Sale 1357 — 2025 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Wednesday, 25 June, 2025
Category — Worldwide: Kiauchau thru Switzerland, Fournier Album
Kiauchau, 1900, 5pf on 10pf Carmine, Ty. "d" and "f", One with Additional Large "5 Pf" Surcharge (4/9; Michel 2+4 SZd). Bottom left corner selvage vertical se-tenant pair, original gum, top stamp h.r., bottom stamp Mint N.H., bottom stamp with the additional large format "5 Pf", underlying surcharges Michel Ty. 1/8, top stamp with sensible hinge reinforcement with selvage and insignificant thin in selvage only
VERY FINE. A RARE ORIGINAL-GUM SE-TENANT PAIR WITH THE BOTTOM STAMP RECEIVING THE ADDITIONAL LARGE FORMAT "5 PF" SURCHARGE—SCOTT NO. 9, MICHEL NO. 4. ONLY 200 EXAMPLES WERE ADDITIONALLY SURCHARGED A SECOND TIME. this combination of underlying subtypes can only occur once in a pane of 50.
From the Magnolia collection. Signed Kosack. With 2006 Steuer certificate. Unpriced as se-tenant pair in Scott. Michel €40,000.
Libya, 1926, 1.25l on 60c, Special Delivery, Black Surcharge (E11b; Sassone E11). Cancelled by light violet datestamp, centered to the top, but better centering than usually found, rich color and crisp impression
FINE AND ATTRACTIVE USED EXAMPLE OF 1.25-LIRE SPECIAL DELIVERY WITH BLACK SURCHARGE. A MAJOR ITALIAN COLONY RARITY.
A stamp that is missing from even the most advanced collections. Copies without faults, such as the example offered here, are particularly difficult to come by.
With 1963 Oliva certificate. Scott $18,000. Sassone €45,000.
Papua New Guinea, 1962, 5sh Patrol, Unissued (SG 32 Footnote). Mint N.H. complete sheet of 60 with red sheet number "013253" at bottom right, wonderfully fresh
VERY FINE. A REMARKABLE COMPLETE SHEET OF 60 OF THE UNISSUED 1962 5-SHILLINGS PATROL STAMP. VERY FEW—POSSIBLY ONLY THREE—SHEETS WERE SAVED FROM DESTRUCTION.
Printed and prepared in 1961 with intention of releasing in 1962, this stamp was withdrawn before issuance. The image which shows a rifle-carrying patrolman was deemed an insensitive topic due to the prior conflicts with the local tribes in Papua New Guinea. Some theorize as few as three sheets were saved from destruction for archival purposes. We have seen singles on the market, indicating at least one sheet was broken up.
Unlisted in both Scott and SG. Mentioned as a footnote in Stanley Gibbons under SG 32.
St. Helena, 1961, 2½c + 3d to 10c + 1sh Tristan Relief Fund Overprints (B1-B4; SG 172-175). Mint N.H., all are exceptionally well-centered and fresh
EXTREMELY FINE SET OF THE 1961 TRISTAN RELIEF FUND OVERPRINTS. ONE OF THE RAREST SETS OF THE QUEEN ELIZABETH II ERA.
These overprints were created due to the Oct. 1961 volcanic activity on Tristan da Cunha which caused immediate evacuation of the population. St. Helena, located about 1,400 miles away, started a relief fund for the displaced population. The local Governor was unaware that only the Colonial Office in London could authorize a new issue of stamps. Therefore, they were only on sale for one week before being recalled. Only 434 sets were issued with a majority having been used to make up first day covers.
Each signed "B&K" lightly in pencil and accompanied by 2016 P.F. certificates. Scott $7,600. SG £8,000.
Somalia, 1905, 15c on 5a Orange, 40c on 10a Lilac (8-9; Sassone 8-9). Mint N.H., rich colors on fresh paper, uncommonly well-centered
VERY FINE EXAMPLES OF THE 1905 SURCHARGED FIRST ISSUES OF ITALIAN SOMALILAND. SURPRISINGLY ELUSIVE WELL-CENTERED AND IN NEVER-HINGED CONDITION.
According to our Power Search, these are the only examples of these surcharges that we have offered since keeping computerized records.
Ex Venn. Signed A. Diena and Fiecchi. With 1991 Raybaudi and 2011 Colla certificates. Scott $8,000. Sassone €14,500.
Somalia, 1935, 20l Dark Green, Perf 14 (154a; Sassone 229). Mint N.H., incredible centering with wide margins, intense color on fresh paper
EXTREMELY FINE. EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLES OF THE RARE SOMALIA 1935 20-LIRA DARK GREEN, PERFORATED 14. ONE OF THE KEY RARITY STAMPS IN ALL OF THE ITALIAN COLONIES, ESPECIALLY IN SUCH SUPERB CONDITION.
Ex Venn. Signed A. Diena. With 1964 A. Diena and 2022 Avi certificates. Scott $20,000. Sassone €33,000.
Switzerland, Basel, 1845, 2½r Dove of Basel (3L1a; Zumstein 8a). First printing, mostly large margins to barely touching outer frameline at top left, bright colors and strong embossing, tied by clear strike of "Basel 30 Juil 1846" double-circle datestamp on printed folded letter originating in Frankfurt and addressed locally, additional Basel double-circle datestamp on reverse, barest trace of staining at bottom left
VERY FINE. A TRULY RARE COVER ORIGINATING IN FRANKFURT WITH THE 1845 DOVE OF BASEL FROM THE FIRST PRINTING AND ADDRESSED LOCALLY. AN ICONIC SWISS CANTONAL RARITY OF THE WORLD'S FIRST BICOLORED STAMP.
Ex Przybyl. Signed Fulpius. With 2020 Marchand certificate. Scott $38,500. Zumstein SF 40,000
Fournier Forgery Album. No. 141, containing approximately 3,000 items comprising unused and used singles, multiples and many surcharges and cancels, complete except for five empty spaces, and does include the nine blank pages at the end, pages in blue binder with "Album De Fac-Similés Edité Par L'Union Philatélique de Genève" embossed in gold on front cover, slight cover wear mostly along edges and breaking of the tabs that attach the cover to the posts (as usual), but this does not affect the spine or the integrity of the pages
VERY FINE. A DESIRABLE EXAMPLE OF THE FOURNIER FORGERY ALBUM. ONLY 480 ALBUMS WERE MADE.
According to Varro Tyler's Philatelic Forgers, Their Lives and Works, Fournier, unlike many of his contemporary forgers, did not seek to defraud the public. He described his material as facsimiles and promoted it to collectors who could not afford to purchase genuine items and to uneducated collectors as a preventive measure against being deceived by dishonest stamp dealers.
When Fournier died in 1917, one of his employees, Charles Hirschburger, unsuccessfully tried to continue the business. When Hirschburger died in 1927, L'Union Philatélique de Genève purchased the Fournier stock, which weighed over 800 pounds, from Hirschburger's widow. The Union then marked the forgeries with "FAUX" handstamps on the front and/or "Facsimile" on the reverse, and employed students from the Geneva School of Arts and Crafts to mount representative selections of the forgeries in 480 albums. Whatever was not placed into one of the books was burned to ashes.
Because Fournier made forgeries from such a wide variety of countries, many of the 480 books have either been divided into country references or have had many items removed. Very few remain intact or have the degree of completeness of this book.