tradition and experience in classic philately since 1919

Virgin Islands

Catalogue 285: British West Indies – The ‘BESANÇON’ Collection (part III)
Sort list :
  • Lot# : 3461 Virgin Islands

    1866: Composite Die Proof for 1 d. and 6 d. values, engraved on unwatermarked thick wove paper, the completed designs, printed in pale bluish green. Most of these Proofs were separated and sold singly (see RL Encyclopaedia, page 163). Attractive and very rare.
    Starting bid : 850 CHF
    Hammer price : 850 CHF

    Lot# : 3462 Virgin Islands

    Lithographed by Nissen & Parker 1866 (Dec): 6 d. deep rose on white paper, no wmk., perf. 12, an unused block of ten (2 x 5) from the sheet of 25 subjects, third stamp (Row 2, stamp 1) showing variety "Large "V" in Virgin", fresh colour and superb appearance, one minor perf. age spot on large part og. or unmounted og. Scarce Gi = £ 1'595+.
    Starting bid : 600 CHF
    Hammer price : 2,200 CHF

    Lot# : 3463 Virgin Islands

    Lithographed by Nissen & Parker 1867/70: 1 d. yellow-green on white wove paper, no wmk., perf. 15, an unused sheet of twelve subjects (3 x 4), with sheet margins all round but for tiny piece missing at upper right, fresh colour and superb appearance, one minor perf. age spot on large part og. or unmounted og. Rare Gi = £ 960+.rnProvenance: Collection Charlton-Henry.
    Starting bid : 500 CHF
    Hammer price : 1,300 CHF

    Lot# : 3464 Virgin Islands

    Lithographed & Typographed by Nissen & Parker 1867/70: 1 s. black & rose-carmine on greyish wove paper, no wmk., perf. 15, an unused example with typical blind perfs. at left and at right, fresh and fine, slight wrinkle on large part og. Scarce. Signed A. Diena Gi = £ 275.
    Starting bid : 140 CHF
    Hammer price : 140 CHF

    Lot# : 3465 Virgin Islands

    Lithographed by Nissen & Parker 1867/70: 4 d. lake-red on pale rose paper, no wmk., perf. 15, an unused block of four, marginal at base, large part og. A scarce and attractive multiple Gi = £ 220+.rnrnrn 
    Starting bid : 140 CHF
    Hammer price : 140 CHF

    Lot# : 3466 Virgin Islands

    Lithographed by Nissen & Parker 1867/70: 4 d. lake-red on pale rose paper, no wmk., perf. 15, an unused block of six (2 x 3) of fresh colour and showing the blank perforations, hinged for protection on fine, large part og. A scarce multiple Gi = £ 330+.rn 
    Starting bid : 160 CHF
    Hammer price : 160 CHF

    Lot# : 3467 Virgin Islands

    1867/70: 4 d. lake-red on pale rose paper, a single example used on 1886 cover to Washington DC, tied by "A91" obliterator in black. Reverse with 'Tortola' despatch cds (Jan 20), 'St. Thomas' transit cds (Jan 21), 'New York / Paid All' transit and Washington arrival with 'Carrier' datestamps (numbers 7 and 8) of February 4th. A rare stamp on letter.
    Starting bid : 500 CHF
    Hammer price : 1,200 CHF

    Lot# : 3468 Virgin Islands

    Frames Superimposed 1867: 1 s. black & rose-carmine on white wove paper, no wmk, perf. 15, an unused horizontal pair, marginal from left of sheet, well centred and of good colour, left hand stamp showing variety "Long-Tailed second  "S" in Islands" (Row 3, stamp 1), slight age spot on large part og. A scarce and attractive multiple Gi = £ 390+.
    Starting bid : 200 CHF
    Hammer price : 200 CHF

    Lot# : 3469 Virgin Islands

    Lithographed by De La Rue 1878: 1 d. yellow-green, wmk. Crown CC, an unused example with watermark upright, overprinted CANCELLED in black (Samuel Type D6a). Scarce and fine.
    Starting bid : 200 CHF
    Hammer price : 200 CHF

    Lot# : 3470 Virgin Islands

    1879/84: 1 d. emerald-green and scarce 2½ d. red-brown, wmk. Crown CC, fresh unused and 1883/84 set of four values, wmk. Crown CA, incl. both shades of the 1 d. and the 2½ d. ultramarine with "Watermark Inverted" variety, fresh unused, all with large part og. Gi = £ 595.
    Starting bid : 200 CHF
    Hammer price : 200 CHF

