Great Britain and British Commonwealth Numeral Cancellations
Sale No: 250
Lot No:806
Symbol:S
Cat No:32
70: First Allocation of Pockataroo (?), largely superb strike on very fine Sydney View Plate IV 2d Prussian blue SG 32 (full margins; Cat £200). Rated RRRR. [Hugh Freeman states '70' was allocated "in error" to Pockataroo, and forwarded to Breeza (1) PO 1.10.1850; closed -.7.1851. He notes that Breeza (2) opened 1.4.1856. Interestingly, Hopson & Tobin record that date as the only opening for Breeza. They do not record Pockataroo at all, which is an uncharacteristic omission]
466: First Type Rays '466' of Cameron's (?) largely very fine strike on DLR Crown/NSW 1d. Previously unrecorded, so rated RRRRR. An enigma: Cameron's PO 1.2.1867; closed 31.10.1868. However, the Crown/NSW watermark was not introduced until 1871. In addition, Hugh Freeman recorded a Barred Numeral '466', of a type issued only from 1876. The evidence suggests that Cameron's did not close in 1868 or, that either the name was changed or '466' was allocated to another, as yet unknown, office.
1430: '143[0]' large-part strike of 'BLAKEHURST' with almost fine cds of MY13/1895 (ERD) at lower-right, on 3d Jubilee Postal Card to Germany with Leipzig arrival cds, minor blemishes Rated RRRRR. Even though the '0' is almost indiscernible, this is a better example than the unconvincing strike illustrated by Hugh Freeman, and at least this strike is confirmed by the cds 'tie'.
VICTORIA: Butterfly '1/V' of Melbourne almost fine impressions on Sydney Views 1d without Clouds SG 3 & 1d with Clouds SG 8 (both fine with full margins, Cat £950). Very scarce usages from loose ship letters. (2)
Highly rated selection of Barred Numerals on Kangaroos & KGV Heads comprising '144' (rated RRRRR in CofA period), '201' (RRRR in CofA period), '216' (RRRRR in CofA period), '258' (not recorded in CofA period), '313' (RRR in CofA period), '353' (RRRR in CofA period) on 6d blue, '407' (RRRRR in CofA period), '489' (RR in CofA period), '518' (RRRR in CofA period), '620' (RRRRR in CofA period), '622' (RRR in CofA period) on 4d orange, '623' (RRRR in CofA period), strikes are all obvious to superb.