British offices, worldwide in Corinphila Sept. 7-11 auctions

By Charles Snee

Corinphila, the Swiss philatelic auction firm, has produced seven separate auction catalogs for sales of stamps and postal history to be held Sept. 7-11 at the firm’s galleries in Zurich.

The following material is presented in the individual catalogs: part 2 of the Besancon collection of Great Britain 1840-1910 (Sept. 7), part 1 of British offices abroad from the Dubois collection (Sept. 7), part 1 of the Besancon collection of British West Indies (Sept. 8), the Werner Schindler collection of Austrian mail in the Levant (Sept. 9), part 2 of the Erivan collection of Austria and Lombardy-Venetia (Sept. 9), Switzerland and Liechtenstein (Sept. 11), and Europe and overseas (Sept. 9-11).

Some collectors might recognize the Austria and Lombardy-Venetia material as coming from the estate of Erivan Haub (1932-2018), the successful business entrepreneur whose massive worldwide collection is being sold in an extensive series of auctions that began in spring 2019 and are set to conclude in 2023.

The auction of the Dubois collection of British offices abroad features more than 300 covers, many with multicolor frankings.

One such cover, sent Feb. 27, 1869, from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Cadiz, Spain, bears four different Queen Victoria stamps: 2-penny blue, 3d rose, 6d lilac and 1-shilling green.

Corinphila notes that the cover was “prepaid as far as St. Thomas with manuscript ‘4’ (pence) in red.” Handstamps on the front cover indicate that it transited through London on March 16 and arrived in Cadiz on March 20.

A 2005 Sergio Sismondo certificate accompanies the cover, which Corinphila is offering with a starting bid of 1,500 Swiss francs (approximately $1,650 in mid-August).

A careful perusal of the catalogs will reveal many expensive gems and rarities, along with stamps, covers and other items with starting prices that will suit more modest budgets.

Among the standout items in the British West Indies auction is a top-left corner margin single of the Jamaican 6d red and dull blue green stamp commemorating the Aug. 1, 1838, abolition of slavery in the colony that was prepared for use but not issued. The stamp was printed on paper with the multiple crown and CA watermark (Scott watermark type 3).

Corinphila describes the mint never-hinged stamp as having “fabulous fresh colour” and “being the sole example in private hands.”

“The stamp was never issued due to the contentious political nature of the subject,” according to Corinphila.

In a footnote following Jamaica’s 1919-21 regular issue (Scott 75-87), the Scott Classic Specialized Catalogue of Stamps and Covers 1840-1940 values the unissued stamp at $60,000. Corinphila lists the stamp with an opening bid of 35,000fr ($38,400).

Details of these auctions are listed on the Corinphila website, including online listings for the material in all seven auction catalogs. PDF versions of the catalogs may also be individually downloaded from the website.

Online bidding options are available. For additional information collectors can also contact Corinphila Auctions AG, Wiesenstrasse 8, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland.

Connect with Linn’s Stamp News: 

    Sign up for our newsletter
    Like us on Facebook
    Follow us on Twitter