Stamps

The Spink Stamp Department has historical links to the name of Robson Lowe, one of the great 20th Century philatelists, whose business was bought by Christie’s in 1980 and integrated into Spink in 1995.

Every year the Stamp Department offers a wide-ranging series of exciting auctions with general sales, specialist one-country and single-owner sales, many resulting in record-breaking prices. The current season is no exception with a mouth-watering auction programme already in progress.

Great Britain Stamps & Postal History, 7th April 2009

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Lot 380 - Great Britain Line Engraved, 1840 Two Pence Blue

PG-RJ block of twelve in deep, full blue, margins just touched (slightly ragged at top) to large, RH constant variety and RI-RJ shifted transfer, unused without gum; some pressed creases and small closed tear (QG). A large and extraordinary block, fresh and delightful appearance. R.P.S. Certificate (2001). Sold for £180,000

Lot 321 - Great Britain Line Engraved, 1840 Once Penny Black

DA-EB left margin block of four on experimental thin paper, large even margins all round and with full original gum and unmounted; light horizontal folding crease though the lower section of the top pair and some usual gum wrinkling. Endorsed in black ink in the margin "24lb" indicating the weight of the paper. Fresh and fine. An outstanding rarity. B.P.A. Certificate (2006). S.G. Spec. AS44c.
Sold for £100,000

Lot 649 - Great Britain Offical Stamps, 1840 "V R" Official

DA-EB left margin block of four on experimental thin paper, large even margins all round and with full original gum and unmounted; light horizontal folding crease though the lower section of the top pair and some usual gum wrinkling. Endorsed in black ink in the margin "24lb" indicating the weight of the paper. Fresh and fine. An outstanding rarity. B.P.A. Certificate (2006). S.G. Spec. AS44c.
Sold for £70,000

Lot 1289 - China, 1941 New York Print $2 black and blue

1941 New York Print $2 black and blue, frame inverted, fine mint. An outstanding example of this rarity, only fifty examples recorded. B.P.A Certificate (1996). S.G. 595a; Chan 508a.
Sold for £72,000

Lot 90 - Indian Stamps used in the Straits Settlements, Straits Settlements Bisects, 9a.6p. rate to the United States of America.

1860 (3 Feb.) envelope (with part enclosure) from Singapore to Massachusetts, marked "Via Southampton", bearing 1856 1a. brown pair, one bisected diagonally, and 2a. dull pink strip of four (some perf faults due to being affixed to edge of envelope), each cancelled "B/172", showing various rate markings, London Paid transit c.d.s. (3.4), "n.york am pkt" d.s. (19.4) and, on reverse, "singapore/p.o." double-ring d.s. in red; the envelope a little soiled. Extremely rare and one of the most important of all India bisect covers. Two 1 anna bisect covers are recorded, the other is in the collection of Her Majesty The Queen. B.P.A. Certificate (1988).
Sold for £56,000

 

 

 

 

 

Lot 116 - Issued Stamps, 1867 (1 Sept.) Surcharged on Stamps of East India Covers, Mail to Switzerland.

1867 (1 Sept.) entire from Singapore to Langnau, marked "p Messag. Imp. Via France", bearing 8c. on 2a. yellow pairs (2, one crossed by filing crease), cancelled by firm's chop in blue and clear "B/172", showing unframed "pd" in red and, on reverse, "singapore/p.o." double-ring d.s. ("1 sep. 1866" - sic!) in red and various Swiss transit and arrival datestamps. A fine and important cover of this issue - the stamps having been used on the day of issue. The only recorded first day cover.
Sold for £52,000

 

 

Lot 42 - 1880 (1 April) Overprints on Stamps of Great Britain, Issued Stamps, One Penny Red

Plate 208, the unique upper left corner block of four with plate number, AA-BB, comprising two vertical pairs each having the top stamp with variety overprint omitted, part original gum, good colour being superior to most of the other pairs of this variety available; BA with small thin at foot, otherwise fine. An exceptionally rare and hugely important positional multiple.
Sold for £52,000

 

 

 

Lot 485 - Uganda, 1895 (May) Wide stamps

10(c.) horizontal strip of three with the right-hand stamp having the "10" value deleted and replaced with "5" and initialled "EM" (Rev. Ernest Millar), light "25" at top of the stamp possibly indicating the total postage required, each stamp cancelled with pen stroke and affixed on envelope to "Rev. W.S. Crabtree Luba's Busoga" and marked at upper left corner "1 box sent by canoe". Without question one of the most important items of Ugandan philately, being the sole example of this manuscript surcharge. R.P.S. Certificate (1970).
Sold for £51,000

 

 

107 - Mauritius, 1848-59 "post paid" Issue, Earliest Impressions

2d. indigo-blue, [11], a superb example of intense colour and excellent detailed impression which is only found in the earliest printings, large to very large margins all round, cancelled and tied by circle of bars on 1849 (9 July) entire from Flacq to Port Louis, showing "flacq/juy 10 1849" boxed d.s. alongside framed "inland" h.s., the reverse with "mauritius/post office" double-ring d.s. across join. Exceptionally fine and a highly important stamp on cover, of which only one other inferior example exists. A magnificent classic issue cover in optimum condition and of the utmost rarity which has graced many of the great Mauritius collections. S.G. 4
Sold for £50,000

Lot 90 - Hong Kong

1880 "10 cents." on 16c. yellow, variety surcharge inverted, unused without gum; some defects including blunt corner and closed tear. A remarkable new discovery of this exceptionally rare stamp that had, to date, only been recorded used. B.P.A . Certificate (2009). S.G. 26a
Sold for £42,000

Lot 115 - Mauritius, 1848-59 "post paid" Issue

2d. blue, [6] and [12], both superb with good or large to enormous margins and each crisply cancelled with circle of bars on 1849 (26 July) part letter sheet "p Paragon" to Calcutta, showing Crowned "mauritius/g p o" d.s. at foot and showing, on reverse, boxed "calcutta/ship letter/Inland Bg/Ship Do/Total" completed for 4as. Outstanding quality and an exceptionally rare franking of these early classic stamps. R.P.S. Certificate (2004). S.G. 8
Sold for £42,000

 

 

Lot 1148 - Great Britain, 1867-83 High Values, Watermark Anchor, Blued Paper

£5 orange, blued paper, AB with sheet margin at left, lovely colour, fine unused with large part original gum. A very fine example of this rarity. B.P.A. Certificate (1990). S.G. 133.
Sold for £36,000

Lot 17 - British Guiana, 1850-51 "Cotton Reels"

4c. black on orange, initialled "E.D.W.", a cut square example of this great rarity, used, just touched at one side, fresh colour and superb. One of the finest existing examples of this tremendous British Empire classic issue. Signed H. Bloch, B.P.A. Certificate (2008). S.G. 2.
Sold for £26,000