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Tobago

Catalogue 285: British West Indies – The ‘BESANÇON’ Collection (part III)
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  • Lot# : 4105 Tobago

    1875: Entire letter mailed prepaid from Tobago to London with manuscript '1/-' in red and superb strike of "♚ / PAID / AT TOBAGO" single ring handstamp in red. Reverse with double arc 'Tobago' datestamp of despatch (June 19) in black and front with 'London / Paid' arrival cds (July 17) in red. File fold and slight flap tear but an extremely rare and most attractive entire Gi = £ 5'000.
    Starting bid : 2,500 CHF
    Hammer price : 4,800 CHF

    Lot# : 4106 Tobago

    1858/60: Great Britain 1856 6 d. lilac, a used example of deep colour, used on small piece cancelled by "A14" obliterator of Scarborough, Tobago in black, superb and scarce Gi = £ 275.rnProvenance: Collection R.A. Ramkissoon, Harmers, Zurich, 6 Dec 2006, lot 2347.
    Starting bid : 150 CHF
    Hammer price : 200 CHF

    Lot# : 4107 Tobago

    1879 (Aug 1): 5 s. slate, wmk. Crown CC, an unused example of rich colour, fresh and fine appearance, minor diagonal bend, large part og. Signed A. Diena Gi = £ 900.
    Starting bid : 350 CHF
    Hammer price : not sold

    Lot# : 4108 Tobago

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    1879 (Aug 1): £ 1 mauve, wmk. Crown CC, an unused example of fine delicate colour, fresh and fine, part og. A very rare stamp - one of the rarest 'basic' stamps of the Britsh Commonwealth. Signed in full by A. Diena. Cert. A. Diena. Cert. BPA (2020) Gi = £ 4'500.
    Starting bid : 1,750 CHF
    Hammer price : 3,000 CHF

    Lot# : 4109 Tobago

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    1880 (Nov): '1d.' on vertically bisected 6 d. orange, left half, an unused example of fine colour with the manuscript '1d.' ink surcharge, large part og. Extremely fine and extremely rare. Cert. BPA (1980) Gi = £ 6'000.rnProvenance: Tommy Allen.rn        
    Starting bid : 2,500 CHF
    Hammer price : 3,200 CHF

    Lot# : 4110 Tobago

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    1880 (Nov): '1d.' in manuscript on vertically bisected 6 d. orange, left half, a used example of fine colour, light tone spot at left, cancelled by "A14" obliterator in black. A very scarce stamp. Certs. RPSL (1937), BPA (2021) Gi = £ 850.
    Starting bid : 220 CHF
    Hammer price : 360 CHF

    Lot# : 4111 Tobago

    1880: De La Rue artist's Essay for the 1880 1 d. value, using the Tobago 1879 1 d. rose Revenue issue of Tobago, applied to card (90 x 112 mm.), painting out the floral rosette design in the lower half of the circular band with hand-painted "POSTAGE" picked out in Chinese white inserted. The stamp signed off as accepted in red manuscript in margin of the adhesive, the card handstamped '2 JUL 80' at upper right in red. Some aging as to be expected, a remarkable and extremely rare Essay: unique.rnProvenance: Collection Arthur Beach.
    Starting bid : 2,000 CHF
    Hammer price : 2,400 CHF

    Lot# : 4112 Tobago

    1879: De La Rue artist's Essay for the 1880 1 s. value, using the 1 s. of Dominica applied to card (90 x 112 mm.), painting out the DOMINICA and POSTAGE in the circular band and hand-painted "TOBAGO" and floral rosettes in Chinese white inserted. The card endorsed "Approved / 6/3/79" at base in manuscript. Some aging as to be expected, the Essay sold with a Dominica 1 s. magenta for comparison, a remarkable and extremely rare Essay: unique.rnProvenance: Collection Arthur Beach.
    Starting bid : 2,000 CHF
    Hammer price : 2,400 CHF

    Lot# : 4113 Tobago

    1880 (Dec 20): 6 d. stone, wmk. Crown CC, an Imperforate Imprimatur, good margins all round and of fresh colour, large part og. Rare.
    Starting bid : 150 CHF
    Hammer price : 150 CHF

