Extensive predominantly used collection on annotated pages by watermarks, papers, printings & perfs with all values represented including 3d lilac Wmk '8' and V/Crown Wmk x6, 8d orange x5, 8d brown/pink Wmk '10' x17 (including Perf 12½ x7), 10d grey x5, a very fine 5/- blue/yellow, 5/- blue & red x46 and '½ ½/HALF' Surcharge on 1d x22 (one mint), Emergency Printings Double-Lined '1' Wmk 1d x19 & 3d lilac x3, Double-Lined '4' Wmk 1d 4d x2 & 6d x8, 'SIX/PENCE' Wmk 1d x4 & 6d x5, 'THREE/PENCE' Wmk 6d x8 and 'FOUR/PENCE' Wmk 6d x4, lots of annotated shades and varieties including many Double Strikes including 1d 'NE' of 'ONE' Doubled x3 (one with Wmk '6'), 2d 'TWO PENCE' Doubled x5 (one with Wmk '6'), 6d 'E' of 'PENCE' Doubled x2 & 'VICTORIA' Doubled x3, also 2d 'PENGE' x2, 4d with part-Marginal Inscriptions x4, various Marginal Lines & Missing Frames, etc, quite a few multiples, also some Compound Perfs and other perforation varieties, potential postmark interest, plus a few mint/unused, condition variable but most are fine to very fine, Cat £18,000+ minimum. A remarkable opportunity to build on a lifetime's work.  (many 100s) (Image1)

Estimate AU$4,000

Mint selection comprising De La Rue Paper 1d green SG 108d with Split Upper Frame, 2d dull lilac Perf 13 SG 109b (very large stamp; tiny aging mark) & Perf 12 SG 109ba and 4d dull rose-red Perf 13 SG 110e, Saunders Paper with Single-Lined Numeral Wmk 1d yellow-green Perf 13 SG 120a & Perf 12 SG 120b (small thin) and 6d blue Perf 13 SG 122 (aged), Emergency Printings 1d with Wmk '4' SG 125 (regummed), 2d grey with Wmk '4' SG 127 (very fine), and Double-Lined Numerals 1d yellow-green with Wmk '1' SG 153, and on V/Crown Wmk Paper Perf 13 1d grass-green SG 131e (very fine) & 1d green SG 131g (regummed), 2d red-lilac SG 132g, 3d orange SG 134c & 3d yellow-orange SG 212, 4d rose SG 135, 6d deep blue SG 136 & 6d blue SG 136a and 8d purple-brown/pink SG 137a (regummed), Perf 12 1d grass-green SG 142a, 3d orange SG 143a & 6d blue on Glazed Paper SG 145d and Perf 12½ 3d dull-orange SG 149 pair (minor creases), also '½/HALF/½' Surcharge on 1d green Perf 13 SG 174 (very fine), and Wmk '10' 8d purple-brown Perf 13 SG 192a (very fine), all with large-part original gum except as noted, condition variable but the majority are fine to very fine, Cat £3900+ minimum; counting 'normal' shades for those where the present shades are unpriced mint.  (26) (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,500

Unused (no gum) selection comprising De La Rue Paper 1d bluish-green SG 108c, 1d green SG 108d on Very Thin Paper, 2d mauve SG 109c, 2d rose-lilac Perf 13 SG 109d with Queen's Profile Doubled, 3d lilac Wmk '8' SG 118 and 8d orange SG 112 (small surface fault), Saunders Paper 1d yellow-green Perf 12x13 SG 120 & Perf 12 SG 120b and 10d purple/pink Perf 12x13 SG 123a (a few nibbled perfs), Tasmanian Double-Lined Numerals Wmk Paper 2d lilac Wmk '4' SG 155 & 4d pale rose SG 114a (perfs trimmed at base), and V/Crown Wmk Paper Perf 13 1d yellow-green SG 131b, 1d pale-green SG 131d, 1d grass-green SG 131e, 2d mauve SG 132f, 4d rose SG 135f, 6d milky blue SG 136j and 1/- blue/blue SG 138, condition a little variable - a few with minor surface blemishes - but most are fine to very fine, apparently all unused, Cat £4400+ minimum.  (18) (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

