Australian Kangaroo and Map Series continued...

**FIRST WATERMARK ISSUE STAMPS continued...**
Lot	Symbol	CatNo.	Lot Description	CV or Estimate
261		51	#51, £1 Brown and blue, quite well centered. rich colors, o.g., barest trace of hinging, very fine and quite choice; signed lightly in pencil several times (A$3,000). (Image)	Est. 750-1,000 SOLD for $1,350.00 Will close during Public Auction
262		51	#51, £1 Brown and blue, well centered, fresh colors, o.g., l.h., very fine (A$3,000). (Image)	Est. 750-1,000 SOLD for $1,600.00 Will close during Public Auction
263		51	#51, £1 Brown and blue, attractively centered, fresh colors, o.g., l.h., very fine (A$3,000). (Image)	Est. 750-1,000 SOLD for $1,700.00 Will close during Public Auction
264		51	#51, £1 Brown and blue, rich colors, nicely centered, o.g., minor h.r., very fine (A$3,000). (Image)	Est. 750-1,000 SOLD for $1,600.00 Will close during Public Auction
265		51	#51, £1 Brown and blue, unusually deep colors, o.g., l.h., nearly very fine (A$3,000). (Image)	Est. 500-750 SOLD for $1,600.00 Will close during Public Auction
266	/	51	#51, £1 Brown and blue, an an extraordinarily rare mint block of four, each stamp being marvelously well centered and margined, deep rich colors on particularly fresh paper, pristine o.g., two left stamps n.h., both right stamps with small paper strips in right margin to enhance some shorter perforations, bottom right stamp with sealed tear, nonetheless this is the finest appearing of only four recorded blocks of four (for two n.h. and two hinged singles A$23,000+). (Image)	Est. 10,000-15,000 SOLD for $35,000.00 Will close during Public Auction
267	O	51w	#51w, £1 Brown and blue, horizontal pair, with central "Melbourne/AP.24.13" c.t.o., well centered within large margins, deep rich colors, part o.g., very fine; cancelled-to-order high values are quite scarce, as most were instead handstamped "Specimen" to accommodate collector sets, and any multiples are extremely rare, in fact this being the only recorded multiple (for two singles A$5,000). (Image)	Est. 3,000-4,000 SOLD for $4,250.00 Will close during Public Auction
268	S	51x	#51x, £1 Brown and blue, handstamped "Specimen", fairly well centered, o.g., some light toning, otherwise very fine (A$700). (Image)	Est. 300-400 SOLD for $300.00 Will close during Public Auction
269	S	51x	#51x, £1 Brown and blue, handstamped "Specimen", a remarkable top left corner margin block of four, each stamp with "Specimen" handstamp, except the top left stamp with double "Specimen" handstamp, one being inverted, well centered, few hinge reinforced separated perforations at right of horizontal row, without gum, very fine and handsome; this is the unique listing example of the double "Specimen" overprint, one inverted; ex-Holbeach (A$15,000). (Image)	Est. 7,500-10,000 SOLD for $19,000.00 Will close during Public Auction
270		51z	#51z, £1 Brown and blue, choice CA monogram single, extraordinarily bright and fresh, strong rich colors, well centered, o.g., lightly hinged, very fine.As with all of the bicolor First Watermark issues, any monogram pieces are extremely rare and highly sought after. Of the CA monogram there are only five mint singles recorded, one of which being from the R.T.P. Chapman collection, which is now housed in the Australia Post archival collection. In addition, there is the unique block of six handstamped "Specimen", which is offered in the next lot - for a total of six examples. The mint single offered here is one of the finest quality examples available. According to the ACSC, every example of both the CA and JBC monograms is incomplete by being trimmed at the base.To give potential bidders some sense of pricing history and comparison, a somewhat similar CA monogram single - the last to appear at auction - was sold by Prestige Philately in their January 2004 sale of the Greg Pope Gold Medal Collection. It's appearance at auction created considerable bidder interest and it realized a record A$77,500 (plus the 12% buyer's premium), the highest price ever achieved for a single Australian stamp. A record we expect to be broken several times with the remarkable range of rarities found throughout the Gray Collection (A$50,000). (Image)	Est. 40,000-50,000 SOLD for $55,000.00 Will close during Public Auction
