New South Wales

The 'Carrington' Collection

Wednesday 7th November 2012 at 2pm (Lots 1-922)

"... includes many items that have never been available
to the current generation of collectors."

We are honoured to offer The ‘Carrington’ Collection of New South Wales, the outstanding collection of this colony formed by the late Mark Dankin. This collection was built up over a period of more than fifty years, and includes many items that have never been available to the current generation of collectors. The exhibit of Sydney Views, Laureates and Diadems, shown under the nom-de-plume of 'Carrington', received FIP Large Gold medals at Belgica 2001, Washington 2006 and España 2006. Mark's fastidiousness for accepting only the best quality is well-known, and his collection of New South Wales, while not the largest or most extensive ever formed, is certainly one of the most important, both in terms of the material it contains and its remarkable condition. He was an international buyer from the early 1960s, and his collection includes stamps and covers acquired at most of the important New South Wales sales in that time, including Maurice Burrus, Lars Amundsen, Dale-Lichtenstein, Victor Frankenstein and 'Manwood'.

The Sydney Views are simply outstanding. The bare statistics are that the collection comprises 133 1d, 224 2d and 54 3d stamps, including 38 covers, and this includes many of the most important Sydney View pieces held in private hands. There are relatively few unused stamps, since most of those available failed to reach Mark's exacting standards, however the eleven stamps included should find ready buyers, with the magnificent 2d Plate I (Fig. 1) surely being the finest available. The best of the used 1d's are one of the four known used blocks of four of Plate II (Fig. 2) and the magnificent strip of four Plate II on cover from Tarcutta (Fig. 3). The 2d Plate I includes a used block of four of the intermediate impression (Fig. 4) and a rejoined used block of 8 showing retouching of the lower row (Fig. 5). The 2d Plate II includes one of the gems of the collection - a strip of three used on 1850 cover cancelled with the 'diamond of dots' obliterator (Fig. 6). The best of the 3d stamps is a used strip of three in the myrtle-green shade (Fig. 7), the largest recorded multiple, however it is the covers bearing this value which are amazing, including three of the most important Sydney View covers. There is a superb strip of four on a cover from Tarcutta (Fig. 8); a strip of three used with a 1d Plate I on 1852 cover to London (Fig. 9); and the famous block of four on 1851 cover to the Comptroller General of Convicts in Van Diemen's Land (Fig. 10), considered to be the most important Sydney View cover extant. Throughout the Sydney Views there are superb singles and pairs which will satisfy the most discerning collectors.

The Laureated issues are more difficult to obtain in superb condition due to the closer settings of most of the plates, however here again The 'Carrington' Collection has only selected the best available examples. The very difficult 8d value includes a rare proof in blue from the unfinished plate (Fig. 11), and without doubt the finest group of four-margin examples ever assembled (Fig. 12). The 3d Wmk '2' error is represented by two used singles and a used pair (Fig. 13), and the (6d) Registered stamp includes one of the most important multiples in the collection, the unused imperforate corner block of four from the Tomasini, Boker and 'Manwood' collections (Fig. 14).

The Diadems feature the beautiful set of coloured die proofs pulled by De La Rue for the 1867 Paris (or perhaps the 1872 South Kensington) Exhibition (Fig. 15), and two sheetlets of the small format master die Perkins, Bacon trials with voided corners (Fig. 16) and (Fig. 17). The issued stamps include fine singles and multiples, with superb 2d lithographs and retouches (Fig. 18), the imperforate 5d in a used pair (Fig. 19), the 8d unused (both imperforate and Perf 12) (Fig. 20) and rare examples showing the marginal burélage (Fig. 21), while the best of the covers has the 8d Golden-yellow used with a 2d Laureate in 1856 from Warwick in the Moreton Bay District (Fig. 22).

While Mark focussed most of his attention on the first three issues, his later New South Wales includes many major pieces and is the finest collection of this period to come onto the market for many years. The famous 5/- Coin stamp is highlighted by the only surviving block of four of the imperforate between error (Fig. 23), there are fine and uncommon proofs and colour trials throughout (Fig. 24), and the difficult perforation varieties of the 1871-88 period are very well represented, with numerous rarely offered stamps, as well as several extremely rare imperforate between errors (Fig. 25) and (Fig. 26). The 1885-86 'POSTAGE' overprints on the Stamp Duties are outstanding and include some of the rarest stamps of New South Wales (Fig. 27) and (Fig. 28). The Officials comprise a similarly powerful group of seldom seen varieties (Fig. 29), (Fig. 30) and (Fig. 31), while the Postage Dues include rare mint examples of the high values (Fig. 32).

The stamps of New South Wales were Mark's philatelic pride and joy. The 'Carrington' Collection reflect that great affinity and passion, and this sale represents a rare opportunity to acquire many of the finest gems of New South Wales philately.