Watermark varieties comprising De La Rue Paper with Single-Lined Numerals 1d green Inverted x3, Reversed & No Wmk, 2d Inverted x2, Reversed (with Flaw on Queen's Forehead) & Inverted Reversed (small thin) plus a pair with '[VICT]ORIA' Marginal Wmk, 4d Inverted & Marginal Lines Only and 1/- No Wmk, Saunders Paper 8d purple-brown Wmk '10' 'VIC[TORIA]' Marginal Wmk, 10d purple/pink Inverted, 10d brown/pink Inverted, 1/- Inverted x2, Reversed & No Wmk, and '9/NINEPENCE/9' Surcharge on 10d Inverted, Reversed & Inverted Reversed, also Emergency Printings 1d Double-Lined '1' Inverted, 4d Double-Lined '4' '[POS]TAG[E]' Marginal Wmk, 6d Double-Lined '1' Variety Straight Serif on '1' and 6d 'SIX/PENCE' Inverted, V/Crown Wmk Paper Perf 13 1d green Inverted & No Wmk, 2d grey Marginal Lettering, 3d orange Inverted, 4d rose Inverted, 6d blue Inverted x3 (various shades) & Reversed and 1/- blue/blue Inverted, and Perf 12 1d green Inverted and 3d orange Inverted (a few trimmed perfs), condition variable but most are fine to very fine. Geoff Kellow states at pages 20-22 that "With a few exceptions ... inverted watermarks from the period 1860-1882 are very scarce to rare...Reversed watermarks ... stamps printed on the wrong side of the paper ... are usually very scarce to rare". A very desirable assembly, none of which are listed by Gibbons.  (41) (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,200

Double Perforations comprising Numerals Wmk 3d lilac SG 118 (at right), 8d orange SG 112 (at right) & 10d purple/pink SG 123 (at left) and V/Crown Wmk 1d green SG 142a (at right), 3d dull orange SG 143 (at left) and 3d orange SG 143a (at base), a couple with minor aging marks or small blemishes. A very scarce & desirable group. (6) 

Grade A/B (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

De La Rue Paper Single-Lined Numerals Watermark 1d pale green Compound Perf as SG 108a but Perf 12x12½, neat partial duplex cancel, unpriced by Gibbons mint or used. [Submitted to the RPSofV for expertising] IMPORTANT: Geoff Kellow advises at page 148 that "the perf 12 machine broke down in late September 1864. A machine gauging 12½ was borrowed from J Ferres, the Government Printer, and used to complete sheets part-perforated by the 12 machine. [Examples] are very scarce". Both were single-line machines, so it stands to reason that both Perf 12½x12 and Perf 12x12½ examples (and irregular compounds thereof - see Lot 979 below) could have been created. The only other example we have offered - Perf 12½x12 - sold at our auction of 19.11.2011 for $529. 

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

De La Rue Paper Single-Lined Numerals Watermark 1d deep green Perf 13 as SG 108c but with No Watermark and with Double Strike 'NE' of 'ONE' & Weak Upper Right Corner, unused, Cat £100+ for normal Wmk '1' stamp.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

De La Rue Paper Single-Lined Numerals Watermark 1d deep green Perf 13 as SG 108ea but with No Watermark and with unlisted Irregular Compound Perf 13x13x13x12½, a few slightly uneven perfs, small-part Barred Numeral cancel. The perforation variant is not recorded by Geoff Kellow. The irregular perforation measures just over 12 which, according to Geoff Kellow, is listed as Perf 12½. Les Molnar's example sold at our auction of 29.6.2012 for $201. [Submitted to the RPSofV for expertising]

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

De La Rue Paper Single-Lined Numerals Watermark 1d bright yellow-green Perf 13 SG 108f, very well-centred, large-part original gum with minor blemishes, unpriced by Gibbons for unused. Geoff Kellow states at page 149 that "copies on De La Rue paper in a distinctive bright yellow-green shade ... are known. They are rare ... probably the result of using a final very small remainder of the De La Rue paper".

