1769 1857-59 Swan 2d brown-black on red, imperf, showing part wmk '"swan" & horiz lines marginal wmk, & paper variety in LR cnr. VF fresh UN as issued, with nice margins for issue (stamps were printed very close together). SG 15 cat £3500+ plus premium for the wmk variety. RPSL photo-cert. (P) $3300 $4300
1770 1861 Swan 1/- deep green, rough perf 14-16 on all 4 sides, London printing, with part of the special "CANCELLED" barred h/s in LL corner applied by Perkins Bacon. (This being one of the so called "Ormond Hill Specimens" when in 1861 Perkins Bacon supplied 6 examples of many of their current & earlier issues to Rowland Hill's son in law. Despite the fact that all these stamps were obliterated with the "CANCELLED" h/s, the Agent-General for the Crown Colonies vehemently objected, & this led directly to Perkins Bacon losing their stamp printing contracts to Thomas De La Rue). Unfortunately some idiot has partly erased the h/s in a failed attempt to make the stamp look unused! However, its identification is definite, as enough of the bars are visible on the stamp, & the stamp fits perfectly on the reconstruction from Peter Jaffe's book - this stamp was formerly adjoining the example that is now in the Royal Collection & copy of reconstruction enclosed shows how the perfs match up & h/s continues across the 2 stamps. SG 46(var) cat £10,000. Great WA rarity as only 6 examples produced & offered at a low reserve - another example with trimmed perfs & staining recently sold for $14,000 at another Australian auction. 2011 Ceremuga photo-cert. (P) $5000 $8000
1771 1864-79 2d Swan ERROR OF COLOUR in pale mauve (instead of yellow), perf 12½, wmk crown CC. Superb M. SG 55b cat £14000. An important & famous error. 2011 Ceremuga photo-cert. (P) $20000 $25000
