unused 1867 (1 Sept.) surcharged on stamps of India, 1½c. on ½a. to 32c. on 2a. set of nine, all unused and of good to fine appearance, only the 4c., 6c., 12c., 24c. and 32c. with trace to small part original gum. S.G. 1-9, #1590. Photo for a selection

FOREWORD Mary and George Bloch have together formed a number of important collections over the last three decades, ranging from Chinese art including ceramics, scholar's objects and snuff bottles, the latter having recently been exhibited at the British Museum, to their collection of modern pictures and sculpture which was exhibited at a major exhibition at the Hong Kong Museum in 1987. However, George alone has been a collector of fine and rare mint stamps since the early 1970's and his collection of Malaya and British Borneo is presented in this catalogue. He has carefully and quietly amassed an almost complete collection of these rare and elusive stamps, paying particular attention to quality, rarity and provenance. Although concentrating on singles and varieties by Stanley Gibbons catalogue numbers, one still finds multiples throughout the collection which were purchased with purpose over the years. These include the first stamps of the Straits Settlements, not surprisingly represented by the largest known multiple, the 1880 "10" surcharge block, ex Charles Taylor, purchased in order to complete this series, and the unique Pahang 1889 8c. pair purchased in the 1970's to complete his set of pairs. It is also, to me, of no surprise that the example of the King Edward VII $500 in his collection is represented by the only plate number example recorded outside the Royal Collection. This is without doubt the finest collection of Malaya to be sold since the auction by Robson Lowe of Dr. F.E. Wood's collection in 1964. Tim Hirsch, March 1996 STRAITS SETTLEMENTS

Details

More from Stamps

View All