SOUTH AUSTRALIA Official Stamps Departmental Overprints
Sale No: 242
Lot No: 1448
Symbol: *
ARCHITECT: Black 'A.' on Rouletted 2/- rose-carmine, large-part (brown) o.g. Rated RRRR. Ex 'Besancon': sold for SFr1331. Chris Ceremuga Certificate (2018) states "...extremely rare...superb example".
CHIEF SECRETARY: Black 'C.S.' on Perf 11½-12½xRouletted 6d Prussian blue Printed on Both Sides, minor stains, light GPO cds. Rated RRRRR. Ex 'Tamiami': sold at our auction of 22.6.2019 for $3114. JRW Purves Opinion (undated) & RPSofV Certificate (2019). [Absent from 'Besancon']
CUSTOMS: Blue 'C.' on Rouletted 1/- brown, a couple of minor separation faults, large-part o.g. Rated RRRR. Ex 'Besancon': sold for SFr2662. Chris Ceremuga Certificate (2018).
GOOLWA TRAMWAY: Red 'G.T.' on Rouletted 1d yellow-green (thinned), 6d dull ultramarine & 1/- red-brown x3. All rated RR. Very fine examples sold at our auction of 1.3.2020 for $227 $455 & $503 respectively.
(Qty 5)
MANAGER OF RAILWAYS: Black 'M.R.' on Perf 11½-12½xRouletted 1/- brown, unused. Ex Baron Philippe de la Renotiere Ferrary. Unlisted unused by Ron Butler so RRRRRR (rated RRRR used). Chris Ceremuga Certificate (2009).
POLICE: Blue 'P.' on De La Rue Rouletted 2d Printed on Both Sides, cut from the sheet to preserve the design, superb GPO cds of AP29/69. Rated RRRR. RPSofV Certificate (2015). [Sold at the Prestige auction of 14.11.2014 for $3561. A similar example sold at the Prestige auction of 12.5.2007. Both stamps appear to be Imperforate]
POLICE: Blue 'P.' on De La Rue Rouletted 2d orange horizontal pair Imperforate Between, small stain at the base, light 'NARACOORTE/FE6/69/SA' cds. Rated RRRRR. Chris Ceremuga Certificate (2015) states "extremely rare".
Sale No: 242
Lot No: 1456
Symbol: F
Cat No: Collection
1874-77 Overprinted 'O.S.' Type 1 Perf 11½-12½ '3-PENCE' in Black on 4d ultramarine SG O7, short perfs at the top, GPO cds of JY11/78 over the 'O.S.' overprint, Cat £3500. RPSofV Certificate (2020). [With our vendor's comments in support of the overprint being authentic; and a 2010 article by Tony Presgrave challenging the bona fides of the issue]
A very rare stamp absent from major collections including those of Julian Beresford, John Griffiths, Sir Gawaine Baillie, Ron Butler, William Frazer, Peter Jaffé, Harry Lower and Michael Blake. Rev James Mursell (1964) had two that were offered in a mixed lot, neither of them being illustrated. An example was offered at a Sydney auction in 2006 with an estimate of $2000 and the comment "...possibly the rarest basic Colonial stamp...": it sold for $6116. Interestingly, Gary Diffen's example with No Stop after 'S ' SG O7a - stated by him "two examples recorded", Ex Marcel Burrus & with RPSofL Certificate - exhibits the same 'fuzzy' characteristics of the 'O.S.' overprint as the current stamp: it sold at auction in May 2020 for £2520.
1891 'POSTAGE & REVENUE' Perf 10 2/6d pale violet with Type 3 (Wide) 'O. S.' Overprint SG O86, a couple of ironed-out creases at the base as is often the case with this issue, unframed GPO Adelaide cds, Cat £6500. Chris Ceremuga Certificate (2018). [In our experience, used/CTO examples are scarcer than the more highly-priced mint stamps]
1886-96 'POSTAGE & REVENUE' Perf 10 5/- pink with Type 3 (Wide) 'O. S.' Overprint SG O87, CTO with GPO Adelaide cds, Cat £7500. A rare stamp, of which only one sheet of 60 was printed. BPA Certificate (1980). [The first CTO example we have offered for many years]
1891 'POSTAGE & REVENUE' Perf 10 5/- pink with Block 'O.S.' as used on Postal Cards with the 'S.' Partly Doubled, part strike of the 'PARCEL PO ADELAIDE' cds of '--5/91'. A great South Australian rarity that is unlisted by Gibbons. Chris Ceremuga Certificate (2018) states "...Only 20 examples are believed to have been overprinted...only four examples [all used] recorded".
Existence of this issue has been recorded for many years. Robson Lowe, in his 'Encyclopaedia...: Australasia', states "Only two examples are known, both dated 13.8.1891". He priced it at £30, compared to £25 each for the 2/6d & 5/- SG O86 & O87 (now priced used at £6500 & £7500 respectively). Despite this 'provenance', and the more recent discovery of a pair (Ex Peter Jaffé), for reasons known only to themselves, this much scarcer stamp - that almost certainly preceded the issue of SG O86 & O87 - is unlisted by Gibbons. If they ever properly list this stamp, the price will go through the roof!
