philatelic collection of lord steinberg pr sep 2011

8/6/2019 Philatelic Collection of Lord Steinberg PR Sep 2011

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For Immediate ReleasePress Release London

London | +44 (0)20 7293 6000 | Matthew Floris | [email protected] Weigman | [email protected]

Sothebys To Sell The Philatelic Collection of Lord SteinbergSothebys To Sell The Philatelic Collection of Lord SteinbergSothebys To Sell The Philatelic Collection of Lord SteinbergSothebys To Sell The Philatelic Collection of Lord Steinberg

--------British Empire and Great Britain Mint MultiplesBritish Empire and Great Britain Mint MultiplesBritish Empire and Great Britain Mint MultiplesBritish Empire and Great Britain Mint Multiples--------

--------Sale To Benefit Causes and Charities Associated with Lord SteinbergSale To Benefit Causes and Charities Associated with Lord SteinbergSale To Benefit Causes and Charities Associated with Lord SteinbergSale To Benefit Causes and Charities Associated with Lord Steinberg iiiinnnn hhhhisisisis LLLLifetimeifetimeifetimeifetime,,,,

IncludingIncludingIncludingIncluding The Fund To RebuildThe Fund To RebuildThe Fund To RebuildThe Fund To Rebuild Home Ground of LancashireHome Ground of LancashireHome Ground of LancashireHome Ground of Lancashire CountyCountyCountyCounty Cricket ClubCricket ClubCricket ClubCricket Club--------

The unique mint block of the 1927 De Pinedo AirThe unique mint block of the 1927 De Pinedo AirThe unique mint block of the 1927 De Pinedo AirThe unique mint block of the 1927 De Pinedo Air MMMMail 60c. black, Estimate 120,000ail 60c. black, Estimate 120,000ail 60c. black, Estimate 120,000ail 60c. black, Estimate 120,000----150,000150,000150,000150,000****

WEDNESDAY, 27 JULY, 2011 --- Sotheby's London is to offer The Philatelic Collection of Lord SteinbergThe Philatelic Collection of Lord SteinbergThe Philatelic Collection of Lord SteinbergThe Philatelic Collection of Lord Steinberg, in a

series of two sales on 6666----8 September and 21 September 20118 September and 21 September 20118 September and 21 September 20118 September and 21 September 2011. The first three-day sale comprises British Empire Mint

Multiples, and the second sale on the 21st will feature Great Britain Mint Multiples exclusively. The unique

characteristic of the collection is that it contains only mint blocks of four or larger multiples. The significance of blocks

is of paramount importance to collectors, since many stamps which are comparatively common are transformed into

major rarities when in blocks of four or larger. Sotheby's two auctions will be an unrivalled opportunity for collectors to

acquire gems from an exceptional collection, and this is the first sale of its kind in almost a century**. Together, the

sales will feature 2,068 lots and the collection is estimated in the region of 4 million.


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Lord Steinbergs family have decided to donate proceeds from the sale to a number of causes and charities with which

Lord Steinberg had been associated in his lifetime, including the fund he started with the aim of helping to rebuild Old

Trafford, home of his beloved Lancashire County Cricket Club.

Lord SteinbergLord SteinbergLord SteinbergLord Steinberg

Lord Steinberg of Belfast died in London on 2 November 2009 at the age of 73. He was

one of the great entrepreneurial success stories of the post war era. The grandson of

immigrants who turned a single unlicensed betting shop at the back of his father's

Belfast milk counter into the Stanley Leisure Group, a chain of 640 betting outlets and

45 casinos which employed 7,000 people, Lord Steinberg also became a peer, deputy

treasurer of the Conservative Party and president of Lancashire County Cricket Club.He was recognised for his generous philanthropy on behalf of a wide range of both

Jewish and non-Jewish causes. Lord Steinbergs contribution to the leisure of others is

well known from the history of his companies. His own leisure time, however, was intriguingly hidden from the wider

public view. Over the course of his life, he assembled 33 stamp albums, with each item on a separate page meticulously

written-up by a skilled calligraphist. The exacting nature of stamp collecting was of great appeal to Lord Steinberg, and

he approached the task of building up his collection with the same rigorous patience that he applied to his business

acquisitions. He accumulated vast reserves of knowledge in the field of stamps, and would pursue his desire to possess

mint blocks of four and larger multiples with a determination unmatched by rival collectors.

