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$1,000

Box of commercial & philatelic covers including 1915 with Small Canoes set to 5/- & 'SHORTLAND' cds, 1937 mission cover from Buka Passage (New Guinea) with Undated Bird 3d tied by 'SHORTLAND ISLD' cds, 1939 to NSW cancelled with Brisbane 'PAQUEBOT' slogan, a group of WWII items with censor handstamps including from 'GIZO' & 'SHORTLAND ISLD', lots of postmark interest including on registered covers some of them with rubber Postal Agency datestamps, two unclaimed covers from Australia with large 'RETOUR/...' cachet, domestic & international airmail covers including two from Barakoma Airfield, several FDCs including 1939 KGVI Pictorials set, etc, condition generally fine to very fine.  (200+) (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

Batch of commercial airmail covers with domestic usages x28 including many huge Postal Agency datestamps; and international to Australia x9 including 1957 paid 1/2d but well overweight & taxed 2/4d with Postage Dues 2d pair & 1/- x2 affixed and 1975 usage of 8c Fisherman Aerogramme uprated to 9c, PNG x3, NZ x4, GB x4 at 1/7½d (1938 from 'SHORTLAND ISLD/...' , paying 1½d surface to Sydney + 1/6d air to GB; superb), 3/- 3/6d or 3/9d, France x3 at 3/5d 3/6d or 4/6d, Canada at 1/8d, India at 1/7d, SWA at 3/6d, and United States x13 including at 3/2d x3 (one registered) 3/6d or 3/9d plus 1954 PPC at 1/8d and 1968 Printed Matter with 10c on 1/- x3, mostly fine to very fine. An excellent basis for a serious study of rates & destinations.  (67) (Image1)

Estimate AU$850

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$1,200

1898 stampless OHBMS cover with the heading scored-through & 'WESTERN PACIFIC HIGH COMMISSION' imprint at lower-left signed "CM Woodford Solomon Ids 5 Apl 1898", to the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, Sydney arrival duplex & 'POSTAGE PAID SYDNEY/...' cds both of JU20/98, Edinburgh arrival backstamp of JY25/98, repairs to opening tears across the flap & at centre-top.  *FKS 19* Ex Don Franks: the frontispiece to his book, and sold in 2016 for £2070. RPSL Certificate (2008). Charles Morris Woodford was the first Resident Commissioner, serving in the role between 1896 & 1915. This is the second-earliest outgoing cover from the Solomons, and the only one with the 'POSTAGE PAID SYDNEY' cds. Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick Bailey served in India where he established India's first Forestry School, at Dehra Dun. Returning home to Scotland, he lectured in Forestry at the University of Edinburgh. (Image1)

Estimate AU$3,000

1906 official cover with 'GOVERNMENT RESIDENCE/TULAGI' embossed diagonally in blue on the flap, from Charles Woodford to his wife in Kent with light but obvious strike of the boxed 'BRITISH/SOLOMON/ ISLANDS/PAID' handstamp & largely fine 'TULAGI/24/SP06/BRITISH SOLOMON IDS' cds (scrambled date slugs) alongside, the reverse with 'SYDNEY/OC8/06' transit & 'TONBRIDGE/NO12/06' cds, minor blemishes & light aging. *FKS38* Don Franks recorded five other similar covers. (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

1907 commercial cover front to a Sydney suburb with fine strikes of the boxed 'BRITISH/SOLOMON/ ISLANDS/PAID' handstamp & 'TULAGI/FE11/1907/BRITISH SOLOMON IDS' cds, at Sydney assessed as a double-rate letter with QV 2d pair affixed & tied by cds of FE25/07, minor blemishes & overall aging. *FKS55* Ex Stan Jersey. This is the only double-rate item and - with two pieces of the same date - the latest recorded pre-stamp item: the Large Canoes were issued three days later, on 14.2.1907. (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

1907 (Mar to Aug) commercial pieces each with Large Canoe 2d tied by Tulagi cds and NSW QV 2d tied by Sydney cds. *FKS65* (minor blemishes) *85* (very fine) and *92* (tonespots). Combination frankings were no longer required after 3.9.1907, on which date the Solomons was admitted to membership of the Universal Postal Union (UPU).   (3 pieces) (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1907 official cover with 'GOVERNMENT RESIDENCE/TULAGI/BRITISH SOLOMON ISLANDS' embossed in blue diagonally on the flap, in Charles Woodford's hand to Rev CC Tancock (headmaster at Tonbridge School) with Large Canoe 2d indigo tied by one of two light strikes of the 'TULAGI' cds of AU8/1907, at Sydney QV 2d affixed & tied by cds of 19AU07, 'TONBRIDGE/SP21/07' arrival backstamp, redirected with a different Tonbridge cds of SP23/07 & 'STAMFORD' arrival backstamp of the same date, repaired opening tear across the flap. *FKS90* (Image1)

