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Auction: 18047 - The Chartwell Collection of Australian States and Commonwealth, an unreserved auction for the benefit of the Chartwell Philanthropic Educational Programme
Lot: 279

(x) Victoria
Octagonal 1/- Blue
Essay
Campbell & Fergusson hand-drawn pen and ink octagonal design essay, the Queen's head facing right instead of left as in the issued design and believed to be based on the Tasmania "Courier" 4d. stamp issued the previous year, executed on thin card (70x78mm.) marked "Recommended: The head of the accompanying small specimen to be placed in exchange in this design" and "Approved C.J. Latrobe"; accompanied by two Schedules, one a Tender dated 29 April, the other the Agreement dated 19 May 1854, detailing the plate to be made and the stamps (5,000,000) to be printed, one accompanied by a specimen of gummed paper and with all three items signed by Campbell and Fergusson. The most important of the very few essays that survive for this stamp and, coupled with the Contracts, a wonderful group. Photo

Note: The Agreement varied from the Tender in that the sheets of one hundred were specified rather than "sheets of not less than 150", following a Post Office decision that all stamps should be printed in sheets of "a certain sterling value", in this case £5. See "The Stamps of Victoria" by Geoff Kellow, discussed on pages 81-82 and illustrated on Colour Plate 6

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Sold for
£17,000