Sturminster Stamps GB Connoisseur's Choice

This page, listing items of considerable rarity and/or superlative quality, is designed for the discerning collector, who appreciates Value for Money, as opposed to Value for money...as the salesman said to the prospective Rolls-Royce buyer, 'If you need to ask the price of spares, you can't afford it, sir...'. Some items, where appropriate, appear in other listings...

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Item No.	SG/Spec	Plate/Letters	Description	Price	Key
QUEEN VICTORIA
B:428	2 AS5l	1b EI	1840 1d Black: A VFU single, with four good-to-LARGE margins, VERY LIGHTLY cancelled high with a few fragments of a red Maltese Cross, leaving almost COMPLETE CLEAR HEAD. RARE WATERMARK INVERTED. CONSTANT VARIETY: mark in NW corner star, and also NW 7 and 10 o'clock Ray Flaws.	£475.00
B:396	1 AS4ub	1b QI	1840 1d Intense Black: A FU+ single in the INTENSE BLACK shade, with four good-to-LARGE margins, but somewhat toned, cancelled with a FINE SCARCE DISTINCTIVE MANCHESTER 'FISHTAIL' MALTESE CROSS in black. CONSTANT VARIETY: base of SE doubled, and also NW 7 and 10 o'clock Ray Flaws. RARE...	£295.00
B:452	2/7 AS66/AS69,A2ub	10 JF	1840 1d Black/1841 1d Red-brown: A VFU MATCHED PAIR from this VERY SCARCE plate, both with four good-to-LARGE even margins, the W margin of the 1d Black being slightly 'fluffy', cancelled respectively with a black Maltese Cross, and a VERY FINE strike of the SCARCE MANCHESTER 'FISHTAIL' MALTESE CROSS, the 1d Black with almost COMPLETE CLEAR PROFILE. 'O' Flaw (Stage 2), and 'J' Flaw (faint on 1d Black only). A RARE PAIR...	£450.00
B:453	3/7 AS72/AS74	11 EF	1840 1d Greyish-Black/1841 1d Red-brown: A GU++ MATCHED PAIR from this RARE plate, both with four good-to-LARGE even margins, but both with small vertical cuts, the 1d Black into the NW corner, and the 1d Red into the 'T' of 'POSTAGE', cancelled with black Maltese Crosses. Both in STATE 1 (this unit later repaired), with NE break, NE 7 o'clock Ray Flaw, and 'F' misplaced high. (Note also matching 'EF' in Red-brown on cover.)	£650.00
C:677	5 * DS5	1 DG-DH	1840 2d Blue, a F-VFU RARE HORIZONTAL PAIR, with four good-to-LARGE margins all round, except at top right corner 'DH' which is just nicked, on ATTRACTIVE LONG ENTIRE Coldstream to Alnwick on 18th February 1842 (LATE USE of the first 2d Blue), neatly cancelled with two fine black MXs, leaving much of the HEAD CLEAR on 'DH'. BOXED COLDSTREAM and Alnwick CDS on reverse. LOVELY COVER...	£450.00
BL:843	14 ES11g,E1uh	3 GE	1841 2d Blue, a VFU single, with four LARGE margins, but faint corner bend SW, cancelled with a good large part strike of the VERY SCARCE DISTINCTIVE PLYMOUTH MALTESE CROSS. HGL VALUE, SE corner frame-line extending E, and 'E' misplaced high.	£225.00
BL:839	13 ES10g	3 JC	1841 2d Pale Blue, a VERY FINE VERY RARE LIGHTLY MOUNTED MINT single, with four good-to-HUGE margins, and FULL ORIGINAL GUM. A PULLED IMPRESSION, showing HGL VALUE, and blur E.	£895.00
BL:777	14 ES11g,h	3 KD-LG	1841 2d Blue, a mostly VFU RARE BLOCK OF EIGHT, with good-to-mostly HUGE margins all round, except just touched below 'LE', cancelled with London Inland '17' numerals. Free of the usual creasing and other faults associated with such large multiples. 'LE' EYEBROW FLAW in STATE 1, and also BOTH LETTERS DOUBLED on 'KD' and prominent HGL VALUE on most units.	£850.00