Richard Ashton, Sothebys Worldwide Philatelic Consultant, comments: Looking through Lord Steinbergs stamp

albums was not only a joy but a unique occasion. Lord Steinberg collected Great Britain and British Empire, with a real

twist. Sothebys has had the privilege of auctioning outstanding collections formed by Sir Gawaine Baillie and Lady Mairi

Bury, each of them distinctive in the owners style of collecting. The present collection is equally remarkable.

Speaking of Lord Steinberg, Harry Dalmeny, Deputy Chairman of Sothebys and one of the main auctioneers forthese sales, said: This is the private passion of a self-made man who became a public figure and even survived an

assassination attempt by the IRA. Most bookmakers are only interested in Post when horses are going to it; not Lord

Steinberg, one of Britains greatest modern-day philatelists and founder of the Stanley Leisure chain of betting shops and

casinos. His evenings were often spent poring over new acquisitions or researching the whereabouts of rare blocks of

stamps, while in his latter years he could often be found racing from the House of Lords to stamp auctions where his fierce

determination to see off other bidders meant he secured the greatest prizes in philately, before returning to vote on affairs

of state.


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Jim Cumbes, Chief Executive of Lancashire County Cricket Club, said: Lord Steinberg was an ardent and passionate

supporter of cricket, and in particular he was a keen patron of Lancashire County Cricket Club and was determined to help

his beloved Old Trafford redevelop into a modern Test match arena. He once said that the greatest honour he had

bestowed upon him was to be invited to become President of Lancashire which he did in 2007. He was elected for a

second term in 2009, but sadly never saw it through. It is through his drive and determination that Old Trafford is set to

become one of the very best Test Match Grounds in cricket. It is no surprise to us that both his and Lady

Steinberg's benevolence to the Club continues after his passing.

The British EmpireThe British EmpireThe British EmpireThe British Empire

Seventy-four countries of the British Empire are represented, and there is a notable range of blocks, some of the

greatest rarity. Highlights of the sale include Australia with many rare Kangeroo blocks; the unique British SolomonIslands block; magnificent classic Ceylon; Falkland Islands with the 1933 Centenary set in marginal blocks of four; Hong

Kong; India classic issues; a remarkable section of Newfoundland with the unique 1927 De Pinedo airmail block of four

and the 1932 DO-X airmail block of four with the surcharge inverted, and an incomparable selection of Rhodesian

Double Head issues, generally rare in blocks.

The 1927 De Pinedo Air Mail Unique Mint BlockThe 1927 De Pinedo Air Mail Unique Mint BlockThe 1927 De Pinedo Air Mail Unique Mint BlockThe 1927 De Pinedo Air Mail Unique Mint Block

The highest estimated item in the sale is lot 1118, the unique mint block of the 1927 De Pinedo Airthe unique mint block of the 1927 De Pinedo Airthe unique mint block of the 1927 De Pinedo Airthe unique mint block of the 1927 De Pinedo Air MMMMail 60c. blackail 60c. blackail 60c. blackail 60c. black

(illustrated on page one). It ranks as the most important of all Newfoundland and World Airmail blocks, it is among the

rarest 20th-century British Empire blocks and it is the rarest of any Italian blocks. It had always been accepted that only

two blocks of four survived from the issue of 300 stamps. The other block was divided into singles, following its sale at

auction over 30 years ago. This leaves the present example as the sole survivor. Estimated at 120,000-150,000, the

stamps commemorate the 1927 flight to Europe by the Marchese Francesco de Pinedo, who is one of the most famous

of all pioneer aviators and without equal among the elite group of Italians who took to the skies.

On 20 May 1927 the Marchese Francesco de Pinedo arrived in

Trepassy in Newfoundland, on the return leg of his round trip

flight from Italy via South America. Prior to his arrival, the

Secretary to the Minister of Posts confirmed that de Pinedo

had agreed to carry mail to Italy. In typical fashion, the

Marchese responded with the message that he would hop off

this evening in the Santa Maria II, his S.55 flying boat with

twin Isotta Fraschini aero engines. The Minister of Posts and Telegraphs arranged for the issue of a specially


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overprinted stamp to frank mail carried by de Pinedo. Records indicate that only 300 stamps were overprinted, and it

seems that 230 were used on the mail, 66 were used for presentation purposes many going to Pinedo and four

damaged copies were destroyed.

The British EmpireThe British EmpireThe British EmpireThe British Empire NewfoundlandNewfoundlandNewfoundlandNewfoundland

In 1930, the General Post Office officially announced that a maximum of 160 letters would

be carried on the airplane Columbia to London, with a weight limit of one-half ounce

each, and a pre-payment of fifty cents. A special stamp was overprinted for the occasion.

