Worldwide Stamps and Postal History continued...

Jamaica 1921 6d red and blue-green 'Abolition of slavery' (the famous stamp prepared for use but not issued for political reasons) IMPERFORATE PLATE PROOF with good to large margins, in issued colours on ungummed watermark MCA paper.

A fine quality proof of this most famous stamp from Jamaica of very fine appearance, despite ironed creases which are barely detectable. Most importantly, it is certainly the best of the three known examples in existence.

An important and highly desirable printing proof and just as rare as the few surviving perforated examples without 'SPECIMEN'. A wonderful showpiece item of this famous stamp.

The 6d stamps were prepared and sent out to Jamaica, but for political reasons were not issued, and the stocks were destroyed. ‘SPECIMEN’ examples of both watermarks were distributed by the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in the normal way, but only 1 example exists with the normal watermark and four examples with the watermark sideways in private hands without the overprint.

Provenance: Ex De La Rue archives (Robson Lowe Bermuda Dec 1976, lot 654, Robson Lowe Bermuda Feb 1979, lot 590).

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value of the unissued stamp without the “SPECIMEN” overprint is £60,000 for the normal watermark and £38,000 with the watermark sideways.

The Abolition of Slavery Jamaican stamp was prepared for issue in June 1921. It caused political unrest because of its subject matter and was cancelled shortly before it was due for issue.

An estimated 416,000 stamps were printed and subsequently destroyed. Two blocks of four were, however, preserved and one block was added to The Royal Collection of King George V.

The other block was integrated into the Postal Collection in Kingston. That block mysteriously disappeared from the Post Office’s vaults and resurfaced in the market as four singles.

This iconic design commemorates the abolition of slavery in Jamaica on 1st August 1838, marking the date when the British Empire's Emancipation Act came into full effect. Though slavery had been legally abolished in 1834, a so-called "apprenticeship" system meant most enslaved people remained tied to their former masters for another four years. The true moment of freedom came in 1838, and this momentous event is reflected in the stamp’s imagery.

The vignette depicts the celebratory Emancipation Day ceremony in Spanish Town, then the capital of Jamaica.

The gathering includes crowds of freed people, a British flag being raised, and various colonial buildings.

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Kuwait 1955-57 set of 3 to 10r on 10s, with type II (plate-printed) overprints, complete sheets of 40 (4x10), with full margins and R1/2 of 10r on 10s showing 'Weak entry', SG107a/9a.

A very fine set of complete sheets unmounted mint, with full original gum.

A rare and spectacular set in this intact form of the famous British "Castles" stamp issue overprinted "KUWAIT". Only 156 sheets of 10r on 10s were originally printed.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £17,400+.

This stamp issue originates from a fascinating period in British postal and geopolitical history. From 1948 to 1961, Kuwait used British stamps overprinted with "KUWAIT", as it was still a British protectorate. This practice allowed for efficient postal operations while subtly reinforcing the presence and authority of the British Crown in the Gulf region.

The "Castles" high-value definitive series, featuring historic British castles (such as Windsor Castle), was one of the most iconic British stamp designs of the Elizabethan era. These were overprinted for use in overseas territories such as Kuwait, Bahrain, and Muscat & Oman.

The 10 rupees on 10 shillings ultramarine (Windsor Castle) is among the highest denominations and least commonly encountered, especially in intact sheets.

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 Leeward Islands 1938-51 £1 purple and black/carmine, lower right corner marginal showing variety "Broken lower right scroll", SG114ae.

A very fine unmounted mint example with full original gum.

A rarity in this condition and positional form and, without a doubt, the finest example I have ever seen and the only example I have ever seen which has never been hinged.

Variety comes from the October 1942 printing only, with diagnostic clear lines above the King's head.

Stanley Gibbons catalogue value: £2,000.

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Leeward Islands 1938-51 £1 violet and black/scarlet, perforations 13, VARIETY WATERMARK SIDEWAYS, SG114ca.

