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

2d. blue, plate 1, horizontal pair, lettered LA-LB, four large even margins, cancelled with black Maltese Cross, fresh colour, attractive and very fine. Gi. DS5 = £2,200.

1d. blue, horizontal strip of three, lettered HC-HE, four mostly good to large margins, touching at lower left, cancelled with multiple strikes of Maltese Cross in red, repaired at upper right, else a fine-appearing and scarce multiple. Gi. DS5ua = £3,750

2d. blue, plate 1, horizontal strip of three, lettered PH to PJ, mostly good margins touching in places, cancelled with crisp Maltese Cross postmarks in red, PH showing left lower corner lines recut, delicate almost pastel-like shade, light crease to PI not mentioned on certificate but noted for strict accuracy, else a fine and appealing multiple. Cert RPSL (1989). Gi. DS5 = £3,195+

2d. blue, plate 1, horizontal strip of four, lettered PB-PE, chiefly good margins, touched in places, cancelled with Maltese Crosses in black, light creases but of fine appearance. Gi. DS5 = £4,400+rnrnProvenance:rnRobson Lowe, Bournemouth, 31 October, 1953, lot 375.rnRobston Lowe, 23 September, 1986, lot 252.

2d. (deep dull) blue (2) and 2d pale blue (2), all from plate 1, four margins all around, tied to small piece by black Maltese Crosses, OC showing the shifted transfer, PE with the constant variety, some small imperfections, a most striking quartet, signed Calves. Cert RPSL (2019). Gi. DS5, DS6 = £3,950.rnrnProvenance:rnCorinphila, 11 March, 1980, lot 1951.rnCollection H.O. Fraser, 7 November, 2001, lot 295.

2d. blue, plate 1, horizontal strip of three, lettered RJ-RL, margins mostly clear to good, tied to folded entire by black Maltese Crosses, reverse with Settle double-arc despatch strike in blue (11 May, 1841), next-day receiver datestamp of the London Chief Office, filing folds, one through RL, a scarce franking. Gi. DS5.

2d. blue, plate 2, lettered NK-NL, unused, part original gum, margins touching at left, else large including sheet margin at right, with partial "Back be careful not..." inscription, deep colour, horizontal crease, repairs to NK, but a fine appearing and extremely rare unused marginal pair. Gi. DS8 = £100,000.rnProvenance: (as part of a larger block) Collection G. Mackay block (1898); Puttick & Simpson auction, 29-30 October 1901; Stanley...

2d. blue, plate 2, three horizontal pairs, lettered CK-CL, DK-DL, and EK-EL, all with four mostly good margins, all cancelled with Maltese Crosses in black, two of the pairs very lightly so, EK-EL with lovely bold strikes, some small imperfections, EK-EL pair with vertical crease, a fine appearing group of multiples with a pleasing range of shades and charming link in plate positions. Cert Philatelic Expertising (Great Britain) for EK-KL (...

2d. blue, plate 2, horizontal strip of nine, lettered MA-MI, margins touching in places but chiefly ample to very good, cancelled with multiple crisp strikes of Maltese Cross in black, deep fresh colour, small tear to MG and pinhole in MA, trace of trivial pressed creases, not detracting from this  significant and striking multiple. Cert BPA (2012). Gi. DS8.rnProvenance: Collection "Daisy", Christies, 8 October 1996, lot 452; Collection Dr....

1d. red-brown, plate 11, lettered IA, four large to very large margins, showing trace of sheet margin inscription at left, tied to piece by choice strike of the Greenock Maltese Cross in black, confirming boxed Greenock datestamp above (22 December, 1841), light vertical crease at right through piece and adhesive, not detracting from this exceptionally attractive example. Gi. AS74uc = £600.

2d. blue, plate 1, lettered RJ, good to large margins on three sides, touched at left, deep shade, cancelled with very fine large part strike of the distinctive Whitehaven Maltese Cross in black, the sole example on this issue recorded by Rockoff and Jackson, and in the Karl Louis Card Index, extremely rare and ideal for exhibition. Cert RPSL (2008). Gi. DS5.rnProvenance: Stanley Gibbons auction, 7-8 November 1974, lot 674; Robson Lowe, 27-28...

1d. black, plate 4, lettered QG, four good to large margins, cancelled with both red and black Maltese Cross, a fine example of this scarce combination with both colours clearly visible. Cert. RPSL (1984). Gi. AS23vk = £1,500.