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Auction: 6010 - Important Stamps & Covers of the World - Washington Philatelic Exhibition Auction
Lot: 43

x BRITISH GUIANA THE 1850-51 "COTTONREELS" The following 17 lots comprise one of the last great holdings of these scarce "primitive" printings that seldom appear on the market in any number. The stamps were typeset and printed in black on variously coloured papers at the office of the "Royal Gazette" in Georgetown. The design was simple, consisting of a piece of printers´ brass rule fashioned into a circle, within the circumference of which was the name of the colony in Roman capitals with the denomination in the centre of the circle. Three of the values - 4 cents, 8 cents and 12 cents were issued on 1st July 1850, and the 2 cents was added eight months later. Before being sold to the public the stamps were usually validated by a postal official adding his initials. The names and initials of these officials were E.T.E.D(alton), H.A.K(illikelley), W.H.L(orimer), J.B.S(mith) and E.D.W(ight). The 2 cents was issued to prepay postage on a house-to-house delivery service in Georgetown, at the request of local merchants, which commenced on the 1st March 1852, before then all mail had to be collected at the Post Office. However this service was soon abandoned through lack of public support and thus lies the reason for the extreme rarity of 2 cents stamps. Only 10 examples exist with three pairs known solely on covers. The typesetting resulted in various philatelic types. W.A. Townsend identified four, three with thick frames and one with a thin frame. Consideration of the 4 cents and 8 cents resulted in the observation that there were three thick frames to every one of thin. He omitted the 2 cents and 12 cents due to their rarity. However there are only two types, both thick frames, on the 2 cents value. Eight are type A, characterised by the first "i" of "british" leaning to the right, the other type (B) occur only on the Miss Rose cover. Type B is characterised by a raised and left leaning first "a" of "guiana" and a minute break in the outer circle slightly to the left of the first "i" of "british". Types as recorded by Robson Lowe 26th March 1970. A thin frame - break in the outer circle after "guiana" 4c., 8c., 12c. Varieties: i - the letters "ri" have been straighten 8c., 12c. Ii - "2" large, straight foot 12c. B thick frame - break over "gu" (reads "br itish") 2c., 4c., 8c., 12c. Varieties I - break over "g" 8c. C thick frame - break over "i" in "brit" 2c., 4c., 8c., 12c. Varieties: i - "1" in "12" omitted 12c. ii - second "i" in "british" dropped 4c., 8c., 12c. iii - value higher - between "b" and "g" Only the 2 cents and 12 cents are known in pairs, the first vertical where the measurement between the stamps varies from approximately 11/2mm. to 6mm., thus indicating that the stamps were printed in one horizontal row which was probably only a pair. The 12 cents were horizontally spaced approximately 14mm. apart. Vertical pairs are of the same type, horizontal pairs are of a different type. The earliest dated examples (August to November 1850) are all type A, so possibly type A was printed from singles. Type A is of equal rarity to C but type B is twice as numerous. There have been few specialised sales of British Guiana in the past, however to assist interest parties, we list a few here to enable clients to research material when previously offered. Boucher - 21st November 1945 (Robson Lowe) Burrus - Sale 33, 26th November 1963 (Robson Lowe) Cartier - Sale 1, 21st April 1977 (Stanley Gibbons) Caspary - Sale 9, 14th May 1957 (H.R. Harmer Inc.) Dale/Lichtenstein - Sale 3, 17th February 1969 (H.R. Harmer Inc.) Ferrary - Sales 1, 2, 3 and 10, 23rd June 1921 to June 1924 (Gilbert, France) "Great" - 26th March 1970 (Robson Lowe) Hind - Sale 2, 7th May 1934 (H.R. Harmer Ltd.) Townsend - 20th October 1969 (H.R. Harmer Ltd.) We also list certain philatelic books that contain stories pertaining to British Guiana "Cottonreels". a) Encyclopaedia of Rare and Famous stamps, L. and N. Williams, 1997 published by David Feldman, Volume 1 pages 13 to 30, Volume 2, illustrations, Colour plate 3. b) An Album of Rare Stamps, published by Vallencey 1982, Chapter 13 - "The Cottonreels of British Guiana" by H.R. Holmes, Pas President of the Royal Philatelic Society, pages 58 to 65. c. Linn´s Philatelic Gems, Amos Press, 1984, "Miss Rose´s Church Cover", pages 22 and 23 with illustration. d) Stamps of Great Price by N.L. Stocken, published by A.E. Hopkins, Bath 1932, pages 25 to 31. Prospective buyers should be aware that the paper on these early primitive issues is not of the highest quality. Obvious defects are mentioned in the descriptions but irregularities in the paper of a minor nature should be expected. 2c. rose, type B on medium wove paper, initialled "J.B.S.", cut round with outer frameline intact, cancelled by Demerara double-arc d.s. for June 23 1851 and affixed to small piece. The finest known example of the four recorded, and the only one without any of the obvious defects clearly visible in the illustrations of the other three examples in "Encyclopaedia of Rare and Famous Stamps" (2 - The Biographies). Sc. 1; S.G. 1 Estimate US$ 150,000-200,000Note: The four known examples of the 2c. used off cover are all cut round. It is generally considered that this was the method they used and the bulk of all "Cottonreels" exist in this manner. All four examples are type B and all are initialled "J.B.S"(mith). In terms of "Classic" rarities, this "Number One" example of British Guiana is considered to be amongst the greatest of all philatelic treasures. This is the first opportunity for collectors to acquire this example by auction on the open market in more than 80 years. There is only one other example held in private hands, and that example is heavily repaired. provenance for L.N. Williams copy number 4: 1877 N.R. McKinnon acquired this example 1878 Ferrary obtained No. 4 in exchange for No. 1 1924 Auction: Gilbert Ferrary sale 10. Lot 169, Fr.58.750 = $3.172 approx. 196(?) Changed hands privately together with other items from the Champion collection 1996 Offered for sale by B.Behr in private treaty catalogue at Anphilex 1996 were purchased by present owner.

Sold for
$310,000