A fine unmounted mint pristine example with full original gum. Stunning quality bringing out the best in this vibrant stamp. Most examples were hinged or have been poorly preserved.

An important King George VI rarity. Only one sheet of 60 existed, and many of those have been hinged making this a true treasure.

The Leeward Islands, in the Caribbean, issued this 1938–51 George VI definitive series as part of a wider Crown Agents omnibus issue, designed to reflect imperial unity and monarchic stability during a time of significant global upheaval (World War II and post-war reconstruction).

The £1 high-value was primarily used for fiscal purposes or heavy overseas parcels, which naturally limited its circulation and survival in pristine condition.

The stamp features King George VI in a side portrait set in a rich violet and black medallion framed by vivid scarlet. This was an unusually bold colour scheme for colonial issues at that time.

Its stunning contrast and vibrant inking give it an eye-catching presence on any album page or exhibition display.

Stanley Gibbons catalogue value: £6,500.

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Madagascar (British) 1886 4d rose, "POSTAGE" 24½mm long, with stop after value, printing variety WITHOUT HANDSTAMP, SG43a.

A very fine unused example with fresh colour, complete roulettes and corner gumming intact.

• This variety is among the rarest of all British Consular Mail issues in Madagascar.

• It (without handstamp) was originally considered a printers’ waste or essay by some early philatelists, but is now recognised by Stanley Gibbons as a legitimate, collectable variety.

• Most known examples exhibit toning, foxing, or creases due to the low-quality paper and tropical storage.

• This particular example, as described, is remarkably free of blemishes, with full roulettes, intact margins, fresh colour, and corner gumming still present, which elevates it to elite condition for this rarity.

These stamps were produced under emergency conditions for British residents and missionaries in Madagascar, where regular postage was unavailable. The lack of an overprint (handstamp) makes this a significantly scarcer variety than the already rare overprinted issues.

The usual handstamp was manually applied to validate these provisionals.

Very rare, especially in this choice quality. The first example we have ever seen without typical blemishes, endemic to the issue.

Provenance: Purchased from Stanley Gibbons, October, 2020.

Stanley Gibbons catalogue value: £6,000.

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Malaya Japanese Occupation 1942 (23 Apr) Malacca 50c black Postage Due, with lower right portion of type 10 seal, SGJD16.

A very fine used cancelled to order example with large part Malacca type D26 circular date stamp, dated "7 30 2602".

This is one of the rarest of all Japanese Occupation Malayan postage due stamps. Very few examples survive with clean cancellations and intact overprints. The red seal is often faint or partial, making this example, with a clear partial seal and readable date, particularly attractive.

Accompanied with a British Philatelic Association (BPA) certificate of authenticity (2016).

Stanley Gibbons catalogue value: £3,250.

Further information:

The Japanese Occupation (1942–1945): After the fall of Singapore and rapid Japanese military advances through Southeast Asia, the occupying forces quickly sought to control communications and postal systems, not only for propaganda and censorship purposes but also to maintain order and facilitate their administration.

Postage Due stamps: These stamps were used to collect underpaid postage on mail. During the occupation, they were often overprinted with Japanese seals or characters to assert control and legitimacy.

Overprint: Type 10 seal in red, partially struck is one of several types used during the occupation. The overprint on this example represents a rare variation being applied to a high-denomination 50c stamp, which would have been printed in limited numbers and used only on high-value underpaid mail. This would have been extremely uncommon during wartime.

Date format: The circular date stamp uses the Japanese calendar: “2602” = 1942 (Year 2602 of the Japanese Imperial Era, beginning in 660 BC). 

 

Malaya Japanese Occupation 1942-44 Negri Sembilan 1c black (on thin striated paper), type 2 Kanji overprint, complete sheet of 100 (10x10), ERROR OVERPRINT INVERTED, and showing error "sideways second character" on R5/8 (= R6/3 of the upright setting), SGJ266a/ba.

A splendid quality unmounted mint complete sheet with full original gum (typical gum browning). A few of the normal stamp have small faults, and the sheet is severed into two blocks of 50 (10x5).

