Batch of mostly pre-decimal commercial & philatelic airmail covers including 1941 & 1942 to Australia at 5d (from 'GIZO' by ship to Rabaul, then by air), two from Yandina with dater cancels, 1959 registered to Saudi Arabia, and several formular aerogrammes including 1950 from a missionary to New Zealand & another (front only) with manuscript "Barakoma/22 9 53" cancels, a few other Barakoma usages including Australian Territories (faults) & BSIP formular Aerogrammes and 1958 Last Day, mostly internal or to Australia but also noted usages to Fiji x2 and New Hebrides, a few registered, a good range of adhesives including Commemoratives to 9d & a few KGVI/QEII mixed frankings, plenty of datestamp interest including a few 1980s postal agencies, generally fine to very fine.
(79) (Image1)
Estimate AU$600
Opening AU$ 460.00
Sold...AU$ 460.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 460
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2701
Symbol: C/CL
Box of mostly commercial pre-WWII covers including 1907 large piece with Large Canoes 2½d & 5d (a further 4½d in stamps missing) + NSW 1/- for forwarding to England (faults), Small Canoe 2d on covers to NSW (embossed 'GOVERNMENT RESIDENCE/TULAGI/...' on the flap) or GB x2, then mostly with KGV Keyplates including from 'AOLA' (1919), 'GIZO' (1916 underpaid to Japan but not taxed, and 1928 to Samoa), 'SHORTLAND' (1921) & 'SHORTLAND ISLD' (1926) both to France, 'TULAGI' (1913 to Manitoba, Canada) and 'VANIKORO' (1927 to Washington DC), also 1920s underpaid to USA & taxed, 1937 (Apr 1) to NSW endorsed "First air mail from Solomon Islands" (not recorded in the AAMC) and ship mail x11 with various 'PAQUEBOT' or 'Loose Ship Letter' markings of Tulagi or Australian ports, etc, condition variable but most are fine to very fine.
(46) (Image1)
Estimate AU$800
Opening AU$ 600.00
Sold...AU$ 600.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 600
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2702
Symbol: C
1908 (late) Harding & Billings (Sydney) photo-mechanical PPC ('AOLA...', of native with rifle & a friend holding the day's catch of exotic birds), to Sydney with Large Canoe 1d (corner fault) tied by fine strike of the seriffed straight-line 'S.S.UPOLU' handstamp (34x4mm) in violet, minor blemishes. Unrecorded by Don Franks. We have dated this card from the reference to "...Hope you had a gay old time when the American Fleet was in [Sydney]...", which was early-September 1908. Don Franks records a similar strike also on the 1d - *FKS 210* - purporting to be from 1910, but by this time the sans-serif handstamp was in use: see Lot 2169, and also Lot 2171. (Image1)
Estimate AU$1,200
Opening AU$ 900.00
Sold...AU$ 900.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 900
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2703
Symbol: C
1908 Harding & Billings (Sydney) photo-mechanical PPC ('AOLA...', of three natives, two with rifles), posted aboard S.S. 'Moresby' to NSW with Small Canoe 1d cancelled on arrival at Sydney on 21DE08 with very fine double-oval 'LOOSE SHIP/LETTER' handstamp alongside, Christmas greetings headed "Banika 5-12-08" & the sender asks "...What do you think of the new stamps" (issued five weeks earlier). Not recorded by Don Franks, who listed only five Loose Ship Letter usages on Small Canoe covers. Banika (or Mbanika) is a sizeable island northwest of Guadalcanal. The largest town is Yandina, which had no post office until 1952. (Image1)
Estimate AU$600
Opening AU$ 460.00
Sold...AU$ 460.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 460
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2704
Symbol: C
1912 (May 10) OHBMS cover signed by the Postmaster "FJ Barnett" at lower-left, to Essex with Small Canoe 4d red/yellow (Cat £13 x25+ on cover) tied by a light but legible strike of 'TULAGI/MY10/--12/...' cds ('19' omitted), 'EARLS COLNE/JY1/12/ESSEX' arrival cds & redirected to "Ramsgate", four different oval 'REGISTERED' datestamps, very minor blemishes. A beautiful cover. *FKS338* The Empire Letter Rate was 1d plus 3d registration. (Image1)
Estimate AU$500
Opening AU$ 380.00
Sold...AU$ 380.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 380
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2705
Symbol: C
