1963: The Burrus Collection JAPAN, auction catalogue by Kanai Stamp Co., in outstandingly fresh condition, accompanied by ‘Floor Bid Ticket No. 000155’ and the ‘List of Prices Realized’. A most rare ensemble. The auction catalogue was produced in a numbered edition of only 1,000. This complete set is rarely offered together and represents a great rarity for both collectors and bibliophiles (Image)

1871/72: Small first issues group with 48 mon. brown, vertically laid paper, Plate 1 unused (2 examples) imperforate in differing pale and deep shades and a used example with margin touched at base; 48 mon. brown, Plate 2 perf. unused; 100 mon. blue, Plate 1 used with good margins all round and 200 mon. orange, Plate 1, a fine used example but with slightly oxidised colour. A scarce group Scott = $ 1'335 (Image)

1871: 48 mon brown, Plate I, imperforate on laid paper, a used horizontal pair with good margins all round, tied by black chop to Jan 13, 1872 cover from Osaka to Sano, Izumi prefecture. The adhesives applied close to the edge of cover but a very fine and most appealing usage. Rare (Image)

1871: 100 mon deep blue, Plate I, imperforate on laid paper, a single example with large even margins all round, used on cover from Osaka to Fushimi, Yamashio prefecture, tied by fine large rectangular 'kensazumi' framed chop in black. Slight surface fault to the thin paper envelope but a remarkably attractive and scarce cover (Image)

1871: 200 mon vermilion, Plate I, imperforate, a vertical pair with good margins all round, used on 22 Oct 1872 cover from Osaka to Tokyo tied by small rectangular chops in black. Some insignificant slight ageing but an attractive and rare cover (Image)

1872/73: 10 sen blue-green on native wove paper, without syllabic, an unused example centred to right, but of rich colour for this stamp with slight ink smudge in value tablet, typical irregular perfs., fine, large part og. Signed Bühler Scott = $ 325 (Image)

1872/73: 30 sen grey on native wove paper, without syllabic, an unused example centred to right, but of good colour for this stamp, typical irregular perfs., vertical gum crack on large part og., a rare stamp Scott = $ 625 (Image)

The outstanding collection, originally held in an archive by the printer's Perkins, Bacon & Co. of London in their Chancery Lane safe deposit. This safe deposit also held the Perkins, Bacon records as well as Proofs and Essays for stamps and banknotes printed by the Company. The three volumes collection begins with a 1906 pen and ink drawing sent from Nepal to their British Agents, Keyes & Sons of Whitefriars Lane in London, showing the inscriptions desired for a 16 p. value (similar to the first issues of 1881) and a sample USA adhesive in purple for the colour to be used. The second unique Essay is in rectangular format and dated 1907, with manuscript at base 'bottom / wording for the sixteen pice stamps showing also / the bottom corners filled with required figures / required 150'000 stamps / colour blue'. Thereafter with Master Die Proof of 2 pice without corner denominations together with other Proofs (4) as the unique imperforate sheet of 200 for the 4 pice value divided by inter-panneau margin leaving 10 tête-bêche pairs as well as a further perforated Proof sheet of 100, again unique. The collection comprises all three issues with all values in different shades, perforated or imperforated together with some mis-perforated multiples: in total 37 Die Proofs, 64 blocks of imperforates (four or larger) incl. full sheets and 42 perforate/mis-perforate multiples incl. full sheets. Much of the material here has never been offered by retail or auction and there are many entirely unique items held back by Peter Holcombe for 'a rainy day'. The third volume contains 80 Sri Pashupati covers and 83 later covers. Careful viewing is highly recommended. Note: During the 'Blitz' on London in 1940, the Luftwaffe scored a direct hit on the Perkins Bacon building, resulting initially in a fire on the premises or what remained of them, followed by a soaking from London's firemen. This has affected much of the material in the volumes described below. However, much of the material remains unique and, as such, could even be termed as unique reference collection. Sold together with original photographs from Peter Holcombe's reference archive (Image)

1881/1918: Collection of stamps mounted on six album pages, featuring used and unused examples. This collection includes two examples of Mi. 1A (a & b), along with an assortment from Mi. 7 to 9. It also spans a range from Mi. 15 to 24, albeit with a few gaps. Notably, there is a sheet of 53 imperforate stamps, though some have faults. The collection also contains a small selection of later issues in unused condition. Two stock cards with further 20 imperforate stamps and a cover Overall, the condition is mixed with several stamps being fine. This is a valuable group (Image)

Philippines under Spanish rule, 1850/1945c.: Collection with early letters written on balsa wood and rolled into scrolls prior to sending, two "Hulak" mail covers, incoming 1864/69 covers from India to Nepal (5) showing rare "NEPAUL / P.O." double ring datestamps of arrival. 1871 incoming cover from Benares with "NEPAUL" single ring arrival in black, 1880/84 covers with "NEPAL" cds's in black, study of Kathmandu arrival postmarks, 100+ stampless covers from 1885-1935 with much cancellation interest and covers with 1 anna blue usages from the classic period, Sri Pasupati issues with specialised and well-written up section exhibtiting 79 covers incl. postal stationery, Tibet / India combination cover, a wonderful accumulation with quality, in the main, surprisingly fine throughout (Image)

1940/60ca: Selection of Court Fee revenue stamps incl. three large sized unused examples and 12 documents bearing these revenues in combination with postage stamps, partially devalued by punching, penstrokes or handwriting, in addition a telegraph formular with postage stamps. An appealing and attractive lot full of character (Image)

1881 (June): First Issue on European paper, 1 a. blue, 1 a. in a milky blue shade, 2 a. violet (two examples, one with a clearer impression) and a single 4 a. green, all with large margins all round, fresh and fine but from minute thin spots on the 2 anna values, unused without gum as issued. All signed Holcombe Gi = £ 1'250 (Image)

