Page:1 Mar 03, 2019

Lot Type Grading Description Est $A COCOS ISLANDS POSTAL HISTORY - Straits Settlements Postal Agency 1933 to 1937 The Agency opened on or about 20.4.1933 and closed circa March 1937. It was operated by the Cable Company on Direction Island.

Lot 2346 2346 CL B 1936 cover with imprint of Captain Irving Johnson (Springfield, Mass) to "John Clunies-Ross/Keeling Cocos Island/Via Singapore" with Bermuda (!) 1½d & 2½d tied by 'ST GEORGES' cds, minor blemishes. A remarkable origin/destination item. [Probably contained a letter of thanks for hospitality extended during the visit to Cocos of the US Schooner 'Yankee' on its 1935 round-the-world voyage] 500T COCOS ISLANDS POSTAL HISTORY - The Late 1930s After closure of the Postal Agency, the same ad hoc postal arrangements as had applied before 1933 were reinstated.

Lot 2362 2362 CL B SURVEY FLIGHT PER 'GUBA II': 1938 (May 24) Archbold Expedition cover from New York to Hollandia overprinted to commemorate that flight & the 1939 return via , the Indian Ocean & Africa, with Dutch Indies 10c tied by 'HOLLANDIA/10.5.39' cds, Australian 5d Ram tied by 'ROSE BAY EAST/3JE39/NSW-AUST' cds, superb 'C&W LTD/12JUN39/COCOS' b/s & uncancelled 6c, autographs of "Richard Archbold", "Russell R Rogers Pilot" & three other crew members, a bit stained on the reverse.

The Australian Government contracted the flying boat 'Guba II' to undertake a survey flight from Australia across the Indian Ocean to Africa to assess the feasability of such a route in the event of disruption to the London-Singapore- Sydney route. After having spent a year flying in and around , 'Guba' left Port Moresby 12.5.1939 for Sydney & Melbourne for an overhaul of the plane's systems. On 3.6.1939 it flew non-stop Sydney-Port Hedland (WA), then on towards Cocos & beyond. 1,000T

Lot 2363 Page:2 www.abacusauctions.com.au Mar 03, 2019

COCOS ISLANDS POSTAL HISTORY - The Late 1930s (continued) Lot Type Grading Description Est $A 2363 CL B - 1939 (May 12) Archbold Expedition cover from to New York via Australia, the Indian Ocean & Africa, with Papua 1/- Air tied by Port Moresby cds, Australian 5d Ram tied by 'ROSE BAY EAST/3JE39/NSW-AUST' cds, 'C&W LTD/12JUN39/COCOS' b/s, Seychelles 2c x3 tied by VICTORIA/JU17/39/SEYCHELLES' cds, KUT 15c tied by 'KISUMU/23JU/39/KENYA' cds, Belgian Congo 50c tied by 'COLQUIHATVILLE/24-6-39' cds & USA 2c tied by New York arrival cancel of AUG4/1939, faint blemishes & small closed tear at top clear of the stamps. [Kim Dwyer's similar cover - with the Cocos cds on the face - sold for $2300] 1,500T

Lot 2366 2366 CB - 1939 cover to New York with appropriate stamps & postmarks of Australia, Seychelles (obscuring a superb strike of the 'C&W LTD/COCOS' cds), KUT, Belgian Congo & the USA, minor soiling. 850T

Lot 2367 2367 C A- - 1939 (June 3) Sydney-KUT-Sydney boomerang cover with superb 'C&W LTD/12JUN39/COCOS' cds on the reverse, registered for the return flight per Imperial Airways with KUT 50c tied by 'KISUMU/23JU/39/KENYA' cds, Sydney arrival b/s of 6JY39, minor stains on the reverse. [Kim Dwyer's long registered cover sold for $1092] 1,000T COCOS ISLANDS POSTAL HISTORY - World War II Civilian Mails 1939 to 1945 Britain declared war on Germany 4.9.1939. Non-military mail going into or out from Cocos during World War II is extremely scarce. Colin Riddell's items here are the only examples known to us. Kim Dwyer's collection did not include any such items.