1913 (circa) commercial cover with printed 'N WHEATLEY/ROVIANA' on the flap but scored-through, to Great Britain with Small Canoe 1d tied by light but obvious strike of the small sans-serif straight-line 'S.S. KULAMBANGARA.' handstamp (45x3mm) in violet, minor blemishes, part of the flap missing & minor repair at upper-left. *FKS 419*, dated to 1911-1916 but a similar cover - *FKS 411* (shown as a small extract only) has a Sydney transit backstamp of OC7/1913. The ship was acquired by Levers in 1910 as a replacement for the 'Upolu'. Norman Michael Jackson Ernest Wheatley arrived in the Solomons in 1895, before declaration of the Protectorate, and while cannibalism was still rife. Playing-off the different tribes & mission stations, he became a wealthy trader & plantation-owner, based at Lambeti on Roviana Lagoon. (Image1)
Estimate AU$600
Opening AU$ 460.00
Sold...AU$ 460.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 460
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2706
Symbol: C
1940 (circa) cover with 'From: + Walter H Baddeley/Bp of Melanesia, Toroaniara BSIP' printed in blue on the flap, to Sydney with 2d House & Canoe tied by indistinct Tulagi cds, scarce blue/white 'OPENED BY CENSOR' handstamp tied to the face by very fine boxed 'PASSED BY CENSOR' in violet. Early use of this censor cachet at Tulagi, which is not recorded by Little (but does match that used on the cover illustrated by him at page 151). The Bishop was not a 6.2.1942 evacuee, moving instead to Malaita. (Image1)
Estimate AU$200
Opening AU$ 150.00
Sold...AU$ 150.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 150
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2707
Symbol: PS
1942 usage of American 1c Postal Card from a US Marine with Forces endorsement at upper-left, 'U. S./ SEP/14/1942/NAVY' cancel & very fine 'PASSED BY NAVAL CENSOR' cachet despite the message being headed "Solomon Islands/July 12 1942" which was contrary to regulations, to his sweetheart in New Zealand, minor wrinkles & grubby but a marvellous usage. (Image1)
Estimate AU$300
Opening AU$ 230.00
Sold...AU$ 230.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 230
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2708
Symbol: C
1942 cover with "C Vance/Malaita/BSIP" endorsed at lower-left obscured by the blue/white censor label which is tied by a fine strike of the boxed 'PASSED BY CENSOR' handstamp, to Surrey with KGVI 3d Roviana Canoes tied by manuscript "16.9.1942" in blacklead pencil overstruck with 10-bars cancel of Brisbane (?), opened a bit roughly with two repaired tears at the top. Another rare cover, believed carried per the medical vessel SS 'Hygaeia" from Malaita to Brisbane. Vance was a missionary with the SSEM. (Image1)
Estimate AU$300
Opening AU$ 230.00
Sold...AU$ 230.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 230
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2709
Symbol: PS
1943 Japanese soldier's Postal Card with printed characters & box for censorship all in orange & with idyllic rural scene on the reverse, from a member of OK1 1300 Corps based on New Georgia to Japan with faint small oval 'han' in scarlet, unusually fine for such items with only very minor blemishes. After their defeat on Guadalcanal in -.2.1943, the Japanese withdrew to the north to New Georgia, the largest island in the western archipelago. The island was attacked by American forces on 30.6.1943, and victory was achieved by late-August. (Image1)
Estimate AU$500
Opening AU$ 380.00
Sold...AU$ 380.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 380
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2710
Symbol: CPS
1943-44 American Forces mail identified as from various units on Guadalcanal, New Georgia, Russell Islands, Rendova or Munda or with naval cancels including addition of propaganda slogans 'TOJO IS A BUM/HITLER ALSO', 'TOKIO/BOUND' (on complete V-Mail form posted to Missouri), 'AXIS SIGH IF/BONDS U BUY', 'BUY/BONDS' and 'TAPS/FOR TOJO' also 'MERRY XMAS/HAPPY NU YR' & '76-CONST/ BATT-USN', five to the Solomons Administration-in-Exile in Sydney (three with 'LUNGA' cds), one 6c Envelope uprated with Prexie 15c & Special Delivery 10c, condition variable but generally fine to very fine, mostly on John Gibson's annotated pages.