Estimate AU$2,000

1907 (July 1) philatelic cover to Saxony with Large Canoes ½d to 1/- SG 1-7 complete (the ½d & 1d on the reverse, Cat £375 for used) tied by poor to good strikes of the Tulagi cds, 'REGISTERED/JY16/07/SYDNEY NSW' cds also ties the 2½d & 1/-, NSW 2½d & 3d added partly across the private 'REGISTERED' handstamp tied by 'R'-in-vertical-oval, fine 'KOTZSCHENBRODA/19.8.07' backstamp, minor blemishes. *FKS82*. (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

1907 cover with 'GOVERNMENT RESIDENCE/GIZO/SOLOMON ISLANDS' embossed in blue diagonally on the flap, to Sydney (no arrival marking) with Large Canoe 2d tied by 'TULAGI/17OC/1907/'BRITISH SOLOMON IDS' cds. *FKS104* One of the very finest of all Large Canoe covers. The Gizo post office opened only on 6.1.1908. (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

1908 official cover with 'GOVERNMENT RESIDENCE/TULAGI/BRITISH SOLOMON ISLANDS' embossed diagonally in blue on the flap, from Charles Woodford to "Carlton Club/London" with Large Canoe 2d tied by Tulagi cds with Inverted Date 'FE20/1908', the reverse with machine transits of Sydney & London (APL1308), very minor blemishes still one of the finest Large Canoe covers. *FKS142*. Ex John Darnell: sold at our auction of 5.12.2003 for $2350. A high proportion of Large Canoe covers are philatelically inspired and/or addressed to stamp dealers. They are also greatly outnumbered by usage on postcards. (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,500

1908 (May) plain postcard to Denmark posted aboard S.S. 'Moresby' with Large Canoe 1d cancelled  with very fine 'SYDNEY/MY25/08/ 1 ' transit cds, very fine 'KOLDING/28/6' arrival cds & redirected to "Aarhus", light horizontal creasing & a minor repaired tear at left, the message signed "GAVUTU/Gerald C Wheeler/10 May 08" states "...I am going to the Solomon Islands on a scientific expedition & am just reaching them...till November...to study the natives..." and "...we have a mail only once a month...". *FKS 153* Ex John Darnell: sold at our auction of 5.12.2003 for $896. The sender was the British anthropologist Gerald Camden Wheeler. A gifted linguist, he spoke 13 ancient & modern European languages!, and was fluent in five. In 1912, he published a paper on the animist beliefs of the Solomon islanders. (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

1908 commercial cover to France with Large Canoe 2½d yellow-orange tied by Tulagi cds of AU25/1908, the reverse with Sydney transit of SP7/08 and faint 'NANTES' arrival, the flap removed & a couple of repaired minor tears. *FKS165*: sold at our auction of 8.9.1986 for $1400. Addressed to le Commandant de Recruitment, suggesting the sender thought service in the Foreign Legion was preferable to remaining in a remote area where cannibalism was still a thing. (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

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 313128, and also Lot 312608. (Image1)

Estimate AU$2,000

1908 philatelic cover to "Matupi" (German New Guinea) with Large Canoes ½d to 1/- SG 1-7 (Cat £375 x12+ on cover) tied by five light to very fine strikes of 'BRITISH SOLOMON ISLANDS/08/SE/16/ SHORTLANDS' cds (reversed date), blue/white 'TULAGI/BRIT SOLOMON IDS' R label & Tulagi transit of OC1/1908, the reverse with transits of Sydney of OC10/08 & large-part 'SIMPSONHAF[EN]/ DEUT[SCHE]/NEU-G[UINEA]/26 10/08' cds, vertical fold & some damage/repairs to the reverse. *FKS 175* The Shortland Islands are a small-group north-west of New Georgia. The PO opened on Faisi 1908; closed 1942 in anticipation of the Japanese Occupation. (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

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$1,000

1909 cover to "Handels-n Gerwerkekammer (= Chamber of Commerce & Trade)/Graz/Austria" with Large Canoe ½d 1d & 2d x2 tied by four of five light to fine strikes of 'BRITISH SOLOMON ISLANDS/JA8/1909/ GIZO' cds, blue/white 'TULAGI/BRIT SOLOMON IDS' R label across one of three fine strikes (one on the reverse) of Tulagi's straight-line 'REGISTERED.' handstamp, the reverse with Sydney transit of JA21/09 & 'GRAZ A/28[.I]I.09' arrival cds, very minor blemishes hardly detract from this handsome cover. Unlisted by Don Franks, who recorded only three Large Canoe covers from Gizo. (Image1)

