Auction 333-341 Europe & Overseas - Day 5

1856 (Jan 1): 6 d. blue, wmk. Large Star, imperforate, the album page with unused examples (4), with three showing good to large maregins all round; and used examples (6) with fine four margin exaample cancelled in red and five with at least one margins shaved but all cancelled in red by cork handstamps or in manuscript. Condition varies but a fine study lot of this rare stamp Gi = £ 3'500+.

1861 (April): 6 d. blue, wmk. Large Star, rough perf. 14 to 16, the selection (8) with unused (2) both of good colour, and used examples (6), all with typical relatively poor centering, all lightly cancelled in black. A scarce group Gi = £ 1'800+.

1861: 6 d. blue, rough perf. 14 to 16 and 1868 2 d. yellow, used on 1870 cover to Paris, tied by serrated cork cancels in black, with ST. HELENA (July 15) despatch cds in red. 'London / Paid' and Calais (Aug 8) transit datestamps. A fine cover showing the under ¼ ounce rate to France with '4d.' British credit in red manuscript. Slight soiling largely through the intact seal on reverse. A very rare cover.
Provenance: Collection 'Justine...

1863 (July): 1 d. lake (Type A), wmk. Crown CC, imperforate, a used example, position 176 on the sheet, showing 2nd re-entry most obvious from the two white lines below the "S" of ST. HELENA in the circle at top and the additional re-enttry in middle of the circle at right, lightly cancelled leaving the two re-entries clear. A scarce and fine stamp Gi = £ 275+.

1863 (July): 4 d. carmine (bar 15½-16½ mm.), wmk. Crown CC, imperforate, an unused example with large margins all round, from position 240 on the sheet (Row 20, stamp 12) showing the "HFL" flaw in the ST. HELENA label at top with base of E obscured, large part og. A very rare stamp, just 45 sheet s were put to press, thus only 45 examples can exist. Rare Gi = £ 500+.

1863 (July): 1 d. lake (Type A), wmk. Crown CC, imperforate, unused (3 examples) and a lightly cancelled used example, all with four margins (Gi = £ 725); 1 d. lake (Type B) unused example and used (2) both cancelled in manuscript; 4 d. carmine with unused examples (4), one with four large margins and part og. but slight horizontal crease, another from position 88 showing 'dash in circle' at right and two manuscript used examples. Generally...

1871: 1 d. lake (Type C), wmk. Crown CC, perf. 12½, a used example showing variety "Surcharge in Blue-Black", lightly cancelled in black leaving the surcharge clear. A scarce and elusive stamp. Cert. BPA (1965) Gi = £ 550.

1873: 2 d. yellow (Type C) and 1876 1 s. deep green (Type C), perf. 14 x 12½, used on 1880 cover carried on the "Warwick Castle" to Nantes, France tied by segmented cork handstamps with "ST. HELENA" (March 27) despatch cds in black. Manuscript "7½" pence credit in red crayon for British share, London transit (April 15) and Nantes arrival on reverse (April 16). Small ink fault below the adhesives but a scarce usage with the 1/1½ d. rate...

1873: 3 d. deep dull purple (Type A), a single example used with 1880 2 d. yellow (Type B), a single example, a pair and two strips of three on 1887 registered cover with royal crest on reverse, addressed to William P. Brown on Nassau Street, New York, all tied by circle of rectangular dots handstamps (Type CNB2) in black with "ST. HELENA" cds of despatch (March 22) in black and oval "REGISTERED / ST. HELENA" in red at left. London transit (...

1864: 4 d. carmine (Type A, 17 mm.), a single example used on 1866 cover to Woodstock, Oxford, endorsed 'Pr. Diamond Steamer Kaffaria' and 'Paid', cancelled by small 'H' handstamp on despatch (Proud K3) with oval framed 'ST. HELENA' despatch handstamp (Sept 10) alongside in blue. The adhesive also tied in transit by 'London Paid' cds in red (Oct 11). Readdressed upon arrival in Woodstock to Deddington (Oct 12). Rated at 4d. for the under ½...

1864: 4 d. carmine (Type B, 18 mm.), a used example with a horizontal pair used on 1869 cover to London, cancelled by sunburst obliterators in black (Proud K12/Hibbert CNA7) with oval framed 'ST. HELENA' datestamp of despatch (Dec 12) in red at left. London cds of arrival (Jan 5, 1870) in black on reverse. Cert. BPA (1989).
Provenance: Collection 'Jamestown / Ayre', Harmers, London, 8 March 1989, lot 1189.

1873: 6 d. ultramarine, wmk. CC, perf. 12½, a used horizontal pair on 1875 cover to London tied by cork star cancel (Proud K22) in black with "ST. HELENA" despatch cds (December 4, altered to '6' in manuscript ink) and 'London / Paid' arrival (Jan 1, 1876) in red. The 6 d. value is rare on letter - a fine and most attractive cover.
Provenance: Harmers, London, 10 March 1998, lot 1598.