News Archive

The Australian States and Commonwealth Sale - 22 September 2004

This auction sees the sale of the fine collections formed by Ron Butler, former President of the Royal Philatelic Society, probably the last of the great collectors to have made collections of all the Australian States and Commonwealth.

Ron Butler was an engineer by profession. He served in the RAF during the war and after he joined the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, being involved in the investigations in to the Comet aircraft crashes. In 1968 he was seconded to the Decimal Coinage Board where he oversaw the design of the new coinage, in particular pioneering the shape of the 50 pence piece.

Ron had a distinguished philatelic career. He joined the Royal Philatelic Society in 1959. He was on the Council where he served as Honorary Librarian for nearly 20 years and he was also on the Publications Committee, during which time he was responsible for the Society’s Centenary history. In 1974 he was elected Vice-President, becoming President in 1978. He also served on the Expert Committee. He was invited to the sign the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in 1975. He wrote a number of works including “The History of the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists” and his magnum opus “The Departmental Stamps of South Australia”. He gained International Gold Medals for his collections of New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia. He passed away in November last year and Spink are honoured to have been asked to offer his outstanding collections by auction.

All six States are represented together with Australian Commonwealth and a brief summary of the contents of the sale follows.

New South Wales has good representations of the Sydney Views, Laureated and Diadem Issues, together with a fine array of later issues. Ron’s fine collections of Specimens, Reprints and Presentation stamps has been divided in to suitable groups and this State concludes with fine Covers and Cancellations.

Queensland is perhaps the strongest of the States and commences with die proofs of all the Perkins Bacon values. All subsequent issues are well covered with essays, proofs and issued stamps with several unique items including a used example of the 1896-1902 6d. green.

There are Revenue Stamps and then finally the outstanding collection of Postal Stationery which won a Large Vermeil at the World Stamp Expo Australia ’99 Exhibition.

South Australia was perhaps Ron’s favourite State. He has fine sections of the various Perkins Bacon issues with their complex perforations, fine later De La Rue issues with proofs and a fine offering of the Departmental Stamps.

Tasmania has an attractive selection of the locally produced stamps printed at the “Courier” newspaper office. These are followed by a wonderful group of Perkins Bacon die proofs including the 2d. and 4d. secondary dies pulled together on a single piece of card and probably unique as such. The 1892-99 issue printed by De La Rue offers an essay, various die proofs and a proposed Colour Scheme with 5d. trials in various colours used as suggestions for the new colours. This State concludes with a fine offering of the Postal Fiscal and Revenue Stamps with many errors and varieties.

Victoria is perhaps the weakest of the States, but with its wealth of complex issues, offers a group of lots that is most challenging for the philatelist. There are a number of the earlier stamps with Specimen overprints, many of which we have never seen before.

Western Australia commences with a remarkable group of Perkins Bacon die proofs for all five values and a fine range of the issued stamps for the 1854-55 and subsequent issues. This State also features a fine offering of the Postal Fiscal and Revenue Stamps.

Australian Commonwealth is represented by fine offerings of the Kangaroo issues with values to £2, Booklets and Postal Stationery.

The sale concludes with the Butler collection of Australian philatelic literature offered as one lot.

We feel sure that the sale of the Butler collection will prove extremely popular with many record prices anticipated.