Get Market Data for [Samoa 19] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

Sarawak 1934-41 $1 to $10, six values, in matching blocks of 4, each centrally cancelled by superb 'LIMBANG' type D6 circular date stamps, dated '5 JE 46', five days before Proud's catalogue recorded earliest date, SG120/5.

A fine quality used set with lovely colours. The $3 block with separation between upper pair but a splendid group of blocks.

Extremely scarce in this form and particularly important because of the date of use being five days before the recorded earliest date.

The 1934-41 issue was brought back into use after the withdrawal of the British Military Administration (BMA) set (and the end of the Military Administration) in April 1946.

The design of these stamps is most appealing featuring Sir Charles Vyner Brooke with stunning oriental columns on either side. Sir Charles was the third and last white Rajah of Sarawak.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £1,455+.

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Seychelles 1896 (1 Aug) 36c on 45c brown and carmine, type 3 surcharge, ERROR SURCHARGE DOUBLE, SG27a.

A fine and fresh mint example with original gum.

A particularly rare Queen Victorian stamp error.

Provenance: Ex Winchester (Sotheby 19/7/96, lot 403),

Accompanied with a Royal Philatelic Society (RPS) certificate of authenticity (1987).

Stanley Gibbons catalogue value: £1,600.

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Seychelles 1952 2c lilac 'Sail Fish', complete folded sheet of 50 (10x5) with imprint and plate number '1', R3/4-5 showing watermark error 'Crown missing', SG158a.

A very fine unmounted mint sheet with full original gum.

Rare in this intact form and very attractive philatelic piece.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £887+.

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South Africa Orange Free State 1868-94 6d bright carmine, folded lower half sheet of 120, comprising two panes 6x10 with horizontal gutter, SG6.

A fine unmounted mint sheet with full original gum. Some creasing, marginal faults and separation, with minor gum adhesions, as often seen with sheets of this size. Overall fine condition with fresh colour, showing plate number '1' at lower left and current number '2' at lower right.

The sheet has added importance being from the final printing in this colour (5 March 1894). A remarkable survival from the first and only stamp design issued by the Orange Free State.

The stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £3,360+.

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South Africa Orange Free State 1892 (Oct) 2½d on 3d ultramarine, type 8 surcharge, two large multiples which together have enabled the plating of most of the upper panes of the SECOND SETTING OF 240, comprising an interpane block of 47 (12x4, lacking the bottom right stamp) from the top four rows of the sheet and a block of 54 (6x9) being an upper right pane less the top row, SG67.

Fine condition with original gum and with very fresh colour (most stamps are unmounted mint). Both without external margins, and odd minor imperfections (one stamp in the second block with an ink spot).

Unique and fascinating multiples, in remarkably fine condition. Neatly mounted on two fully annotated exhibition pages.

Stanley Gibbons catalogue value: £2,222+.

Get Market Data for [South Africa 67] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

South Africa Orange Free State 1892 (Oct) 2½d on 3d ultramarine, type 8 surcharge, the complete sheet of 240 (separated into four panes of 60, each 6x10), SG67/b.

Overall good to fine condition, with fresh colour and part original gum to original gum, but with some creases, separation and missing pieces of selvedge, and with one block of four missing (but replaced) from the lower right pane.

The major printing variety 'Printer's quad after surcharge' (= SG 67b) and a host of constant smaller varieties are present, all written up on four exhibition pages.

A unique and fascinating assembly for the specialist collector.

The sheet was formerly in the collection of Mr. J. Schoeman, which demonstrated that the first setting was indeed of 240, rather than 120 as believed by Buckley and Marriott in the 1966 Handbook.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £5,348+.

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South Africa Orange Free State 1896 (Sept) ½d on 3d ultramarine, type 9 (a-g) surcharges, complete folded sheet of 240 (lacking bottom margin), showing the same setting of 120 (12x10) with the seven types se-tenant, applied to the upper and lower halves, and with second handstamped surcharges (in type 'g') applied to 21 stamps in the left panes, SG69/75/a.

A fine unmounted mint complete sheet with full original gum. Creases affecting some columns as normally seen with entire sheets of this size. Overall fine condition for such an item, and now rare in this form.

A truly fascinating sheet, as documented in Buckley and Marriott chapter 11. [The setting comprises 'a' x41, 'b' x8, 'c' x10, 'd' x9, 'e' x9, 'f' x15 and 'g' x28].

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £2,520++.

Get Market Data for [South Africa 69] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

South Africa Transvaal Wolmaransstad 1900 (19 JUL) censored cover (with 'LEASK' imprint on flap) to 'D. Eadie, Esqre, Act Resident Magistrate, Warrenton', franked by 1900 (24 June) 2d brown and green, type L3 overprint in blue, tied by black double-ring circular date stamp (with 'Z. A. R.' partly removed at foot), and endorsed 'censored/(initials ? G. R. M)' at lower left. Fine 'WARRENTON STATION/C.G.H.' arrival backstamp dated '24 JY 00', SG3.

