Auction 321 - 332 Europe & Overseas Great Britain & British Commonwealth - Day 3

1884 (April 1): 1½ d. lilac, lettered CC, an imperforate example with large margins all round, of good colour, overprinted SPECIMEN (Type 9) in black. Fresh and fine, large part og. Scarce Gi K18s = £ 825.rnRemark: Only few singles and a block of four are recorded in the Karl Louis card Index of the imperforate variety overpinted SPECIMEN. They all originate from the first five horizontal A- to E-row of a sheet.

1884 (April 1): 2 d. lilac, lettered AL, an unused example, marginal from top of sheet, variety "Perf. 12", overprinted SPECIMEN in black (Type 9), fresh colour and the stamp unmounted og. Scarce and attractive Gi K19t = £ 450.rn 

1884 (April 1): 2½ d. pale purple, Plate 2, an imperforate Imprimatur, lettered IS, large margins all round, fresh and fine, old paper hinge, part og. Rare, just 24 stamps removed from the Imprimatur sheet Gi K20 = £ 600.rnProvenance: ex the De La Rue Imprimatur collection, sold on behalf of the "Board of Inland Revenue", Robson Lowe 17 Dec. 1975, lot 1776.

1883 (Aug 1): 9 d. dull green, lettered DN-DO / EN-EO, an unused block of four of deep colour, wmk. Crown sideways inverted, overprinted SPECIMEN (Type 9) in black, large part or unmounted og. One stamp DO with small surface fault not detracting greatly from the appearance of a rare multiple Gi K25s = £ 1'700.rnProvenance: Robson Lowe 17 Nov. 1981, lot 520.

1884 (April 1): 1 s. dull green, lettered AG, an unused example of rich colour and superb, large part og. A very scarce stamp unused Gi K26 = £ 1'400.

1883 (Aug 1): 9 d. dull green, lettered HH, a used example of superb deep colour and showing portion of adjoining stamp at left, tied to "Parcel Post" label by "Stirling" circular datestamp (Aug 8, 1883) in black - just a week after issue. An extraordinarily early usage of this key stamp, some spotting on the label at top but of great scarcity Gi K25 = £ 475.

1887 (Jan 1): ½ d. vermilion, a used horizontal pair, marginal from base of sheet, struck with single strike of "BA / E" obliterator (British Army, Egypt) in black. The pair was cancelled by favour at the British Army Post Office booth at the 1890 London Guildhall Exhibition. Crease in margin but rare and of superb appearance.rnProvenance: Collection Jeffrey K. Weiss, RL, London, 17 Dec 1996, lot 47.

1887 (Jan 1): 1½ d. dull purple & pale green, an unused block of four, first stamp showing "Deformed Leaf" variety (Duty Plate 4, Row 19, stamp 1), some minor rubs but very scarce, large part og. with lower pair unmounted og. Rare and attractive block Gi K29e = £ 800+.

1887 (Jan 1): 2 d. grey-green & carmine, an unused block of twenty-four (6 x 4), marginal from left of sheet, of fresh vibrant colour and superb large part og. with 21 stamps unmounted og. Gi K30(3) = £ 1'000+.rn 

1886: De La Rue Due Proof for the 3 d. value, printed in black on glazed white card, dated "20 MAR. 86" in black. Rare and very fine Gi K32 = £ 1'550.rnProvenance: Collection Jeffrey K. Weiss, RL, London, 17 Dec 1996, lot 117.rn 

1887 (Jan 1): 3 d. purple on yellow, shades, two unused blocks of four, both from Plate 4, marginal from the lower right corner of the sheet (Row 20, Stamp 11) with "Damaged Ornament" variety in each block, one block in a deep shade from an early State, second block in a later State with same variety but Row 20, Stamp 12 also showing "Broken Frame Line" at base, imperfections but largely fresh and fine, large part og. A very scarce pair of...

1886/87: 4 d. green & purple-brown, an imperforate Imprimatur, large margins all round with sheet margin at top, fresh and fine, large part og. Scarce, just 46 stamps removed from the Imprimatur sheets Gi K33 = £ 725.rnProvenance: Collection Jeffrey K. Weiss, RL, London, 17 Dec 1996, lot 139.rn