. on 3 pf. brown, Setting 12, position 5A, a fine unused example of good colour from this rare Setting, with variety "1" with straight serif: "I" for "1" in "1 d.", fresh and very fine with large part og. A rarity of which Gibbs recorded just 5 unused examples. Cert. Holcombe (1998) Gi = £ 3'500. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

Setting 12 / GRI and Value 6 mm. Apart 1914 (Oct 17): 1 d. on 3 pf. brown, Setting 12, position D, a fine unused example of good colour from this rare Setting, with variety "1" with straight serif: "I" for "1" in "1 d.", tiny hinge thin at top not detracting from appearance, fresh and very fine with large part og. A rarity of which Gibbs recorded just 5 unused examples. Signed Kilian. Cert. Holcombe (1990) which has been further annotated in pencil by Hoffman Giesecke Gi = £ 3'500. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Setting 1 / GRI and Value 6 mm. Apart 1914 (Oct 17): 1 d. on 5 pf. green, a fine used example on 1914 cover addressed to Colonel E. F. Wallack in Sydney, tied by RABAUL / NOV 14 1914 datestamp in violet (Gibbs type 3). The reverse of the cover with typed "I hereby certify that the stamp attached to this envelope is one of the original sixteen sets surcharged by the Military Government on the Occupation of German New Guinea (signed) Walter Fry, Captain, Treasurer". Fresh and fine, a scarce and attractive cover.rnrnProvenance: Corinphila sale 143, May 2005, lot 4750. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

Setting 1 / GRI and Value 6 mm. Apart 1914 (Oct 17): 1 d. on 5 pf. green, Setting 1, positions 5/5 repeated, a used vertical pair on registered cover addressed to Carl Weller (the German Postal Secretary in Rabaul prior to the surrender) with the 1 d. pair cancelled by RABAUL / *Oct 17 1914* datestamp in violet (Gibbs type 2) of First Day of Issue; with, added at a later date at left, Rabaul 3 d. Registration label (Gibbs 33, Setting A, position 1) cancelled by "Rabaul" handstamp in violet (Gibbs type 5). See Gibbs page 95 for a similar philatelic cover.rnProvenance: Corinphila sale 143, May 2005, lot 4751. (Image 1) (Image)

Setting 1 / GRI and Value 6 mm. Apart 1914 (Oct 17): 2 d. on 10 pf. carmine, Setting 1, positions 3-10, a fine unused horizontal strip of eight, marginal from top of sheet, with position 10 showing variety "1" for "I" in GRI, creased through perfs. in two columns and some separation but superb og. or unmounted og. A very fine reference strip and an extremely scarce multiple. Signed Kosack Gi = £ 1'000+.rnrnProvenance: Collection Robert M. Gibbs, Corinphila sale 78, 27 Sept 1988, lot 1754.rn Corinphila sale 137, May 2003, lot 2376. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

Setting 9 / GRI and Value 6 mm. Apart 1914 (Oct 17): 2½ d. on 10 pf. carmine, Setting 9, position 3, a fine used example, cancelled by late usage of 'Rabaul' cds (Gibbs type 10) in black, showing the major variety "Missing Fraction Bar in ½" which only exists on this setting. Holcombe recorded less than 10 examples of the 10 pf. Illustrated in Gibbs GRI handbook on page 66 - he records just 2 used examples known. An extremely rare and fine stamp. Cert. Holcombe (1998) Gibbs 5a/Gi = £ 3'500.rnProvenance: Collection Robert M. Gibbs, Corinphila sale 78, Sept 1988, lot 1758. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

Setting 12 / GRI and Value 6 mm. Apart 1914 (Oct 17): 2½ d. on 20 pf. ultramarine, Setting 12, position 1C, a fine unused example of good colour with the characteristic "I" in GRI similar to the lower case "1" found in position 10 of the Setting 1 and "Small stop after "I" in GRI", fresh and fine, large part og. Very few recorded examples exist, this stamp illustrated in Gibbs on page 40 and discussed on page 41 of the handbook. Signed Champion. Cert. Holcombe (1990) Gi = £ 110+. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Setting 1 / GRI and Value 6 mm. Apart 1914 (Oct 17): 3 d. on 25 pf. black & & red on yellow, Setting I, position 8, a fine used example cancelled on First Day of Issue by 'RABAUL / Oct 17 1914' datestamp in violet. Scarce, this describer believes the stamp to be position 8, Holcombe attributes it to position 6 or 7; nevertheless an unusual usage in superb quality. Signed Holcombe Gi = £ 450. (Image 1) (Image)

