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News from Spink
The Half Lengths of Victoria, 1850-59 – The Gary Diffen Collection |
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The first printings of each value are prized by modern day collectors, especially the 1d value. It is estimated that only 150 examples survive of this printing which comes in three shades. Each shade is represented in the collection, including one of the finest known copies in Orange Vermillion, estimated at £5,000 of which only twenty examples are estimated to exist. In addition, the only recorded unused example in the Chocolate Brown shade will be offered for sale, with an estimate of £7,000. Superb unused examples are present of the 2d and 3d values which are expected to sell for over £5,000 each.
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From the Second State of the Die, all the shades are presented in unused condition. These are very rare, and are the finest examples known with estimates ranging from £1000 to £3000. In this section of the sale are two outstanding covers, both bearing 1d and 2d values. The first cover bears no less than two examples of each value. A new discovery, it comes with a RPSV certificate and is estimated to fetch £5,000. The other cover, which used to grace the Baetgen collection, has a single 1d and 2 x 2d values and was posted from Ballan, a very small post office in 1850. It is expected to sell for more than £6,000.
The Third and Fourth Printings have many exceptional rarities. The 1d Fourth printing had a very small printing in the Red Brown shade. Twelve examples are recorded, two in unused condition of which the one residing in the Diffen collection is the finest. This is again estimated at £5,000. The 1d Ham printings were printed in panes of 30, with four panes of 30 making up a complete sheet. The unique interpanneau pair from the 1d Fourth Printing is in this sale which used to grace the collections of Charles Lathrop Pack and Commander Harris. In superb condition, and being the only example known, it is expected to realise more than £5,000. In addition, there are two other interpanneau pairs in the collection, rarities of which there are only one other example of each recorded. The 2d value has the finest unused examples recorded in both the Grey and Olive Grey shades. These are estimated at £3,500 and £3,000 each. The 3d value has a very fine unused example in the Greenish Blue shade, the finest of the three known to exist.
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In the Fifth Ham Printing, the Diffen collection houses arguably the most magnificent unused example of a Ham printing Half Length. This is a corner single of the 1d in the Reddish Brown shade, one of two unused examples known in this shade. This stamp is known as “the Caspary single” from which it first came to light in 1958, and used to also grace the Rod Perry collection. With full original gum, it is expected to fetch over £5,000. The 2d value is represented by three unused singles. This printing is very rare in unused condition, with only thirteen examples across four shade groups known. A small number of 2d stamps were printed in the Red Lilac shade. Geoff Kellow in “The Stamps of Victoria” states that about 15 examples are known. Three are in the Diffen collection, including the finest known copy.
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The Sixth Printing of the 2d is represented by many rarities, including the front cover item. It is a double-weight cover addressed to Tasmania bearing pairs of the 2d Lilac and 3d Blue values. This is the only cover known with pairs of two values from the Ham printings (another front is recorded, also in the collection). This exhibition piece is expected to realise over £7000. There was also another small printing of the 2d in the Grey shade. It was thought by modern day collectors not to exist in unused condition since there were no examples in the Pack, Purves or Perry collections. There are two examples in the Diffen collection, both in superb condition and are expected to sell for more than £3,500 each. They were both found in the stock book of an old London dealer in 2000, and had been sitting there since the Ferrari sale of 1922. It goes to show that rarities can still turn up in the most unusual places!!! The most famous “error” of the Half Lengths is the 2d “Missing Value”. This error resulted from the whole value tablet at the base of the stamp being completely retouched, resulting in the words “TWO PENCE” being totally removed. About 15 examples of this rare stamp are recorded, the Diffen copy being one of the finest. Estimated at £6000, it used to grace both the Pack and Harris collections.
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The 2d Seventh and Eighth Printings have many rare pieces. Nearly all the shades are represented in unused condition, including the magnificent example in the Buff shade. This was also thought not to exist in unused condition, with no examples recorded until this stamp turned up in England a couple of years ago. This unique stamp is estimated to realise £4000. Many of the largest multiples known of the different shades are present, notably in strips of three and four.
The 1854 Campbell printings of the 1d and 3d values are represented with many mint examples, including a superb 3d Blue pair with an estimate of £1,000. There was a small printing of the 1d value in the Rose shade. This is often miss-identified by many collectors and auction houses. It is estimated that about 25 examples of this rare shade exist, making a mockery of its catalogue value of £450 in used condition. The finest known single, and one of two recorded pairs (the other known pair is on cover) are to be auctioned. The fine used pair is expected to realise over £2,000.
The 1854-55 Campbell & Fergusson printings of the 1d value contain many of the finest unused examples known of each of the shades. From the printings in Stone 3, there was a small production in the Bright Rose Pink shade. This is an exceptionally rare stamp in unused condition, with only a faulty unused pair known to exist. Being in fine condition, there is expected to be a lot of competition for this stamp, especially at the estimate of £2,000. Blocks of the Half Length stamps are rare pieces, and there are no less than eight from these printings, many of which are the largest multiples known, including a mint block in Dull Brown Red. This is expected to fetch £1,750.
The 3d Campbell & Fergusson printings contain many rare unused multiples. Strangely, there are no unused blocks of four recorded……the largest unused multiples known are pairs. Across all the printings, only 13 unused pairs are known, and five are represented in the Diffen collection, with estimates ranging from £1,500 to £2,000 each. From the earlier printings in Stone 2, Unit 17 on the sheet was the only stamp retouched. It exists in shades of Bright Blue and Greenish Blue. Only one example of each shade is recorded in unused condition, and both examples are to be sold in this collection, both estimated at £2,000. There is also a magnificent strip of three on cover, with one unit showing the Retouch. This unique cover is expected to bring £1,500.
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With the increase in the population of the colony, new ways of separating the stamps was experimented with to make it easier to detach the stamps without using scissors. In 1857, the 3d stamps were rouletted, usually on two sides, to assist separation. This is a very rare stamp in unused condition, and the finest of the two recorded pairs is to be auctioned, at an estimate of £5,000. This pair is arguably the major piece of the roulettes, and was in the Pack, Forster, and Rod Perry collections. In addition, each of the rouletted printings is represented by the Unit 17 retouch, including the only known example in the Greenish Blue shade, estimated at only £600.
The final usage of the Half Lengths of Victoria was the 3d stamps perforated 12 by F.W. Robinson in 1859. Contained in the collection is the finest known unused example from the J. S. Campbell printing which is estimate at £1,000. There was a very small quantity perforated from the Campbell & Fergusson printings in Greenish Blue. Although Geoff Kellow suggests that there are about two dozen examples known, probably more exist. Even so, it is a rare stamp, with eight examples in the Diffen collection, including one of two recorded strips of three. This is the equal largest multiple known, and estimate at £1,250.
The sale of the Gary Diffen collection of Half Lengths of Victoria will provide collectors with the opportunity to acquire many major pieces in exceptional condition.
About Spink
Spink is the world’s leading auctioneer of coins, stamps, medals and banknotes. Since its foundation in 1666, the Spink name has become synonymous with tradition, experience and integrity. Holder of three royal warrants and numerous records for prices achieved at auction, Spink offers an unparalleled range of services to collectors worldwide. Spink is headquartered in London and holds over 35 auctions a year around the globe. In June 2006 Spink shattered the world record for a British Coin sold at auction with the sale of the Double Leopard Gold Coin for a staggering £460,000.
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