1m to 10pi SG 1-9 mint set plus a few shades, 2m to 10pi vertical strips of the six distinctive types (1pi to 10pi are each singles x6), used set plus a few shades, and further used examples to 10pi with part- to large-part cds including 'CHALLAL-WADI-HALFA' (TPO), 'TRAVELLING POST OFFICE' (Desert Railway), 'ABU FAT[MAH]', 'BERBER', 'DONGOLA', '[K]ORTI' & 'MERAWI' etc, Cat £1600+. [NB: these stamps were issued before the British occupied Khartoum so they are found only with cancels of northern towns & Suakin]  (79) (Image1)

Estimate AU$800

1m (both shades) to 10pi SG 1-9 blocks of 4, large-part original gum with many units including the 5pi & 10pi lower pairs being unmounted, Cat £800+, for mounted singles. The similar Besancon' set of blocks sold for SFr793.  (9 blocks) (Image1)

Estimate AU$800

1m to 10pi SG 1-9 vertical strips of 6 comprising the six distinctive types, a couple of units with reinforced perfs & the last unit on the 10pi strip has been rejoined, large-part original gum with many units being unmounted, Cat £1200+, for mounted singles. Very scarce & desirable multiples from the authorised printings, not the later & lighter unauthorised emissions. [The illustration is above lot 2681]   (8 strips) (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

1m brown (with Current Number '1') to 3m orange SG 1-3 half-sheets of 60 (10x6) each comprising ten vertical strips of the six distinctive types, the 1m with interleaving adhering to most units and some wrinkling & toning at the base, the 2m & 3m are mostly very fine with large-part original gum and most units unmounted, Cat £420+, for mounted singles. Important specialist pieces, from the authorised printings, not the later & lighter unauthorised emissions: see Lot 2690. The 'Besancon' very fine 1m block of 30 only sold for SFr670. [The lot also includes a 3m block of 12 (2x6) with annotations of the six sub-types]  (4 blocks) (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

1m pale brown with the Overprint Inverted SG 1a, large-part original gum, Cat £225. The 'Besancon' single sold for SFr195. BPA Certificate (1949). (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

1m pale brown (minor blemishes) & 5m rose-carmine (very fresh) both with the Overprint Inverted SG 1a & 5a blocks of 4, large-part original gum, Cat £1900+, for singles. Rare multiples. BPA Certificate #12312 (now lost) for the 5m block. The 'Besancon' singles (the 5m creased) sold for SFr463. (2 blocks) (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,600

1898 (Jan 15) usage of Overprinted 5m Envelope to Kent uprated with 2m green & 3m orange tied by bilingual 'HALFA/...' cds, superb 'CAIRE/...' transit & 'WOOLWICH/FE1/98' arrival backstamp, minor blemishes & opened a bit roughly at the top. A late in-period usage: the first Camel Postman issue was released 1.3.1898. (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

1898 (Feb 4) philatelic cover with 1m to 1pi SG 1-6 tied by superb bilingual 'HALFA/...' cds, to "Head Quarters/Army of Occupation/Cairo" with Cairo & 'MILITARY POST OFFICE/CAIRO' backstamps both of 15.II.98. Delightful. (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

WADI HALFA PROVISIONAL SURCHARGE: '4 Milliemes' Handstamp in Blue on 5m rose-carmine, exceptional centring, small-part '[WADI HA]LFA' cds. Unlisted by Gibbons. John Gibson states that only ten examples have been recorded, all used at Wadi Halfa, indicating that this was a provisional issue at that town only. Ex Charles Hass (2007): sold for £399. (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

UNAUTHORISED REPRINTS: Misplaced Overprints on 1m x2 & on 2m pair & block of 4, and Overprint Inverted on 1m deep brown. Produced by the Egyptian civil servant Henri Cantel.   (9) (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

ESSAYS: 1897 small piece (46x32mm) with Arabic value inscriptions & numerals affixed to a larger piece of card (104x90mm), the first inscription crossed through & re-written to the left both in red, then "do" in black for each of the next three lines & at the base "only one pair of dots in millieme, not two", the card further endorsed "C" at upper-left & "July 2nd 97" at upper-right. The notations are in the hand of WE O'Leary, the Financial Secretary in Cairo. O'Leary placed the order for printing the eight denominations with Lord Kitchener's instruction that they be "slightly larger than the stamps of Egypt". Ex De La Rue Archives - illustrated by Frank Walton at page 6147 - Colonel JR Danson and Graham Cooper. (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