Estimate AU$2,500

1909 marvellous real photo PPC of a group of jubilant natives mostly in Western dress, to Sydney with Large Canoe 1d tied by one of two fine strikes of the rare 'BRITISH SOLOMON ISLANDS/FE19/1909/AOLA' cds, faint bend otherwise superb. Ex Ted Proud. Unlisted by Don Franks, who states only five examples of the cds on cover have been recorded. This is the only recorded example on Large Canoe cover. Aola (1) 1908; closed late-1912. Aola (2) 29.10.1916; closed -.1.1919. (Image1)

Estimate AU$2,000

1909 social cover with 'GIZO STATION/BRITISH SOLOMON ISLANDS' embossed in blue diagonally on the flap, to NSW "Via Cooktown" with Small Canoe ½d strip of 4 tied by two of three light but discernible strikes of 'BRITISH SOLOMON ISLANDS/OC18/1909/GIZO' cds, the reverse with transits of 'COOKTOWN/NO7/09/...' & Sydney machine of NO19 and 'WOLLONGONG' arrival, small closed tear at the top. *FKS 258* (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1909 social cover to Surrey with Small Canoe 2d grey tied by a light but obvious strike of 'BRITISH SOLOMON ISLANDS/23NO/1909/GAVUTU' (4-digit year), poor 'WOKING/JA7/10' arrival backstamp, light toning mostly on the reverse. *FKS262* Gavutu is a small island, only 3km east of Tulagi Island. Coconut plantations were operated by Lever's Pacific Plantations Ltd. The office datestamp was used as a canceller before the post office opened in late-1907; closed 1914. Gavutu was a repatriation centre for islanders taken to Australia during the infamous 'blackbirding' operations (effectively slavery), and subsequently deported home between 1906 & 1908. (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

1910 commercial cover endorsed on the flap "Per SS Upolu/June 1910", to "Sir Robert Bear/Book Depot/.../Sydney" with Small Canoe 2d tied by very fine strike of the small sans-serif straight-line 'S.S. UPOLU.' handstamp (34x4mm) in blue overstruck with 'SYDNEY/JY11/10/ 19 ' cds, professionally cleaned leaving only minor blemishes. *FKS 210* (shown only as a small extract). The only recorded example on cover. See also Lots 312608 and 313127. The addressee ran a legitimate book shop, from which he also operated as Sydney's leading vendor of pornography. The 'Upolo' was built in 1891 for the Union Steamship Co of New Zealand, and subsequently sold to Lever Bros Plantations Ltd in 1903, and in 1911 to Brisbane Milling Co. In 1914, as HMAS 'Upolu', she was mother-ship for Submarines AE1 & AE2. (Image1)

Estimate AU$2,500

1910 official cover with Royal coat-of-arms in black (presumably mourning for KEVII, who died 6.5.1910) on the flap to Brisbane, with Small Canoe 2d tied by fine 'TULAGI/20AU/1910/...' cds, redirected with Maryborough duplex transit & 'PIALBA/SP5/10/...' arrival backstamps, minor blemishes. *FKS285* (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

1910 (Sep) commercial cover to Burns Philp in Papua with Small Canoe 2d grey tied by a largely very fine strike of the large sans-serif 'S.S. UPOLU.' straight-line handstamp (57x7mm) in blue, apparently missent to Sydney (backstamp of OC1/10) where blue crosses added to the face to highlight the intended destination, superb 'PORT MORESBY/15OCT10/PAPUA' arrival backstamp, professionally cleaned with only very minor blemishes that hardly detract from what is a great rarity of Pacific Islands philately; of ship mail; and of inwards mail to Papua. A famous cover. *FKS289* Ex Ray Baldwin and John Darnell: sold at our auction of 5.12.2003 (as I type this description, that is exactly 21 years ago) for $5880. Don Franks recorded only six other pre-1920 Solomons covers to Papua. See also Lots 313127 and 313128. (Image1)

Estimate AU$5,000

1910 social cover to Scotland with Small Canoe 1d red tied by one of two light but discernible strikes of 'BRITISH SOLOMON ISLANDS/11DE/13/GAVUTU' (2-digit year & with the month slug 'DE' inverted), poor Tulagi & very fine Sydney machine transits, light toning/staining. *FKS413* (Image1)

Estimate AU$300