Auction 321 - 332 Australian States & Commonwealth of Australia, St. Helena, Basutoland, Bechuanaland, Swaziland, Brazil 1843 –1870 - Day 1

1874: Bell Die Proof for the 2 s. design, unfinished design with lower right corner value tablet blank, imperforate in purple-black and affixed to card (58 x 53 mm.), with manuscript below "Apprd. by PMS 21/10/74 M" in ink. It is interesting that the Postmaster General approved the design in 1874 and the stamp itself was not issued until June or July 1881. Illustrated in "The Stamps of Victoria" by Geoff Kellow RDP on page 199. A splendid and unique Proof.