    Lot# : 3471 Virgin Islands

    1883/84: ½ d. olive-yellow, wmk. Crown CA, an unused block of four of superb fresh colour, fine large part og. with lower pair unmounted og. An extremely elusive stamp in a multiple Gi = £ 340+.
    Starting bid : 140 CHF
    Hammer price : 300 CHF

    Lot# : 3472 Virgin Islands

    1883 (Jan-Feb): De La Rue Proofs for the Keyplate design with ½ d. dull green, ½ d. rose (as used for 1 d. value) and ½ d. ultramarine (as used for 2½ d. value), all Imperforate on watermarked paper applied to cards ex the De La Rue archives, each overprinted CANCELLED in black (Samuel Type D7). For similar examples see "The De La Rue Collection" edited by Frank Walton RDP page 6506. Rare and very attractive, an important group.rnProvenance: Spink, London, 6-7 July 2005, lot 2094.
    Starting bid : 1,200 CHF
    Hammer price : 1,400 CHF

    Lot# : 3473 Virgin Islands

    1883/84: ½ d. dull green, 1887/89 1 d- rose-red - single, two pairs and a strip of three and 4 d. pale chestnut used on 1888 registered OHMS cover to Paris all tied by nine strikes of the "A13" obliterator in black with 'Tortola' despatch cds (Oct 24) alongside. Oval 'R' in black and reverse with Paris arrival (Nov 12). File fold away from adhesives and some aging and soiling but a very rare commercial usage of these issues.rnProvenance: Spink, London, 6-7 July 2005, lot 2105.
    Starting bid : 350 CHF
    Hammer price : 480 CHF

    Lot# : 3474 Virgin Islands

    1887/89: 1 d. rose-red, a horizontal pair used on 1903 OHMS cover to the Postmaster at St. Kitts, tied by neat strikes of "Tortola" datestamp (Dec 14) in black with information strike at left. An attractive usage.
    Starting bid : 200 CHF
    Hammer price : 240 CHF

    Lot# : 3475 Virgin Islands

    1887/89: 4 d. chestnut, wmk. Crown CA, an unused example of fresh colour, variety "Watermark Reversed", fresh and fine, large part og. Scarce Gi = £ 300.
    Starting bid : 140 CHF
    Hammer price : 140 CHF

    Lot# : 3476 Virgin Islands

    1887/88: 6 d. dull violet, wmk. Crown CA, perf. 14, a used block of eight (4 x 2), positions 3-6/9-12, of fine rich colour, all neatly cancelled by "A91" obliterators in black. Unobtrusive ironed crease but a rare multiple Gi = £ 400+.
    Starting bid : 150 CHF
    Hammer price : 320 CHF

    Lot# : 3477 Virgin Islands

    1 / 1
    Surcharged in Antigua 1888 (July): "4D" in violet on 1 s. black & rose-carmine on toned paper, perf. 15, an unused example showing variety "Surcharge Double", particularly fine with the surcharges spaced more widely apart than generally found on this error, fresh colour, typically mottled and browned large part og. An exceedingly fine (possibly the finest) example of a very rare stamp. Certs. RPSL (1938), BPA (2020) Gi = £ 8'500.rnProvenance: Collection Cecil Donne.
    Starting bid : 3,000 CHF
    Hammer price : 6,500 CHF

    Lot# : 3478 Virgin Islands

    1 / 1
    Surcharged in Antigua 1888 (July): "4D" in violet on 1 s. black & rose-carmine on toned paper, perf. 15, an unused horizontal pair showing variety "Surcharge Inverted" on first stamp and second stamp surcharge upright; of fresh colour, typically mottled and browned large part og. An outstanding and very famous pair. Cert. BPA (2020) Gi = £ 55'000.rnNote: This pair was illustrated on the front of the Stanley Gibbons British Commonwealth Part One catalogue in 1979.rnProvenance: Collection T. Charlton-Henry, Harmer Rooke, New York, 4-7 April 1961, lot 1890; Collection Cecil Donne.rn 
    Starting bid : 20,000 CHF
    Hammer price : 44,000 CHF

    Lot# : 3479 Virgin Islands

    1898/99: Essay by De La Rue for the Virgin definitive issue, an Imperforate Essay printed in deep indigo-blue on pale blue paper, with the halo and rays of light picked out by hand in Chinese white, mounted on large thick card for proposal dated "March 7th 98" at top right in ink. Ex the De La Rue archives, illustrated in "The De La Rue Collection" edited by Frank Walton RDP on page 6507. Exceptional and unique.rnProvenance: RL, Bermuda, 27 Jan 1978, lot 1512; Grosvenor, London, 15-16 May 2003, lot 335.
    Starting bid : 1,500 CHF
    Hammer price : 3,600 CHF