BL:779	14 ES11e,g	3 LE	1841 2d Blue, a VFU RARE MATCHED TRIO, all with four good-to-mostly VERY LARGE or HUGE margins, cancelled with a BLACK MALTESE CROSS and English Provincial numerals. EYEBROW BLUR in ALL THREE STATES, and also prominent HGL VALUE.	£250.00
C:911	14 * ES11e,g	3 LE-LG	1841 2d Blue, a G-FU SCARCE STRIP OF THREE, with three HUGE margins, but close-to-just cut into at base, on ATTRACTIVE ENTIRE London to Macclesfield on 22 November 1845, lightly cancelled and tied with London Inland '20' numerals. 'LE' EYEBROW FLAW in STATE 2, and prominent HGL VALUE on 'LF' and 'LG'. A RARE COVER...	£250.00
BL:778	14 ES11e,g	3 LE-MF	1841 2d Blue, a G-VFU RARE BLOCK OF FOUR, with good-to-LARGE margins all round, but vertical crease through 'LF-MF', cancelled with SCARCE BISHOPS WALTHAM (Hants) '85' numerals. EYEBROW BLUR in STATE 2, and also prominent HGL VALUE on all units. The white mark at the upper left of 'LE' is where a large natural fibre in the paper has fallen out.	£350.00
RM:2370	8 BS8,B1tr	19 DH	1841 1d Red A FU single, with four mostly good-to-LARGE margins, but just touched at NW corner, cancelled with a FINE light strike of the RARE DISTINCTIVE MULLINGAR MALTESE CROSS. HGL SE, and letters misplaced right and low respectively.	£500.00
Ri:2896	8 BS30	88 AF-BG	A FINE VERY RARE possibly VERY LIGHTLY MOUNTED MINT BLOCK OF FOUR, with good-to-LARGE margins all round, including FULL TOP MARGIN WITH INSCRIPTION and DECKLED EDGE and virtually FULL ORIGINAL GUM (a couple of possible damp affected patches with paper adherence). Minor faults: three vertical/diagonal creases, and tiny marginal tear below SE of 'AG' not affecting design. Units 'AF' and 'AG' are MISSING IMPRIMATURS. SE corners recut on all units, NW weak on 'BF', and NE weak on 'AF', 'AG' and 'BG'. A RARE and IMPORTANT piece...	£750.00
RP:7179	24 C3	18 BD	A FU single from this RARE plate, in a Red-brown shade approaching an UNLISTED BRICK-RED, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, but with slight thin centre S, cancelled with a neat 'ARGYLE STREET' (Glasgow) BOXED SCOTS LOCAL, leaving COMPLETE CLEAR PROFILE. 'B' misplaced left, and 'D' tilted E.	£85.00
RP:7181	24a/- C3(2)/C6	18 DK	A FU+/VFU MATCHED PAIR from this RARE plate (C3 - the C6 also SCARCE), the C3 (ex WIGGINS) in the SCARCER DEEP RED-BROWN shade on VERY BLUE paper centred high right, the C6 WELL-CENTRED, both with FULL PERFS, VERY LIGHTLY cancelled respectively with an English Provincial numeral and an unidentifiable SCOTS LOCAL, leaving greatly CLEAR HEAD on BOTH. 'D' tilted W, and 'K' misplaced right.	£125.00
RP:7159	21 C4(var)	1 LI	A VFU+ single in a FINE SCARCE UNLISTED ORANGE-BROWN shade, VERY WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS (corner perf NE trimmed), lightly cancelled with a FINE VERY SCARCE IRISH RATHANGEN '384' numeral in LIGHT BLUE. Letters misplaced low right and low.	£50.00
RP:6774	21 C4(2)	13 BC	A FU single from this RARE plate, in a FINE YELLOW-BROWN shade, off-centre left, but with FULL PERFS, cancelled with a Scots Paisley '277' numeral. NE corner frame-line extending E, and 'C' misplaced low right.	£65.00