Setting 1 / GRI and Value 6 mm. Apart 1914 (Oct 17): 3 d. on 30 pf. black & orange on buff, Setting I, positions 2-3, a fine unused horizontal pair with position 2 showing "Large Stop after "I" in "GRI" and position 3 showing Beard of "G" in "GRI" broken, fresh colour and superb og. A fine positional pair Gi = £ 950+. (Image 1) (Image)

Setting 12 / GRI and Value 6 mm. Apart 1914 (Oct 17): 3 d. on 30 pf. black & orange on buff, Setting 12, position D, a fine unused example of good colour from this rare Setting, with variety "Break at top of "G" in GRI, "R" with broken cross-bar at top", fresh and very fine with large part og. See Gibbs page 40, a rarity, especially so on this value. Signed Holcombe. Opinion Holcombe (1990) Gi = £ 475+. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

Setting 6 / GRI and Value 6-6¼ mm. Apart 1914 (Oct 17): 4 d. on 40 pf. black & carmine, Setting 6, position 2, a fine unused example, with characteristic "R with weak base to leg and top half of "I" in GRI leaning to left", fresh and fine with large part og. A scarce Setting of five positions. Signed Holcombe Gi = £ 475. (Image 1) (Image)

Setting 1 / GRI and Value 6 mm. Apart 1914 (Oct 17): 4 d. on 40 pf. black & carmine, Setting 1, position 6, a fine unused example, showing variety "Surcharge Double", both are strong impressions, fresh and very fine, merest hint of a natural gum bend, large part og. A very rare stamp with just 20 examples possible. Cert. Ceremuga (2018) Gi = £ 4'000.rnrnProvenance: Collection Tim Rybak, Belgrave, Melbourne, 26 April 2008, lot 87. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

Setting 12 / GRI and Value 6 mm. Apart 1914 (Oct 17): 5 d. on 50 pf. black & purple on buff, Setting 12, position C, a fine unused example of good colour from this rare Setting, with variety "R in GRI with broken serif at lower right and distended "I" almost doubled at base", fresh and very fine with large part og. See Gibbs page 40, a rarity, especially so on this value. Cert. Holcombe (1997) Gi = £ 850+. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1914/15: 8 d. on 80 pf. black & carmine-rose, 6 mm. spacing, Setting 8A, a fine unused example with good colour, well centred and small part og. A very rare Setting. Signed Holcombe, Opinion Holcombe (1995) Gi = £ 1'000. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Setting 12 / GRI and Value 6 mm. Apart 1914 (Oct 17): 8 d. on 80 pf. black & carmine on rose, Setting 12, position B (diagonally sliced "I" in "GRI" in it's final worn State), fresh and fine unused example with superb og. A rare stamp. Signed Holcombe, Richter. Opinion Holcombe (1991) Gi = £ 1'000+.rnNote: Stamps from Setting 12 are very rare, Gibbs apportions a value of 25 times normal to this Setting. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Setting 9B / GRI and Value 6.5 mm. Apart 1914 (Oct 17): 8 d. on 80 pf. black & carmine on rose, 6.5 mm. spacing, rare setting 9B, a fine used (cancelled to order) example tied to small piece by BUKA / DEUTSCH NEUGUINEA datestamp (Gibbs type 13, "few known") well struck in black (16.11.14). Rare and very fine usage. Signed Jakubek. Cert. Ceremuga (2018) Gi = £ 1'500+.rnrnProvenance: Corinphila sale 143, May 2005, lot 4760. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Setting 4 / GRI and Value 3½ mm. Apart 1914 (Oct 17): 1 s. on 1 m. carmine, Setting 4 position types 1-2/1-2, a fine unused corner block of four from top left of the sheet of 20 subjects (sheet positions 1-2/5-6), with full margins but somewhat tropicalised and a couple of ironed bends, some reinforcement and second stamp with tiny thin not apparent on front, but with lower two stamps unmounted og. A remarkable and extremely rare multiple: only 128 of the 1 mark value (Gi 12 and Gi 27) were surcharged, consequently all multiples are very seldom encountered. Signed Holcombe. Cert. Holcombe (1991) Gi = £ 14'000.rnrnProvenance: Harmers, London, 29 Jan 1997, lot 913. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Setting 3 / GRI and Value 3½ mm. Apart 1914 (Oct 17): 2 s. on 2 m. blue, Setting 3, position type 2, a fine unused example with "Stop replaced by a large round stop at the close of the print-run", a fine unused example of excellent centering and colour, minimal aging, fresh and fine, large part og. An extremely rare stamp, stamps from Setting 3 being rarities. Signed Champion, A. Diena. Cert. Holcombe (1990) Gi = £ 3'250. rnrnProvenance: Corinphila sale 83, Sept 1991, lot 7984.rn (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

