Grosvenor Auction of British Empire and Foreign Countries Postage Stamps and Postal History, Sale 69 was held on November 16, 2011. The Sale comprised 1495 lots, including 1089 British Commonwealth lots. Total estimate of the sale was £530 740 - £649 310. Total estimate of all British Commonwealth was £375 770 - £458 390.
From total 1495 lots 77% were sold (1158 lots). From total 1495 British Commonwealth lots 75% were sold (819 lots).
Total realization (exluding buyer's premium) was £681 770 with total average estimate £590 025 (15% above total average estimate). Total realization for British Commonwealth lots (exluding buyer's premium) was £394 345 with total average estimate £417 080 (5% below total average estimate).
| Chart 1. Total Lots in British Commonwealth and other contries |
| Chart 2. Total Realization for British Commonwealth and other contries |
The most represented countries from British Commonwealth were Falkland Islands (167 lots, total realization £63 985, average lot realization £383), Australian States (115 lots, total realization £59 365, average lot realization £516), Australia (34 lots, total realization £20 150, average lot realization £592), Saint Lucia (58 lots, total realization £17 590, average lot realization £303), Malayan States (38 lots, total realization £16 490, average lot realization £433), Malaysia (20 lots, total realization £16 380, average lot realization £819), Ceylon (23 lots, total realization £16 110, average lot realization £700), India (20 lots, total realization £13 480, average lot realization £674), South Africa (26 lots, total realization £12 610, average lot realization £485), Seychelles (132 lots, total realization £12 590, average lot realization £95), Gambia (56 lots, total realization £12 185, average lot realization £217).
| Chart 3. Total Realization for different British Commonwealth countries |
| Chart 4. Average Lot Realization for different British Commonwealth countries |
| Chart 5. Realization/Average Estimate Ratio (%) for different British Commonwealth countries |
The most underestimate lots were Lot 2104 (estimate £800-£1 000, sold for £9 000), Lot 2109 (estimate £800-£1 000, sold for £8 800), Lot 3492 (estimate £4 000-£5 000, sold for £12 000), Lot 2103 (estimate £1 200-£1 500, sold for £8 000), Lot 2108 (estimate £1 200-£1 500, sold for £7 000).
Below are presented the most valuable and outstanding lots.
| Australian States: Victoria: 1860-63 1d. pale yellowish green with error watermarked “FOUR PENCE”, used, small thin, otherwise fine and rare, as only two examples have been recorded and one of those is in the Royal Collection. Sold ‘as-is’ pending future certification. Ex Straus. S.G. 98b, cat. £8,000.. Sold for £4 800 plus buyer's premium. Lot 2315 |
| Australian States: New South Wales: 1850 (Jan.) Sydney View 1d. plate I without clouds, ten singles (one on piece with 2d.plate I) and a pair, used, also a vertical pair apparently unused, poor to good. Ex Straus.. Sold for £2 600 plus buyer's premium. Lot 2221 |
| Australian States: Tasmania: 1853 (Nov.) 4d. ten used singles (one apparently unused) and a pair, all with full margins, fair to fine. Ex Straus.. Sold for £2 300 plus buyer's premium. Lot 2306 |
| Australia: Officials: 1913 First Watermark £2 black and rose punctured large “OS”, large part original gum, extremely rare with only very few known. S.G. O15, cat. £30,000, A.C.S.C. 55b.. Sold for £8 000 plus buyer's premium. Lot 2358 |
| Australia: The Kangaroo Issues: 1915-28 Third Watermark 21/2d. indigo, plate 2, showing the rare and famous variety “1” missing in “1/2”, a used example with a slight crease and one pulled perf. at upper right, otherwise fine. This rare error was caused by an ink clog which completely obliterated the “1” but was quickly corrected. Only twelve used examples (one in the Royal Collection) and three mint are recorded. B.P.A. certificate (1972). S.G. 36ba, A.C.S.C. 11(2)i.. Sold for £4 500 plus buyer's premium. Lot 2341 |
| Australia: Officials: 1914-21 Second Watermark K.G.V heads: 5d. brown punctured small “OS”, very rare Harrison imprint strip of four, mint, some creasing, otherwise fine and fresh, scarce. S.G. O42c,. A.C.S.C. 123b.. Sold for £1 500 plus buyer's premium. Lot 2359 |
