Sale 1384 — 2026 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Tuesday, 23 June, 2026
Category — Great Britain including British Post Office in Cobija
Great Britain, 1840, 1p Black, Imprimatur (1 var; SG 2 Imprimatur). Plate 3, lettered S-L, unused (without gum), large to ample margins on each side, beautiful shade and razor-sharp impression
VERY FINE. AN EXCEPTIONAL FOUR-MARGIN EXAMPLE OF THE 1840 ONE-PENNY IMPRIMATUR FROM PLATE 3. ONE OF JUST 23 POSSIBLE — MANY OF WHICH ARE INSTITUTIONALIZED LEAVING FEW IN PRIVATE HANDS.
According to Stanley Gibbons, the proofs removed from the imprimatur sheet are lettered A-L, S-C to S-L, and T-A to T-L. According to our Power Search, this is the only one we have offered in our auctions for over 30 years.
Ex Dr. Sevron. SG £18,000.
Great Britain, 1840, 1p Black (1; SG 2). Plate 3, lettered T-I, mostly full margins, original gum, minor h.r., detailed impression, accompanying certificate observes "washed" and accompanying note from expertizer clarifies "the surface has been 'improved' (washed)-see grey marks still on surface, e.g. Neck, but this is not sufficiently bad to warrant a 'bad' certificate"
VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE ORIGINAL-GUM PENNY BLACK FROM PLATE 3.
Plate 3 is one of the scarcest Penny Black plates to find unused.
With 1983 R.P.S. certificate and follow-up letter clarifying nomenclature. Scott $22,500. SG £12,000.
Certificate
1983 R.P.S. No. 125111 View Cert
Great Britain, 1840, 1p Black, Mulready Envelope (U1; SG ME2). Stereo A63, used from London to Norwich, cancelled by bold strike of red Maltese Cross, upper flap shows superb strike of "LS 6 MY 6 1840" First Day postmark, minor edgewear of little consequence
VERY FINE AND RARE EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-PENNY MULREADY ENVELOPE USED ON MAY 6, 1840 — THE FIRST OFFICIAL DAY OF USE. it BEARS A REMARKABLY CLEAR STRIKE OF THE POSTMARK.
The Mulready envelopes were placed on sale May 1, 1840, with instructions that they were not to be used until May 6. A small number were posted prior to May 6.
Ex Grunin and offered to the market for the first time since 1998.
Great Britain, 1867, 9p Pale Straw, Imperforate (52 var; SG 111a). Horizontal pair, Plate 4, lettered R-I to R-J, original gum, mild h.r., large balanced margins, warm shade on bright paper
VERY FINE AND CHOICE PAIR OF THE 1867 9-PENCE PALE STRAW IMPERFORATE FROM PLATE 4. ONLY TWO PAIRS IN PRIVATE HANDS thought to exist, making this is one of the rarest imperforate multiples of the surface printed issues.
Ex Latto. SG £20,000 as singles.
Great Britain, 1867, 2sh Pale Blue, Imperforate (55b; SG 120aa). Horizontal pair, Plate 1, lettered D-A to D-B, original gum, huge margins on each side, pretty pastel shade on uncommonly fresh paper, right stamp with mild diagonal crease
VERY FINE. A REMARKABLE ORIGINAL-GUM IMPERFORATE PAIR OF THE 2-SHILLING PALE BLUE FROM PLATE 1. THIS IS THE ONLY PAIR THOUGHT TO EXIST IN PRIVATE HANDS.
Ex Latto. Catalogued as singles. Scott $50,000. SG £35,000.
Great Britain, 1882, 5sh Hand-Painted Essay (108E; SG 180E; SG Specialised K12 Essay). Printed in Black with gray wash and Chinese White on thick card measuring 80 x 98mm, lettered B-A, nearly identical to the issued design with the exception of red circles around corner lettering, with "22 DEC 82" handstamp, card with slight overall staining
FINE AND UNIQUE. AN EXCEPTIONAL PRINTER'S ARCHIVE HAND-PAINTED ESSAY OF THE 1882 5-SHILLING HIGH VALUE. AN ITEM DESERVING OF A WORLD-CLASS EXHIBIT.
Ex Latto. SG Specialised £17,500.
Great Britain, 1884-85 Proposed Essays of the 21/2p Jubilee Issue by Warren William de la Rue (114E; SG 201E). Total of sixteen hand-drawn stamp-sized essays, comprising two archival documents which have been folded with thicker cardboard added on top with designs die sunk, first document with eleven of the proposed 21/2p designs drawn in Purple on Blue with Chinese White used to simulate perfs along edges, with "12 JUN 85" handstamp and a rather passively aggressive note from Warren William de la Rue stating "Designs prepared to show the P.M.G. as he did not like design A which was selected by the committee", second document with a further five hand-drawn multicolored essays on toned paper of the 11/2p, 2p, 4p, 5p, and 9p values, with "21 NOV 84" handstamp likely indicating an earlier proposed design of the issue
VERY FINE AND UNIQUE ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT WITH THE PROPOSED DESIGNS OF THE 1885 QUEEN VICTORIA JUBILEE ISSUE. A PHENOMENAL PIECE OF GREAT BRITAIN PHILATELIC HISTORY AND KEY TO ANY AWARD-WINNING EXHIBIT OR WORLD-CLASS COLLECTION.
