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Lot# 5153 - Auction 284 - 290

  • Lot# : 5153 Lagos

    1874: De La Rue Master Die Proof with blank Duty Plate, printed in black on glazed white card and struck with "BEFORE HARDENING" and dated "Mar. 25, 1874" in black, lower right corner showing hand-painted Essay for "THREEPENCE" proposed Duty Plate in blue, manuscript notation above states "This is too small" and below "Mr. W.W.D. says larger" (William Warren De La Rue, 1847-1921). Mentioned in Ince & Sacher "The Postal Services of the British Nigeria Region" on page 67. Slight soiling but an important and extremely rare Proof.rnNote: The Colonel Danson collection contained a (faulty) Die Proof dated on the same day endorsed "Penny Halfpenny" in pencil manuscript and adated 1874, Sacher considered the date erroneous for 1879. According to Ince & Sacher just two dated Die Proofs are known.rnProvenance: Collection R.B. Yardley; Collection R.B. Sanderson, RL, London, 17 April 1980.rnrn 
    Starting bid : 2,500 CHF
    Hammer price : 2,500 CHF