Sothebys sale will present one of the great Newfoundland and British Empire blocks, the

1930 Columbia Air Mail 50c. on 36c. sage1930 Columbia Air Mail 50c. on 36c. sage1930 Columbia Air Mail 50c. on 36c. sage1930 Columbia Air Mail 50c. on 36c. sage----greengreengreengreen (lot 1119, illustrated left). Only two

mint blocks existed at the time of writing of Cyril Harmers handbook in 1953, of which thisis one. Rich in colour and in fresh condition, it comes to the market with an estimate of

15,000-18,000. Lot 1114 is an extremely rare block of the inverted overprint variety of the 1921 Halifax Air Mail 35c.1921 Halifax Air Mail 35c.1921 Halifax Air Mail 35c.1921 Halifax Air Mail 35c.

red Setting I and Setting IIred Setting I and Setting IIred Setting I and Setting IIred Setting I and Setting II, estimated at 12,000-15,000.

TTTThe British Empirehe British Empirehe British Empirehe British Empire AustraliaAustraliaAustraliaAustralia

A group of the Kangeroo Issues are a highlight among the stamps made for the

Australian Commonwealth and comprise the most important assemblage of their

type to be offered at auction in recent years. Lord Steinbergs collection includes one

of the key Kangeroo pieces which are exceedingly rare. Lot 64, a 1913191319131913----14 First14 First14 First14 First

Watermark .d greenWatermark .d greenWatermark .d greenWatermark .d green Imperforate at the baseImperforate at the baseImperforate at the baseImperforate at the base is one of the four recorded CA

monogram blocks with this variety, and the present example is one of two that

remain in private ownership. It is estimated at 15,000-20,000 (illustrated left). Further rarities include lot 89, a 1913191319131913----14141414

First Watermark 1 brown and blueFirst Watermark 1 brown and blueFirst Watermark 1 brown and blueFirst Watermark 1 brown and blue, the finest of the four blocks recorded (est. 15,000-20,000), and lot 90, a 1913191319131913----

14 First Watermar14 First Watermar14 First Watermar14 First Watermark 2 black and rosek 2 black and rosek 2 black and rosek 2 black and rose, one of three mint blocks believed to be privately owned (est. 10,000-12,000). A John Ash imprint of a 1931193119311931----36 Watermark Crown CA 2 black and rose36 Watermark Crown CA 2 black and rose36 Watermark Crown CA 2 black and rose36 Watermark Crown CA 2 black and rose (lot 171) is one of six imprint

blocks known to exist, and comes to the market with an estimate of 15,000-20,000.

The British EmpireThe British EmpireThe British EmpireThe British Empire Hong KongHong KongHong KongHong Kong

A group of stamps made for Hong Kong number close to 100 lots, including a famous

and great Hong Kong rarity. Lot 912, an 1863186318631863----71 30c. vermilion71 30c. vermilion71 30c. vermilion71 30c. vermilion ImperforateImperforateImperforateImperforate

ImprimaturImprimaturImprimaturImprimatur, was previously owned by Franklin D. Roosevelt, and sold in April 1946


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following his death. It is estimated at 10,000-12,000 (illustrated on page four). A further rarity comes in the form of

lot 939, an 1898 Without Chinese Characters Surcharge $1 on1898 Without Chinese Characters Surcharge $1 on1898 Without Chinese Characters Surcharge $1 on1898 Without Chinese Characters Surcharge $1 on 96c. grey96c. grey96c. grey96c. grey----blackblackblackblack (est. 7,000-8,000). Very few

blocks are recorded in the typically pale shade of this issue.

Other British Empire HighlightsOther British Empire HighlightsOther British Empire HighlightsOther British Empire Highlights

From the British Solomon Islands comes one of the most important error blocks of

King George VIs reign and the entire British Empire. Lot 492, a 1939193919391939----51 251 251 251 2dddd....

Magenta and sageMagenta and sageMagenta and sageMagenta and sage----greengreengreengreen Imperforate horizontallyImperforate horizontallyImperforate horizontallyImperforate horizontally, is a unique multiple of this

variety (est. 60,000-80,000; illustrated left). Ceylon is represented with a 1857185718571857----64646464

Glazed bluedGlazed bluedGlazed bluedGlazed blued paper d. reddish lilacpaper d. reddish lilacpaper d. reddish lilacpaper d. reddish lilac, thought to be unique as a block (lot 615).

Estimated at 18,000-20,000, it is one of the foremost multiple rarities of the classicImperforate period of the entire British Empire and the rarity of this block is enhanced in the knowledge that there

were no mint multiple in the incomparable collection of Ceylon formed by Baron Anthony de Worms.

