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Auction: 17045 - Revenue Stamps of the World
Lot: 389

Cape of Good Hope
1883 (1 May) Complete "Report Upon the Adhesive Stamps Used at the Cape of Good Hope" produced by De La Rue, seventeen pages, bound in red leather, titles and crest of the colony embossed in gold on cover, "Presented to both Houses of Parliament by command of his Excellency the Governor", this particular copy made out to "assistant treasurer". The first nine pages contain a detailed copy of a handwritten report discussing face values, ink types, watermarks, colours and other production notes, the following pages containing:

"Appendix A" headed "Stamps printed in Fugitive ink" showing a strike of the "B01" obliterator and three 1872 1d. values, one "Left intact", one marked "Stamp with printed obliteration" and one marked "Stamp obliterated in the same manner as the above stamp, and then treated with benzine"

"Appendix B" headed "Stamps printed in Doubly Fugitive ink" bearing 1865 ½d. lilac, and 1873 1/- green and £2 purple, three examples of each, arranged in columns showing effects of cancellation trials; the first "left intact", the second "Obliterated by writing and then cancelled with oxalic acid", the third column "obliterated by printing and then healed with benzine", the third column designs almost invisible with faint BO1 obliterators.

"Appendix C" headed "Specimens of all the Cape of Good Hope Postage Stamps with specimens of new colours proposed for three of the duties." bearing issued 1864 1/- green, 1871 4d. blue, and 1882-83 1d., 1d. 2d., 3d., and 5/-, and unissued Wmk. CA colour trials denominated ½d. in green, rose, and grey-blue, each annotated "Proposed colour".

"Appendix D" headed "Examples showing the colours of the Pence Series of the Cape of Good Hope Revenue Stamps" 1870 small format 2d. colour trials in green, red and brown-purple, and 1876 large format colour trials (5) denominated ½d. on yellow paper, in light-brown, green, orange-red, chestnut, and deep brown.

"Appendix E" headed "Examples showing the colours of the Shilling Series of the Cape of Good Hope Revenue Stamps" with sixteen large format colour trials denominated ½d., and one small format 2d. in blue, each annotated above in manuscript with a denomination for the colour scheme, the colours broadly as issued but with some unrecorded values.

"Appendix F" headed "Examples showing the colours of the lower section of the Pound Series of the Cape of Good Hope Revenue Stamps", bearing seven colour trials denominated ½c., all or orange-yellow paper, each annotated with face values ranging from £1- £3.

"Appendix G" headed "Examples showing the colours of the upper section of the Pound Series of the Cape of Good Hope Revenue Stamps", the page bearing eight colour trials on blue-green paper, with face values ranging from £4-£50, the £5 and £6 colours as issued, the higher values unrecorded.

Occasional trivial handling marks affecting cover and pages hardly detract, still a visually spectacular and extraordinary survival as a complete report. Superb.

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Sold for
£8,000