Lot 2378 2378 CA 1941 (Feb 19) cover from USA at 5c rate with Oakland, CA cancels to "Governor [sic] Ross/Cocos Islands/Indian Ocean", triangular 'PASSED FOR - TRANSMISSION/ 6 ' cachet in violet applied at Singapore on face. 250T Page:3 Mar 03, 2019

Lot Type Grading Description Est $A COCOS ISLANDS POSTAL HISTORY - Colony of Singapore 1946 to 1955 In 1946 administration reverted to Singapore & the islands were incorporated into that Colony. For most of this period, there was again no official post office. From late-1949 until 1951, Esme Ralph Leigh-Parkin, an employee of Cable & Wireless Ltd, was the de facto postmaster. A keen collector, much of the mail to, from or processed by him is nonetheless definitely commercial/social. Unlike the 'Tin Can Mail' taken out to passing ships (see next section), items here were collected by the TSS 'Islander' or naval ships calling infrequently at Cocos with relief staff & supplies. A Royal Australian Air Force PO opened at the end of 1951, from which time most mail was then processed through that facility.

Lot 2426 2426 C A- MAIL PER ROYAL NAVAL FRIGATE: 1950 Leigh-Parkin airmail cover to the with makeshift 'R COCOS/0002' label & superb 'C&W LTD/ 29NOV50/COCOS' b/s, Singapore 15c & $1 tied by 'MAXWELL ROAD/11DEC50/SINGAPORE' cds & Singapore 'R' label added, three New York backstamps. [A frigate departed Cocos 1.12.1950 for Singapore]

Singapore recognised Cocos' de facto postal arrangements when it suited them but drew the line at purporting to register mail from there, requiring that the process be done in Singapore. Such registered covers are rare: makeshift 'R' label #19 is on a cover dated 11JUN51, suggesting an average of fewer than three articles per month. 1,250T

Lot 2428 2428 CB - 1950 (Nov 10) cover to "Cable and Wireless Ltd for Cocos/PO Box 146/Singapore/China" (!!) with USA Prexie 3c only, 'T12 CTMS' h/s & 'POSTAGE DUE...CENTS' h/s both in purple, Singapore Postage Due 12c meter impression in green & oval 'COCOS IS/("10 4 51")/PER ("Frigate")' b/s, stained on the face. A most unusual cover. [Delivered 16.4.1951 per frigate en route Singapore-Colombo. There was, of course, no facility for collecting Postage Due on Cocos so the fee was charged to Cable & Wireless Ltd in Singapore &, presumably, recovered through internal accounting] 750T Page:4 www.abacusauctions.com.au Mar 03, 2019

Lot Type Grading Description Est $A COCOS ISLANDS POSTAL HISTORY - Australian External Territory 1955 to 1963 On 23.11.1955, the Cocos Islands were transferred to the Commonwealth of Australia & a new PO opened on that date. Australian stamps and postal stationery were used until 1963 when the first Cocos pictorials were issued. Cocos remains an Australian External Territory to this time.

Ex Lot 2486 2486 CPS 1955 Opening Day/Inaugural Flight group all with the flight cachet in violet comprising OHMS cover with 'POSTMASTER-GENERAL' imprint at L/L, unusual illustrated - Arthur Bergen ? - cover, large illustrated (map) cover to GB with Australian-pattern 'COCOS ISLAND' 'R' label, usage of Aerogramme Envelope & Letter Card, cover to New Hebrides with 'AERIAL SERVICE/COMPLETED SYDNEY' h/s, underpaid covers to NSW & USA x2 all with Postage Due affixed, and commemorative cover to Hobart with the cachet in rosine (very scarce: Ex Kim Dwyer). [The cachet shows the flight as being from Cocos to Perth. In fact, the route was Cocos-Darwin] (10) 500T