Light cover fold but still very fine and fresh.

A splendid and very rare cover, being one of just 13 recorded covers with this provisional issue that travelled out of Wolmaransstad during the occupation and unique with the 2d value (of which only about 40 were issued - both colours) and with this otherwise unknown censor endorsement.

A very interesting and important piece of Boer War postal history.

Provenance: Illustrated on p.41 (no. 9) of the book by Birkhead and Groenewald.

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South Africa Cape of Good Hope, Vryburg 1900 (16 May) British Reoccupation 1d rose-red and green Transvaal with type 2 'V.R./SPECIAL/POST' handstamp READING DOWNWARDS, tied to piece by light complete and part strikes of 'VRYBURG/B.B.' circular date stamp dated 'MY 16 19', SG12var.

The best quality example we have ever seen and the minor soiling can be forgiven because it is such a rare stamp, hardly ever seen on the market.

Only 60 issued of the basic stamp (mostly with handstamp reading upwards). Quite probably the once in our lifetime we will have the privilege of handling this great rarity.

These Provisionals were issued by the Military Authorities as stamps of Transvaal hand stamped "V.R. SPECIAL POST".

Provenance: Ex Rosenberg.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £6,000+.

During the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902), Vryburg (in what is now North West Province, South Africa) was a key military outpost and logistical base. In May 1900, British forces reoccupied the town after it had briefly been under Boer control.

With no regular British stamps available, military authorities improvised by using existing stocks of Transvaal stamps, overprinting them with "V.R. / SPECIAL / POST"

"V.R." signified Victoria Regina, denoting royal (British) authority, while "Special Post" highlighted their temporary military postal usage. These overprints were applied manually, resulting in scarce and irregular varieties.

The dated usage (16 May 1900) is within days of the British military reclaiming Vryburg, placing this among the earliest known post-reoccupation usages.

Get Market Data for [South Africa 12] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

South Africa 1930-45 ½d black and green, 'SUIDAFRIKA' one word, rotogravure printing, tete-beche horizontal interpane pair, SG42b var.

A fine and fresh mint pair with large part original gum.

A rare and spectacular multiple emanating from uncut booklet sheets.

The majestic image of the South African antelope, the "Springbok" has captured the hearts of collectors for generations making these stamp issues one of the most popular areas of collecting and study and this is one of the key varieties of this important stamp.

Stanley Gibbons catalogue value: £1,400+.

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 South Africa 1944-50 1½d blue-green and yellow-buff 'Gold Mine' Official, block of 4, type O2 overprint, both pairs with diaeresis over second 'E' of 'OFFISIEEL', SGO33a.

A very fine mint block with original gum, (the lower pair are unmounted mint).

A rare multiple in such fine condition.

Stanley Gibbons catalogue value: £1,600+.

South Africa 1944-50 Official 'Set 23' (= 1949-50 issue) small format 2d blue and violet, SG type O6 overprint (reading upwards with 'OFFICIAL' at left and 16mm between lines of overprint), BLOCK OF 4, SGO35.

Exceptional quality multiple of this key King George VI rarity, unmounted mint with full original gum.

The error on this Government Official stamp is made more famous because of the early philatelic debate surrounding whether it was legitimately issued in error. It was ultimately, after much academic study, accepted as being legitimately issued in error and has now become something of philatelic fame.

A remarkable error, made more so by the fact it remained undiscovered for over thirty years. It is, today, considered the most aspirational South African government official philatelic rarity you could possibly own and the hardest space to fill for the South African Official stamps in the King George VI stamp album.

Accompanied with a British Philatelic Association (BPA) Certificate of Authenticity (1983).

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £8,500+.

South Africa was a bilingual dominion of the British Empire, with both English and Afrikaans as official languages. This is reflected in all stamps from the period between 1926 and 1961, where inscriptions were printed in pairs, a hallmark of South African philately.

This specific “OFFICIAL / OFFISIEEL” overprint was applied to standard issue stamps to restrict them for use by government departments only. These stamps were never meant for public sale and were distributed internally.

The image shows the Union Buildings, completed in 1913 and designed by architect Sir Herbert Baker, which housed the offices of the Prime Minister and later the President of South Africa. The structure has symbolic importance, representing the unity of previously warring Boer and British factions after the Union of South Africa in 1910.

 

South Africa 1950-54 2d blue and violet Official, type O7 overprint, BLOCK OF 4, error OVERPRINT INVERTED, SGO45a.

A pristine unmounted mint block of four with full original gum.

A rare multiple of exceptional quality.

