386th Auction

1855/63, white paper 4 d. blue, horizontal strip of 4, clear to mostly large margins, neatly cancelled. Very fine. Signed Georg Bühler 

1900, Baden-Powell 3 d. deep blue/blue, small frame, fresh colours, tied by cds “MAFEKING AP 9 1900” to small piece, signed Roig, fine

1886, 1sh violet, May 21 tête-bêche horizontal pair on blue granite paper, with sheet margin at right, unused, with part original gum, hinge remnant overtop of thins, else fine. 

1869, (6d) Potchefstroom envelopes, two examples of the 30mm c.d.s., one struck on buff envelope, the other blue, this a particularly fine strike, each with value in manuscript, both unaddressed and with some imperfections, the buff cover repaired at left, an uncommon duo.

1887, 2d violet handstamp (4 January) on envelope, approximately 224 x 100mm, issued by the Administration of the New Republic, unaddressed, central vertical crease, else fine; signed Sismondo, with his certificate. (Higgins & Gage 1d; Robson Lowe #EP2d).

1876/1910 (ca.), interesting group of 88 covers and cards covering Cape of Good Hope, Natal, Transvaal and OFS, many interesting usages with single-, multiple- and combination frankings, registered mail, Boer War censors, etc., rather mixed condition as to be expected, a useful lot

1853, Cape triangle (6x) 4d deep blue/ blue on lightly blued paper (SG. nos 4 and 4a), fine/very fine, all signed Dr Knopke

1874/79, a mostly used collection on stock pages, comprising over seventy stamps, with a used and unused 1874 1d on 4p blue overprinted in manuscript (both with faults),  examples of the 1877 “G.W.” overprints, range of “G” overprints on stamps of the Cape of Good Hope, identified by the collector by Type (I through VI), note 1sh with Type I overprint in black, 4d and 6d with Type 7 or 8 overprints in black, a few fantasy creations included, some flaws to be expected, but a useful group with many fine stamps, ideal for the specialist; owner's Michel catalogue value exceeds €6,300.

1901 (March 20-April 3): Pietersburg Emergency Issues, Type-set by De Zoutpansberg Wachter Press in Pietersburg, the phenomenal collection unused/mint never hinged and used of these issues, produced by the Transvaal Government whilst under Siege by the British forces, all issued stamps having the initialled signature of the Controller of Posts, J.T. de V. Smit in black or occasionally red ink; the collection formed by two exceptional purchases - complete sheets of 12 (6 x 2) both imperforate and perforated 11½ with different printings represented from Allan Leverton in July 1993 and the complete collection formed by Erik F. Hurt (1890-1952) who wrote 'Local Postage Stamps of the World' in conjunction with the Williams brothers. Beginning with a Die Proof of the unadopted ½ d. value imperforate in blue on pale brown paper, thereafter with sheets of 1 d. (upper and lower) imperf. and perf., a cto Pietersburg used sheet (April 3), 2nd. printing sheets of 24 of the 1 d., sheets of 12 cancelled at Houtboschdorf (April 4), 2 d. orange sheet imperf., and perf. (2), 2 d. sheet of 24 half of the stamps cancelled (April 3), 4 d. in an unused block of 22, 6 d. upper and lower sheets of 12, thereafter with singles, pairs, blocks unused and 'used' with all the plate varieties noted throughout. A marvellous collection formed by three outstanding and knowledgeable students of classic philately

1899/1902, Boer War, group of 6 better covers and cards, including a rare combination of both Boer and British seals with “Gdeopend onder Krijgswet. (P.no.30.)” censor seal on rose paper (Type 3) on a franked mourning envelope from “BULTFONTEIN AP 13 (1900)” to Green Point in Cape Colony with two additional British paper seals applied (Type 2 A+B),  also “ELANDSLAAGTE 8 - FEB. 1900” violet truncated oval field post office cancellation on a ½ d. postal stationery card to Johannesburg, “VELDPOST Z.A.R. GLENCOE, 25 DEC. 1899.” superb strike of the violet three-line cancellation on Natal ½ d. postal stationery card to Hattingspruit, “BLOEMFONTEIN JU 28 (19)01” on mail addressed to “Dr. Martinius, M(edical) O(fficer) Refugee Camp Brandfort” (small faults), a particularly rare incoming mail to that camp, which was infamous for having one of the highest mortality rate, etc., a delightful specialist assembly

1900/02, Boer War British Censors, group of 9 covers showing better censor handstamps, including “BETHULIE” single line in purple with ornaments at top and bottom on franked envelope from “BETHULIE OC 7 (1900)” to the Green Point camp in Cape Colony, also very rare “CENSORED G.B.BEAK” straight-line on franked envelope from “FICKSBURG 27 AU (19)00” to a prisoner of war in Cape Colony, along with “Censored Com(missioner) at Luckhoff” in manuscript on franked envelope from “LUCKHOFF JU 30 00” to England, transit via Bloemfontein and arrival “BRIGHTON JY 27 00” on reverse, etc., some occasional faults as to be expected, not detracting from the scarcity of the assembly

1913/45 (ca.), large accumulation of 177 covers, cards and postal stationeries, including military mail, registered overseas, etc., except for the occasional fault, in rather overall good condition, an interesting specialist assembly

1853/1864, 4 d. blue, used group of seven, each with three ample to large margins, papers ranging from blued to white, with shades ranging from light to darker, a few small imperfections, an ideal reference group.

1904, Registered envelope bearing ½ d. green, 1 d. carmine and pair 2½ d. blue, all tied by "REGISTERED JOHANNESBURG 13/JAN/04" c.d.s., oval "R" alongside, to "Hobart Tasmania 12/2/04" with arrival mark on reverse, tiny toned pinhole, otherwise fine and attractive with very unusual Australia destination

1926, 6 d. green and orange with overprint reading upwards, left marginal block of four, watermark inverted. Hinged on the selvedge only with the stamps mint never hinged, a rare multiple. (SG £3400)

1928-30, 2d. grey & maroon, overprint OFFICIAL (Type I) on the left and OFFISIEEL reading up, without stops, London Printing, full top left pane of sixty stamps, with Bradbury Wilkinson imprint at foot, showing the “Apostrophe between Fs of OFFICIAL” in position 9/1, mint never hinged, a few stamps with small tone spot on gum, a scarce pane, fine.