Ex Lot 2487 2487 C/L A - OHMS cover with 'POSTMASTER-GENERAL' imprint at L/L, to USA with Kooka 6d & Lyrebird 1/- x2 tied 'COCOS ISLAND/23NO55' cds paying the 2/- airmail rate + 6d surcharge paid to Qantas. With the enclosed PMG's With Compliments card. (2 items) 250T 2495 CL B 1957-63 1957 airmail cover with 'EDWARD C PARKER JR/BRIGANTINE YANKEE' imprint on the flap & endorsed "Brigantine Yankee/Cocos Keeling Islands", to Michigan with Indonesian 4r tied by 'DENPASAR' cds, minor faults. Rare commercial mail. 150T Page:5 Mar 03, 2019

Lot Type Grading Description Est $A NEW GUINEA - 'G.R.I.' SURCHARGES - Postal History There has been a degree of controversy surrounding the GRIs ever since Postmaster Sgt Moore was court martialled on his return to Sydney. However, he was charged only with selling to himself & another officer stamps of greater value than the imposed limit of 10/- per person. The fact remains that the GRI overprints were properly authorised, properly issued, and properly postally used by both the military and civilian populations of the former German New Guinea. This is by far the largest selection of commercial GRI covers that we have offered.

Lot 2604 2604 CB MAIL TO AMERICA: 1915 (Mar 18) cover to Pennsylvania endorsed "OHMS" & sealed with a largely very fine 'KAISERL DEUTSCHE POSTAGENTUR/STEPHANSORT' wax seal across the flap, 'O.S./1d' on DNG 3pf SG O1 & 'G.R.I./3d. - Rabaul/(Deutsch Neuguinea)' registration label SG 33 tied by oval Rabaul d/s unusually in blue & American 'REGISTERED' h/s in purple, Sydney & Chicago transit & Philadelphia arrival b/s, horizontal fold at the base. [The 1d rate applied only for Forces mail to Empire destinations. The correct rate was 2½d & the cover should have been taxed] 750T

Lot 2605 2605 CB - 1915 (May 10) cover to New York State with combination franking of NWPI ½d & 2d plus 'G.R.I./3d. - Rabaul/(Deutsch Neuguinea)' registration label SG 33 tied by oval Rabaul d/s in violet & American 'REGISTERED' h/s in purple, 'CENSORED' h/s in violet of Rabaul & scarce 'PASSED BY CENSOR/25DE15/=CS=' cds of Sydney in rosine (NB: Christmas Day), red/white 'OPENED BY/CENSOR' labels tied to the reverse by the rare 'PASSED/ ("31.12.15")/DCC AUST' cachet of the Deputy Chief Censor, Chicago transit b/s, light horizontal fold at the base & a little aged. 1,000T Page:6 www.abacusauctions.com.au Mar 03, 2019

Lot Type Grading Description Est $A NEW GUINEA - 'N.W./PACIFIC/ISLANDS' Overprints - Mail to Foreign Destinations

Lot 2673 2673 CB UNITED STATES: 1915 (Sep 14) cover with 'Hamburgische Sudsee-Aktiengesellschaft/Hauptfiliale Rabaul' imprint at top with ½d type b pair & 1d type c tied by Rabaul cds, 'PASSED BY CENSOR' h/s, violet/white 'OPENED BY CENSOR' tape affixed at Sydney & unusually with 'PASSED BY CENSOR/=CS=' cds in red alongside, corner fault at U/L. 350T

Lot 2674 2674 CA - 1917 (Mar 23) OHMS cover with Treasury cachet at L/L, 6d type c - ½d convenience overpayment - tied by Rabaul cds, German 'R' label, '[crown]/PASSED CENSOR/23MAR17/RABAUL' unusually on the reverse, Sydney transit & New York arrival b/s. 400T

Ex Lot 2675 2675 CB - 1921 & 1922 registered covers to New York or Texas, the first with 2½d & 3d, the other with ½d 2½d & 3d, black/white 'R' labels (the first with scarce 'B' at L/R), both with Sydney transit & US arrival b/s. [The postal rates at this time apparently were poorly understood. Previously, the letter rate was 2½d, increasing to 3d because of the war tax. But from 1.10.1920 the rate was 4d for the first ½oz] (2) 600T Page:7 Mar 03, 2019