(67) (Image1)
Estimate AU$400
Opening AU$ 300.00
Sold...AU$ 300.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 300
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2711
Symbol: C
1944-45 BSIP Defence Force (postage unnecessarily paid), civilian or missionary covers all to New Zealand with KGVI 2d Hut & Canoe (2) or overpaid with 1½d Artificial Island pair all tied by 'MUNDA' cds, the first two with blue/white censor label & all with the triple-oval censor cachet (very worn by 7.8.1945). Munda PO replaced by Gizo (2) 19.2.1949.
(3) (Image1)
Estimate AU$300
Opening AU$ 230.00
Sold...AU$ 230.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 230
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2712
Symbol: C
1944-45 Australian Forces airmail covers comprising 1) with KGVI 3d pair tied by 'AUST UNIT POSTAL STN/23NO44/373' in use on Mono Island, to Brisbane with faint registration cachet in violet; 2) with KGVI 3d tied by very fine strike of the boxed 'UNIT POSTAL STATION/AC 39/17DEC1944' in use at Munda, to NSW; and 3) inter-unit use of green/buff honour envelope most unusually with BSIP KGVI 3d tied by 'No 7 AUST ADV BASE PO/8J345/ C ' in use on Bougainville to Mono Island; minor faults. Rare & grossly underrated by Ted Proud: neither John Darnell nor Russell Stern had any Australian Forces covers from the Solomons. (3) (Image1)
Estimate AU$300
Opening AU$ 230.00
Sold...AU$ 230.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 230
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2713
Symbol: CPS
1952-58 Barakoma Airfield study of missionary mail mostly to New Zealand comprising 1952 initial flights cancelled in transit at 'LAE' (paid 2d only; faults) or 'RABAUL' (at 1/-); full manuscript cancels on 1953 Voyce philatelic covers signed (Sister) "WB Poole" or (Rev) "T Shepherd"; 3.5.1955 initialled "MCF" (schoolteacher Miss M Fraser) & 2.2.1956 initialled "DC" (Miss DJ Clark) both paid 1/5d plus large-part quintuple-rate cover initialled "DC" with small dater paid 7/1d (very rare; the Regulations allowed for aerogrammes & letters to ½oz only), 10.3.1955 "Barakoma/GS" (Gloria Shepherd) to NSW at 1/2d (faults), 1955 formular aerogrammes at 8d with "Barakoma/MCF" or small dater only; small 'BARAKOMA AIRFIELD' (withdrawn 2.7.1957) 1955 at 1/5d and 1957 at 1/2d or 2/4d both to NSW and another at 1/2d but taxed "1/6" on arrival (why?); 9.4.1957 to NSW with small dater only; large 'BARAKOMA AIRFIELD' (used 16.7.1957 to 11.2.1958 only) at 1/2d to Victoria (First Day of Use; faults) & 1/5d x2 (one in violet); and boxed 'BARAKOMA/AIRFIELD' (used for three mails only) at 1/5d & at 1/2d to Sydney (Last Day); generally fine to very fine. A very desirable lot. From 18.4.1950, QANTAS operated weekly flights Lae-Rabaul-Barakoma (on Vella Lavella)-Yandina-Honiara & return. Until the new Munda Airfield opened in 1958, the local Methodist Mission was allowed to operate a postal agency.
(20) (Image1)
Estimate AU$1,000
Opening AU$ 750.00
Sold...AU$ 750.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 750
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2714
Symbol: PS
1954-56 Barakoma Mission Station missionary x2 & commercial x2 formular aerogrammes including with 'BRITISH SOLOMON ISLANDS/PROTECTORATE' Heading and Australian Territories type (internal faults), the first to NZ with manuscript "Barakoma/2.7.54/MCF" (schoolteacher Miss M Fraser), the others to NSW with small 'BARAKOMA AIRFIELD' handstamp & simple dater.
