The Michael Caswell Collection of 19th Century India Postal History & Stamps
153-157 London Rd, Derby DE1 2SY, UK
| Lot | 1854 1a RED DIE II (SG 13 & 14) | Estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1251 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II "C" STONE: A used horizontal strip of four [29-32] with reverse watermark, position 31 with left frameline broken at top, right frameline broken opposite lower labile and right leg of second "N" of "ANNA curved and thinned. Fine. |  | $160 |
| 1252 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II "C" STONE: A remarkable horizontal strip of eight [81-88] being the complete horizontal row. The upper label and the letters of "INDIA" in particular are touched up in all impressions. In addition [88] and [83] have hair below band touched up. [82] has the eye touched-up and [85] upper Chignon touched up. Very close at ends, but other margins wide. Vertical central bend. [Ex Dawson and illustrated on plate IV of his book] |  | $130 |
| 1253 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II: Three unused marginal examples inc. two with part inscription. Some faults but good reference examples. (3) |  | $130 |
| 1254 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II "C" STONE: A horizontal strip of five [10-14] with diamond of dots cancellations. Good to wide margins. Fine. SG 14 £550. |  | $95 |
| 1255 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II "C" STONE: A used block of four [50-51/58-59] being watermark positions 51-52/59-60 with [50 & 51] with eye touched up, [58] with inner line at right extended towards "A" of "ANNA" and [59] with hair below band touched up. Fine. [Ex Dawson lot 199] |  | $95 |
| 1256 | 1854 1a BRIGHT RED DIE II "C" STONE: An exceptional unused example [74] clearly showing the pointed bust of this position. |  | $80 |
| 1257 | 1854 1a RED DIE II "C" STONE: A horizontal pair [84-85] with "C10" in diamond cancellations of Bangalore. Fine. |  | $50 |
| 1258 | 1854 1a ORANGE-RED DIE II "C" STONE: A horizontal strip of four [93-96] in the scarce shade characteristic of the "C" stone only. All impressions show touching up as retouching to some degree. A little cut into at foot. |  | $65 |
| 1259 | 1854 1a DEEP RED DIE II "C" STONE: A scarce used horizontal strip of four [5-8] with close to wide margins, cancelled with "1" of Bombay. Position "7" with slight creasing. Watermark misplaced to left resulting in position "8" having no watermark. [Ex Dawson] |  | $120 |
| 1260 | 1854 1a DEEP RED DIE II: A horizontal strip of three [75-77] clearly cancelled with the "B/30" octagon of Berhapore. Light bend but good margins on all sides. SG 13 £450. |  2 | $80 |
| Lot | 1855 1a RED DIE III (SG 15 & 16) | Estimate | |
| 1261 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II "D" STONE: A marginal unused horizontal strip of six [90-95] with full inscription. An early print with very few plate flaws. Fine. |  | $480 |
| 1262 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II "D" STONE: A fine unused lower right corner block of six with complete corner ornament and part inscription. Fine. |  | $400 |
| 1263 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II "D" STONE: A fine marginal unused block of four [23-24/31-32] with no. [23] clearly showing touch up to upper Chignon. Note: touches up on the "D" stone are scarce. For some reason stamp [23] was chosen for a very heavy touch up to the upper Chignon. |  | $340 |
| 1264 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II "D" STONE: An unused wide margined block of six [20-21/36-37] with [20] & [36] having plating flaws, two very small rust spots on reverse. Scarce. |  | $340 |
| 1265 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II "D" STONE: An unused marginal block of four [49-50/57-58] with part inscription. [49] with lower lobe of Chignon missing, red lines in right leg of "N" of "INDIA" and red dots below the left "O" on "ONE". [50] with red dot below and to right of "D" of "INDIA". [57] with red dash below and to right of "E" of "ONE". [58] with two red dots above and to right and left of "D" of "INDIA". Fine. |  | $340 |