ESSAYS: 1897 (June) stamp-size photographic composite essay of the unadopted 2m frame in a delicate shade of blue superimposed on the Arab Postman design with Chinese white highlights including the unadopted inscription 'SOUDAN POSTAGE' & the central cartouche at the base. Superb. An exceptional introductory item for this and the subsequent issues. Ex De La Rue Archives - illustrated by Frank Walton at page 6147 - Colonel John Raymond Danson. This design was further developed as Proposal 'A', also illustrated at page 6147. The similar essay, ex 'Besancon', sold for SFr2400. (Image1)

Estimate AU$2,000

DIE PROOFS: 1897 progressive die proof for the unadopted vignette in black with uncleared borders & tablets and with white ellipses at the sides, on highly glazed card a little larger than stamp-size (25x30mm), miniscule white imperfections towards the top that appear to be on the die. Superb. Ex De La Rue Archives - not illustrated in Walton  - & William Hinde. (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

DIE PROOFS: 1897 progressive die proof for the unadopted vignette in black with uncleared borders & tablets and with white ellipses at the sides, on highly glazed card (92x60mm), handstamped '21SEP97' in blue & 'BEFORE/HARDENING' at the upper corners, a couple of very minor blemishes hardly detract from the very fine facial appearance. Ex De La Rue Archives - not illustrated in Walton - Colonel JR Danson and William Frazer: sold in 2004 for £402. (Image1)

Estimate AU$600

DIE PROOFS: 1897 progressive die proof for the vignette with uncleared borders & tablets and with white ellipses at the sides, on highly glazed card (92x60mm), handstamped '21SEP97' in blue and 'BEFORE/ STRIKING' at the upper corners. Superb. Ex De La Rue Archives: not illustrated in Walton. (Image1)

Estimate AU$800

DIE PROOFS: 1897 die proof for the vignette with uncleared borders & tablets, the white ellipses now removed, on highly glazed card reduced to a bit larger than stamp-size. Superb. Ex De La Rue Archives: not illustrated in Walton. (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

DIE PROOFS: 1897 die proof for the vignette with cleared borders & completed tablets, on highly glazed card (58x65mm), endorsed "658/12" at lower-right. Superb. Ex De La Rue Archives: not illustrated in Walton. (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

DIE PROOFS: 1897 die proofs for the adopted vignette in black on highly glazed cards (92x60mm), successively handstamped '27OCT97 - BEFORE/HARDENING' (amended), '29OCT97 - AFTER/ HARDENING' (the date amended), '29OCT97 - BEFORE/STRIKING' and '1NOV97 - AFTER/STRIKING' with the dates in blue. Superb: not even hinged on the reverse, and a very desirable 'set'. Ex De La Rue Archives - not illustrated in Walton - and William Hinde (all but the first). (4 proofs) (Image1)

Estimate AU$2,000

DIE PROOFS: 1897 die proof for the adopted 3m frame in black on highly glazed card (92x60mm), undated. Superb: not even hinged on the reverse. Ex De La Rue Archives: not illustrated in Walton. (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

DIE PROOFS: 1897 die proof for the adopted 5m frame in black on highly glazed card (92x60mm), undated. Superb: not even hinged on the reverse. Ex De La Rue Archives: not illustrated in Walton. (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

COLOUR TRIALS: 1897 1m imperforate colour trial singles for the 1m in all-different colour combinations on gummed unwatermarked paper, large even margins, mostly with large-part original gum. Most are superb. Ex De La Rue Archives - not illustrated in Walton - and three are ex Colonel Danson, Colin Boston and Sir Gawaine Baillie. The twelve similar 'Besancon' trials sold for SFr3415.  (11) (Image1)

Estimate AU$2,500

COLOUR TRIALS: 1897 imperforate colour trial singles for the 1m in brown & carmine-pink & 3m in violet & blue-green (small clear adhesion on the face) - both close to the issued colours - on Rosette Wmk paper, good even margins, with faint strikes of a small sans-serif 'SPECIMEN' handstamp applied centrally, disturbed gum. Ex De La Rue Archives - not illustrated in Walton. (2) (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

COLOUR TRIALS: 1897 imperforate colour trial single for the 5m in carmine & black on ungummed Rosette Wmk paper, margins good to large, with large seriffed 'SPECIMEN' handstamp applied centrally. Ex De La Rue Archives - not illustrated in Walton. (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

1898 1m to 10pi SG 1-8 blocks of 4, mostly well centred, a few split/reinforced perfs, lightly to very lightly mounted, Cat £600+, for singles. Scarce multiples.  (8 blocks) (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1898 5pi & 10pi SG 7-8 blocks of 10 (2x5), multiple 'WADI HALFA/SPS/17 I 99/...' cds, Cat £250+, for singles. Scarce multiples. Ex King Farouk.  (2 blocks) (Image1)

Estimate AU$250