| British Guiana: 1853-59 imperforate Original Printing 1c. vermilion unused, part original gum with good to large margins, very fine. Ex Straus. S.G. 11, cat. £4,750.. Sold for £1 500 plus buyer's premium. Lot 2464 |
| Ceylon: 1861-64 clean-cut and intermediate perf. 14 to 151/2, 2s. dull blue in an unused (no gum) block of four, few minor imperfections, otherwise fine. Ex Straus. S.G. 37.. Sold for £880 plus buyer's premium. Lot 2501 |
| Falkland Islands: THE EARLIEST KNOWN COVER WITH FALKLAND ISLANDS STAMPS: 1878 registered cover to Belgium correctly franked by 6d. blue-green vertical pair with straight edge margin at left, tied by fine strike of the first cork cancellation ‘Early 4x2’ (Barnes 2/78), this the only recorded example on cover. Central “(crown)/REGISTERED” marking and red London “23 DE 78” transit oval datestamp below and arrival backstamps. The cover, with albino embossed Government Arms on flap and carried on the “Black Hawk”, was sent just a few months after the first stamps were issued and is in excellent condition. One of the most important Falkland Islands covers. Heijtz certificate (2011).. Sold for £12 800 plus buyer's premium. Lot 2594 |
| Falkland Islands: THE BLACK FRANK: 1873 envelope registered to England with clear strikes of the Black Frank, the “(crown)/REGISTERED” marking and F.1 “JA 3/1872” (error for 1873) c.d.s., rated “10d” and carried on the “Black Hawk”. Some small faults and part of flap missing, but one of the most attractive Black Frank covers. Only seven registered Black Franks covers recorded. R.P.S. certificate (1966). Barnes 2/73. Ex Ayre (1979), Laycock (1988).. Sold for £8 000 plus buyer's premium. Lot 2590 |
| Falkland Islands: THE RED FRANK: 1878 registered cover to England with clear strikes of the Red Frank, the “(crown)/REGISTERED” marking and F.1 “JA 2/1878” c.d.s., carried by the “Sparrow Hawk”. Some small faults and small part of flap missing, but the most attractive of the three recorded registered Red Frank covers. B.P.A. certificate (1974). Barnes 1/78. Ex ‘Stanley’ (1998).. Sold for £8 000 plus buyer's premium. Lot 2593 |
| Falkland Islands Dependencies: 1981 Plants 15p. Brown Rush, showing the rare variety light brown (Queen’s Head and Territory inscription) omitted, superb unmounted mint gutter plate pair, with normal for comparison. S.G. 93a, cat. £6,000+, EC FLD186a.. Sold for £3 500 plus buyer's premium. Lot 2757 |
| Gibraltar: A collection in an album with a selection of G.B. used in, 1886 to 1s. mint or used, 1886-7 set used (6d. mint), 1889, 1889-96 sets mint, 1903 values to 2s. (used), 4s., 8s., £1 mint, 1904-08 £1 mint, 1906-12 to 8s. mint (ex. 1/2d.), 1912-24 set mint, 8s., £1 used, 1925-32 to £5 mint, to £1 used, 1935 Silver Jubilee 3d., variety ‘extra flagstaff’ used, later issues to 1994, varied condition.. Sold for £2 400 plus buyer's premium. Lot 2917 |
| Hong Kong: 1863-71 Watermark Crown CC 18c. lilac and 24c. green wing margined, also 48c. rose-carmine, all unused (18c. part original gum), very fresh appearance. Ex Straus. S.G. 13, 14, 17a.. Sold for £1 350 plus buyer's premium. Lot 2926 |
| India: Airmails: 1911 (Feb. 18) Allahabad First Aerial Post rare special large postcard to Cardiff, depicting the pilot and machine, signed by the pilot “H. Pequet” franked 1/2a. (2) tied by magenta cachet, Allahabad Feb. 18. Card with slight faults, nevertheless very rare.. Sold for £2 500 plus buyer's premium. Lot 2961 |
| India: 1856-64 2a. yellow-buff variety imperforate, in a mint horizontal pair slightly heavily mounted, otherwise fine and fresh. S.G. 42a.. Sold for £1 700 plus buyer's premium. Lot 2951 |
| India: 1882-90 2a. blue with variety double impression, unused, part original gum. S.G. 92a, cat. £2,500.. Sold for £1 200 plus buyer's premium. Lot 2953 |
| Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika: 1954-59 20c. imperf. horizontal pair used with normal 5c., 10c., 30c. (10c., 30c. and 65c. on reverse) on 1957 registered cover to London. R.P.S. certificate (1995). S.G. 170a.. Sold for £2 700 plus buyer's premium. Lot 3020 |
| Malayan States: Selangor: A mainly mint or unused collection on leaves, incl. 1882-83 “SELANGOR” 2c. brown types (7), 1883-85 “SELANGOR” 2c. rose (7), 1885-91 “SELANGOR” 2c. rose (6), 1891 2c. on 24c. five types, 1895-99 to $5 less 50c. green and black, 1900 surcharges, 1935-41 to $5, 1941 $1, $2 and unissued $5, 1949-55 to $5, etc., fair to fine. (91). Sold for £1 150 plus buyer's premium. Lot 3083 |