RP:7189	- C6ub	6 EB	Ex WIGGINS, a VFU+ single, centred a whisker high, with FULL PERFS, lightly cancelled with a neat VERY FINE RARE LONDON DISTRICT '20' numeral in BLUE (Parmenter Rarity 'G' - 'VERY RARE'). Letters misplaced right and low left, and the 'E' tilted W.	£75.00
RP:7167	- C6d	13 QL	A FU+ single, centred a whisker low right (happily!), with FULL PERFS, cancelled with a VERY RARE LONGPORT (Staffs) '555' numeral (Parmenter Maximum Rarity 'GPO' - 'NOT RECORDED IN USE'). This unit is without doubt the OUTSTANDING MAJOR RE-ENTRY of this series of plates, with a ghost image of the corner stars and 'POSTAGE' in the upper margin between 'QL' and 'PL' - happily visible because of low centering! Letters misplaced low left and low.	£75.00
RP:7354	- C7	24 QA	Ex WIGGINS, a FU single from the RARE ABNORMAL SMALL CROWN issue, off-centre low left, but with FULL PERFS (tiny corner crease NW), cancelled with a Lowestoft '478' numeral. 'A' blind.	£175.00
RP:7359 RPS Cert	32 C8(4)	40 JF	1856 1d Red-brown (shades) on Blued Paper: A VFU single in the SCARCER BROWN-ROSE shade, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, cancelled with a neat VERY RARE 'UYEASOUND' (SHETLAND) SCOTS LOCAL (Meredith MAXIMUM RARITY 'F' ('NOT MORE THAN THREE SO FAR RECORDED'). RPS CERT. Lower E frame-break, and 'J' misplaced right.	£150.00
RP:7355 RPS Cert	37 C8A	29 RB	1856 Transitionals: Red-brown on White Paper: a VFU single from this SCARCE issue, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS (very faint vertical wrinkle), neatly cancelled with a London District '72' numeral. CONSTANT VARIETY: blur over 'R'. With RPS CERTIFICATE (RARELY given for singles off cover).	£85.00
RP:7010	40 C10	45 AI	A SUPERB VERY RARE UNUSED single from this RARE PLATE, centred a whisker low left, with FULL PERFS. No gum, but the suggestion of a faint wrinkle on the back suggests that this was the victim of the old-time collector's habit of washing the gum off, because of the inevitable gum crinkling. A MISSING IMPRIMATUR, with CONSTANT VARIETIES: vertical scratch above 'I', and base of 'I' thick (illustrated in Tonna's 'Penny Red Stars').	£500.00
RP:4405	42 C12	51 IF-KG	1861 1d Pale Rose-red Alphabet IV A VERY FINE RARE UNMOUNTED MINT BLOCK OF SIX, off-centre low, but with FULL PERFS, and FULL ORIGINAL GUM. RARE and ATTRACTIVE...	£350.00
PN:206	43 G1	192 KF-MH	1d Rose-red A SUPERB UNMOUNTED MINT RARE BLOCK OF NINE, UNUSUALLY WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS (some minimal fraying), with FULL ORIGINAL GUM (some crinkling as is normal).	£225.00
Misc:361	57 H2(2)	- -	QV 1848 10d Deep Brown Embossed A VFU+ single in the SCARCE DEEP BROWN shade, cut square with four good-to-LARGE margins, lightly cancelled with a London Inland numeral. Die 2WW. UNUSUALLY FINE for these...	£385.00
Misc:419	80 J52(2)	3 KA	QV 1862 4d Pale Red A FINE MOUNTED MINT single, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS (tips slightly trimmed upper E), with some residual gum. RARE...	£225.00
Misc:428	98 J94	4 SL	QV 1865 9d Straw A VFU single, off-centre high, but with FULL PERFS, VERY LIGHTLY cancelled with an English Provincial numeral. RARE...	£125.00
UA:95	114 J97,Z48	1 FA	1867 10d Deep Red-brown, a VFU single in the RARE deeper shade, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, cancelled with RARE 'F85' numeral, used in Mayaguez (Puerto Rico). A RARE stamp...	£125.00
