Auction 309-320 - Great Britain 1840–1841 Europe & Overseas - Day 5

1855, Transitional Period study set out on four album pages, comprising five covers, one piece and six used stamps, includes three mixed-franking perf. 14 and perf. 16 1 d. reds on cover, used during the transitional period January/August 1855, noted very attractive 1855 C3 plate 3, used in combination with C1*, an 1855 wrapper franked with a combination of C1 and C2 and Die I perf. 16 and Die II perf. 14 used on a printed Sun Life...

1850, 1 d, red, plate 94, lettered MB, Archer Trail Perf. 16, good used example, well centered, dulled perfs lower left side, comes with a small selection of 1 d. reds, including a very fine four margin used 1848 imperforate 1 d. red, plate 82, pair, with a partial separation between, illustrating the pre-sale partial separation practice undertaken at the Post Office prior to the introduction of perforated stamps, also five stamps with...

1854/58, Six album pages, neatly written-up, dedicated to errors in the line engraved perforation process, comprises three covers, two unused 1 d. red blocks of six, one from plate 188, lettered FD-GF, twenty used stamps, mostly reds but several 2 d. blues, a strip of three and strip of six, study includes; plate layout, printing process, reperforation and rough/incomplete perforations, some dramatic misplacement of vertical and horizontal...

1856, 6 d. lilac, plate 1, 'SPECIMEN', Type 4, printed on Azure paper, top corner marginal, variety "abnormal official perforation", showing Wing margin instead of a normal perforation close to the stamp design, the perforations extend right through the right side of sheet rather than the usual single extension hole, small corner crease in top margin and slight soiling, however a scarce example and most attractive. Comes with an 1862 4 d....

1862, 4d pale red, plate 3, lettered CG, 'SPECIMEN', variety "abnormal official perforations", portion of wing margin still attached at left, mounted to a small piece with 1861, 3 d. rose, plate 2, state I, shaded spandrels, lettered HH, 'SPECIMEN'  and 1862, 9 d. bistre, plate 2, lettered HH, 'SPECIMEN', both Wing margins, some soiling, dulled perfs. top of 4d and very lower tip of 9d clipped, very attractive and scarce trio.  SG Spec. J52t...

1867, 3 d. rose, plate 7, lettered EI-FJ, wmk. spray, perf. 14, used "Gutter block of four", confirming "two-pane" format of Post Office sheets, a spectacular exhibition item, being the only "Gutter" multiple of the 1855/80 Surface Printed issues recorded in the Karl Louis Card Index in used condition, an important piece. 

1872, 6 d. chestnut, plate 11, lettered FE, top marginal with price inscription, Wing margin, used cancelled by Bailyborough datestamp 24 September 1872, wonderful piece and scarce in this condition. 

1874, 6 d. grey, plate 13, lettered EB, wmk. spray, perf 14, unused bottom marginal, with original gum, showing marginal inscription below with two panes; "6 Pence / per label. 2 Shillings / per Row of 4", with intact horizontal margin, filing crease through bottom margin, otherwise very fine and scarce example. SG J83 = £500+. rnProvenance: Harmer, London, 21 February 2001, lot 674.

1876, Selection of used 8 d. orange Surface Printed stamps, all Wing margin, showing perforation varieties, comprising fourteen examples including two pairs, noted abnormal official perforation and guillotine-cut in gutter, mixed lot. 

1880, Selection of four multple 1 d. venetian red pieces, all unused, comprising a quarter sheet of sixty, which includes the hoizontal gutter between the upper and lower panes, unmounted, an interpaneau block of four showing central horizontal gutter, a corner block of eighteen and a horizontal pair with gutter below, some creasing, folds and soiling, but in the main very fine, much unmounted, an impressive assemby. SG = £2268 as singles....

1865, 4 d. vermilion, plate 12, lettered AD, unused, top sheet margin, variety extremely "misplaced perforations", original gum, mounted in margin, fresh deep shade, slight kink lower right but does not detract, this type of mis-perforation is very rare on surface printed, especially in unused condition; according to the Karl Louis Card Index there are only six “mis-perforated” 4d. vermilion recorded, all from the upper left pane of plate 12....

1853/1867, Study of printing stamp sheet positioning, presented upon three album pages, comprising seventeen examples, includes marginal blocks, one a plate number, selection of line engraved and Surface Printed issues, illustrating the effects the position of the sheet has on the alignment of the stamps, varities such as short and long stamps and a very attractive page of penny plate reds showing variations of the margin from 20mm to 28mm,...