NEW GUINEA - 'N.W./PACIFIC/ISLANDS' Overprints - Mail to Foreign Destinations (continued) Lot Type Grading Description Est $A 2676 C B - 1923 (July 4; Independence Day!) mission cover with imprint at U/L, New Colours 2d scarlet x2 tied by Rabaul cds, slightly truncated at left. 200T

Lot 2677 2677 C A- - 1924 (Feb 19) cover with Fifth Setting 6d grey-blue SG 110a (small corner fault) & New Colours 2d scarlet punctured 'OS' tied by 'RABAUL/NEW GUINEA' cds, rubber registration h/s, three New York b/s, light central fold. [On 1.10.1923, the foreign letter rate was reduced to 3d for the first ½oz plus 1½d per additional ½oz; convenience overpayment of ½d] 500T NEW GUINEA - 'N.W./PACIFIC/ISLANDS' Overprints - Official Mail

Lot 2709 2709 C A- 1923 (late) OHMS cover to Kansas with New Colours 2d scarlet punctured 'OS' SG O19 tied by light Rabaul cds & 'LEAVENWORTH/KANS' arrival. [Paid for British Empire rate only, but not taxed] 500T

Lot 2712 2712 C A- 1925 OHMS cover to Kansas with rare franking of Kangaroo 3d - torn before being affixed - & New Colours 4d pale ultramarine both punctured 'OS' SG O8 & O21 tied by 'RABAUL/6JL25/NEW GUINEA' cds, Sydney & Seattle transit b/s, Delia arrival b/s & redirected with 'KAW STATION/KANSAS CITY, KANSAS' h/s twice in red & Kaw Station arrival b/s. A lovely cover: one of the most attractive 'OS'-franked covers we have seen. 1,500T Page:8 www.abacusauctions.com.au Mar 03, 2019

Lot Type Grading Description Est $A NEW GUINEA - 'N.W./PACIFIC/ISLANDS' Overprints - Registered Mail

Lot 2728 2728 C A- RABAUL: black/white 'RABAUL/No B' scarce registration label on cover to Texas with Fifth Setting 4d & New Colours 2d orange tied by light 'RABAUL/7NO21/NEW BRITAIN' cds, Sydney & Honolulu transits & 'AMARILLO TEX/JAN/12/ 1922/REGISTERED' arrival b/s. 500T 2736 CL B MADANG: scarce black/white 'MADANG' registration label on cover to Iowa with scarce franking of Fifth Setting 9d violet & New Colours 4d blue tied by light 'MADANG' cds, Sydney & Chicago transit & Dubuque arrival b/s, minor faults & a little aged. 400T

Lot 2737 2737 C A- - scarce black/white 'MADANG' registration label on cover to Illinois with scarce franking of Fifth Setting 6d grey-blue SG 110a & New Colours 1d violet tied by light 'MADANG/NEW GUINEA' cds, Sydney transit & Chicago arrival b/s. 500T NEW GUINEA - 'N.W./PACIFIC/ISLANDS' Overprints - Censored Mail

Lot 2743 2743 CB RABAUL: rare 'PASSED CENSOR RABAUL' label (seriffed lettering) most unusually across the flap of 1915 cover unusually endorsed "Contains postcards/for Enemy Country", to Wisconsin with 2½d type b tied by 'HERBERTSHOHE' cds, Sydney violet/white censor label (damaged to reveal the stamp & endorsement) & 'PASSED BY CENSOR/ 27DE15/=C.S=' cds in red. 750T Page:9 Mar 03, 2019

Lot Type Grading Description Est $A NEW GUINEA - Mandated Territory Issues - Postal History

Lot 2778 2778 CB TO FOREIGN DESTINATIONS: HAWAII: 1931 commercial cover to Hawaii with Huts 6d paying 3d postage + 3d registration tied by a largely fine strike of the scarce 38mm 'POST OFFICE/16JUN1931/KIETA' cds (Powell #70), superb registration h/s in violet, Sydney transit & Honolulu arrival backstamps, US 'REGISTERED' h/s in purple, a few blemishes. We have seen very few commercial registered covers cancelled with any of the oversize datestamps. [Acquired at the Prestige auction of 12.2.2010 for $661] 500T 2784 C/CL A/B - UNITED STATES: Mostly OHMS surface-rate covers comprising 1931 with large 'POST OFFICE/KIETA' cds, 1936 with 'CATHOLIC MISSION/KAIRURU - PO WEWAK' h/s, 1937 with 'POSTAGE PAID/RABAUL' cds, five - four of them registered - with 'OS' Overprints including 1925 with Huts 6d, 1931 with Huts 1/- & 1937 with Undated 6d. (8) 300T

