Auction 321 - 332 Australian States & Commonwealth of Australia, St. Helena, Basutoland, Bechuanaland, Swaziland, Brazil 1843 –1870 - Day 1

1863/81: Octagonal 1 s. blue on blued De La Rue paper, perf. 12 x 13, a used vertical pair, positions 75/87, irregular perf. due to some blind perforations, variety "Imperforate between Horizontally", cancelled by Melbourne duplex (Nov 12) in black, the upper stamp with slightest stain and small fault at top: nevertheless, a magnificent pair, the sole recorded by J.R.W. Purves, illustrated in "The Stamps of Victoria" by Geoff Kellow RDP on colour plate 11 and discussed on page 176. Believed unique Gi = £ 7'000.rnrnProvenance: Collection J.M. Fenton (1928).rn                     Collection J.R.W. Purves, RL, London, 9 Sept 1981, lot 249.rn                     Collection Rod Perry, DF, Zurich, 4-11 Dec 1988, lot 31152.rn                     Rod Perry, Melbourne, 6 April 1995, lot 546.rn                     Premier, Melbourne, 26 Jan 2002, lot 968.rn                     Spink, London, 18 Sept 2003, lot 637.rn                     Collection Geoff Kellow RDP, DF, Geneva, 29 Nov-3 Dec 2005, lot 31682.