STAMPBOARDS - Postage Stamp Chat Board and Stamp Forum

(A world-first scoop for stampboards! Reported here before ANYWHERE else on the planet!)

Mossgreen Announces the Auction of The Arthur Gray Collection of King George V Issues

The Arthur Gray Collection of Australia is the finest, most extensive and most valuable ever formed. The outstanding Grand Prix King George V Heads are to be offered at public auction by Mossgreen in October 2015.

Mossgreen is honoured to be entrusted with the sale of this exceptional collection, which is expected to realise up to $A5,000,000.

An international promotional tour with stops in Singapore, London, New York and Sydney is planned, culminating in the auction at Mossgreen headquarters in Melbourne.

Arthur Gray, who lives on Sydney’s North Shore, is a former executive with BHP, a merchant banker with Kleinwort Benson, and managing director of Russell’s Health Foods. He was also an original owner of Millennium Philatelic Auctions.

Gary Watson, Mossgreen’s new Head of Philately, said “We are delighted to have the opportunity to prepare this magnificent collection for sale to our global clientele of discerning buyers.”

Responding, Arthur Gray commented, “I have collected stamps for more than 70 years so it is a wrench to part with my ‘Heads’.

However, I have known Gary Watson and Charles Leski for many years and am confident that they will do the collection justice.”

Mossgreen was founded in 2004, and recently merged with Prestige Philately to create one of the most powerful brands in the philatelic market. Gary Watson, former Director of Prestige Philately is now Head of Philately at Mossgreen and together with Charles Leski, former Director of Leski Auctions, offers philatelic clients unrivalled expertise and experience in this collecting field.

I had the pleasure of seeing some of this collection at "London 2010". Some fabulous material.

Had a 2 hour long phone call with Arthur Gray today, and he seems very upbeat on this sale, and feels Australia KGV collectors will be pleased with his decision to auction the material here.

And not via Spink London, or via Charles Shreve who now works for Robert Siegel New York, both of whom made very strong and professional pitches for the collection, he says.

Arthur told me the weak and unsettled Australian dollar, and 3% exchange rate surcharges by credit cards, when planning an auction for latter year, was an obvious downside - and might cost keen KGV collectors far more than if offered locally.

Also the reality the full Federal 10% GST is levied on incoming sendings of goods over $1000 here, on top of the raft of foreign Auction fees, and even UK VAT in the case of Spink, realising both companies declare goods for full value of mailed sendings.

He told me today - "I think the KGV material will do best offered here in Australia, and the local collectors will be able to view it in Melbourne and Sydney, which sadly was not able to be done with my "Kangaroos" material. Plus it will be taken on a world road trip for viewing as well, including London and New York."

Arthur is still actively collecting, and his new focus is leaning more and more to Australian Commonwealth Postal Stationary, and is still keen on Australian CTO and Specimen material.

And he still has his Award Winning collections of KGVI and QE11 material, and the best collections of Australia stamp booklets in existence, going back to the original States issues.

The Arthur Gray "Kangaroos" were sold in New York a few years back by Shreves - detailed summary here -

https://www.glenstephens.com/arthur-gray-kangaroos.html

That sale grossed $US5,584,000 including the 15% buyer premium, which on the sale day converted to $A7,158,974.00. An amazing result - about 50% higher than estimate.

That still remains the largest dollar end result for any "single stamp issue" collection ever auctioned - from any country, from any vendor, at any time.

Only a few entire country offerings have ever exceeded this figure anywhere - which nearly all comprised 19th Century "classic" stamps.

The Arthur Gray "Kangaroo and Map" design stamps as all readers realise, are "modern" 20th Century issues, printed between 1913 and 1936.

Many of the Australian trade flew over for that sale which was brilliantly conducted by Shreves, and the "Gum Leaf Mafia" is shown here in New York with Arthur at left with tie, and Auctioneer of this KGV collection Gary Watson in black shirt next to me.
Curiously over dinner one night there it turns out Stewart Wright, Glen Stephens, Gary Watson and Andy and Richard Juzwin were all born in Ballarat which was a pretty amazing co-incidence.

All are similar ages. Here above is the Aussie "Gum Leaf Mafia" contingent to NYC - and the 5 Ballarat born stamp dealers.

Glen

A typically smart move by Arthur. Having seen his superb KGV collection once or twice, I'm sure there'll be a lot of interest in it from KGV collectors worldwide.

His KGVI, QEII and booklets collections as Glen says, are world class as well gaining Large Gold medals at many exhibitions, so he hasn't "sold the farm" yet.

Quite a coup for Gary Watson to secure the auction as well.

As a mere bystander, I'm looking forward to eyeing the catalogue.

If the global road show for the collection includes Singapore, I'm guessing that will be during the international exhibition in August?

