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British West Indies Stamps and Covers Sale Results 21 & 22 October 2004

This extensive and valuable auction comprised over 1550 lots and primarily comprised fine collections of Antigua, Bahamas, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent. The sale total was £801,402, including the 15% buyers premium.

The morning of the 21st was devoted to the sale of the Frederick Mayer Antigua collection. This saw strong competition for the rare individual items, though the mixed collection lots were rather overlooked. Outstanding prices included the two Ship Letter handstamps at £3,800 and £2,700; the S.G. 1 unused block of ten at £6,500; 1879 2 1/2d. red-brown with slanting foot and £5,200 for the 1921-29 issue 2 1/2d. essay.

The afternoon saw a fine collection of Bahamas come to the auction block. This is the third major section of these islands to come through the Christie’s/Spink auction rooms in the last five years, a remarkable occurrence given that no sale or large section had ever been offered at sale previously.

Pre-stamp covers included a remarkable £8,500 paid for the undated cover with Bahamas Ship Letter handstamp in red and two covers of 1835 with the small Bahamas dated handstamp realising £4,000 and £4,200. The issued Victorian stamps attracted much attention and included £3,600 for the 1859 1d. die proof, £9,000 for the 1859 medium paper 1d. corner block of six and £2,900 for the 1882 perf. 12 4d. mint block of nine. In the covers and Cancellations section the 1862 Royal Victoria Hotel advertising envelope bearing compound perf. 4d. (the only example recorded on cover) made £4,800.

The collection of Grenada formed by the late Cyril Bell created much attention though the highest prices in this section were for the two Ship Letter covers consigned by another vendor at £2,000 and £4,500, and the £14,000 paid for the unique 1883 1d. with manuscript “postage”, unused with part original gum.

St. Lucia saw the unused multiples well competed for with £3,200 paid for the 1860 Ormond Hill “Cancelled” 1d. and £7,500 for the delightful 6d. green unused marginal block of twenty.

St. Vincent prices were somewhat mixed although these included £4,000 for the 1815 oval Ship Letter handstamp, the same price for the 1869 4d. yellow mint block of four, and a remarkable £8,500 paid for the imperforate 1875-78 1/- vermilion.

To view full prices realised for this sale please click here.