All values, with the exception of the 21/2p, were approved by the Postmaster General by Apr. 1885. Warren William de la Rue submitted a further twelve designs including the original proposed example which was rejected in April (design A). This document shows the eleven designs which were rejected. The short note from de la Rue on this document subtly hints at his dissatisfaction and/or frustration from the Postmaster General's rejection despite being approved by the stamp committee. This is a small insight into the enormous level of work and effort it took during the 19th century in designing and creating each postage stamp issue—particularly that of the Queen Victoria Jubilee issue of 1887.
Great Britain, 1912, 5sh Seahorse Die Proof (174P; SG 401P; SG Specialised N66 Proof). State A, printed in Deep Gray Brown (issued in Rose Carmine) on thick card measuring 70 x 48mm, showing guidelines around design, wonderfully rich color and bold impression
EXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB AND DESIRABLE DIE PROOF OF THE 1912 waterlow printing of the 5-SHILLING SEAHORSE FROM STATE A PRINTED IN DEEP GRAY BROWN. a rarely encountered DIE proof. Essential for a world-class Seahorse collection or exhibit.
Ex R. M. Phillips. SG Specialised £50,000.
Great Britain, 1935, 1-11/2p Silver Jubilee Essay Designs by C. Hayden (227E-228E; SG 454E-455E). Two proposed essay designs of the 1p and 11/2p, two of each value in slightly differing sizes, the smaller measuring 24 x 29.5mm, the larger measuring 27.5 x 33.5mm, each printed in Bright Rose Red on Harrison & Son's script watermarked paper and affixed to larger card measuring 122 x 176mm, manuscript "Messrs. Harrison & Sons Ltd., Oct. 1934" written at bottom
VERY FINE. A UNIQUE EXHIBITION-QUALITY ARCHIVAL CARD WITH FOUR UNACCEPTED ESSAYS FOR THE KING GEORGE V SILVER JUBILEE ISSUE CREATED BY C. HAYDEN.
A fair number of artist-drawn essays of various designs were submitted for this proposed issue. These two designs were created by C. Hayden who was an artist working for Harrison and Sons — one of the three printers invited by the Post Office to submit designs. He decided to use the Mackennal head. The chosen design for the Silver Jubilee issue ended up being awarded to Barnett Freedman.
Ex Shaida. SG Specialised £24,000 as singles.
Great Britain, Used in Bolivia — Cobija, 1867, 1sh Green (A10; SG Z9). Wing margin at right, Plate 4, lettered G-H, tied by barred "C39" cancel with light strike of "Cobija NO 21 67" circular datestamp on blue folded cover to Baltimore, United States, used with Bolivia, 1867, 5c Green (2), vertical pair, Original Plate, Fifth State, Positions 15/27, large margins on each side, tied by light strike of "Lamar, Franca" circular handstamp, well-struck "N.Y. Steamship 10 Dec. 21" integral 10c due datestamp, cover with several file folds including one which goes thru bottom 5c stamp (barely evident)
VERY FINE. A PHENOMENAL BOLIVIA CONDOR ISSUE AND BRITISH POST OFFICE IN COBIJA COMBINATION FRANKING. ARGUABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BRITISH POST OFFICES ABROAD POSTAL HISTORY ARTIFACTS IN EXISTENCE. THIS IS THE ONLY COMBINATION FRANKING KNOWN TO HAVE GONE THROUGH BOTH POSTAL SERVICES AND ONE OF JUST THREE CONDOR ISSUE COVERS KNOWN THRU THE BRITISH POST OFFICE IN COBIJA.
Covers with any value of the Condor issue or from the British Post Office in Cobija are quite rare in their own right. To have a cover combining these two features is quite remarkable and exponentially increases the rarity factor. To date, there are only three Bolivian Condor issue covers recorded that went thru the British Post Office in Cobija. Arguably, this cover is far superior to the other two recorded covers. This is the only confirmed mixed franking known to have gone thru both postal services. The ex-Kornan cover has the Condor issue tied by the "C39" cancel and is void of any Bolivian postal markings. There is speculation on whether this was handled by the Bolivian post office and could have been brought directly to the British Post Office in Cobija. The third cover (ex Dr. Hubbard and Ortiz-Patino), is sent from Sucre and has two pairs of the 5c Condor issue but was sent due thru the British Post Office in Cobija (no Great Britain stamps affixed).
Ex Dale-Lichtenstein, Dr. Hubbard, Bollen, Ortiz-Patino, and "Dubois". With 2022 B.P.A. certificate.
Certificate
2022 B.P.A. No. 97189 View Cert