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

De La Rue Paper Single-Lined Numerals Watermark 1d pale green Perf 12 as SG 108 but with No Watermark except Partial 'Cross' at Lower-Right, large-part Barred Numeral '239' of Dunolly, a couple of slightly uneven perfs & a tiny light mark at upper-right. Geoff Kellow states at pages 21-22 that "the single-lined numeral paper had quite wide left and right margins which were blank apart from a watermark 'cross' placed centrally ... this is the explanation for the no watermark varieties ... copies with the 'cross' watermark, which should occur ten times less frequently, are rare".

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

De La Rue Paper Single-Lined Numerals Watermark 2d violet Compound Perf 12½x12 SG 109ab, large-part (disturbed) original gum, Cat £750. The compound perforation is derived from partly-perforated sheets completed with the Ferres machine: see Lot 977 above. Les Molnar's similar unused example sold at our auction of 29.6.2012 for $690. [Submitted to the RPSofV for expertising]

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

De La Rue Paper Single-Lined Numerals Watermark 2d violet Perf 12½ SG 109ac, tiny mark on reverse does not detract from the fine facial appearance, unused, unpriced by Gibbons unused or used. RPSofV Certificate (2024). This perforation stems from the Ferres machine: see Lot 977 above. Geoff Kellow states at pages 154-155 that on the 2d value, this machine "is found used to perforate whole sheets in both directions, as well as to complete sheets part-perf 12. Both varieties are rare". 

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

De La Rue Paper Single-Lined Numerals Watermark 2d dull violet Perf 13x12 SG 109da, wide margin at right, Cat £13+. Gibbons amalgamate Perf 13x12 and Perf 12x13 in the one entry. However, Perf 12x13 stamps are relatively common (the basis for the catalogue pricing), whereas Geoff Kellow states at page 155 that "Perf 13x12 also occurs, but is very rare". RPSofV Certificate (2024). 

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

De La Rue Paper Single-Lined Numerals Watermark 4d dull rose Perf 12 SG 110 with 'VICTORIA' Omitted at Top, neat partial duplex '3' cancel of Castlemaine well clear of the void area. Unlisted by Gibbons. RPSofL Certificate (1963). Ex JRW Purves, Rodney Perry and Gary Diffen: sold for £840; sold at our auction of 5.8.2021 for $1590. A very fine example of this extraordinary error, caused by degrading of the 'make-ready' during printing & noted by Geoff Kellow at page 162 as being "constant until a new make-ready was prepared which, in view of its rarity, must have been quite quickly". Only three examples recorded.  

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,500

De La Rue Paper Single-Lined Numerals Watermark 4d dull rose-pink Compound Perf 12½x12 SG 110cb, quite well-centred, Melbourne duplex of 'MY-26/64', unpriced by Gibbons unused or used. RPSofV Certificate (2024). Such compound perforations are derived from partly-perforated sheets completed with the Ferres machine: see Lot 977 above. Geoff Kellow states at page 163 that "such stamps are naturally of some rarity". We have no explanation for the apparent use of this machine on a stamp dated four months before its supposed implementation, other than to comment that the date may be incorrect (which would be a highly unusual occurrence for cancels used at the GPO). 

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

De La Rue Paper Single-Lined Numerals Watermark 4d dull rose-pink Compound Perf as SG 110cb but Perf 12x12½, quite well-centred, light duplex cancel, tiny corner crease at lower-right, unpriced by Gibbons unused or used. This stamp is derived from partly-perforated Perf 12 sheets completed with the Ferres machine: see Lot 977 above. [Submitted to the RPSofV for expertising]

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

De La Rue Paper Single-Lined Numerals Watermark 4d dull rose Compound Perf 12½x12 as SG 110cb but an unlisted shade, very large stamp, overlapping strikes of Melbourne duplex of 'SE24/64', unpriced by Gibbons unused or used. RPSofV Certificate (2024). This stamp is derived from partly-perforated Perf 12 sheets completed with the Ferres machine: see Lot 977 above.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

De La Rue Paper Single-Lined Numerals Watermark 4d dull rose Compound Perf as SG 110cb but Perf 12x12½ in an unlisted shade, light numeral cancel, unpriced by Gibbons unused or used. RPSofV Certificate (2024). This stamp is derived from partly-perforated Perf 12 sheets completed with the Ferres machine: see Lot 977 above.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