Very fine appearance and a remarkable survival in this form. Even a single example of the overprint inverted with sideways second character is a rarity.

Accompanied with a clear Royal Philatelic Society (RPS) certificate of authenticity (1993).

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £2,087+.

Malaysia - Pahang 1898 4c on Perak 8c dull purple and ultramarine, type 13 surcharge, error SURCHARGE DOUBLE, SG25b.

A fine mint example with large part original gum. Typical traces of offsetting, but a really fine example for this issue.

A rare stamp error.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £1,000.

Further information:

1. Why Pahang Used Perak Stamps

At the time, Pahang was a British Protectorate, part of the Federated Malay States. Pahang didn’t initially have its own stamp printing infrastructure. When local supplies were exhausted or new denominations were needed, stamps from neighbouring states such as Perak were overprinted and repurposed.

This practical and cost-effective method often led to typesetting variations and errors, which are now prized by collectors.

2. Type 13 Surcharge

This was one of several overprint styles used on Perak stamps to convert them for Pahang use. It consists of bold serifed type, usually applied locally by hand or rudimentary presses. Such overprinting processes were prone to misalignment, shifting, or multiple impressions.

3. Double Surcharge Error

This error is the result of the sheet being accidentally fed through the press twice, or shifted mid-process. These kinds of errors were rarely caught at the time due to low print quality standards in the colonies and have become notable rarities. The double surcharge can appear quite subtle, depending on spacing and ink density, but is always of strong interest to specialists.

4. The Design

The base Perak 8c design features a Malayan tiger’s head — a widely used motif across the Federated Malay States during the colonial period. The tiger symbolised strength and local fauna.

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 Malta 1922 (c.) "Melita" ½d printer's sample by De La Rue in brown and blue on surfaced wove, block of 4, imperforate, overprinted "SPECIMEN" (Samuel type DS2), SG124.

A fine and attractive philatelic piece from this important stamp issue and a very rare block of four from the printer's sample book.

The Milner Constitution of 1921 granted Malta a two-chamber government, with certain “reserved matters”, which included defence and public order coming under the direct responsibility of the Governor. As part of preparations for this great event, the government decided to mark this occasion by issuing a special set of postage stamps.

In May 1921 Malta was granted Self Government and it was decided that a new definitive set of postage stamps would be issued to commemorate the event. As a result of a competition announced on the 17th June 1921, the design suggested by E.Caruana Dingli was adopted for the ¼d to 6d and £1 values and that by G.Vella for the 1 shilling to 10 shillings values.

The design used for pence and £1 values depicted a helmeted emblematic figure representing Malta supporting a rudder with its right hand, and a seascape background containing the rock of St Elmo and a Gozo boat. The other design consisted of emblematic figures representing (male) Great Britain, supporting a Union Jack shield with his left hand, embracing (female) Malta who holds an olive branch in her right hand; the date 1921 (in Roman numerals) occupies the left hand corner of the central design which is surrounded on three sides by a frame of tiny Maltese Crosses.

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Malta 1965-70 1s3d International Eucharistic Congress, error 'Gold (centre) omitted', lower right corner block of 6 (3x2) with plate numbers '1A' x5 (should be 6 !), SG341a.

A superb quality unmounted mint positional block with full original gum.

A rare positional multiple of this stamp missing colour error. It is also accompanied with a matching example of the normal block for comparison.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £536+.

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Malta 1967-70 set of 4 to 4d Postage Dues, watermark Maltese Cross, line perforations 12, each as a matching block of 24 (12x2) being the lower two rows of a sheet with plate number '1' (x2) and Bradbury Wilkinson & Co. Ltd imprint, SGD28/31.

Fine and fresh unmounted mint blocks with full original gum. There are a couple of insignificant tones (affecting one 4d, and left margin of 1d block), but overall these minor imperfections do not detract from beautiful quality.

Highly attractive complete set and very scarce in this positional form.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £1,320+.