    Lot# : 4114 Tobago

    1880 (Dec 20): 1 s. yellow-bistre, wmk. Crown CC, an Imperforate Imprimatur, large margins all round and of fresh colour, large part og. Rare.
    Starting bid : 150 CHF
    Hammer price : 150 CHF

    Lot# : 4115 Tobago

    1880 (Dec 20): ½ d. purple-brown, 1 d. Venetian red, 4 d. yellow-green, 6 d. stone and 1 s. yellow-ochre; the set of five values unused, all of fresh colour, the 6 d. thinned at top otherwise fine, large part og. Four values signed A. Diena Gi = £ 1'025.
    Starting bid : 300 CHF
    Hammer price : 300 CHF

    Lot# : 4116 Tobago

    1880: 1 s. yellow-ochre, wmk. Crown CC, a sheet marginal example on 1890 registered cover to Pemberton, Wilson & Co. in London, neatly tied by 'Tobago' datestamp (Sept 10) in black. Oval 'R' at left and hooded 'Registered / London' arrival in red (Sept 25) on front and in black on reverse. A fine and rare cover.
    Starting bid : 250 CHF
    Hammer price : 250 CHF

    Lot# : 4117 Tobago

    1882/84: 2½ d. ultramarine, wmk. Crown CA, a fine used example showing "Slash Flaw" lightly cancelled by 'Tobago' cds, and 2½ d. dull blue, an unused example showing the "Slash Flaw Repaired", fine large part og, the latter rare Gi = £ 285.rnProvenance: Collection R.A. Ramkissoon, Harmers, Zurich, 6 Dec 2006, ex lot 2375.
    Starting bid : 140 CHF
    Hammer price : 200 CHF

    Lot# : 4118 Tobago

    1882/84: 4 d. yellow-green, wmk. Crown CA, a used example, marginal at left on 1885 cover to Warminster, tied by "A14" obliterator with 'Tobago' datestamp (July 7) at left. Reverse with Bath and Warminster datestamps (July 27) in black. The cover with closed tear and left and slight creases but very scarce.rnProvenance: Collection F.W. Doolittle, Sotheby's, London, 2 Oct 1980, lot 28.rn 
    Starting bid : 350 CHF
    Hammer price : 350 CHF

    Lot# : 4119 Tobago

    1882/84: 6 d. stone, wmk. Crown CA, an unused corner block of four with sheet margin below showing Plate Number '1', of glorious fresh colour, large part og. with lower pair unmounted og. A splendid and famous multiple Gi = £ 2'100+.rnProvenance: Collection Charlton-Henry; Collection Lars Amundsen, SG, London, 6-8 Dec 1967, lot 497.
    Starting bid : 1,200 CHF
    Hammer price : 2,000 CHF

    Lot# : 4120 Tobago

    1885: Appendix sheet from the De La Rue record book headed "Scheme for Printing the Stamps in Doubly Fugitive inks" with seven perforated Colour Trials of the 1 d. value, with annotated proposed values in manuscript alongside showing 1 d. in lilac ('1d.'), 1 d. in black & lilac ('3d.'), 1 d. in red & lilac ('4d.'), 1 d. in blue & lilac ('6d.'), 1 d. dull green ('1s.'), 1 d. in red & dull green ('5s.') and 1 d. in blue & dull green ('£1'). A magnificent page, not illustrated in "The De La Rue Colllection". Extraordinary and very rare.rnProvenance: Collection Urwick; Collection F.W. Doolittle, Sotheby's, London, 2 Oct 1980, lot 95.rnThis piece was loaned to Arthur Beach for his display before the Royal Philatelic Society on 16 November 1961.
    Starting bid : 2,000 CHF
    Hammer price : 2,800 CHF

    Lot# : 4121 Tobago

    Colour Changes 1885/96: ½ d. dull green ued on 1½ d. brown on buff postal stationery card, each cancelled by neat "Tobago" datestamps (Aug 30, 1895) in black with Leipzig arrival cds (Sept 20) at left. Scarce.
    Starting bid : 120 CHF
    Hammer price : 120 CHF