| 1266 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II "D" STONE: An unused marginal block of four [71-72/79-80] with part inscription. [72 & 80] with plate flaws. A fine multiple. |  | $340 |
| 1267 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II "D" STONE: An unused marginal block of four [65-66/73-74] from the left of the sheet with part inscription. Fine. |  | $340 |
| 1268 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II "D" STONE: An unused marginal block of four [33-34/41-42] with part inscription. Margin a little close at foot and one [42] with small stain. |  | $280 |
| 1269 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II "D" STONE: An unused upper right corner block of four with the second type corner ornament. Very fine. |  | $280 |
| 1270 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II "D" STONE: A unused strip of five [82-86] inc. [86] with red flaw to inner red line opposite point of nose and over the north west corner of "D" of "INDIA". Horizontal crease at top. Most attractive. SG 14 £1,500. |  | $200 |
| 1271 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II "D" STONE: An unused marginal block of four [49-50/57-58] with part inscription at left. [57] badly damaged and repaired, others fine. |  | $200 |
| 1272 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II "D" STONE: A used block of four [71-72/79-80] with three wide margins, shaved at upper right. Multiple "1" in diamond of bars cancellations. Fine. |  | $130 |
| 1273 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II "D" STONE: An unused pair [79-80]. Fine. SG 14 £600. |  | $130 |
| 1274 | 1855 1a RED DIE II "D" STONE: An unused horizontal pair [67-68] with inverted & reversed watermark. Fine. Also a single [63] in a brighter shade with watermark misplaced to left, large margins. Corner bend caused by watermark. Attractive. SG £900. |  | $130 |
| 1275 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II "D" STONE: A used block of four [5-6/13-14] with diamond of dots cancellations. All positions with plate flaws. Fine. |  | $95 |
| 1276 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II "D" STONE: A used horizontal strip of three [10-12] with touch ups comprising [12] showing characteristic touch-up to Chignon. Also touch up to base of bust which is normally weak in the "D" stone. [10] has a red line running diagonally through the 6th - 8th arches. |  | $80 |
| 1277 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II "D" STONE REMARKABLE RETOUCH: A used single [12] (already the subject of a touch up on the parent stone) shows extensive retouching in the upper label, right ornament, right arches and in particular the Chignon. Fine. Note: retouches on"D" stone stamps issued to the public (as opposed to remainders) are extremely rare. |  | $65 |
| 1278 | 1854 1a DULL RED DIE II "D" STONE: A horizontal strip of three [85-87] with very crisp "58" in diamond of bars, the central stamp [86] with flaw to inner white line opposite point of nose and red flaw over N.W. corner of "D" of "INDIA". Fine. |  | $50 |
| 1279 | 1855 1a RED DIE III "E" STONE [33]: A rare unused example, three good margins, just touched at foot. SG 15 £5,000. |  | $1,000 |
| 1280 | 1855 1a RED DIE III: An interesting used group inc. one with "186" numeral of Mirzapore. A single [40] from the "E" stone with reversed watermark and another with a "C/130" of Cochin, and a pair. Mostly fine. (9) |  | $200 |
| Lot | 1854-55 4a BLUE & RED 2nd PRINTING (SG 19 & 20) | Estimate | |
| 1281 | 1855 1a RED DIE III "E" STONE: A used horizontal strip of three [57-59], narrow margin at right. [57] with red flaw on inner white line at right of fourth dot and upper line of band of diadem broken under 4th & 5th jewels. [58], with right leg of first "N" of "ANNA" short & thick at foot. [59] lower frame line broken at S.W. corner. Fine. |  | $160 |
