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The Cape Town Collection is a great success

LONDON BOMB OUTRAGES DO NOT DETER BIDDERS!

A small but enthusiastic crowd gathered at Spink galleries at 10am on Thursday 7th July to compete for 63 lots of Cape of Good Hope triangular stamps, with small but exquisite groups of Mafeking and Mauritius. "Enthusiastic" would be the correct term for those who made the difficult journey into town, as of course this was the time when the London Underground came under attack from various dissidents who have yet to be exposed. Indeed at 9.47am, a large explosion was heard at our offices and later we heard that a bus had been blown up only some 200 yards away! Although offices nearby were evacuated, the auction was only delayed by fifteen minutes, whilst precautions were taken to establish that it was safe to continue.

The sale total of £355,310 was 92% by value and only nine lots were unsold. The fifty-four lots were purchased by nineteen successful buyers. Some of the highlights are described below.

Lot 16 was an unused pair of the 1d vermilion woodblock, S.G. 13 with part original gum. Tiny defects did not deter from the exceptional appearance and the realisation of £21,000 was close to estimate. The buyer was John Taylor, a long time resident of Canonbury, and chairman of the British Philatelic Expert Committee. Lot 22 was a used block of 4 of the 1861 1d carmine woodblock, S.G.13a. Originally in the “Lady Hope” collection, the realisation of £24,000 exceeded the low estimate by £4,000. The highest price achieved in this auction was for lot 30. The 1861 4d pale milky blue woodblock pair in marginal unused condition is a great rarity. (S.G.14). Few pairs are know of this rarity and the price of £46,000 exceeded the revised estimate.

Lot 33 was the finest cover in the auction. Bearing a magnificent pair of the 1861 4d pale milky blue from the McMaster and Crump correspondence, the new owner (John Taylor) is of the opinion that this is the finest 4d woodblock cover available to collectors. The handsome price of £38,000 may deter all but the very wealthy! The finest unused 4d woodblock was contained in lot 35. In the pale bright blue shade, S.G. 14b and with B.P.A certificate, it reached £15,000 from an estimate of £10/12,000. Finally in the “woodblock” section, the 4d carmine error of value – it should be 1d – in fine used condition but with some tiny defects, but of exceptional appearance, sold for £33,000. From the Ferrary collection which was auctioned in 1921 and with B.P.A certificate, this stamp is rated as perhaps the second finest in existence.

Mafeking had two outstanding items worthy of our mention. Lot 52 was the 1900 1d deep blue on blue, imperforate corner marginal block of 4 unused from Plate 3, the lower right stamp showing the “cracked plate” flaw. With B.P.A certificate, it reached £21,000. Lot 56 was the 3d pale blue on blue, wide setting, S.G.21, in a marginal mint block of 4. From the Huston and Maxwell Joseph collections and in exceptional condition, it attained a price of £30,000.

Mauritius has several distinguished “Classics” in superlative condition. Of particular note was lot 58 - the 1853/4 “Post Paid” earliest impression 1d orange-vermilion value in used condition. With R.P.S certificate and provenance from the “Dale-Lichtenstein” collection, this attractive rarity sold for £8,500 from a low estimate of £6,000. This item was purchased by one of our Internet bidders.

With buyers from four continents, this auction illustrates once again that Spink can reach collectors all over the world and achieve results to delight our consigners. Prices realised can be obtained from our offices or website as usual.