 Morocco Agencies 1903-05 2p black and blue, watermark CA, lower left corner block of 12 (6x2) with plate number '1', SG23.

A brilliant quality unmounted mint corner block with full original gum (hinge mark in margin only). A couple of stamps with trivial gum wrinkles, which do not detract as in overall lovely condition.

An extremely scarce positional multiple as only 25 sheets were printed!

Following a decision to identify the exact revenue derived from the Morocco postal service, separate stamps were needed for the Morocco Agencies. This requirement further became necessary because of a Revision of Fees Ordinance in Gibraltar, which required all fees to be collected in Sterling, while the Morocco Agencies continued to use Spanish currency. This led to the introduction of Gibraltar stamps with 'Morocco Agencies' overprints.

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Morocco Agencies 1907-13 British currency 2s6d "dull reddish purple" (dark shade), Somerset House printing on ordinary paper (=GB SG 317), SG41.

A well-centred mint block of 4 with wonderful colour and brilliant original gum. The lower pair are unmounted mint. Some gum creasing but of superb appearance.

A rare and fine King Edward VII block.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £680+.

British stamps overprinted "MOROCCO AGENCIES" were primarily intended for use on parcels (and later, airmail correspondence), and were on sale at British PO's throughout Morocco including Tangier until 1937.

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Morocco Agencies 1935 Spanish Currency 10c on 1d scarlet Silver Jubilee, block of 4, the upper right stamp error 'CENTIMES' for 'CENTIMOS', SG150a.

A very fine mint block with original gum. The upper pair are unmounted mint. From R5/4 of the small June 1935 second printing.

A stunning quality key rarity and attractive as such a startling error. Only about 25 are believed to exist.

Accompanied with a British Philatelic Association (BPA) certificate of authenticity (2012).

Stanley Gibbons catalogue value for a single example of the error is £1,700.

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Nauru 1916-23 1d bright scarlet, type 1 overprint, block of 4 from 'I16' printing showing variety 'NAUP.U' (first state) on lower right stamp (R6/2), with 'splayed A' on R5/1 proving the position, SG2/a.

A brilliant quality mint block with original gum. Most importantly, the valuable printing varieties are unmounted mint. A beautifully presented philatelic piece.

Very scarce in this form and condition.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £700++.

Nauru was occupied by Australian forces following the outbreak of World War I. During this time, Australian stamps overprinted 'North West Pacific Islands' were used from 1914 to 1916. The British government took control of the island and British stamps were then overprinted 'NAURU' and were first issued in October 1916.

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Nauru 1916-23 2s6d (pale) sepia-brown, De La Rue printing, showing 'overprint treble, two albino', with the abino impressions respectively 3½mm to left/2½mm above, and 16mm to left/2mm above, in relation to the inked overprint, SG19b.

A fine mint example with original gum.

An extraordinary stamp, from R4/3 of the one 2s6d complete sheet received in Nauru prior to 2 Sept 1916, which showed 'double overprint one albino' on rows 1-3 and 'treble overprint one abino' on rows 4-5, having apparently been overprinted (? as a trial) with a setting of 4 in a single row.

This sheet remained intact (finally in the possession of Sir John Dodd) until broken up in the 1960s, as explained by Buckingham (see pp. 68-9 and 110-11 of his book).

Provenance: Ex Keith Buckingham (Grosvenor 28/2/2006, lot 895).

Accompanied with a British Philatelic Association (BPA) certificate of authenticity (1968) as former SG 19a ('deep brown'), and illustrated on p.82 of Buckingham's book.

Stanley Gibbons catalogue value: £1,800.

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New Guinea 1915 (Jan) 'Kieta' 3d black and red registration label, block of 8 (Nos 19-16/14-11) from setting B positions 2-5, Nos 17/12 showing variety 'No stop after d', SG38b.

A very fine mint example. A spectacular and rare multiple of these registration labels from the German Colonial period.

Accompanied with a Brandon certificate of authenticity (2006).

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £4,900+.

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