Misc:437	114 J97(3)	1 LA	QV 1867 10d Deep Red-brown A VFU+ single, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, cancelled centre right with a London District 'E.?.15' numeral, leaving COMPLETE CLEAR PROFILE. RARE SHADE...	£135.00
Misc:441	120b J118(5)	1 EG	QV 1867 2s Milky Blue A FU+ single, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, but toned, somewhat heavily cancelled with a London duplex. A VERY RARE stamp in this shade...	£300.00
Misc:448	121 J120	1 DE	QV 1880 2s Brown A FU+ WING-MARGIN single, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, cancelled with a somewhat smudged London duplex, but including the CDS for 20 AUGUST 1880. A VERY RARE stamp...	£650.00
UA:357	127 J122,Z88	2 EA	1874 5s Pale Rose, A FU+ single, off-centre left, but with FULL PERFS, lightly cancelled with an incomplete but legible 'C30' numeral, used in Valparaiso (Chile). RARE...	£195.00
UA:72	127 J122 Z56	2 HC	1874 5s Pale Rose, a FU+ copy from this SCARCER plate, off-centre low but with FULL PERFS, cancelled with 'C38' numeral, used in CALLAO (Peru). A RARE use abroad of a VERY SCARCE stamp.	£225.00
Misc:389	130a J123a	4 AD	QV 1882 5s Rose (White Paper) A VFU single, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, lightly cancelled low right with a neat EDINBURGH CDS of 15 MAY 1884, leaving greatly CLEAR PROFILE. Small faint red crayon mark upper W. A RARE stamp...	£675.00
Misc:391	132 J127	1 BB	QV 1882 £1 Brown-lilac (BLUED paper) A FU single, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, neatly cancelled with a FINE LONDON E.C. HOODED CIRCLE of 16 JUNE 1883. Some slight wrinkles, but a fine-looking copy of a VERY RARE stamp...	£1500.00
Misc:390	135 J125a	1 ED	QV 1883 10s Greenish-grey (White paper) A FU+ single, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, but cancelled with a smudged London duplex. A very much better than average copy of a RARE stamp...	£750.00
Misc:388	137 J128	1 CJ	QV 1882 £5 Orange A FU single, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, neatly cancelled with a FINE GLASGOW CDS of 29 SEPTEMBER 1894. Faint vertical crease (possibly associated with what may be a faint crayon mark), but still an excellent-looking copy of this CLASSIC RARITY...	£850.00
Misc:457	150 J112	12 JD	QV 1875 1s Green A FINE RARE LIGHTLY MOUNTED MINT MARGINAL WING-MARGIN single, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, FULL ORIGINAL GUM, and MARGINAL INSCRIPTION. Mounted on margin only.	£175.00
UA:22	152 J62 Z39	15 OL	1876 4d Vermilion, VFU, cancelled with VERY SCARCE 'F85' numeral, used in MAYAGUEZ (PORTO RICO). RARE use abroad of a SCARCE stamp.	£125.00
Misc:454	154 J67	17 AG	QV 1880 4d Grey-brown (WMK LARGE GARTER) A VERY FINE LIGHTLY MOUNTED MINT single, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, and FULL ORIGINAL GUM. Hint of a very faint diagonal corner bend SE. A VERY RARE stamp...	£375.00
Misc:462	163 J116	13 QG	QV 1881 1s Orange-brown A FINE LIGHTLY MOUNTED MINT single, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, and FULL ORIGINAL GUM. Faint diagonal crease. RARE...	£125.00
Misc:48	183 K14	- FE	QV 1884 10s Ultramarine A VFU copy (with slight wrinkle lower left), WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, cancelled with FINE SCARCE GUERNSEY DOUBLE-LINE UDC. ATTRACTIVE copy of a SCARCE stamp.	£95.00
