Auction 309-320 - Australian States & Commonwealth British Africa, St. Helena - Day 2

1873/75: Essay for the proposed 9 d. value by William Bell, with head plate vignette hand-painted in shades of pink, imperforate on card (59 x 71 mm.), the frame hand-painted in shades of red and reddish-lilac, with the Essay signed "W.B." at base (William Bell) and marked "B" in ink on reverse. Extremely rare, whilst the 9 d. value was adopted, the accepted design's Essay appears to have been lost. See Geoff Kellow RDP 'Stamps of Victoria', with this Essay illustrated on page 189. A magnificent, extremely attractive and unique Essay.rnrnProvenance: Collection J. R. W. Purves, RL, Zurich, 27 Nov 1980, lot 2162.rn                     Collection Rod Perry, RL, Geneva, 23-25 May 1988, lot 11141.rn                     Stanley Gibbons, Melbourne, 13 April 1994, lot 1240.rn                     Collection "Besançon", Corinphila sale 221, Zurich, 31 May 2018, lot 3465.