(4) (Image1)
Estimate AU$250
Opening AU$ 190.00
Sold...AU$ 190.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 190
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2715
Symbol: C/CL
OFFICIAL MAIL: Batch of mostly long KGVI to QEII covers with various departmental cachets, boxed 'POSTAGE/[crown]/PAID' handstamps for Auki, Honiara & Munda (one with Gizo cds), 1938 stampless to Canada with Postage Due 4c, 1943 stampless NZ Forces usage "per Courier" with rare 'ARMY/RIGA 6.X.43/SIGNALS' cds, 1949 US War Dept cover with 'LUNGA' steel cds, 1962 telegram envelope with huge oval 'POSTS & TELEGRAPHS DEPT/HONIARA' datestamp, 1976 formular aerogramme with 'Office of the Chief Minister' cachet, also stampless internal mail, airmails some registered with frankings including KGVI to 6d & QEII to 2/6d or 25c, postmark interest, generally fine to very fine.
(74) (Image1)
Estimate AU$300
Opening AU$ 230.00
Sold...AU$ 230.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 230
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2716
Symbol: C/CL
REGISTERED MAIL: Batch of KGV to Decimals commercial & philatelic covers selected for the registration uses with an excellent array of handstamped cachets, KGV-period group including 1919 from 'SHORTLAND' but registered at Tulagi, 1927 triple-rate to USA with 1/- tied by 'GIZO' cds (vertical fold), 1939 to Kenya, and with early R labels including black/white 'BRIT SOLOMON ISLANDS/GIZO' or blue/white 'SHORTLAND IS/BSIP' & 'SHORTLAND ISLAND/BRIT SOLOMON IDS', a couple with hand-drawn "cachets" including 1921 with 'SHORTLAND' cds, a good range of frankings including KGVI to 5/- & QEII to 2/- & 45c plus 1956 large piece with QEII 2/- & 10/- x2, plenty of datestamp interest including rubber 'VANIKORO' cds (R label torn before being affixed) and huge Postal Agency types, also 1970s 'B.S.I.P.' formular Registration Envelopes unused (very fine) & internal usage (stained), etc, generally fine to very fine. A very good lot.
(94) (Image1)
Estimate AU$1,000
Opening AU$ 750.00
Sold...AU$ 750.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 750
Postal Markings
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2717
Symbol: =C
BARAKOMA AIRFIELD: Small straight-line cancel & date cancels on 2d & 6d pair on 1957 (circa) missionary's cover to Bougainville, plus five KGVI pieces with manuscript or dater cancels.
(6 items) (Image1)
Estimate AU$100
Opening AU$ 75.00
Sold...AU$ 75.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 75
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2718
Symbol: C
HIS MAJESTY'S GOVERMENT YACHT 'BELAMA': 'HMGY BELAMA/13JUL23/BRITISH SOLOMON IDS' two light but obvious strikes on KGV ½d & 1d on cover with oval 'BURNS PHILP SOUTH SEAS COY/ FAISI / LIMITED' imprint in blue on the flap, to Sydney. The 'Belama' was in service between 1911 & 1921, when it was wrecked on Santa Ysabel. It was replaced by the 'Ranadi', on which this cover was apparently posted. Faisi, near Shortland Island, was part of German New Guinea but was never developed by the Germans. In 1895, the island was sold to Nicholas Tindal who later mortgaged it to Burns Philp, to whom ownership passed in 1906. During WWII, Faisi was the first of the Solomons Group to be occupied by the Japanese. Ex Ray Baldwin, Robert Taylor and John Darnell: sold for $2016. (Image1)
Estimate AU$1,000
Opening AU$ 750.00
Sold...AU$ 750.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 750
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2719
Symbol: S
S.S. KULAMBANGRA: the so-called 'KULAMBANGR[A]' "shark" handstamp large-part very fine strike in violet on Small Canoes 1d. A very unusual marking: we have sold several examples for between $670 & $900. (Image1)
Estimate AU$300
Opening AU$ 230.00
Sold...AU$ 230.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 230
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2720
Symbol: S
S.S. KULAMBANGRA: medium (letters 4mm high) '[S.S. KU]LAMBANGRA.' straight-line handstamp two large-part superb strikes in violet on Small Canoes 1d block of 4 (a few short perfs). (Image1)
Estimate AU$150
Opening AU$ 115.00
Sold...AU$ 115.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 115
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2721
Symbol: S
