380th Auction

1. on 3-5 pfg., 2d. on 10-20 pfg., 3d. on 25-30 pfg. and 4d. on 40 pfg., fresh colors and good perforation, tied by Gibbs type 2 cancel "*RABAUL * *Oct. 22 1914*" to registered letter with handwritten r-label "Reg'd J.D.M.", with endorsement "on active service" to Sydney, a fine and interesting letter, signed Hoffmann-Giesecke with certificate (1970) and certificates BPA (1980) and Holcombe (1991)

Reference: depicted in G.R.I. by Robert M. Gibbs, page 95

3d. on 30 pfg. black and orange/buff, fresh color and good perforation, minute margin tear at left, clear double surcharge, position 4, tied by Gibbs type 2 violet "*RABAUL* *Oct, 17 1914*" to cover front addressed to Apia, Samoa. A major rarity with a total of just 10 printed with only 5 recorded, three unused and two used, both on cover(front) (folded), certificate Holcombe (1992)

5d. on 40 pfg. black and purple/buff, fresh color, position 5, some short perfs at top, tied by rare Gibbs Type 1 pre-first day cancel "RABAUL Oct. 13 1914" to cover addressed to Mrs. R.J.A. Travers sent by her husband Captain Travers who played an important part in the action on the Bitapaka Road, reverse with typewriter text "I hereby certify that the stamp...one of the original stamps of the 16 issued...", a very interesting and rare cover with only 9 similar covers recorded, certificate BPA (1982)

Provenance: "Creed Collection", Uncommon Market (1966) 

2d. on 20 pfg. ultramarine with clear double surcharge, position 1, tied by oval "RABAUL JAN NEW B(RITAIN) to piece, a very attractive example of this rarity with only 1 row believed to be printed from this setting, certificate Ceremuga (2014)

8d. on 80 pfg. black and carmine/rose, fresh color and good perforation, position 6, tied by Gibbs type cancel "RABAUL NEW BRITAIN JUN 18 1915" to addressed envelope (small part missing at upper left), fine and scarce, signed Holcombe with opinion (1994)

1d. on 3 pfg. brown mounted on "blanket", position 7-8, few nibbed perfs, otherwise fine and very interesting item, opinion Holcombe (1990)

1d. on 3 pfg. brown, two marginal singles tied by oval "RABAUL NEW BRITAIN JAN 28 1915" to small piece, positions 1 and 10 showing varieties "1 with straight top serif" and "broken top serif", fine and attractive, certificate Ceremuga (2001)

2d. on 10 pfg. carmine, position 1, showing variety "no stop after G", together with Kangoroo ½d. green with OS punch, tied by two strikes of oval "RABAUL JAN 5 1915" to small piece, horizontal crease not affecting adhesives, a scarce and attractive piece, certificate RPSL of Victoria (2001)

3d. on 25 pfg. black and red/yellow, fresh color and good perforation, position 4, unused, very fine, signed Richter

3d. on 25pfg. black and red/yellow, horizontal pair with upper sheet margin, position 4-5, position 5 showing the variety "missing stop after d", mint never hinged, very fine and attractive

3d. on 30 pfg. black and orange/buff, fresh color and good perforation, position 5, unused, very fine

3d. on 30 pfg. black and orange/buff, fresh color and good perforation, position 4, tied by oval "RABAUL NEW BRITAIN JAN 22 1915" to small piece, very fine, signed Bothe BPP and certificate GPS (1983)

3d. on 30 pfg. black and orange/buff, fresh color and good perforation, position 5 with variety "no stop after d", unused, very fine, certificate Gibbs (2002)

4d. on 40 pfg. black and carmine, block of four, fresh color and good perforation (somewhat separated vertically), positions 7-8, unused, very fine

4d. on 40 pfg. black and carmine, horizontal pair, fresh color and good perforation, position 4-5 with position 5 showing variety "no stop after d", mint never hinged, very fine and scarce with only 112 varieties possible, as pair especially attractive, certificate Ceremuga (2012)

5d. on 50 pfg. black and purple/buff, position 1, 2d. on 10 pdf. carmine, position 2 and horizontal pair 1d. on 5 pfg, positions 1-2 in combination with 3d. on Rabaul (Setting A, pos. 4), all fresh colors and good perforations, tied by Gibbs type 8 cancel "RABAUL JAN 22 1915" resp. "RABAUL FEB 22 1915" to large format cover (reduced, opened out) to Boston Spa, Yorkshire with red manuscript "Passed by Censor" at upper left and vignette "KAISERL. HAUPTKASSE RABAUL" and lower left, an attractive and interesting mixed franking with the oddity of two different date cancellations, certificate Holcombe (1988)

8d. on 80 pfg. black and carmine/rose, fresh color and good perforation, position 3, unused, very fine, certificate PF (1994)

1 on 2d. on 10 pfg. carmine, horizontal pair, fresh color and good perforation, positions 1-2, tied by oval "RABUL NEW BRITAIN JAN 7 1915" to small piece, fine

1915, 1 on 2d. on 10 pfg. carmine, small "1" (4mm), position 8, mint never hinged, fine

1915, 1 on 2d. on 10 pfg. carmine, small "1" (4mm), position 7, mint never hinged, fine

1915, 1 on 2d. on 20 pfg. ultramarine, position 9, fresh color and good perforation, erroneously marked "falsch" by Kilian, otherwise very fine, a rare stamp, certificate Holcombe (1988)

1915, 1 on 2d. on 20 pfg. ultramarine, fresh color and good perforation, position 4, tied by part of oval "(RABAUL) NEW BRITAIN" to small piece, fine example of this scarce stamp, signed A. Brun and Kilian and certificate BPA (1990)

5mm Spacing: 4d. on 40 pfg. carmine and black, fresh color and good perforation, position 2, unused, very fine and scarce, signed A. Brun and Thier

5mm Spacing: 8d. on 80 pfg. black and carmine/rose, fresh color and good perforation, position 1, unused, very fine and scarce

5mm Spacing: 8d. on 80 pfg. black and carmine/rose, fresh color and good perforation, position 3, unused, very fine and scarce, certificate PF (1969)