| Malaysia: Straits Settlements: 1921-33 Watermark Mult. Script CA 5c. orange variety watermark sideways, a used vertical pair with 1924 (Apr. 30) cancellation, lower left corner crease otherwise fine, very rare. S.G. 225a, cat. £8,000.. Sold for £2 700 plus buyer's premium. Lot 3041 |
| Malaysia: Straits Settlements: 1867-72 96c. grey perf 121/2, overprinted “CANCELLED”, part original gum, slightly toned. Ex Straus. S.G. 19a.. Sold for £2 500 plus buyer's premium. Lot 3034 |
| Malaysia: Straits Settlements: 1867-72 12c. and 30c. pair, imperforate plate proofs in issued colours on gummed watermarked paper, also 30c. imperforate proof overprinted “CANCELLED” on wove paper. Ex Straus.. Sold for £2 100 plus buyer's premium. Lot 3033 |
| Malta: A mint and used collection in an album with 1886 5s. mint, 1903-04, 1904-14, 1914-21 sets mint, 1919 Watermark Mult. Crown CA 10s. mint with some gum disturbance and a horizontal crease, 1922 Self-Government complete, 1922-26 to £1 (both) mint, 1926 “POSTAGE” overprints mint and used, 1926-7, 1928 and 1930 sets mint, later issues to 1984, Postage Dues etc., varied condition.. Sold for £1 250 plus buyer's premium. Lot 3116 |
| Mauritius: 1848-59 “POST PAID” worn impression 2d. blue with “PENOE” for “PENCE” [7], used with “1” of Mahébourg in blue, fine used. Ex Straus. S.G. 20a, cat. £2,750.. Sold for £1 700 plus buyer's premium. Lot 3119 |
| New Guinea: A collection on leaves incl. 1925-27 values to 5s. (used), 1931 to £1, Air set to £1, 1935 £2, £5 mint, 1939 to 5s., £1 mint, Postage Dues etc., varied condition.. Sold for £800 plus buyer's premium. Lot 3145 |
| New Zealand: 1967 Decimal Currency 21/2c. unmounted mint vertical strip of five, centre stamp with deep bluish green omitted, the adjoining stamps with large part omission, minor creases, otherwise fine and rare. S.G. 848a, cat. £3,500+, EC NZL1696a ten known.. Sold for £1 750 plus buyer's premium. Lot 3155 |
| New Zealand: 1970-76 50c. with variety buff (shore) omitted, in a fine unmounted mint sheet of 100. Ex Sir Gawaine BaillieS.G. 932b, cat. £5,500 as singles, EC NZL1864d.. Sold for £900 plus buyer's premium. Lot 3156 |
| Saint Helena: A mint and used collection on leaves, issues from 1856 incl. 1861 6d. used, 1903 set mint, 1908-11 10s. mint, 1912-16 to 3s. mint, used values to 2s. 1922-37 Watermark Mult. Crown CA £1, Watermark Mult. Script CA to 15s. incl. 1/2d., 1d., 11/2d., 3d., 5d., 1s.6d all in mint horizontal pairs, one stamp showing ‘cleft rock’ variety, 1d., 1s. (used), 2s.6d variety ‘broken mainmast’ mint, additional 15s. overprinted “SPECIMEN”, 1934 Centenary set, later issues to 1984 largely mint, varied condition.. Sold for £1 950 plus buyer's premium. Lot 3216 |
| Saint Lucia: De La Rue Essays 1909-13, Large Format Composite Essay for proposed but unadopted bicoloured design depicting the harbour and forts with motto “Statio haud malefida carinis” (a safe anchorage for ships) and denominated 10s., stamp-sized with frame in deep blue-green, the vignette in violet and King’s head in deep blue-green both inserted by hand, mounted on board (89 x 115mm.) lettered “J”, endorsed “Colours reversed on Design” and dated “April 11th. 13”.. Sold for £1 800 plus buyer's premium. Lot 3259 |
| Seychelles: Cancellations and Covers: Village Datestamps: Takamaka, 1900 2c. orange-brown and green horizontal strip of three cancelled by two complete good to very fine strikes of “TAKAMAKA/3 3/03” c.d.s. with code C sideways, an extremely rare multiple with early date.. Sold for £900 plus buyer's premium. Lot 3357 |
| South Africa: Cape of Good Hope: 1861 ‘Woodblock’ 1d. (3) and 4d. (3), all with faults. Ex Straus.. Sold for £1 100 plus buyer's premium. Lot 3428 |
| South West Africa: 1980 Dams 20c. in an imperforate plate strip of five with variety 5c. value instead of 20c., very fine unmounted mint. S.G. 372 var, EC NAM744a, S.A.C.C.378a.. Sold for £880 plus buyer's premium. Lot 3456 |
Complete catalogue of this Sale with realizations you can find on website of Grosvenor Philatelic Auctions. The images and descriptions of the lots are copyright of Grosvenor Philatelic Auctions ©.
