More Stamps

This is a continuation of the previous post showing some more highlights from a recent collection that I bought.

As usual most old collections have a fake SG2. Genuine items are very uncommon and in my estimation, probably not more than 2 dozen are in existence. There is not a single mint copy that passes my scrutiny. A genuine copy would be from the very first printing of SG1 which is referred to as Transfer A. Most fake mint copies are from Transfer C, a later printing. Genuine copies should also be perf 12.

The above adhesive is perf 14 and is from the 1886 issue. Bar cancels were not current during the short use timeline of SG2 and so any copy with a bar cancel is a forgery until proven otherwise. This was because SG2 was used for a very short time in early April 1883 when the very first cancellers had not arrived. Only pen cancels were used in those early days of North Borneo postal history. With regard to the fake surcharge shown, the obvious abnormality is the deformed lower circle of "8" in "8 Cents". There are also other differences. Unfortunately, this same fake surcharge is the one illustrated in the SG catalogue. 

This is D1, the undated double circle from Kudat and is quite an uncommon cancellation. This is my second copy after many years of searching. It is only found in stamps issued in 1883 but it did not come into use until early 1884. No cover is known apart from a large front piece. Here we have SG3 and the other similar double circle cancellations found on this stamp are those from Gayah and Sandakan.   

This pair of surcharged high values are not uncommon but they both have very nice Sandakan cancels. The one with the Two Cents surcharge is D3, usually in red and on the Eight Cents surcharged stamp is D4 which is unusual. I believed most of these postally cancelled stamps were cancelled by favour ie by the postal clerk at the request of the collector/dealer.

This is the complete 1891-92 surcharged set. Most collections would be lacking the first stamp of this set because it is one of the most expensive stamps from North Borneo. There was only 1 sheet of 50 of the 8 cents "postage below" surcharged with "6 cents." made, out of which I think, less than 20 survived. The variety with the large "s" is unique and is the second most expensive stamp from North Borneo. My copy is not certified but I think it is genuine. There are fakes in existence, so beware. 

Recent acquisitions

It is about time that I show some good stamps. I bought a good collection of North Borneo recently. There are some really interesting items in it. I shall show some of the others at another time.

This is the 1886 set which is lacking the 4c value which I have elsewhere in my collection. There are two very desirable items in this small group. It does not include the half cent magenta which is moderately valuable. The 1c orange is expensive used. The one here has a part 14 bar cancel but look at the perforations. It is perfed gauged 18 as compared to the normal of 14 for this set. It is not listed by Stanley Gibbons or Steven Tan. There is one mention in an early copy of the Sarawak Journal. The other desirable item here is the 8c green with the light blue smudge of a cancellation. Connoisseurs of North Borneo cancellations would recognised our much beloved Silam cancel. 

These two values were surcharged in September 1886 for revenue as well as postal use. The half cent looks postally used with a part bar cancel and also also part of a red cds which would have been from Sandakan. The 10c adhesive is mint.