A beautifully designed stamp depicting the imposing Union Buildings in Pretoria, which form the official seat of the South African Government and also house the offices of the President of South Africa.

Accompanied with a British Philatelic Association certificate of authenticity (2002).

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £2,200+.

Get Market Data for [South Africa 226] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

St Helena 1884-94 1s yellow-green, watermark CA, error SURCHARGE DOUBLE, upper marginal, SG45a.

A brilliant quality unmounted mint example with full original gum, (hinged on margin only).

This example was taken from the block in the Royal Philatelic Collection, which once housed all known examples of this error. There were only around twenty examples released on to the market in the 1970s.

A spectacular major British Commonwealth rarity.

Stanley Gibbons catalogue value: £4,750.

St Helena 1922-37 15s grey and purple/blue, lightly cancelled by '18 JA 27' circular date stamp, SG113.

A very rare stamp genuinely used, and hardly ever found in such fine condition.

This definitive issue first released in 1922 was designed by the St Helena-born Postmaster Thomas R. Bruce. It was similar to the 1912-16 pictorials, but instead of the Government House or the Wharf, these stamps showed the badge of St. Helena - a three-masted sailing ship near two large rocks.

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

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £3,500.

St Helena 1961 (Oct 12) Tristan Relief Fund set of 4, SG172/75.

A very fine quality set, unmounted mint with full original gum.

Only 434 complete sets were sold and they were withdrawn from sale on 19 October after just one week. Most were used, and this has become recognised as one of the key British Commonwealth philatelic items of the Queen Elizabeth II reign.

In October 1961 violent volcanic activity on the small island of Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic led to an evacuation of the population. The authorities on the neighbouring island of St Helena, some 1,400 miles to the north-east, established a Relief Fund, and a supply of Tristan da Cunha stamps was surcharged “ST. HELENA Tristan Relief” with an amount for the fund.

Unfortunately, only the Colonial Office in London were permitted to authorise new stamps. This fact was clearly unknown to the Governor, and the issue was withdrawn. These are among the rarest of modern stamps as only 434 sets were sold.

Click here to discover more about these rare stamps.

Accompanied with a British Philatelic Association (BPA) certificate of authenticity (1965) and original Colonial & Foreign Stamp Co. Ltd. invoice (1977).

Stanley Gibbons catalogue value: £8,000.

St Lucia 1876(?) 'Half penny' on (6d) emerald-green, type 2 surcharge, block of 30 (6x5), SG9.

A rare and impressive large multiple of this stamp, which was prepared for use but not issued.

Stamps are in mint condition and mostly unmounted (hinge remains on top row). Crease affecting second row, and odd trivial blemishes (couple of tones, natural paper flaws), still very fine appearance.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £2,100+.

St Vincent 1881 (28 Nov) 4d on 1s bright vermilion, type 6 surcharge, attractively cancelled by large part 'K' (= Kingstown) circular date stamp, dated 'DE 2 81', SG35.

A really fine used example, with the vast majority of examples found with significant condition issues and rarely seen with such a fine example of the Kingstown cancellation.

A very rare stamp as only 630 were originally issued.

Accompanied with a British Philatelic Association (BPA) certificate of authenticity (1974).

Stanley Gibbons catalogue value: £850.

Swaziland 1890 1s 'SWAZILAND GOVERNMENT/COMMITTEE' violet handstamp on blue paper, vertical strip of 4, each stamp cancelled with M/S 'Stamp' and signature.

Despite some faults (unobtrusive thin & creases), this is an important and remarkable piece, proving a vertical sheet format of at least five rows, and the largest known multiple of any value from this issue.

These rather primitive looking issues were the first Revenue stamps issued by Swaziland in 1890. They were issued by the Triumvirate Government, called the Swazieland Government Committee Revenues. They were specifically issued to receipt fees levied on legal work and on documents and procedures brought before the Chief Court, which revenue funded the legal system of Swaziland at the time.

Provenance: Ex: Peter van der Molen, South Africa.

Illustrated on p.480 of the 2013 Swaziland Handbook by Peter Van der Molen as the largest known multiple. Barefoot Catalogue No: 2.

£1100.00

Turks and Caicos Islands 1927 (c.) Photogravure essay for the 1d value, inscribed 'POSTAGE & REVENUE', by printers Harrison & Sons, in deep blue on gummed wove (60 x 68mm), SG177.

Fine quality, other than some trivial marks in the surround, but most attractive and very rare.

In philately, an essay is a design for a proposed stamp submitted to the postal authorities for consideration but not used, or used after alterations have been made. By contrast, a proof is a trial printing of an accepted stamp. Both essays and proofs are rare, as usually just a few are produced.

Provenance: Ex Ludington (Spink 11/1999, lot 1810, realised £805 + VAT) and comparable to the Harrison Falkland Islands 'Whale & Penguin' essays from the same period.

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