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L-R: Sale I, Lot 107, 1864 1d Rose red Pl.77. Sold for £144,000 including fees; Sale II, Lot 26, 1850 1d Blue "Prince Consort" Essay (Finished design). Sold for £27,600 including fees.
Baldwin’s Auction House has reported exceptional results across all four parts of The Phillips Collection of Great Britain – one of the largest philatelic collections offered to market in the last 12 months – offered on behalf of the late John Phillips and his family. The four-part sale concluded with Part IV last month, and the tremendous auction results are demonstrated in a total combined sales value of over £2 million.
John Phillips, who died in 2022, and whose family entrusted his wonderful collection to be sold by Stanley Gibbons, was well known in philatelic circles for his passion and knowledge, both of which he readily shared. Both dealers and collectors would often write ask him to check his personal records for the rare and unusual, including his meticulous notes on the "abnormals".
The Stanley Gibbons and Baldwin’s approach for the Phillips Collection – to bring it to auction in four exciting and well-rounded instalments over the course of 12 months – proved fruitful, ensuring the protection of vendors’ interests simultaneous with a confident and sustained buyers’ momentum. The auction saw collectors from over 60 countries, with spirited bidding and many key highlights selling above estimate. One of the stars of the collection appeared in Part I, a 1864 1d Rose red Pl.77, which had an estimate of £70,000 – 90,000 and ultimately sold for £144,000 including buyers premium. One of only three examples believed to exist in private hands, this magnificent rarity has not been seen at a stamp show since 1974 when it formed part of Douglas Latto's exhibit. Many other highlights and strong sales in excess of estimates were to follow throughout the series.
This considered and structured approach followed for the Phillips Collection is testament to the expertise of Stanley Gibbons and Baldwin’s specialists, not only in the materials but also the auction process. Following the success of Part 2 of the Former Singapore Philatelic Museum auction this summer - another white glove sale for in the second part of this important collection - the auction house has laid out plans to continue in the same manner for the sale of similarly substantial philatelic collections in future, such as the Academic series.
Iain Murphy, Managing Director at Stanley Gibbons and Baldwin’s, commented:
“We are delighted by the success of the Phillips Collection of Great Britain, and the success of the particular approach we have taken across the auctions. Stanley Gibbons and Baldwin’s are proud to have such a dedicated and confident following from both vendors and collectors, and looks forward to continue to offer a wide variety of exceptional items at our upcoming and future auctions.”
Highlights from across the Parts I-IV of The Phillips Collection of Great Britain:
- Sale I, Lot 107 – 1864 1d Rose red Pl.77. An Iconic stamp of Great Britain and World philately. Estimated at £70,000 – 90,000. Sold for £144,000 including fees.
- Sale II, Lot 26 – 1850 1d Blue "Prince Consort" Essay (Finished design). Unused o.g. example printed in blue on unwatermarked, perf 16 paper, lettered FJ. Believed to be unique in private hands and one of only three recorded examples, of which one is in the British Postal Museum and the other is in the Royal Philatelic Collection. Estimated at £10,000 – 12,000. Sold for £27,600 including fees.
- Sale III, Lot 204 – 1881 1s Purple. Superb hand painted essay from De La Rue’s first scheme painted on tracing paper (42x28mm) in purple and Chinese white mounted on stout white paper. Only two such sets of essays were produced, one of which is in The Postal Museum thus unique in private hands. Estimated at £2,000 – 2,200. Sold for £5,400 including fees.
- Sale IV, Lot 12 – 1850 1d Red-brown "Prince Consort" Essay. Unused o.g. printed in red-brown and perforated 16, lettered FJ. A rare essay, believed to be only five recorded examples. Estimated at £4,000 – 5,000. Sold for £8,400 including fees.
L-R: Sale IV, Lot 12, 1850 1d Red-brown "Prince Consort" Essay. Sold for £8,400 including fees; Sale III, Lot 204 – 1881 1s Purple from De La Rue’s first scheme painted on tracing paper. Sold for £5,400 including fees
The Hay Morgan Collection will also be underway with Part I in October and will run for 12 months. As well as splitting the auction out into multiple parts, Baldwin’s is pursuing private treaty with suitable products and buyers prior to auction, and a 25% advance has been provided.
The Hay Morgan Collection, started in the early 1980s, has been built up by a British collector over the past 40 years, and is now one of the most complete GV Commonwealth collections ever assembled, containing almost every Commonwealth stamp issued during the reign including most of the major errors, many plate examples, important proofs, numerous sets and stamps in blocks, as well as some rare covers. The quality is very high throughout with many of the items having been acquired from Stanley Gibbons.
“The collection displays the specialist depth of a patient philatelist with an unwavering eye for quality and is replete with major rarities of the highest importance.” Dr Philip Kinns, Emeritus Director of Philately, Stanley Gibbons
For more information or to consign to one of our future auctions please visit www.baldwins.co