Setting 1 / GRI and Value 3½ mm. Apart 1914 (Oct 17): 2 s. on 2 m. blue, Setting 1, position type 4, a fine unused example with "Large S after 2", a fine unused example of excellent centering and colour, one blunt perf. at base, fresh and fine, large part og. An extremely rare stamp. Signed Champion, A. Diena. Cert. Holcombe (1998) Gi = £ 3'250.rn (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Setting 1 / GRI and Value 4 mm. Apart 1914 (Oct 17): 2 s. on 2 m. blue, Setting 1, position type 3, a fine used example on 1915 cover addressed to the Assistant Postmaster in Rabaul, neatly tied by RABAUL / NEW BRITAIN datestamp (Jan 20, 1915) in violet (Gibbs type 13). The cover with file fold well away from the superb adhesive. Philatelic but a delightful and extremely rare cover. Signed Hoffman Giesecke. Cert. Gibbs (2002) Gi = £ 4'000 off cover.rnrnProvenance: Corinphila sale 133. June 2002, lot 547. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

3 s. on 3 m. violet-black, Setting 3, position 4 with 4 mm. spacing, a fine unused example of excellent centering and colour, fresh and fine appearance, large part og. Just 87 of the 3 mark value were surcharged (Gi 14 and 29). A rare stamp. Signed Holcombe. Cert. Ceremuga (2018) Gi = £ 5'500.rnProvenance: Corinphila sale 83, Sept 1991, lot 7988. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Setting 7 / GRI and Value 4½-5 mm. Apart 1914 (Oct 17): 3 s. on 3 m. violet-black, Setting 7, position type unknown, an unused example of good colour and centering, 'clean cut' overprint corresponding to this late setting, fresh and fine but for small gum skip on top perforation, with large part og. A rare stamp with just 87 examples of the 3 mark overprinted, stamps from this Setting are extraordinarily unusual. Cert. Holcombe (1995) Gi = £ 5'500.rnrnProvenance: Corinphila sale 91, March 1996, lot 8458.rn Harmers, London, 24 July 1997, lot 207. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Setting 3 / GRI and Value 4 mm. Apart 1914 (Oct 17): 5 s. on 5 m. carmine & black, Setting 3, position type 3, a fine used example, marginal from base of sheet, paper slightly aged, cancelled by 'Stephansort' datestamp in blue (Gibbs type 6). Only 102 of the 5 mark values (Gi 15 and 30) were overprinted. A most attractive example of an exceedingly rare stamp, especially so in used condition. Cert. Holcombe Gi = £ 16'000.rnrnProvenance: Corinphila sale 84, Oct 1992, lot 6324.rn Harmers, London, 10 March 1998, lot 1392. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Setting 11 / GRI and Value 5 mm. Apart 1914 (Dec 16): 1 d. on 3 pf. brown, Setting 11, position 1-5, a fine unused horizontal strip of five showing all the types from this Setting, with position 1 showing "I" for "1" variety and position 5 with "1" showing straight serif at top, fresh and very fine with superb unmounted og. A rare multiple from the final State of the Setting with stops very weak and breaking up, especially on positions 1 and 2. This strip illustrated and discussed in the Gibbs handbook on page 38. Signed Holcombe Gi = £ 1'130+. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)