I was thinking whether the decision to sell the KGV Heads was because of a possible negative remark on the critique by some unintelligent Judge mentioning that the collection did not include the 1d. sideways watermark,

David B.

David Benson wrote:
I was thinking whether the decision to sell the KGV Heads was because of a possible negative remark on the critique by some unintelligent Judge mentioning that the collection did not include the 1d. sideways watermark,

David B.

Fugly looking rag. I wouldn't have bought that either!

This stuff will be invoiced north of $A5 million is my bet, and I do not think one 1d red less will be bothering him too much!

Glen,

It has nothing to do with the value or appearance of the 1d. sideways, it is whether the omission of the stamp in a competitive exhibition Large Gold Medal exhibit would have an impact on the medal level or on the critique by a judge.

I have also wondered whether the inability by Rod Perry to acquire the Ballon Monte to Australia was an impetus to sell his Airmail to Australia collection,

Both the collections were of the highest standard and the value was not diminished by 1c. for not having the items but when exhibiting at the top level may have been seen as incomplete,

David B.

David, Arthur is not in totally brilliant health now so I suspect that might be one factor.

He has been collecting stamps for over 70 years so one does not mind selling a few at that point I guess.

Rod did want that cover you are right, but when the French President is bidding against you, maybe going to $A200,000 was not seen as wise in his mind .. he is a good judge of covers!

=============

The story of that Ballon Monte cover is certainly worth re-telling -

https://www.glenstephens.com/snmay09.html
On March 18, 2009, Mowbrays Australia in Sydney auctioned the cover illustrated above.

It sold for an amazing $A190,800 including Buyer Premiums – nearly five times the hefty looking $40,000 pre-sale estimate.

It is the only cover addressed to Australia from the famous Siege of Paris. It was sent out in 1870 aboard the Balloon "Armand Barbes".

That balloon coincidentally, also had on board Leon Gambetta, Minister of the Interior, who was on his way to establish the Government of National Defence at Tours.

This cover is addressed to "L. Lamy and Co", who were importers of French millenary goods, in Pitt Street, Sydney. It reached Sydney on the "RMS Rangoon" via Suez.

This cover was part of a superb France collection belonging to legendary collector W.M. Holbeach.

He was well known in the 1940s to 1960s for his fabulous collection of Australia Commonwealth which was auctioned by Christies in the 1970s.

I have learnt the telephone under-bidder was a well known Melbourne collector, (Rod Perry) who apparently wanted the item for his collection of: "Inwards Airmail Covers to Australia". It would have looked nice on his first page.

The buyer flew out from France just for the sale, and took the cover back with him to France.

I am advised via generally reliable sources that French President Nicolas Sarkozy requested an auction catalogue.

President Sarkozy has turned into a manic stamp collector it seems – as reported in detail in my column last month.

My guess is that if he does not own this cover now, or a French Institution does, one or the other will occur soon.

With total sales of $810,000 at this Mowbray’s sale, the “global financial crisis” seemed like something from another world.

It simply confirms and reinforces the long held axiom that stamps, coins and collectables traditionally do well during time of economic duress.


We had some fun here with Sarkozy - and Balloon Monte covers - in April one year.

Glen,

Next time you speak to Arthur give him my regards, I know that he has had health problems the last few years and we wish him all the best,

David B.

Glen, is it possible for you to get Arthur to organise some teasers for the Auction?

gdmcon wrote:
Glen, is it possible for you to get Arthur to organise some teasers for the Auction?

Arthur does not even read emails, much less do SCANS!

He bought over a lot of his CTO material here for me to scan however for the record, and some of this is bound to be in there -

http://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=20138&start=824

Geoff Kellow kindly emailed me a few scans today to whet appetites!

Folks,

I was wondering if there will be a catalogue similar to the one produced for Arthur's Kangaroo auction? That catalogue was a ripper. I cant aspire to own a KGV collection like Arthurs but a catalogue would be nice.

Tim

Didge wrote:Folks,

I was wondering if there will be a catalogue similar to the one produced for Arthur's Kangaroo auction? That catalogue was a ripper. I cant aspire to own a KGV collection like Arthur's but a catalogue would be nice.

Tim

Yes that is by FAR the benchmark stamp auction catalogue GLOBALLY of all time I think, and I use mine 20 times a year still for reference, and Leski/Watson will I am sure have promised Arthur they'll do a similar Deluxe job!

That one I had Arthur Gray and Charles Shreve (and Gary Watson!) sign and date for Didge on inner cover was the ONLY one they did, I am assured.

The basic hard cover deep grained 'leather' cover cats have been a 3 figure book since day #1 essentially. Simon Dunkerley was getting about $A150 IIRC for them on ebay, just before he passed away. I still get $A125 for the catalogue and all the associated goodies, as I bought a box of them from Shreves before I flew out from New York.