Lot 2785 2785 CA - 1927 Pflum hand-illustrated cover to United States with rare albeit philatelic combination franking of Huts 1d & 2d tied by 'RABAUL' cds plus United States 8c green & 16c indigo Airs tied by San Francisco duplex. Ex Ray Kelly. [Prepayment of the US internal airmail fee of 8c per zone was permitted from 1924. Pflum pre-serviced his covers with the stamps of both countries & examples from Australia & Papua are known with the American stamps cancelled at the point of posting] 750T Page:10 www.abacusauctions.com.au Mar 03, 2019

NEW GUINEA - Mandated Territory Issues - Postal History (continued) Lot Type Grading Description Est $A

Lot 2786 2786 C A- - 1927 Pflum hand-illustrated cover to United States with rare albeit philatelic combination franking of Huts 1d & 2d tied by 'RABAUL' cds, plus United States 8c green & 16c indigo Airs tied by San Francisco duplex. 750T 2787 C B - 1929 (Oct 12) unsealed cover with '...Lutheran Mission, Finschhafen/...' imprint at top over 'Printed Paper Only/USA', to Wisconsin with 1d Huts only, central fold & some discolouration of the paper. [The heavily-subsidised printed matter rate was 1d per 2oz] 100T

Lot 2788 2788 CA - 1937 (May) stampless OHMS airmail cover endorsed "Australia-London/and in USA", also endorsed "Official/FREE", Rabaul cds & registration cachet, Brisbane transit b/s & New York arrival b/s. 200T

Lot 2789 2789 CL B - 1938 (Feb 28) double-rate cover to California endorsed "Airmail/via Port Moresby/London/and in USA" with Undated 1d x4 & Undated Airs 2/- x2 tied by 'BULOLO' cds, minor faults. [The rate for airmail to London, ship to New York and domestic US airmail was 2/2d for the first ½oz plus 2/1d for the next ½oz; the sender was either unaware of the reduction for the second ½oz or paid a 1d late fee] 300T Page:11 Mar 03, 2019

NEW GUINEA - Mandated Territory Issues - Postal History (continued) Lot Type Grading Description Est $A

Lot 2790 2790 C (A-) - 1939 (Jan 10) airmail cover endorsed "Per China Clipper/from Manila to USA", to Illinois with Undated Airs 9d 1/- & 2/- tied by 'RABAUL' cds, ironed-out horizontal fold. Rare. [Both Breckon & Walker mention a 4/8d Clipper rate but that was via Hong Kong. Neither mentions a via Manila rate] 500T

Lot 2791 2791 CL B - 1940 (Jan) double-rate all-up airmail cover endorsed "North Atlantic Service", to New York with Bulolo 3d 1/- & 5/- tied by 'RABAUL' cds, red/white 'OPENED BY CENSOR' label (unusually folded to the face) & boxed Censor No 10 h/s in violet, minor imperfections. A rarity: the outstanding wartime cover from New Guinea & only the second cover we have handled with the 5/-: see also Lot 2766. [The all-up rate via London and trans-Atlantic Clipper was 3/2d per ½oz. This was most unusual because most rates at the time were a 1d less for each additional ½ ounce. It readily explains the 1d underpayment & also why it wasn't taxed] 2,500T

Lot 2792 2792 C A- - 1941 (Jan 6) double-rate airmail cover to Kansas endorsed "TO SYDNEY ONLY" (in error) with Bulolo 1d x3 5d x2 & 1/- x2 tied by 'BULOLO' cds, red/white 'OPENED BY CENSOR' label tied by boxed Censor No 25 h/s. [The rate via airmail to London & ship to the States was 1/7d for the first ½oz + 1/6d for the next ½oz = 3/1d] 250T