News from Spink

Spink First Stamp Sale Of The Autumn Season To Feature CapeOf Good Hope

ISSUES FROM 1864/1900 TOGETHER WITH “THE SIEGE OF MAFEKING” WITH MANY RARE COVERS

Thursday the 20th of September will be the date for the first auction of the second half of the year and will feature the exhibition collection of a well known philatelist resident in Europe.  It will comprise some 250 lots of the so called “Rectangular” issue and will include the period known as the “Boer War” with prisoner of war envelopes and also stamps and covers incorporating the Siege of Mafeking which made such an impression on the nation as a whole during the turn of the 19th century.

We do not recall a specialised auction of this type of material ever held before and amongst the lovely items present are from the 1864/7 issue with outer frame line, the 4d and 1/- values in coloured Die Proofs on wove paper and glazed card, lots 5 and 6 are estimated from £1500 to £2000.  Another fine proof lot can be found in lot 46.  Here the issue is 1891/2 and there are four De La Rue Essays of a handpainted design lettered A to D with 1d and 2 ½ d denominations in shades from pale lilac to turquoise-blue.  This impressive unique group is estimated from £4000 to £5000.

During the first rectangular period, there are a few covers known that bear copies of the imperforate triangular stamps.  Lot 80 has a single copy of the De La Rue 1863/4 issue 1d deep carmine-red on a cover addressed to Eerste River from Kalk Bay dated 9th June 1865.  The rate was 1d if used within the boundaries of Cape Town.  The stamp is a little defective but is a considerable rarity and is estimated from £1800 to £2000.  Similarly lot 103 has a combination of the 1863/4 issue and the rectangular issue.  Here we have a 4d value of the triangular stamp and a 1/- value from the perforated issue and this cover addressed to England dated 17th February 1865 is valued from £2500 to £3000.

Combination covers of this period are very popular and lots 140 and 141 are fine examples.  Dated 1871 and 1873, two covers have examples of stamps with those of the Orange Free State and addressed to Germany.  With multiple frankings and various colours, they are estimated from £4000 and £3000 respectively and would make superb additions to collections of these issues.

Likewise lots 145 and 146 have somewhat later combinations on cover with Transvaal.  Dated 1878 and 1879, these covers are again addressed to Germany and have triple combinations of the Cape with Transvaal 6d and 3d stamps.  These impressive covers are valued from £1400 to £1800.

Continuing with rare combination covers, Lot 177 features an item dated 1880 with a fine selection of Transvaal stamps of the 1878/80 issue namely the 1d, 3d (3) and 4d values together with ½ d grey of the Cape.  Addressed to Switzerland, this attractive cover is estimated from £2000 to £2500.  Finally an incoming envelope to the Cape from Hong Kong. Lot 190 is dated 1874 with two examples from the 1863/71 issue 8c and 12c, it is addressed to Mowbray, near Cape Town and has a manuscript charge of “6d”.  This pretty cover is valued from £600.

The last 26 lots are devoted to the “Siege of Mafeking” which lasted from the 23rd March to the 17th May 1900.  Always a popular subject, there are some fine overprinted stamps and a fine selection of covers.  From these, we select two examples – lots 243 and 244.  The first has the 3d deep blue on blue, 18 ½ mm wide on an envelope dated 11th April to Mr. A Thomas, DeKocks Corner, and is estimated from £3000 and the next - the same stamp in combination with Cape 3d on 1d carmine and Bechuanaland 1d on ½ d vermilion ( two strips of 3, types 4 to 6).  Dated 16th April and addressed to Recreation Ground, it is valued from £3.500.

We hope this brief resume will stimulate interest and look forward to meeting those collectors with an interest in Southern Africa at our Auction Room on the 20th September at 10.30 am.  Please also remember if you cannot attend in person to utilise our many services for bidding including “Spink Live” on the internet, as well as phone, fax, email and the normal mail facilities.

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. Holders of three royal warrants and numerous records for prices achieved at auction, Spink offer an unparalleled range of services to collectors worldwide.  Spink is headquartered in London and hold 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.

Spink Live

Launched on the 11th July 2006, Spink is pleased to offer our bespoke bidding service, Spink Live.   This enables you not only to bid real time but to leave an absentee bid in any of our forthcoming auctions; whilst online you can also see and hear the auctioneer through our remarkably user friendly and efficient software.

Since its launch, Spink Live has so far revolutionized the way in which people bid at auction. Spink is thrilled to offer this new platform for our clients so that they may enjoy adding to their collection from the comfort of their homes or anywhere else on the globe they may be.  It is believed to the only service of its kind in the world of collectables.

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