King George VI Issues

The 'Pericles' Collection (Lots 515-709)

Wednesday 22nd February 2012

"... undoubtedly the best holding of its type
to appear in the market for a generation."

We are honoured to offer The ‘Pericles’ Collection of King George VI Issues, formed by one of the finest students of Australian Commonwealth philately during the past 50 years. This is undoubtedly the best holding of its type to appear in the market for a generation, and is noteworthy for the extensive range of rare plate numbers, many of which have not been on the market for over 30 years, and a number of which (by our count, some 20) represent the only recorded examples. It begins with a very extensive range of the 1d QE and 2d KGVI Die I and II definitives of 1937-38, comprising examples of most of the recorded plate numbers (Fig. 1) and (Fig. 2).

More rarely seen is the range of plate numbers on the Fauna definitives. In perf 13½x14 is the 6d Kookaburra Plate 2 (Fig. 3), the wonderful matched pair of 9d Platypus Plate 2 from upper left and right corners (Fig. 4) and (Fig. 5), and the 1/- Lyrebird Plate 2 (Fig. 6); in perf 15x14 is the 6d Kookaburra Plates 6 and 7, and 1/- Lyrebird Plates 4 and 6; and in No Wmk is a remarkable series of large blocks of the ½d Kangaroo with Plates 1, 3 (Fig. 7) and 4, and the 4d Koala Plate 7 (Fig. 8). Plate numbers on the 1942 2½d Scarlet include an incredible Plate 21 block with stamps partly imperforate (Fig. 9).

‘Pericles’ also includes several extensive studies. We note the collections of the 1937-38 1d QE and 2d KGVI showing the various perforation types and marginal markings - these do not catalogue highly, but would be very difficult to assemble today. There are many blocks showing different plate layouts, the most important of which is the perf 13½x14 6d Kookaburra block of 32 from base, showing ‘Ash’ imprint under left pane and ‘no imprint’ under right pane (Fig. 10), believed to be unique.

The blocks of the 2d Scarlet KGVI Die II showing the three possible different panes of the ‘no imprint’ variety from the coil plates are remarkable (Fig. 11), (Fig. 12) and (Fig. 13). Another rarity is the 9d Platypus block imperforate at top (Fig. 14), of which no example has appeared on the market for many years. There are £2 Arms blocks showing all combinations of imprint/no imprint with roller flaws and retouches (Fig. 15) and (Fig. 16), and many of the rarest electro plate varieties of this period are also present, providing a rare opportunity for acquisition.