The Charity stamps of Colonial Australia.

NSW 1897 Consumptives Home issue
>combination & mixed frankings.

This page records the covers with:

• a combination franking of the two NSW Charity stamps together;
• a mixed franking of both of the NSW Charity stamps with stanps from other issues.

Combination frankings of the two Charity stamps.

There are 22 recorded covers with both the NSW Charity stamps in combination franking:

• two covers have a pair of each stamp. One of these covers is the magnificent Tanais cover and the other is an unaddressed cover with a Mosman cds.
• two covers have a single of the 1d (1/-) a pair of the 2½d (2/6). One of these covers was sent internationally (to London);
• 13 covers have one stamp of each denomination - of these covers with two singles, only 1 was postmarked at an office outside of Sydney and four covers were sent to inter-colonial destinations.

A summary table lists all recorded covers with a combination of the two NSW Charity stamps.

Two pairs.

• the 1d (1/-) marginal pair is from the lower right corner of a sheet with selvedge on two sides; and
• the 2½d (2/6) pair from the lower right corner of a sheet with selvedge on two sides.
  These two 2½d (2/6) stamps are #29 and #30 in the sheet (from row 5).
  The left stamp (#29) has the flaw of two dots between NSW and Postage in small letters at the base - see details elsewhere.

As an aside, the S.S. Tanais sailed to Noumea on 1 July at 1:00 pm. On 9 July at noon, the Tanais left Noumea on the return trip to Sydney but broke her after crank shaft soon after. The ship foundered until finally reaching Brisbane on 19 July.
See the description of the event elsewhere.

A single of the 1d (1/-) and a pair of the 2½d (2/6).

Singles of each stamp.

Three very similar covers to that above and sent to the same addressee (Mr Bilbrough) - all with a Haymarket 865 duplex - are:

• 23 July 1897 - The duplex can be just seen at the right and the date stamp overlaps the 7th perforation on the right of the 2½d (2/6).
  Cherrystone July 2006 Lot 1328 and Cherrystone March 2015 Lot 557.
• 24 July 1897 - The left date stamp on the 1d (1/-) nearly touches the GREATEST OF THESE box.
  The 8 of the duplex "865" across the 2½d stamp is just cut by the left perforations.
  Premier Philately May 2002 Lot 314 - Col. Harrie Evans collection.
• 24 July 1897 (see above) - The left date stamp in the 1d (1/-) cuts the frame line above PENNY.
  The 6 in each duplex is cut by the vertical perforations of each stamps;
  Ebay Oct 2016.

A summary of the covers with a combination of the two Charity stamps is as follows:

• 29 June 1897 with Sydney 42 duplex to 89 Phillip Street, Sydney - 1 of each stamp. Provenance: Charles Leski Sale 253 Lot 1140.
• 30 June 1897 Registered at Sydney and sent to S.S. Tanais, Messageries Maritimes.
  Top right marginal pair of 1d and lower right corner pair of 2½d.
  Provenance: Mike Berry, September 2017.
• 30 June 1897 with Sydney 36 duplex and sent to Pitt Street (to Harvie & Joseph Thompson from T. J.Thompson & Sons,
  Stock and Share brokers). 1 of each stamp. Provenance: Millennium Nov 2012, Lot 814 and Abacus Auctions December 2019, Lot 1520.
• 1 July 1897 with Haymarket duplex for local delivery franked by 1 of each stamp. Provenance: Status Auctions July 2002, Lot 1250.
• 1 July 1897 with Sydney Registered to Mildura - 1 of each stamp on a Postal and Electric Telegraph Department, Sydney official cover. Provenance: Prestige Philately Jan 2004, Lot 534 and Ebay March 2015.
• 29 July 1897 from Sydney 42 to H. Watzen at Gorman Chambers in Philip Street - 1 of each stamp. Provenance: Leski Sale 253 Lot 1140.
• 18 August 1897 at the Exchange BN 1134 duplex for local delivery to Master Harry Waterhouse - 1d (1/-) plus
  a horizontal pair of 2½d (2/6). Provenance: Millennium October 2004 Lot 13 and Ebay March 2015.
• 18 August 1897 with The Exchange 134 duplexes cancelling one of each stamp. Addressed to Mr. W D. Merritt Hale.
  Large parts of the lower corners have been torn off. Provenance: Ebay (techgifts) March 2018. Status Auctions December 2022 Lot 1268.
• 18 August 1897 Leadville duplex at Sydney Town - 1 of each stamp - Provenance: Ebay August 2015.
• 18 August 1897 with Mosman cds but no address - has a pair of each NSW Centennial stamp.
  Provenance: Harmer (Sydney) April 1972, Lot 62.
• 24 August 1897 with Haymarket NSW 865 duplex and addressed to Mr. Bilborough at Haymarket - 1 of each stamp.
  Provenance: Corinphila November 2025 Lot 5021.
• 23 July 1897 with Haymarket NSW 865 duplex and addressed to Mr. Bilborough - 1 of each stamp.
  Provenance: Cherrystone July 2006, Lot 1328 and March 2015, Lot 557.
• 24 Aug 1897 with Haymarket NSW 865 duplex and addressed to Mr. Bilborough with cancellation touching NN of PENNY - 1 of each stamp. Provenance: Prestige May 2002, Lot 314.
• 24 Aug 1897 with Haymarket NSW 865 duplex and addressed to Mr. Bilborough with cancellation just touching the POSTAGE box - 1 of each stamp. Provenance: Ebay October 2014.
• 24 Aug 1897 with Haymarket NSW 865 duplex and addressed to Mr. Bilborough with cancellation just touching the lower frame of the image - 1 of each stamp. Provenance: Ebay November 2014.

Mixed frankings of both of the NSW Charity stamps with other issues.

A summary table lists all recorded covers having a combination of the two NSW Charity stamps plus a stamp(s) from other issues.

This piece is important in plating the 2½d (2/6) to is position in the sheet because the stamp is common to both the Johnstone block and the Burrus block. It shows the flaws of stamp 12 (Row 2 Stamp 6) - namely -

• a red dot above the N of NSW;
• a dot on the C of Consumptives; and
• a broken scroll in the top left corner

The 5 mixed covers (and one piece) with singles of both the 1d (1/-) and the 2½d (2/6) stamp together with stamps from another issue which have been sighted are:

• 3 July 1897 with Sydney Registered date stamp to Sydney - 1 of each Charity stamp plus a ½d grey (vertical line through B).
  Provenance: Stanley Gibbons September 2001 Lot 1302; Cherrystone July 2006 Lot 1326. Ebay June 2013.
• 3 July 1897 with Sydney Registered date stamp to Sydney - 1 of each Charity stamp plus a ½d grey (vertical line through o).
  Provenance: Status Auction 378 February 2023 Lot 2618.
• 19 July 1897 9½d franking on a piece with 1 of each Charity stamps, a block of 4 of the red Arms and a 2d blue Queen Victoria Jubilee issue. Provenance: Spink; Ebay August 2019.
• 23 March 1898 (addressee is von Francois) with Sydney Registered date stamp to Baden-Baden, Germany - 1 of each plus 1 1d red, 2d blue and 2½d purple. Provenance: Prestige Philately, Corinphila June 2019 Lot 3529.
• 4 November 1898 (addressee is Kah) with Sydney Registered date stamp to Baden-Baden, Germany - 1 of each plus 1 1d red, 2d blue and 2½d deep violet (Die 2) Jubilee. Provenance: Status Auctions July 2002 Lot 1247; Millennium Auctions October 2002 Lot 209.
• 19 December 1930 Arncliff to Sydney Registered cover addressed to Dr. Poate with both Charity stamps
  and a 1d engraved KGV plus a ½d and a 1d purple KGV sideface series.
  Provenance: Prestige Philately August 2012 Lot 258; Status Auctions December 2012 Lot 1749.

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