British Empire & Foreign Countries

Held in the afternoon of the same day and continuing on May 20th, the accompanying auction of British Empire & Foreign Countries contained a number of interesting and significant areas of material.

First under the hammer was that of the Falkland Islands & Antarctica, which featured the collection of the late Robert Barnes FRPSL, the author of several important reference works on the subject. Featured on the front cover of the catalogue was the 1827 ship’s letter (lot 1001) written from Berkeley Sound off East Falkland, this being the joint second earliest postal item from the islands. Spirited bidding saw this rarity rise to £8,158.

Lot 2769 The scarce Rhodesia 1913-22 Die III, sold £2,010

Fine selections of Bermuda Key Types and Rhodesia Admiral issues, from the

Lot 2769 The scarce Rhodesia 1913-22 Die III, sold £2,010

fine collection of King George V formed by John Sussex, RDP, FRPSL, proved very popular, as is often found when good quality material is enhanced by association with a much respected name. The scarce Rhodesia 1913-22 Die III, Perf. 15 2d. (S.G. 279c, lot 2769) in mint condition achieved £2,010 in spite of a little light toning. An especially striking shade of the Die II, Perf. 15 £1 (S.G. 254 variety, lot 2749) sold well at £984.

Cyprus featured a number of important rarities, a mint vertical pair of the 1880 1d. plate 218 showing double overprint (S.G. 2aa, lot 1887) achieving £5,599. A fine marginal pair of the 1934 Pictorial Half Piastre imperforate between variety (S.G. 136b, lot 1946) similarly reached an impressive £8,398.