Cape of Good Hope: Stamps, Covers & Postal Stationery

Many of the COGH Victorian period stamps have part strikes of "Duplex" cancels ie a Number in Bars to kill the stamp, plus a datestamp with town name to record date of posting .
Most of the time identification is tricky due to inkpads drying out, but there is a listing of Town numbers. Don't worry there's only 1400 to collect!

Your 227 on 5/- orange is KIMBERLY , and the ROBBEN IS(LAND) on the 2 1/2d is where the anti Aparteheid prisoners such as Nelson Mandela were held in the bay off Capetown . VALLEY is possibly TRAPPES VALLEY near Bathurst .

I believe the large "1" on the Edward VII 5/- is a Telegraph Office rather than a postal cancel

Hi, do you have the Scott / SG catalog for all triangle Cape of new hope?

Thank you.

Masamir

Alex (vikingeck), thanks for responding.

Masamir (masamir), if you would like to have a catalogue reference for the Cape of Good Hope triangles, please send me a PM.  I should be able to help you.

Cape of Good Hope : Wrappers   ("Cut Squares")
1881-1882
Typographed on Manila paper
Stamp to the Right
Size 300 x 125 mm

½d (Halfpenny) Green
1d  (One Penny) Red Brown

Note: Be aware of the circular "Argus Wheel" cancels on these wrappers, from the Cape Argus Newspaper.  (Single ring with double crossed bars, and "A" in centre ring)

CoGH experts.......what would be a value on this one ?

Thanks for your post, Michael (Londonbus1), and thanks to Alex (vikingeck) for responding, too.  I am going to tag JeffS on this, too, as he owns many more pairs than I do, so perhaps he has the best idea of the current market prices.

This looks like a VF or VF+ pair to me, with full margins all around and light cancel on one of the pair.  I concur with Alex's observation that it is a bit unusual to see an image of the printed side so readily on the reverse, but I think I have an explanation.  I have seen this same sort of phenomenon on other 4d Perkins Bacon printings, and it is usually due to sulfuretting.

To my eye, at least, and on my laptop display, I think I can also see some general discoloration to the blue color on the front.  That would support my thinking that sulfuretting is likely what's going on.  That said, the good news is that the effects of sulfuretting can generally be removed pretty readily by a soak for a few minutes in 3% hydrogen peroxide. I have had good luck with that process personally, as have others here on TSF.

If these are an SG6 pair (Sc4), the 2021 CV is $225 USD.  I would think a pair like this on eBay would probably go for about $125-150 USD.  That's about what I paid for my pair, which also has margins all around.  I hope this helps and that perhaps Jeff will also be able to comment.

If you don't mind my asking, do you own this pair, Michael?

Beryllium Guy , vikingeck , Londonbus1 Thanks for the inclusion in the discussion. My first observation as I compare the margins on the fromt of the stamp with the margins on the back, I am suspicious of the image on the back being lifted from a printed image. I didn't explain that vry well as I am quite tired at this moment.

If this is being considered for purchase I would want the stamps in hand for a close inspection. Holding to a light source should confirm if the image on the back is indeed the front inking showing through. The front side is rather dingy and not that attractive. Personally I would pass on it at any price. Others might find my objections unwarranted.

I cannot give any more info on it as it's not mine nor is it in my possession. I was intrigued, as has been noted, by the back side. I probably won't bid.
The listing stated a Catalogue value of £650 for 2 singles. Is this the Gibbons Catalogue value ?

Anyway, thanks for the feedback/tips.

Londonbus1

Hello, Michael (Londonbus1) and thanks for your follow-up post.  I also consulted my 2023 SG Catalogue, which yielded the same prices for single stamps as Alex (vikingeck) posted. It forces me to conclude that the seller believes his stamp is an SG2 on deeply blued paper, as that is the only option that gets the CV into the £300 or £325 range for a single copy, and of course, it is certainly possible that a 2024 or 2025 edition of the SG Catalogue lists an SG2 at £325 each.

I went back through the Cape Triangle thread just now, as I had recalled that Jim (jkjblue) had previously posted an example on which the back of the stamp looked very similar to what Michael showed on this pair on offer.  After some scrolling, I finally found it.  Please have a look here:

Original post showing front and back:
thestampforum.boards.net/post/143620/thread

Follow-up post showing backs, before and after 3% peroxide soak:
thestampforum.boards.net/post/143739/thread

Jim's example (Image Label: F2) clearly shows blued paper, which now makes me wonder if the seller of the pair shown by Michael can see the bluing more clearly than what shows up in the image.  I have only ever seen this phenomenon twice now, once with Jim's F2 example and once with the pair shown by Michael.  In Jim's case, if you look at the follow-up post, you will see that the peroxide bath removed the image from the back of the stamp, a pretty persuasive argument in favor of the idea that the pair is indeed, sulfuretted, in my opinion.

But it is just my opinion, and as always, others are welcome to theirs. It's part of what makes philately interesting!

Thanks again for sharing this example, Michael. This has been quite a good discussion!

JeffS, Beryllium Guy, vikingeck...........the question is, should I buy it or not   I don't even know why I want it but after all this information, maybe I should.
Yes, I just checked and he said it is a SG2 on deeply blued paper. So that part and the value are cleared up.

Now to check with my wallet !!

I know I have a reputation as executioner when it comes to dumping badly damaged stamps,  but surely even the most ardent conservationist would hesitate to offer this  80% of a triangle for sale at £20 .   
Wonderful  margins  where they exist  but  Would anyone be daft enough or desperate enough to buy it ?

 

Cape of Good Hope : Stampless

Source : Harmers Int. Auction   November 20th 2024   (Another cover to HUTH)