| 1282 | 1855 1a RED DIE III "E" STONE: A fine used vertical pair [19/27]. Scarce. |  | $130 |
| 1283 | 1855 1a RED DIE III "E" STONE: A used good to wide margined vertical pair [4/12]. Fine. Note: [4] illustrated as the reference example for this position in Dawson. |  | $130 |
| 1284 | 1855 1a RED PAIR - "E" STONE [26-27] with large margins in a bright shade, lightly cancelled with "C-1" numeral of Madras. Trivial blemishes in top margin. A scarce pair. |  | $130 |
| 1285 | 1855 1a RED DIE III "E" STONE: A used horizontal strip of three [52-54], with touches up on [52] with "NDI" of "INDIA" and 1st and 2nd jewels of diadem touched up and [54] upper curve of second arch on left. Close to wide margins. Fine. |  | $110 |
| 1286 | 1855 1a RED DIE III "E" STONE: A used pair [72-73] with [72] having lower red curve of 4th arch at left and eye retouch. Fine. |  | $95 |
| 1287 | 1855 1a RED DIE III "E" STONE: A used horizontal pair [4-5] with close to good margins. Various constant plate flaws inc. [4] with 2nd & 3rd jewels joined by white flaw and [5] with break in line of ear and right edge of lower label slanting. |  | $80 |
| 1288 | 1855 1a RED DIE III "E" STONE: A neatly cancelled example [64]. Very fine with head clear. Note: illustrated in Dawson's reconstruction. |  | $80 |
| 1289 | 1855 1a RED DIE III "E" STONE: A fine centrally cancelled example. |  | $65 |
| 1290 | 1855 1a RED DIE III "E" STONE: A fine used four margined example. |  | $65 |
| 1291 | 1855 1a RED DIE III "E" STONE: A clear to good margined example with central concentric octagon of bars "B/1" cancellation. Fine. |  | $65 |
| 1292 | 1855 1a DULL RED STRIP OF THREE "E" STONE [14-16] with close to good margins, lightly cancelled with individual strikes of "B-130" octagons of Tirhoo. Slight trace of rubbing, still a fine multiple. |  | $180 |
| 1293 | 1855 1a DULL RED PAIR "E" STONE [37-38] with inverted watermarks, clearly cancelled with "C-153" numerals of Trichinopoly, pos. 37 with distinctive "E in ONE" variety. Good margins on all sides. Fine. SG 16 £600. |  | $160 |
| 1294 | 1855 1a DULL RED DIE III "E" STONE: A fine used example [94] of this scarcer shade. |  | $110 |
| 1295 | 1854 4a BLUE & RED - 1st PRINTING - HEAD & FRAME DIE I - EARLY TO LATE STATES: A cut to shape example in an early state, a cut square example showing signs of wear and another cut to shape example in a late state. All with diamond of dots cancellations. Touched in places but good representative examples. SG £4,200. (3) |  | $130 |
| 1296 | 1854 4a BLUE & PALE RED - 1ST PRINTING - HEAD DIE I - FRAME DIE I: A fine cut square four margined example with complete diamond of dots cancellation. Scarce so fine. SG 18 £1,300. |  | $220 |
| 1297 | 1854 4a BLUE & RED - 2nd PRINTING - HEAD DIE II - FRAME DIE I - [9] "DOUBLE PRINT VARIETY": Used, cut to shape with type I obliteration. Variety head partly doubled, nose to crown. Partial double printing caused by paper movement. Only found in this condition (see SG Part 1 footnote), SG 19a £75,000 as such. RPSL Cert. (2025). |  | $3,400 |
| 1298 | 1854 4a BLUE & RED - 2nd PRINTING - HEAD DIE II - FRAME DIE I - COMPLETE SHEET RECONSTRUCTION of cut square examples. All except [1] with diamond of dots cancellations. Three with one shaved margin, others well clear on all sides. A most attractive group. Very rare. SG £11,400. (12) |  | $2,000 |
| 1299 | 1854 4a BLUE & RED - 2nd PRINTING - HEAD DIE II - FRAME DIE I: A used horizontal pair [11-12] with diamond of dots cancellations, blue vertical line between stamps, just clear to wide margins. Fine. SG 19 £4,500. [Ex Burrus, lot 306] |  | $650 |
| 1300 | 1854 4a BLUE & RED - 2nd PRINTING - HEAD DIE II - FRAME DIE I: A wide margined example [7] showing a portion of the rosettes in all corners and wavy lines on two sides with guide crosses in left wavy line for laying down the Head and Frame transfers on the stones. Fine. SG 19 £900. |  | $200 |
