Special Jubilee Auction #203 - Euro (€)

INDIA

Unique Complete Series of 324 Colour Trials

1894 (Oct 23), The complete series of 324 Queen Victoria colour trials prepared by De La Rue for the 1895 2R, 3R and 5R issues, each perf 14 on unwatermarked wove paper and written up on 13 pages, with the original De La Rue archive pages included, plus the normal issued stamps and the stamps with type 21 "CANCELLED" overprint and the 3R with diagonal violet "CANCELLED" ovpt. (332 items in all)

The 324 trials consist of 18 monocoloured and 306 bicoloured. 30 of the trials were selected as "Appendix A" by De La Rue (only seven of each trial existed) including the adopted colours for the 1895 2R, 3R, 5R and also for the 1909 KEVII 10R, 15R and 25R. "Appendix B" comprised of the other 294 trials (only four of each trial existed).

The stamps are without gum as they were previously stuck down on the fifteen archive pages, a few with small faults but overall superb condition.

An extraordinarily attractive collection and the only known complete set of all 324 colour trials. A lot for a connoisseur of Indian philately.

Estimate: ? 125'000 - ? 150'000