    Lot# : 4122 Tobago

    Colour Changes 1885/96: 4 d. grey, wmk. Crown CA, an unused block of four, marginal from right of sheet with GEN of Crown Agents watermark in margin, variety "Imperforate", of fine fresh colour and large part slightly browned og. A very rare and attractive multiple Gi = £ 4'000+.rnProvenance: Collection Charlton-Henry; Collection Lars Amundsen, SG, London, 6-8  Dec 1967, lot 498.
    Starting bid : 1,500 CHF
    Hammer price : 2,600 CHF

    Lot# : 4123 Tobago

    Colour Changes 1885/96: 1 s. olive-yellow, wmk. Crown CA, an unused irregular block of eleven, second stamp (Row 1, stamp 4) showing the "Slash Flaw", with guide line and Plate Number '1' in top margin, fresh and very fine, unmounted og. Scarce and most attractive Gi = £ 300+.
    Starting bid : 120 CHF
    Hammer price : 280 CHF

    Lot# : 4124 Tobago

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    Provisional Surcharges 1886 (April): "½ PENNY" on 2½ d. dull blue, an unused example showing variety "Surcharge Double", of vibrant depth of colour, fresh and fine appearance, slightly browned part og. A very rare stamp. Cert. BPA (2021) Gi = £ 2'750.rnProvenance: Collection Arthur Hind, Harmers, London, 7-9 May 1934, lot 371.
    Starting bid : 1,000 CHF
    Hammer price : 1,600 CHF

    Lot# : 4125 Tobago

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    Provisional Surcharges 1886 (April): "½ PENNY" on 2½ d. dull blue, an unused vertical pair, lower stamp with variety "Surcharge Omitted", of fine depth of colour, fresh and of marvellous appearance, slightly browned large part og. Exceptionally rare and in the foremost quality: just five pairs are thought to exist, with one being housed in the collection of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Cert. Philatelic Foundation (1964) Gi = £ 15'000.rnProvenance: Collection Arthur Hind, Harmers, London, 7-9 May 1934, lot 374; Collection Charlton-Henry; Collection Arthur Beach (1972);  Collection F.W. Doolittle, Sotheby's, London, 2 Oct 1980, lot 73.
    Starting bid : 7,500 CHF
    Hammer price : 12,000 CHF

    Lot# : 4126 Tobago

    Provisional Surcharges 1886 (April): "½ PENNY" on 2½ d. dull blue, four single examples and two horizontal pairs used on 1886 cover to New York, one example showing the "Figure Further from Word" variety and three examples showing the "Raised "P" of PENNY" variety, all tied by 'Tobago' datestamps (May 25). Reverse with 'New York / Paid All' datestamp (June 17) of arrival. A charming and extremely rare cover.rnProvenance: Collection Arthur Beach (1972); Collection W.A. Frazer, Spink, London, 30 Oct 2003, lot 1752; Spink, London, 14 Nov 2008, lot 2219.
    Starting bid : 1,000 CHF
    Hammer price : 1,000 CHF

    Lot# : 4127 Tobago

    1879: 1 d. rose, 1883 2½ d. ultramarine, 1885/96 4 d. yellow- green (wmk. CA), and provisional 1886 ½ d. on 2½ d. dull blue (two examples) and ½ d. on 6 d. stone all tied to attractive 1890 cover to Munich by four strikes of the "A14" obliterator in black. 'Tobago' despatch cds alongside (July 30) and reverse with two strikes of Munich arrival cds (Aug 15). A charming and scarce cover.rnProvenance: Collection F.W. Doolittle, Sotheby's, London, 2 Oct 1980, lot 29.rnrnrn 
    Starting bid : 400 CHF
    Hammer price : 550 CHF