271	S	51x/z	#51x/z, £1 Brown and blue, handstamped "Specimen", a fabulous bottom left corner margin CA monogram block of six, deep luxuriant colors on bright fresh paper, quite well centered, o.g., very fine and choice.Of the eleven recorded examples of the £1 First Watermark monograms, either CA or JBC, there is only one in block form - the stunning block of six offered here. Of the CA monograms there are only five known, five mint singles (four of which are in private hands) and this unique corner margin block of six with "Specimen" handstamp.The high value First Watermark issues in monogram blocks of six - the most highly prized configuration for monogram collectors (if available) are enormous rarities. Only two exist, the 10/- and £1 blocks with "Specimen" handstamps, both of which are present in the Gray Collection; ex-Abramovich, Chapman (A$50,000). (Image)	Est. 40,000-50,000 SOLD for $42,500.00 Will close during Public Auction
272		51zb	#51zb, £1 Brown and blue, pristine JBC monogram single, prooflike colors and impressions on bright paper, well centered, o.g., minor h.r., very fine and exceptionally choice.Like the CA monograms on the £1 First Watermark, JBC monogram pieces are extremely rare. However, of the six recorded examples in any form, only two are mint singles and available to collectors. The other recorded pieces are a strip of three in the Royal Collection, as well as three with "Specimen" handstamps (a strip of three, a pair - see next lot - and a single).The mint monogram single offered here is one of the highlights of the Gray Collection and is considered among the greatest and most sought after rarities in Australian philately (A$50,000). (Image)	Est. 40,000-50,000 SOLD for $50,000.00 Will close during Public Auction
273	S	51x/zb	#51x/zb, £1 Brown and blue, handstamped "Specimen", bottom margin JBC monogram pair, rich colors, o.g., small hinge reinforcement between stamps and selvage, fine; of the only six recorded £1 First Watermark issue JBC monogram pieces, three are found in various forms with "Specimen" handstamps, a strip of three, the pair offered here and a single; an extraordinary rarity of the First Watermark issue (A$17,500). (Image)	Est. 10,000-15,000 SOLD for $17,000.00 Will close during Public Auction
274		55	#55, £2 Black and rose, a true "post office" fresh mint example of this scarce and popular high value, deep rich colors on bright paper, well centered, pristine o.g., never hinged (rare thus), very fine and exceedingly choice (A$12,500). (Image)	Est. 5,000-7,500 SOLD for $15,000.00 Will close during Public Auction
275		55	#55, £2 Black and rose, attractively centered, particularly strong colors, o.g., l.h., very fine (A$7,000). (Image)	Est. 2,000-3,000 SOLD for $4,750.00 Will close during Public Auction
276		55	#55, £2 Black and rose, quite fresh, deep luxuriant colors, o.g., barest trace of hinging (if at all), nearly very fine (A$7,000). (Image)	Est. 1,500-2,000 SOLD for $3,750.00 Will close during Public Auction
277	O	55w	#55w, £2 Black and rose, gem presentation c.t.o. example, extraordinarily well centered and margined, neat Melbourne c.t.o. postmark at top right, rich colors, extremely fine (A$4,000). (Image)	Est. 1,500-2,000 SOLD for $3,750.00 Will close during Public Auction
278	O	55w	#55w, £2 Black and rose, presentation c.t.o. example, postmark confined to top left corner, strong colors and impressions, very fine and handsome (A$4,000). (Image)	Est. 1,500-2,000 SOLD for $3,250.00 Will close during Public Auction
279	O	55w	#55w, £2 Black and rose, c.t.o. Melbourne (April 24, 1913) presentation postmark, strong rich colors, attractively centered, very fine (A$4,000). (Image)	Est. 1,500-2,000 SOLD for $2,100.00 Will close during Public Auction
280	O	55w	#55w, £2 Black and rose, c.t.o., with Melbourne presentation cancel at bottom left, fine (A$4,000). (Image)	Est. 1,000-1,500 SOLD for $1,800.00 Will close during Public Auction