I had the 'Stamp News' printer run me off a few 100 extra full colour saddle stitched stapled insets of my and Simon's very detailed summaries of the sale, that you can see here in part:

https://www.glenstephens.com/arthur-gray-kangaroos.html

They are large A4 size full colour and 16 pages. Wonderful reference.

Anyone who wants a few of those mailed to them, please forward me a few $$s in mint stamps, and an address label, or paypal me, and I'll gladly mail them globally.

Glen

The Arthur Gray "Kangaroos" were sold in New York a few years back by Shreves
...
That sale grossed $US5,584,000 including the 15% buyer premium, which on the sale day converted to $A7,158,974.00. An amazing result - about 50% higher than estimate.

That still remains the largest dollar end result for any "single stamp issue" collection ever auctioned - from any country, from any vendor, at any time.

I think I recall that record being surpassed last year

figmente wrote:
I think I recall that record being surpassed last year

Where?

Well that is not a collection. It is one unique stamp, I am sure all readers are aware of that result.

As to my point, can you reference a collection of any one stamp design that sold for more than the Gray Kangaroos did?

1840 GB Penny Blacks? Victoria "Half Lengths"? USA 1892 Columbus Issues? Brazil 'Bulls Eyes'? German "Eagles"? NSW "Sydney Views"? Greece "Hermes Heads"? etc, etc

That was my point. Not even 19th Century CLASSIC collections have ever got that kind of figure. And this was a collection of "modern" issues.

It may be debatable whether or not to call it a collection, but "single stamp issue" certainly fits.

Glen,

Yes, I still have the signed "Kangaroos" catalogue.

I am surprised others were not done. I was hoping there would be a similar one done for KGV that I could get signed as well. They would make a nice pair.

Tim

All the Mossgreen catalogues are quality products and their philatelic ones are getting even better now Gary Watson's operation has merged with theirs.

No doubt they'll do a very special catalogue for Arthur's KGV collection.

Tony,

I would think Arthur would require it. Looking forward to seeing it.

Tim

Expect no less than the bar being raised, by several cogs, when Mossgreen produce the catalogue for the Arthur Gray KGV collection.

Rod

Didge wrote:I was hoping there would be a similar one done for KGV that I coul get signed as well. They would make a nice pair.

From what Glen's said, Arthur isn't finished collecting, so someday there'll be catalogues for his other material too.

For the record and to show those members who don't know the philatelic achievements of Arthur Gray, here is a list of his exhibit results just from 2013 onwards:

Australia 2013 - World Stamp Show
The George V Sideface Definitive Issues of Australia
1913-1938 - 97 - Large Gold Medal & Special Prize

The Australian Bird Series 1964-1966 - 95

Thailand 2013
Stamp Booklets of Australia - 95 - Large Gold

Braziliana 2013
Stamp Booklets of Australia - Championship Class - Gold Medal

Philakorea 2014
The George V Sideface Definitive Issues of Australia
1913-1938 - 96 - Large Gold Medal & Special Prize

Seven Nations Challenge, Malmo, Sweden 2014
The George V Sideface Definitive Issues of Australia
1913-1938 - 94

Adelaide Stampex 2014
The George V Sideface Definitive Issues of Australia
1913-1938 - 95 - Large Gold Medal & Special Prize

Malaysia 2014 - 29th. Asian International
The George V Commemorative & Pictorial Issues of Australia: 1927-1936 - 95 - Large Gold Medal

Tony,

Arthur also won the Grand Prix in New Zealand at Baypex 2013 and has his Stamp Booklets is in Championship Class in Singapore 2015 World Exhibition.

The George V Commemorative & Pictorial Issues of Australia: 1927-1936 - 95 are in Taiwan for FIAP Taipei2015.

GJ50

Couple more lots Geoff Kellow kindly sent on.

The inverted overprint in pair (Cat $15,000) and the 1d red Rusted Cliches in a mint Block 6.

Folks,

Stunning stuff. Any usage covers for us outside the mainstream?

Tim

Very few covers in Arthur's collection, Tim, but what little is present includes some great items.

Far more Die proofs than covers!

Arthur is one of the last great philatelic acquisitors . . . always looking for an excuse to add something to his already "overkill" collections.

Wish it were there were more like him, afflicted with what we in the Trade have affectionately dedicated a term: Arthuritis.

Rod

Rod Perry wrote:Very few covers in Arthur's collection, Tim, but what little is present includes some great items.

Far more Die proofs than covers!

Arthur is one of the last great philatelic acquisitors . . . always looking for an excuse to add something to his already "overkill" collections.