    Lot# : 4128 Tobago

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    Provisional Surcharges 1886 (Jan): "½ PENNY" on 6 d. stone, an unused vertical pair of fresh colour, upper example with variety "Raised "P" in PENNY" and "Figure Further from Word", lower stamp with variety "Surcharge Inverted", large part og. with lower stamp unmounted og. Superb and extremely rare: one example of this combination of varieties is housed in the collection of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, this example being the sole recorded in private hands. Cert. BPA (1984) Gi = £ 3'250+.rnProvenance: Collection Arthus Beach (1972); Collection F.W. Doolittle, Sotheby's, London, 2 Oct 1980, lot 81.
    Starting bid : 1,750 CHF
    Hammer price : 3,600 CHF

    Lot# : 4129 Tobago

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    Provisional Surcharges 1886 (Jan): "½ PENNY" on 6 d. stone, an unused vertical pair of good colour, a trifle soiled, marginal from left of sheet, lower stamp with variety "Surcharge Inverted", large part slightly disturbed og. Superb and extremely rare, as far as we are aware, the sole marginal example recorded of this variety. Signed Herbert Bloch. Cert. BPA (2020) Gi = £ 3'250+.
    Starting bid : 1,000 CHF
    Hammer price : 2,600 CHF

    Lot# : 4130 Tobago

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    Provisional Surcharges 1886 (Jan): "½ PENNY" on 6 d. stone, an unused example showing variety "Surcharge Double", of fine fresh colour and superb large part og. Particularly fine and very rare. Signed Herbert Bloch. Cert. BPA (2020) Gi = £ 3'750.
    Starting bid : 1,500 CHF
    Hammer price : 2,600 CHF

    Lot# : 4131 Tobago

    Provisional Surcharges 1889 (July): "1 PENNY" on 2½ d. dull blue, an unused block of twenty-four (4 x 6), marginal from left of sheet, of lovely fresh colour, positions 13-16 / 19-22 / 25-28 / 31-34 / 37-40 / 43-46; showing "Figure Further from Word" variety on positions 22, 34 and 46, superb, large part og. with twelve stamps unmounted og. A rare and important multiple: the largest recorded Gi = £ 3'200+.rnProvenance: Collection Arthur Beach (1972); Collection F.W. Doolittle, Sotheby's, London, 2 Oct 1980, lot 86; Collection R.A. Ramkissoon, Harmers, Zurich, 6 Dec 2006, lot 2391.rnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrn 
    Starting bid : 1,750 CHF
    Hammer price : 2,800 CHF

    Lot# : 4132 Tobago

    Provisional Surcharges 1892 (March): "½ PENNY" on 4 d. grey, an unused example, of good colour, variety "Malformed "CE" of PENCE", fresh and very fine, slight aging on large part og. Scarce Gi = £ 325.rnProvenance: Collection W.A. Frazer, Spink, London, 30 Oct 2003, ex lot 758.rn 
    Starting bid : 120 CHF
    Hammer price : 180 CHF

    Lot# : 4133 Tobago

    Provisional Surcharges 1891 (Aug): "2½ PENCE" on 4 d. grey, an unused pane of sixty (6 x 10) with Plate Numbers '1' in upper and lower margins, position 60 showing variety "Malformed "CE" of PENCE", fresh and very fine, large part og., mostly unmounted og. Superb and rare Gi = £ 1'730+.
    Starting bid : 500 CHF
    Hammer price : 1,300 CHF

    Lot# : 4134 Tobago

    Provisional Surcharges 1886: ½ d. on 2½ d. dull blue, 1891/92 ½ d. on 4 d. grey, 2½ d. on 4 d. grey and 1896  ½ d. on 4 d. lilac & carmine, all used on petite 1897 envelope to Roseau, Dominica tied by 'Tobago' datestamps (July 13) in black with Dominica arrival cds adjacent. Slight aging but a most attractive and scarce usage.
    Starting bid : 300 CHF
    Hammer price : 300 CHF

    Lot# : 4135 Tobago

    1896: Fiscal "½d / POSTAGE" on 4 d. lilac & carmine, a used horizontal pair, right hand stamp with variety "Wide Space between ½ and d", lightly cancelled by 'Tobago' cds (Feb 5, 1897) in black. Scarce and most attractive Gi = £ 135+.
    Starting bid : 100 CHF
    Hammer price : 300 CHF
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