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

Provisional Perforations 1865/71: 1 d. carmine, wmk. '1', an unused block of fifteen (5 x 3), perf. 12 all round, by J. Walch & Sons of Hobart under contract from the Post Office, straight edge at left and some minor creasing but a wonderful multiple of excellent colour and most attractive, large part or unmounted og. This block is illustrated on the dust-jacket of "Tasmania Stamps And Postal History" by W. Eugene Tinsley. Rare Gi = £ 1'950+.rnrnNote: From 1 October 1857, the Tasmania Post Office only supplied purchasers requiring five or more complete sheets of postage stamps. The public obtained their requirements, at face value, from licensed vendors who obtained their stocks at a discount from the GPO. From 1863 onwards, a number of stamp vendors applied their own roulettes or perforations to help with separation. The Hobart fiirm of Walch & Sons were particularly successful, leading to an official contract in July 1869 to perforate sheets for the Post Office. The Government did not purchase a perforating machine until late 1871.rnrnProvenance: Collection Ron Butler RDP, Spink, London, 22 Sept 2004, lot 1525.