Bahamas

Bahamas Postal Stationery 1881/1971: The extraordinary Gold Medal collection offered intact (396 items), with Postal Stationery Cards from 1881 with 1½ d. rose cards mint and used (6), 1883 with De La Rue Die Proofs (2) in black on white glazed paper inset into thick card and another on brown Day-book card with manuscript "April 24, 6 Leads, 1883" alongside (unique), issued card study with 1½ d. + 1½ d. carmine with "Double Surcharge" varieties mint (4, one on reply side only), together with misplaced surcharge examples mint, 1892 locally surcharged 1 d. on 1½ d. cards mint (2) and used (2), 1892 De La Rue hand-painted Essay for the 1 d. carmine card with the background picked out in Chinese white with "Approved, 14th April 1892" in manuscript (unique), thereafter with SPECIMEN and used examples incl. one from INAGUA, 1902 hand-painted Essay ex De La Rue with "BAHAMAS" and "ONE PENNY" picked out in Chinese white and signed by Sir W. H. Mercer (unique, ex Vestey); page from the Madagascar archives with 1 d. cards optd. SPECIMEN and struck by circular "Madagascar / Collection de Berne" cachets in red, further cards (4) with SPECIMEN in differing sizes in black; the believed unique illustrated 1 d. card with b&w picture of family from Grant's Town, 1934 De La Rue Essay for 1½ d. brown card with "Golf" and "Beach" proposals for illustrations with both the original photos used and the reduced examples (unique); 1½ d. brown card with clear first impression marked 'App'd' ex De La Rue archives; 1938 George VI De La Rue Die Proofs in black for the 1½ d. brown card one with 'App'd' ex archives; 1½ d. brown card optd SPECIMEN and cancelled by circular POSTAL SERVICE / H.M.B. DEPARTMENT CACHET in blue (Home Mail Branch) - rare, believed that just 3 can exist; 2 d. grey card with framed De La Rue "FILE" handstamp in violet and "Apprd. for Die Colour" in manuscript (unique); locally surcharged 2 d. on 1½ d. brown card unused and used (both are of great rarity); 2 d. carmine card with framed De La Rue "FILE" handstamp in violet and "Apprd." in manuscript (unique); Postal Stationery Envelopes with 1880 De La Rue Essay on tracing paper for 4 d. design hand-painted in purple, lilac and Chinese white (unique), De La Rue embossed Die Proof for 4 d. in black with uncleared surround dated 13 Oct 1880 (unique), further 4 d. Die Proof inset in card on buff paper and the original specifications of the order in manuscript and envelope marked 'A' as sample, unused and used examples, 2½ d. red surcharge on 4 d. env. with study of rare "Double Surcharge, One Albino" on two envelopes, rare black 2½ d. surcharge group of June 1891 (5 unused and two used) and one with no new value indicated unused; rare red 2½ d. surcharge group of June 1891 (3), 1892 2½ d. De La Rue Proofs in vermilion (2) for 2½ d. blue envelopes and 2½ d. blue ex 'Madagascar' archive, 2½ d. blue env. up-rated sent registered to New York, 1901 Staircase envelope De La Rue Proof in black and three DLR Proofs of envelopes to be utilised with annotations; DLR Proofs for 1 d. envelope in scarlet (2), 1 d. env ex 'Madagascar' archives, and further SPECIMENS, Edward VII 1902 De La Rue Proof in vermilion for 2½ d. envelope issued in blue and a photographic file Essay ex archives; Registered Postal Stationery envelopes 1893 De La Rue Essay on tracing paper for 2 d. design hand-painted in blue, grey and Chinese white (unique), embossed Proof for 2 d. value in vermilion, 2 d. up-rated used examples (7) size G; and extraordinary 1897 usage of K size envelope with block of four 2½ d. adhesives registered from Nassau (H&G C1b), 1902 De La Rue embossed Die Proof for 2 d. in vermilion (unique) and photographic file copy ex DLR archives; 1913 De La Rue embossed Die Proof for 2 d. in vermilion (unique), 1930 De La Rue embossed Die Proof for 3 d. in vermilion (unique) and photographic file Proof ex archives, 1938 De La Rue embossed Die Proof for 2 d. in red (unique), 1954-1973 issues with complete range of unused (incl. 1973 7 c. envelope with 'albino' impression) and used examples; Postal Stationery Airletters with range of unused, SPECIMENS and used from 1943 onwards incl. 7 d. orange with De La Rue Proof example marked Approved and with framed 'FILE' handstamp in violet, internal private advertising for the 'Cellars Wine Shop', 1963 8 d. Airletter with 'stamp' misplaced upwards unused and used, 8 d. Airletter with rare 'Vignette Omitted' variety unused and used, 1965 Airletter 8 d. with "Queen's Head and Value (Grey) Omitted" unused, 8 d. airletter with variety 'blue and grey omitted' unused (2) with lovely range through to 1980; International Reply Coupons with unique Bahamas 3 d. imperforate block of four (ex King Farouk collection) and 1907 incoming usage from GB. The whole with a large range of unused and used examples with no space to mention incl. cancellation interest (Sweetings Cay usage), unmounted duplication and newer additions, owner's notes and Gisburn's 'Bahamas'. A truly wonderful and brilliantly complete collection with many entirely unique items, of museum quality.  ⇒ Download the complete collection as PDF-file here ⇒