NEW ZEALAND STAMPS

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 21010, 11 November 1933, Page 21

NEW ZEALAND STAMPS

♦ I FAMOUS COLLECTION j SOLD £3OOO IN NINETY MINUTES j (mou OUR own toßr.r.si'ONDix'i.) ; LONDON, October 5. j Those who attended the auction sale | of the famous "Mann" collection of j New Zealand stamps at Messrs Harmer Rooke and Company's rooms yesterday said that the bidding was quite | like old times. Such luxury trades as j jewellery, antiques, and stamps have naturally suffered during the last few years, and it is possible that the spirited bidding for these rare New Zealand stamps is an indication of growing confidence. Mr E. Mann is a world-famed collector, and his reason for disposing ol this collection is merely that he is concentrating on some other countries at the present time. Five-sixths of his New Zealand collection passed into other hands some time ago, and this larger but less select collection is to be sold again by Messrs Harmer Rooke and Company .a a few months' time. The one disposed of yesterday was the cream of Mr Mann's collection, and consisted of 154 lots in perfect condition. About 50 were present at the sale, most of them private collectors, and a large proportion of them serious buyers. There was one American dealer who was probably acting for a few American clients, and he was successful in obtaining a good number of the stamps. Several wealthy collectors were also present, including Mr D. Burnard, who owns a famous collection estimated to be worth : £IOO,OOO. The bidding was keen, and in an hour and a half the whole collection was disposed of for more than £3OOO, which is considered a record in stamp auctions. Highest Price. The highest price obtained for one stamp was £3OO. This was for an 1855 Is yellow-green, on blue paper, mint with full original gum and margins on all sides. The stamp is probably unique, as no collector knows of another 0..e like it in existence. Next in order of value was an 1862 3d lilac, S.G. 84, Yvert 13, an unused copy with margins on three sides and of good colour. Only two copies of this stamp are known to exist. For this _ £240 was paid. For an 1855 London print Id dull carmine pair, £lls was paid. Some of the other prices were as follows: —In the 1855 section, London print, dull carmine Id, with full mar- I gins, £100; 2d dull on blued paper horizontal pair, 20 euineas; 2d dull J blue on white paper, £2O; 2d dull j blue on white paper, a full margined copy on original letter dated August 18, 1855, £22 10s; Is yellow-green on blued paper, in immaculate condition, 30 guineas; Is with the very rare "cancelled" obliteration, £46. In the 1855 local print section an unused copy of Id red, £36; Id red, a horizontal strip of five, with large margins on all sides and very lightly cancelled, £150; Id red pair, £3B; 2d blue mint strip of four from bottom corner of sheet with enormous margins and original gum, 100 guineas; Is" green, full margins and very lightly cancelled, £27 10s; Is green pair with margins on all sides, £67. In the 1856-59 section a 2d deep blue, two strips of three each, with full margins, 30 guineas; a used block of four 2d deep blues, hard paper, £47 10s; and Is dull emerald-green, a mint copy of brilliant colour and original gum, £46. In the section 1862 imperforate, a horizontal pair of 2d slate-blue made £l4; a mint block of four 2d pale blue, £l9; a mint marginal block of four 3d brown-lilac, £2O; a mint pair of 6d black-brown, with original gum and margins on,all sides, £l2 10s; a mint corner block of four from top right of sheet, £3B; a mint block of four Is yellow-green, £34; and a used block of six Is deep green, £4B. For a mint copy of 1862 Id orangevermilion, 50 guineas was paid, and for Id orange vermilion pair, £IOO. A 2d violet unusued, 1862 imperforate, made £4l, and a Is deep green of the same date £33. In the 18fS4 imperforate section a mint block of four Id carmine-ver-