    Lot# : 3480 Virgin Islands

    1 / 1
    1899 (Jan): Virgin ½ d. yellow-green, an unused corner marginal block of six (2 x 3) from lower left corner of the sheet with varieties "Imperforate between Stamp and Margin" at left, second stamp Row 8, stamp 2 showing variety "HAΓFPENNY", seventh stamp, Row 10 stamp 1, showing variety "HALFPFNNY", of lovely fresh colour, large part og. Superb and extremely rare combination of three varieties. Cert. RPSL (1979).rnProvenance: William 'Bill' Tatham.rn 
    Starting bid : 750 CHF
    Hammer price : 1,600 CHF

    Lot# : 3481 Virgin Islands

    1899 (Jan): ½ d. yellow green, showing variety "HAΓFPENNY", showing variety "HALFPFNNY" and 4 d. brown showing variety "FOUR PENCF" variety, all used on 1901 cover to Roseau, Dominia tied by "A91" obliterators with 'Virgin Islands' cds at left (June 3) and 'Dominica' arrival cds (June 6) below in black. Overall aging but a most extraordinary usage of the three varieties on one cover, a similar item is referrred to in the Robson Lowe Encyclopaedia on page 177.rnrn 
    Starting bid : 600 CHF
    Hammer price : 650 CHF

    Lot# : 3482 Virgin Islands

    1901: 1 d. postal stationery envelopes (H&G B1+B1a), one used to Saxony up-rated with 1899 ½ d. yellow-green in a strip of three cancelled 'Tortola' cds's (July 11, 1902), the other sent registered to Berlin via St. Thomas up-rated with 1 d. brick-red and 4 d. brown cancelled by 'Tortola' cds's (March 13, 1902). A fine pair.
    Starting bid : 150 CHF
    Hammer price : 300 CHF

    Lot# : 3483 Virgin Islands

    1901: 2½ d. pale blue postal stationery envelope (H&G B2) sent registered to New Jersey, up-rated with 1899 4 d. brown tied by neat 'Tortola' cds's (May 30, 1904), just two days prior to the 1904 issue being released. New York backstamp (June 10). A fine cover.
    Starting bid : 100 CHF
    Hammer price : 160 CHF

    Lot# : 3484 Virgin Islands

    1904 (June 1): 5 s. green & black, wmk. Crown CA, a used block of four of excellent colour, neatly cancelled by light "Roadtown" cds's (April 14, 1910) in black. A charming and scarce multiple Gi = £ 280+.
    Starting bid : 140 CHF
    Hammer price : 320 CHF

    Lot# : 3485 Virgin Islands

    1 / 1
    1919 (March 11): War Tax 1 d. scarlet, wmk. Multiple Crown CA, an unused block of six from lower right corner of the sheet with Plate Number '6' in margin, variety "A" of "CA" in watermark sideways - this seen clearly below the fourth stamp in the margin, fresh and very fine, large part or unmounted og. See footnote in the Stanley Gibbons Part One catalogue. Extremely rare. Cert. BPA (2004) Gi = unpriced.
    Starting bid : 350 CHF
    Hammer price : 350 CHF

    Lot# : 3486 Virgin Islands

    1922/28: De La Rue Master Die Proof for the completed design less the Duty Plate, printed in black on glazed white card, handstamped BEFORE / HARDENING in black and dated '12/1/22' in pencil. Fresh and very fine.
    Starting bid : 250 CHF
    Hammer price : 340 CHF

    Lot# : 3487 Virgin Islands

    1922/28: De La Rue Master Die Proof for the 2 s. 6 d. Duty Plate only, printed in black on glazed white card, handstamped BEFORE / STRIKING in black, dated in pencil '1/4/22' at lower right. Fresh and fine.
    Starting bid : 160 CHF
    Hammer price : not sold

    Lot# : 3488 Virgin Islands

    1922/28: De La Rue Master Die Proof for the 1½ d. Duty Plate only, printed in black on glazed white card, handstamped BEFORE / STRIKING with AFTER STRIKING superimposed on top in black, dated in pencil '1/2/22' at lower right. Slightly dusty but fine.
    Starting bid : 160 CHF
    Hammer price : not sold

    Lot# : 3489 Virgin Islands

    1946 (Nov 1): Victory set of two values unused, 1½ d. lake-brown and 3 d. orange, each in vertical strips of three perforate SPECIMEN, fresh and fine unmounted og. Scarce in multiples Gi = £ 270.
    Starting bid : 120 CHF
    Hammer price : 160 CHF
Sort list :