An exceptional key multiple in Cyprus philately is lot 702, a 1924192419241924----28 5 black on yellow28 5 black on yellow28 5 black on yellow28 5 black on yellow, one

of the two existing plate number blocks (est. 10,000-12,000). In superb condition is an

outstandingly rare set in blocks of four relating to the Falkland Islands, the 1933 Centenary1933 Centenary1933 Centenary1933 Centenary

ofofofof British Administration British Administration British Administration British Administration d. to 1d. to 1d. to 1d. to 1, estimated at 12,000-16,000 (lot 787; illustrated right).

Lot 980, an 1854 a. vermilion1854 a. vermilion1854 a. vermilion1854 a. vermilion, comprises a superb block of the

first stamp of India prepared for general use (est. 2,000-2,500; illustrated left).

Among the Rhodesia Double Head issues is a very rare block of the 1910191019101910----13131313

Perforation 14Perforation 14Perforation 14Perforation 14 d. dull blued. dull blued. dull blued. dull blue----greengreengreengreen ImperforateImperforateImperforateImperforate (lot 1275), estimated at20,000-22,000 (illustrated right).


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Great BritainGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain

Highlights of the collection include an impressive mint block of nine of the

worlds first postage stamp (lot 3), an 1840 1d. black Plate 41840 1d. black Plate 41840 1d. black Plate 41840 1d. black Plate 4, estimated at

150,000-200,000 (illustrated left). The penny black was the worlds first

adhesive postage stamp of a public postal system. It was issued by the United

Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on 1 May 1840, for use from 6 May of that

year. One of the finest mint multiples of the penny black in existence is lot 11, an

1840 1d. black Pla1840 1d. black Pla1840 1d. black Pla1840 1d. black Plate 7te 7te 7te 7 block of 6. This remarkable block, estimated at 130,000-

150,000, was discovered in 1972.

A lot containing a block of 12 two-penny blues (lot 22) is one of the largest unused

plate two multiples known, with a flawless provenance. The 1840 2d. deep1840 2d. deep1840 2d. deep1840 2d. deep blueblueblueblue

Plate 2Plate 2Plate 2Plate 2 was originally in the Royal Philatelic Collection and is estimated at 80,000-

120,000 (illustrated right).

The Seahorse Issues produced during the reign of King Edward VII

are among the most highly prized of the period. Lord Steinbergs

collection boasts a superb set of blocks in post office condition of the

1913 Waterlow & Layton 2s.6d., 5s., 10s. and 11913 Waterlow & Layton 2s.6d., 5s., 10s. and 11913 Waterlow & Layton 2s.6d., 5s., 10s. and 11913 Waterlow & Layton 2s.6d., 5s., 10s. and 1, the set of four in

marginal blocks of four. The group is estimated at 10,000-12,000 (lot

377; illustrated left).

The 1935 Silver Jubilee series is notable for the error of colour.

The correct issued colour of the 2d. is blue and for many years

it was thought that stamps printed in Prussian blue came from

sheets of Colour Trials which had been issued in error. Colour

Trials were, however, printed in a larger format than the issued

stamps. The Prussian blue stamps are in the issued stamp format


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so cannot be classified as Colour Trials but an issued error of colour. Lot 435, the 1935 Silv1935 Silv1935 Silv1935 Silveeeer Jubilee 2d. Prussianr Jubilee 2d. Prussianr Jubilee 2d. Prussianr Jubilee 2d. Prussian

blueblueblueblue, estimated at 25,000-30,000, is an extremely rare block of this famous error of colour (illustrated on page six).

Four sheets in this colour were releases from the Post Office Stores Department on June 25, 1935.

# # #

*Pre-sale estimates do not include buyers premium

** Two sales devoted purely to blocks of four were held by Puttick and Simpson in London in October 1925 and

November 1926

Notes to editorsNotes to editorsNotes to editorsNotes to editors

Sothebys has been offering stamps since 1872, when the company held the first ever stamp auction in Europe.

Sothebys staged the greatest single-owner stamp collection of all time, The Philatelic Collection formed by Sir

Gawaine Baillie, Bt. A series of 11 sales, held at Sothebys in London, New York and Melbourne between 2004 and

2007, achieved a total of 16.76 million.

Sothebys sale of The Great Britain Philatelic Collections of Lady Mairi Bury in London in November 2010 achieved a

total of 3 million.

philatelic collection of lord steinberg pr sep 2011

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