De La Rue Paper Single-Lined Numerals Watermark 4d rose-red Perf 13 SG 110e (or possibly Saunders Paper SG 121) vertical strip of 5 from the right-hand side of the sheet with wide right-hand margin and almost-complete marginal inscription 'Hundred and Twenty Stamps in each Sheet [Va]lue Two Po[unds]', tied to 1865 envelope from Snowy Creek (poor markings) to Switzerland, Melbourne backstamp of DC16/65, French 'POSS ANG V SUEZ/A MARSEILLE F' mailboat sorter & 'PD' both in red on the face, the stamps are damaged from being affixed at/over the edge of the envelope. Not recorded in Ben Palmer's Census. Plus two fine single 4d stamps with 'One Hundred and ...' from a different setting of the marginal inscription. Despite its condition, the cover is a very important item. Geoff Kellow states at page 111 that Robinson included these marginal inscriptions on his plates from December 1858, and that there were different settings (including in capital letters on the 4d Beaded Oval). He adds "stamps showing part of the imprint are rare". In the Laureates, marginal inscriptions are found on 2d and 4d values only, and were discontinued in late-1864. Note: all examples illustrated by Geoff Kellow - and the 'pair' included here - have the word 'One' preceeding 'Hundred', but this is omitted from the inscription on the strip.   (cover + 2 stamps)

Grade C (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

De La Rue Paper Single-Lined Numerals Watermark 10d grey Watermark '8' SG 113 with Major Retouch of the Right-Hand Frame at Top (Producing a Solid Block of Colour), Melbourne duplex clear of the variety, Cat £150+ for normal. Geoff Kellow states at page 174 that "One unit from the top row of the sheet [of 120] showed the Greek border at upper right in solid colour in the printing in grey and early printings in brown on pink ... later printings show the area re-engraved".

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

De La Rue Paper Single-Lined Numerals Watermark 1/- pale blue/blue as SG 113 but Irregular Compound Perf 13x13x13x12½, perfs just cutting into the design at top & right, light Melbourne duplex, two small hinge thins do not affect the fine facial appearance. Unlisted by Gibbons and unrecorded by Geoff Kellow. The irregular perforation is in the same gauge as the Ferres machine borrowed from the Government Printing Office in late-Sept/early-Oct 1864 (see Lot 977 above), but this is known used only on 1d 2d & 4d values from that period. The first printing of this stamp did not occur until early 1865. [Submitted to the RPSofV for expertising]

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

Perkins Bacon Paper Double-Lined Numerals Watermark Emergency Printings on Tasmanian Paper 4d deep rose as SG 114 but Irregular Compound Perf 12x12½x12x12, a huge stamp with Castlemaine '3' duplex. Unlisted by Gibbons and not recorded by Geoff Kellow, who states at page 164 that this issue exists "perf 12 only". The only likely explanation is that this item is derived from a partly-perforated sheet completed with the Ferres machine, borrowed from the Government Printing Office in late-Sep/early-Oct 1864, but apparently also used earlier: see Lot 977 above. [Submitted to the RPSofV for expertising]

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

TH Saunders Paper Single-Lined Numerals Watermark 10d dull purple/pink as SG 123 but Irregular Compound Perf 13x12½x13x13, the line of irregular perfs well into the design at right resulting in an unusually narrow stamp,a few trimmed perfs at the top, small-part duplex. Unlisted by Gibbons and unrecorded by Geoff Kellow. The irregular perforation is in the same gauge as the Ferres machine: see Lot 977 above. The first printing of this stamp did not occur until early 1866. [Submitted to the RPSofV for expertising]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$150

TH Saunders Paper Single-Lined Numerals Watermark Emergency Printing on Numeral '6' Watermark 1d bright yellow-green SG 126, mis-perforated and cut from the sheet at the top to preserve the design, large-part original gum, Cat £325.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$150

V/Crown (W19) Watermark Perf 13 1d yellow-green as SG 131b but Irregular Compound Perf 13x12x13 x13, superb Melbourne duplex. Unlisted by Gibbons and unrecorded by Geoff Kellow. [Submitted to the RPSofV for expertising]

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$200