tradition and experience in classic philately since 1919

Lot# 3653 - Auction 227-233

  • Lot# : 3653 Western Australia

    1 / 1
    1854 (Aug 1): 4 d. deep dull blue, a fine horizontal pair, First Printing, Sone 1, with close to large margins all round and showing portion of adjoining stamps above, tied by "11" numeral obliterator of Freemantle to an early double rate cover to Maidstone, Kent, dated at lower left "W. Australia 12. Sept. 1854" and again, alongside the adhesives "18/9/54" with oval 'POST OFFICE / Crown / FREEMANTLE / WESTERN AUSTRALIA' handstamp in red. Reverse with London and Maidstone datestamps (Dec 4 and 5) and rated at '1s.' to pay in manuscript. A remarkable and very early cover of great scarcity. Cert. Ceremuga (2018).rnrnNote: The stamps at this date are almost certainly from Stone 1. The pair on the letter are shifted impressions to the right of the frames which can be seen above, this is a characteristic of the ninth horizontal row of the sheet thus this pair is from Row 9 / Stamps 3-4 on the Intermediate Stone of 60 (or positions 163-164, 173-174, 178-179 depending on which pane they came from). It is also interesting to note that the early printings of August 1854 totalled 100 sheets, only 40 of which were used in the early months of issue, the rest were placed on one side to be condemned. However, these 60 sheets were to be issued again some ten years later.
    Starting bid : 7,500 CHF
    Hammer price : 7,500 CHF