Misc:397	183a K14(3)	- FG	QV 1884 10s Pale Ultramarine A VFU+ single, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, neatly cancelled with a central BIRMINGHAM CDS of 8 APRIL 1892. A SCARCE stamp...	£150.00
Misc:399	186 K16	- DA	QV 1888 £1 Brown-lilac WATERMARK ORBS A FU single, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, reasonably tidily cancelled with two LONDON HOODED CIRCLES of 26 JULY 18(??). A most presentable copy of this CLASSIC RARITY...	£795.00
UA:108	192 K22	- HC	1884 4d Dull Green, VFU, cancelled with RARE BOMBAY 'OUT' SQUARED CIRCLE, dated 8th April 1887. As far as I have been able to ascertain, this usage in India is UNRECORDED...	£125.00
Misc:400	212 K17	- NC	QV 1891 £1 Green A FU single, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, reasonably tidily cancelled with a HORLEY CDS of 28 JULY 1892 and an acceptably unobtrusive 'C.H.B.G.P.O.'parcel cancel. SCARCE...	£150.00
KING EDWARD VII
Misc:377	265 M53(1)	- -	KEVII 1902 10s Ultramarine A VFU single, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, cancelled with slightly smudged THREADNEEDLE STREET 21 NOVEMBER 1902 Registered Oval. SCARCE...	£115.00
Misc:378	265 M53(2)	- -	KEVII 1902 10s Deep Ultramarine A VFU single, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, but slightly toned in places, cancelled with a neat LIVERPOOL 1 AUGUST 1910 Registered Oval. SCARCE...	£100.00
Misc:380	266 M55	- -	KEVII 1902 £1 Dull Blue-green A VFU single, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, cancelled with a slightly smudged REGENT STREET CDS 25 (?)JUNE 1904. VERY SCARCE...	£165.00
Misc:370	315 M50(1)	- -	KEVII 1911 2s 6d Dull Greyish Purple A FINE MOUNTED MINT single, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, and ORIGINAL GUM. Unobtrusive horizontal crease. SCARCE SOMERSET HOUSE printing, in the RAREST shade...	£100.00
Misc:379	319 M54(2)	- -	KEVII 1912 10s Blue A VFU single, WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, but slightly grubby, lightly cancelled with slightly smudged SHAFTESBURY AVENUE CDS 2 APRIL 1912. SCARCE SOMERSET HOUSE printing...	£125.00
KING GEORGE V
Misc:356	403 N72(2)	- -	KGV 1913 £1 Deep Green 'Seahorse' A VFU single of this VERY SCARCE stamp, in the SCARCEST DEEP GREEN specialist shade, UNUSUALLY WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, cancelled with a light indistinct CDS.	£495.00
Misc:381	411 N70(2)	- -	KGV 1915 10s Deep Blue 'Seahorse' A VFU+ single from the SCARCE DE LA RUE printing, in a LOVELY example of the SCARCEST DEEP BLUE shade, reasonably WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, cancelled with a light CDS of 19 OCTOBER 1915. A RARE stamp...	£250.00
Misc:PS2:421	412 N70(1)	- -	KGV 1915 10s Blue 'Seahorse' A VFU copy from the SCARCE DE LA RUE printing, centered slightly right, with FULL PERFS, cancelled with indistinct London CDS for ?18 March 1918. ATTRACTIVE copy of a VERY SCARCE stamp...	£150.00
Misc:365	438 NCom9	- -	KGV 1929 P.U.C. £1 Black A VERY FINE VERY LIGHTLY MOUNTED MINT single, VERY WELL-CENTRED, with FULL PERFS, and FULL GUM. SCARCE so fine...	£450.00

GREAT BRITAIN Connoisseur's Choice

GREAT BRITAIN
Connoisseur's Choice