1886/1907: Small cover with 1886/89 4 a. bright green on fine quality native paper cancelled by PALPA barred obliterator, 1 a. blue on cover tied by Rautahat hexagonal handstamp; 1 a. blue on cover tied by Karnali barred handstamp in black, faults due to affixing used on the latter cover but a scarce group (Image)

1853: Cover from Manila to Binondo sent free of charges (until adhesive stamps were issued mail within the archipelago was sent without charge either for dsender or receipient as the Postal system was rarely utilised), struck on despatch with "MANILA / ISs. FILIPs." Baeza cds (July 7) in faded blue ink. Very few internal letters from this period are recorded (Image)

1856 (April 29): Entire letter from Manila to San Francisco endorsed "Via China" at top, with interesting contents concerning Hemp exports and payment for same: "careful that all Doubloons sent are of full weight, those of more than two grains deficiency entail a loss and those of ten grains and upwards are only saleable as old gold", struck with oval clamshell "SHIP / 6" and "SAN FRANCISCO / CAL" cds of receipt (July 17) in black. Scarce and fine entire (Image)

1863: 5 c. vermilion, imperforate, a very fine example (Edifil 11) with large margins all round and portion of adjoining stamp at left, used on 17 April 1863 single rate entire letter written from Masinloc (Zambales) to Binondo tied by superb oval framed "ZAMBALES / Tribunal de / Masinloc" handstamp in black. "MANILA / ISs. FILIPs." Baeza cds above (April 24). A wonderful entire, without doubt the finest of the three examples known of this cancellation on letter. Certs. Exfima (1990), Graus (1991) Scott = $ 3'000++. Provenance: Collection John Boker & Fritz-Walter Lange; "Filipinas", Soler y Llach, Barcelona,20 Feb 1992, lot 3148. For one of the other two examples known see Köhler, Sale 307, Wiesbaden, 29 Jan 2000 (Image)

1878/79: Alfonso 125 m. de peso blue, perf. 14 (Edifil 47), a single example used on reverse of 10 May 1880 cover to Madrid initially endorsed "via Marseilles", this erased and "pr. Leon" inserted, tied by lozenge of bars obliterator in black and by arrival (June 28). Scarce. Cert. Graus (1991) Scott = $ 250. Provenance: Collection Antonio Cuesta (Image)

1881: Derecho Judicial 10 c. bistre revenue overprinted "Habilitado / para / Correos" for postage (Edifil 66A), a single example used on 1881 cover to Calbayoc, Samar province tied by "MANILA" thimble cds (Feb 17) in black, with repeated fine strike on reverse. An exceptionally rare stamp in used condition (unpriced thus in Scott) and a fine cover. Cert. Graus (1996) (Image)

1890/97: Alfonso 1 c. blue-green, a used horizontal pair on 1898 cover endorsed "Interior" to Sn. Miguel, Manila tied by "CORREOS / MANILA" cds (May 9) in black. Slightest trim to envelope at right, backstamped in Manila. Scarce and very fine cover Scott = $ 500 (Image)

1890/97: Alfonso 2 c. ultramarine, two single examples and a horizontal pair used (Edifil 123) on cover front from package to Bantzen, Germany endorsed "Muestras sin valor" (Specimens without value) with large circular cachet, somewhat unclearly struck. Scarce. Provenance: Collection Antonio Cuesta (Image)

1890/97: Alfonso 24/8 c. blue, a used horizontal pair on 1890 cover to Cebú, tied by "CORREOS / ILOILO" cds a tad weakly in black. An unusual interior usage, due to the adjustment of postage rates on 22 April 1891 these adhesives were little used on cover and they were withdrawn on 28 June 1891. Scarce (Image)

1896: 3 . brown on yellow postal stationery card (H&G 11a), a used example to Hamburg handstamped "VIA MARSELLA" in violet and endorsed "pr. Santiago" in manuscript, with two "CORREOS / MANILA" despatch cds's (9 July 1896) in black. Hamburg arrival cds (Aig 11) alongside (Image)

1890: Telegrafos Issue 1 c. pale green (2), 5 c. rosine (4), 25 c. brown and 5 pesos blue-green (3) - these last being Postal Forgeries so the Telegram operator received a large bonus - all used on buff Telegram receipt from Manila to Barcelona tied by "CORREOS / MANILA" circular datestamps (April 22) in black. Receipt removed at lower left as usual, a rare and most unusual usage. Cert. Comex (2023) Edifil 25+27+31+34PF (Image)

Philippines in WWII, 1941: Great Britain 6 d. purple and 1 s. bistre-brown, four examples (Gi 470+475) all used on cover endorsed "By Air Mail via USA via North Atlantic, Trans Pacific Clipper", tied by "Launceston / Cornwall" cds's (Nov 17). "Opened By Examiner 1646" Censor Label at left and struck with "RETURNED TO SENDER / SERVICE SUSPENDED" in violet, "REBUTS" in violet and "POSTAGE REFUNDED" handstamp in black all on obverse. Reverse flap tear but rare - Pearl Harbour was attacked 8 December 1941, the Philippines fell to Japan on 9 April 1942. A scarce and appealing cover (Image)

Japanese Occupation 1942: 2 + 1 c. violet, 5 + 1 c. green and 16 + 2 c. pale vermilion, the set of three values on wove paper in vertical imperforate Proof pairs, "Produce and Preserve Food for New Philippines", the two higher values with vertical creasing (the sheets were initially found rolled up, so this flaw is normal), the 2 + 1 c. violet, superb without the usual crease; without gum (Image)