News Archive

Stamps of South East Asia - 19 June 2004

Two spectacular Straits Settlements Blocks recently consigned for sale to be included in our forthcoming Spink Singapore auction at the Oriental Hotel, 22 June 2004.

Position 1-12

Provenance:
Dr F E Wood, 1964 (the two blocks)
Charles S Taylor, 1981(the two blocks)
George Asch, 1991(the two blocks)
David Springbett, 1994 (sold as a separate lot)
Purchased by the present owner at the above sale

Position 49-60

Provenance:
Dr F E Wood, 1964
Charles S Taylor, 1981
George Asch, 1991
David Springbett, 1994
George Bloch, 1996
Purchased by the present owner at the above sale

Following the success of 2003 Singapore auction, we have just received instructions to sell at auction two of the most important Straits Settlement blocks in private hands. Both blocks have impeccable provenance and have not been on the market for nearly a decade and will, for the first time since 1991, be offered together as one lot.

We can ascertain that both of the blocks were acquired by Dr F E Wood after the publication of his book “Straits Settlement Postage Stamps” in 1948. In his famous book, his ‘10’ on 30c. claret surcharge plating study shows the positions of the types he had been able to plate based on the two large blocks in the Royal Collection and his famous lower right hand marginal strip of three which incidentally was sold at the Spink Singapore sale in June 2003, emanating from the William Frazer collection (lot 38, S$69,000). Having not acquired the two blocks prior to completing his book, he was unaware that positions 1 and 7 were type ‘c’ and ‘b’ and positions 49 and 55 were both type ‘a’.

The two blocks were always sold together as one lot until the dispersal of the Springbett collection in 1994. George Bloch purchased the lower block at the Springbett sale at Christie’s Singapore in 1994 and the other block was purchased by the present owner in the same sale. The present owner then acquired the upper block at the George Bloch sale in 1996, reuniting these two unique pieces.

Estimate on request.

Tim Hirsch
Chairman, Spink Collectables

We have already had consigned a number of exciting properties for the 2004 Singapore sales which takes place two months before the F.I.P International Exhibition in Singapore. Consignments will be accepted until mid February.

To consign, please contact:

•Tim Hirsch (London): thirsch@spink.com
•Nick Startup (London): nstartup@spink.com