Great Britain Post in Madagascar
1884-1894 British Consular Mail, inscribed “Letter” and “Postal Packet”, with circular handstamp reading “British Vice-Consular Mail Antananarivo” and “British Consular Mail Antananarivo” in black around Royal arms, a spectacular collection of 116 unused and cancelled stamps arranged in stock book, with two to four of each value including shades (light or dark magenta, light or dark handstamps), hollow stops after “B” and “M” or “B.C.M”, violet handstamps (1a, 8ab, 20a, 26a, 27a,38b,46b,47b and others), “one penny” double, one albino (21var), handstamped in red (24a, one of only 6 used examples recorded, each damaged), without handstamp (33a,36a), variety “PENCF” with handstamp inverted (37var), also handstamp double and inverted (37var), plus other minor plate flaws. In addition there are horizontal pairs of the 1895 British Inland Mail issue (50-56) and three horizontal or vertical pairs imperf. between of 2d, 4d and 1sh values (Malagasy runners). The note in Gibbons states “due to the type of paper used, stamps of the British Consular Mail are usually found with slight faults, especially thins and creases. The stamps were only gummed at one of the top corners. This was to facilitate their removal from overseas mail where they were replaced by local stamps. Cancellations usually take the form of manuscript line or cross in crayon, ink or pencil.” Condition of stamps in this collection is varied, with usual faults or occasional light toning noted, with many sound and exceptional examples (including high value varieties which typically realize in excess of catalogue prices), some signed Holcombe and others. An opportunity to obtain a substantial collection of these excessively difficult issues (catalogue value does not take into account any of the unlisted varieties) (Catalog value £80,500) Dealer Cherrystone Auction Auction Estimate price: 50.000.00 US$
(via Philasearch.com: Cherrystone: U.S., Worldwide Stamps and Postal History - item 13-A201206-929)
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