S.S. MATARAM: italicised 'S.S. Mataram' straight-line handstamp three fine strikes in violet on KGV 'POSTAGE - POSTAGE' 1d block of 7 (4x2, missing the upper-right unit), minor tonespots & some perf separation/reinforcing. Rare. Ex John Darnell: sold for $470. (Image1)
Estimate AU$200
Opening AU$ 150.00
Sold...AU$ 150.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 150
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2722
Symbol: S
S.S. MINDINI: 'S.S. MINDINI' straight-line handstamp two superb strikes & three partial strikes all in dull blue on KGV 'POSTAGE - POSTAGE' 1d block of 6 (2x3). John Darnell's similar block of 6 sold for $448. (Image1)
Estimate AU$200
Opening AU$ 150.00
Sold...AU$ 150.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 150
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2723
Symbol: C/CL
TULAGI: Display pages including 1913 to Canada with Small Canoe 1d tied by superb cds, 1916 local real photo PPC to GB, 1924 to USA & 1928 registered to the Bahamas both with large boxed '.../[crown]/cPAID/TULAGI' cachet in black or violet, OHBMS to GB with very fine strike of the rare 'MONEY ORDER/TULAGI/13DE27/.../OFFICE' cds (vertical folds), 1930 & 1938 registered to USA both with huge 'PROTECTORATE POSTMASTER/TULAGI' cachet (the later also with small boxed '.../POSTAGE/PAID/ TULAGI' cachet), 1933 to Denmark with 3d, 1937 to France with cds in blue (faults), 1937 unpaid to Australia & shortpaid to USA both with 'TULAGI/TAX/("3")D/...' cachet, 1938 two covers at 4½d by sea to Australia then by air to Sydney, 1936 & 1937 two covers at 1/7½d by sea to Australia then by air to GB, etc, condition variable but most are fine to very fine.
(22) (Image1)
Estimate AU$600
Opening AU$ 460.00
Sold...AU$ 460.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 460
SOLOMON ISLANDS
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2694
Symbol: */**F
1907 Large Canoes Perforation Variants of Large & Small Holes comprising ½d strip of 3 all with Double Perfs, block of 4 (no gum) & block of 6 (3x2; left-hand units truncated) from the top of the sheet, 1d strip of 3 with one line of Double Perfs, block of 4 & block of 6 (3x2) from the top of the sheet, 2d block of 8 (4x2) from the top of the sheet with 'X' engraved on the plate (appears only on the 2d & 6d values), 5d used single with Double Perfs at both Sides, large-part gum with some units being unmounted, Cat £930+, for normal singles.
(8 items) (Image1)
Estimate AU$250
Opening AU$ 190.00
Sold...AU$ 190.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 190
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2695
Symbol: *
Cat No: 1
1907 Large Canoes ½d pale blue SG 1 marginal pair from the right of the sheet Imperf at Right, thinned at the base of the margin only, large-part gum. Absent from 'Besancon'. John Darnell's very fine unmounted pair sold at our auction of 5.12.2003 for $905 (Sale 106 Lot 605). (Image1)
Estimate AU$250
Opening AU$ 190.00
Sold...AU$ 190.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 190
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2696
Symbol: #
1907 Large Canoes Fournier forgeries (paddle at rear of canoe touches the shore) ½d (grey) to 6d in close to the issued colours Imperforate corner blocks of 4 on ungummed wove paper. Rare: the only blocks we have seen.
(5 blocks) (Image1)
Estimate AU$300
Opening AU$ 230.00
Sold...AU$ 230.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 230
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2697
Symbol: *
Cat No: 4
1907 Large Canoes 2½d yellow-orange SG 4 marginal pair from the right of the sheet Imperf at Right, light vertical crease in the margin only otherwise superb with large-part gum. Absent from 'Besancon'. John Darnell's very fine corner block of 4 sold at our auction of 5.12.2003 for $2375 (Sale 106 Lot 611). (Image1)
Estimate AU$500
Opening AU$ 440.00
Sold...AU$ 440.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 440
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2698
Symbol: O
Cat No: 22-38
1914-23 KGV Keyplates Multiple Crown CA Watermark ½d to £1 simplified set SG 22-38, all with cds cancels, Cat £500. Much scarcer used than mint.
(14) (Image1)
Estimate AU$200
Opening AU$ 150.00
Sold...AU$ 150.00
Closed..Sep-23-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 150
Sale No: 261
Lot No: 2699
Symbol: P
1969 Third South Pacific Games 3c imperforate proof in the issued colours affixed to Harrison & Sons printers' presentation card, minor toning. (Image1)
