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

De La Rue Surcharge Essays 1863: De La Rue Essays for the Surcharges on 1856 6 d. blue imperforate, with two single examples one very fine, the other with two large margins, each with sans-serif "FOUR PENCE" small Surcharge at base, the first in red with part og. the second in black (this last ex Southey collection) unused. Exceptionally rare.rnNote: Fourteen examples differing in type or surcharge colour were presented by the Crown Agents to the British Museum and now form part of the collection in the British Library. Seven examples are housed in the collection of His Majesty Charles III. Very few remain in private hands.rnProvenance: Collection John Ayre / 'Jamestown', Harmers, London, 8 March 1989, lot 1048.rnrn