New Guinea: 1915-16 overprints, a mint selection written up on leaves, comprising Head type watermark type 5 1/2d. green (10), 1d. (9), 4d. (4), 5d. (4), ’Roo type watermark type 2 2d. (3), 21/2d. (6), 3d. (6), 6d. (3), 9d. (3), 1s. (3), watermark type 5 2d. (3), 6d. (3 plus strip of three), 9d. (3), 1s. (4), 2s. (2), 5s. (6), watermark type 6 2d. (6), 3d. (3), 2s. watermark upright (3) and inverted (3), most mentioned examples with all three settings of the overprint, range of shades, slightly mixed condition. (93)

New Guinea: 1915-16 overprints, a used selection on leaves, incl. watermark type 2 2d. grey (3), 3d. (3), 9d. (3), 1s. (3), 10s. (3), watermark type 5 2d. (2), 6d., 9d. and 1s. strips of three, 2s., watermark type 6 2d. strip of three, 2s. watermark upright strip of three and singles (2), watermark inverted singles (4), most mentioned examples with all three settings of the overprint, range of shades, mainly with fine c.d.s. cancellations, also a range from the 1918-22 issue with values to 5s. (110)

New Guinea: 1915-16 First Watermark 6d. ultramarine, die II, settings a, b and c, used, a few short perfs., otherwise fine. S.G. 78, cat. £360. Photo. (Image1)

New Guinea: 1915-16 First Watermark 10s. grey and pink, die II, settings a, b and c, mint, heavily hinged, otherwise mainly fine. S.G. 84, cat. £450. Photo. (Image1)

New Guinea: 1915-16 First Watermark £1 brown and ultramarine, die II, settings a, b and c, mint, faults but of generally fine appearance. S.G. 85, cat. £1,650. Photo. (Image1)

New Guinea: Australian Occupation: 1916 “N.W./PACIFIC/ISLANDS.” on Australia 21/2d. indigo, Die II, Second Watermark, fine used example with Rabaul 1918 Nov. c.d.s. B.P.A. certificate (2017). S.G. 87, cat. £28,000. Photo. One of the great rarities of New Guinea, absent from almost all of the important British Commonwealth collections offered at auction in the last 50 years. Only 40 panes (1,200 stamps) of the 21/2d. were overprinted with the ‘first state’ forme of the fourth overprint setting, despatched to Rabaul in July 1917, this being a small order as existing stocks were considered reasonably adequate. The new consignment had remained untouched when, in late spring 1918 the key to the safe at the Rabaul Treasury went missing. A forced entry employing a blowtorch was ill considered, the damage exacerbated by the use of water to extinguish the resulting fire. It has been reported (”The Story of a Rarity: N.W.P.I. No. 14”, article by Thomas L. Belknap, journal of American Society of Australian Philatelists, Oct. 1971) that a single pane of thirty of the 21/2d. consignment is understood to have survived, the lower row of this displaying some moisture induced staining caused by the interleaving. The centring of this example may suggest that at least part of a second pane may also have survived. Nevertheless, this is believed to be the only surviving genuine postally used copy, all other recorded ‘used’ examples having been cancelled to order. (Image1)

New Guinea: 1915-16 Second Watermark 2s. brown, die II, settings a, b and c, used, one with small surface fault at top. S.G. 91, cat. £390. Photo. (Image1)

New Guinea: 1915-16 Second Watermark 5s. grey and yellow, die II, settings a, b and c, used, setting c with a few shortish perfs. and diagonal crease otherwise mainly fine. S.G. 92, cat. £330. Photo. (Image1)

New Guinea: 1915-16 Third Watermark £1 chocolate and dull blue, die II, settings a, b and c, mint, heavily hinged, otherwise mainly fine. S.G. 99, cat. £1,050. Photo. (Image1)

New Guinea: 1918 (May) 1d. on 5d. and 1d. on 1s., both showing settings type a, b, and c in vertical strips of three and singles, each c.t.o. with Rabaul c.d.s., slightly mixed condition. (12)

New Guinea: 1918-22 overprints, a mint selection, incl. Third Watermark values to 10s., Second Watermark 1/2d. green wmk. inverted, etc., mainly fine. (20)

New Guinea: A K.G.V to K.G.VI mainly unmounted mint selection, incl. 1931 10s., 1931 Air 10s. corner example, 1939 Air £1, official 1932 2s. marginal blocks of four (2), etc., some lightly toned otherwise mainly fine. (23)