Wish it were there were more like him, afflicted with what we in the Trade have affectionately dedicated a term: Arthuritis.

Rod

Rod, as you and I both know, Arthur has a love of FDC's rather than usage..
He and I have had long chat's over beer at many an exhibition about that

GJ50

Yes Arthur never liked commercial covers.

Even the $A7¼ million 'Kangaroos' collection only had a very few covers. Most notably the badly foxed 1913 "FDCs", several unique, that he bought back via Shreves for over $A75,000, and he had cleaned up rather remarkably, and were on display in 'Court Of Honour' at Melbourne in 2013.

http://www.stampboards.com/images/stampauctionnetwork/F/f894.cfm#17

Will be interesting, if we're still here, Glen, to observe for what disciplines the next generation of elite Commonwealth collectors will be predisposed.

I remember vividly in the 1970s that the then "elite" collectors, and indeed most of the Trade, would not go near Essays and Proofs.

I also remember in the 1970s that exhibition frames nationally and internationally were largely bereft of commercial covers.

Nothing stays the same forever, not even in Philately.

The next philatelic generation will be looking to be "different" from that which preceded it . . . the same as occurs in the non philatelic world.

Rod

Rod,

Les Abramovich was so worried about showing Essays & Proofs that one night at an ACSC meeting in Sydney at the GUOOF Building in the late 1970's that he closed & locked the doors before showing his material as he was worried that PO inspectors would arrive and confiscate the collection as many of the items has been snaffled from PO archives decades before.

The irony of it was that years later the collection was bought by RC intact from Max Cohen and that RC later sold it to the PO,

David B.

Interesting story, David; the Abramovich collection was unusually powerful in Essays and Proofs in its time, fully one third of its value being attributed to those categories.

Actually, it was Charlie Zuker who was the big buyer from Cohen after the latter bought the Abramovich collection.

In around 1972, when Cohen was agent for rather than principal of the collection, Charlie put me up to approaching Cohen to see if I could buy the collection (all $180k of it, probably $7 million in today's money) on terms. Charlie of course could have bought it with his small change, but didn't want the Essays and Proofs (nor did Zuker collect covers!).

I strolled up to Max Cohen, while he was viewing at a Harmer's of Sydney auction, and broached the subject of buying the collection.

Max turned a shade of purple, and loudly snorted "Charlie's let the cat out of the bag, Charlie's let the cat out of the bag!"

I didn't know where to look . . . and took that response to be a "no" to my request.

Both Arthur Gray and Ray Chapman were of course buyers in the Zuker sales of the mid-1970s.

Rod

Rod,

you forgot to mention that Zuker paid Max in home made US$,

David B.

Didge wrote:
Glen,

Yes, I still have the signed "Kangaroos" catalogue.

I am surprised others were not done. I was hoping there would be a similar one done for KGV that I coul get signed as well. They would make a nice pair.

Tim

Sadly Arthur passed away a couple of weeks ago, and regrettably will not see the finished catalogue -

https://www.glenstephens.com/snjuly15.html

But Gary Watson told me at the funeral he was well underway with lotting the superb Arthur Gray "KGV" collection, that mossgreen will offer in October.

Glen

Glen,

What a loss to philately he will be.

Tim

The Arthur Gray KGV Collection can now be viewed as a flip book here -

http://www.mossgreen.com.au/content/catalogues/MG076_Cat_Flipbook/

What at outstanding collection to be auctioned by Mossgreen.

Friday 30 October 2015

Session One: 10am (Lots 1 to 355)
Session Two: 3pm (Lots 356 to 502)

Mossgreen Auctions
926-930 High Street
Armadale, Victoria 3143

Thanks for posting this link! Great catalog!

InforaPenny

Does anybody know if they're producing physical catalogues?

ChrisGray wrote:
Does anybody know if they're producing physical catalogues?

They certainly have done printed copies.

Gary Watson phoned me a week back from the printers, and I pointed out the original draft of the catalogue he kindly sent me, had this caption -

Seeing it was a photo I took of Arthur on my own pool deck (he lived well inland!) it was frantically amended on the final copy of the catalogue you can see above!

They are a hard cover "leather" look cover, as per Shreves Gary "Kangaroos" (that now sell for $150) and I spoke to Gary last week asking what the the deal was, and it was still being decided. He will confirm with me this week on their final decision on price, and I'll post that here for reference. 8)

They were initially thinking about $100 a copy plus post to collectors NOT on their annual subscription list already, as that was less than the Shreves "Kangaroos" has fetched from Day #1 as a reference work. I agreed with him that seemed about right. Cost to print these was huge, I know that for a fact.

I pre-ordered a few cartons of them, as like the "Kangaroos", the catalogue will always be the ultimate reference in this field, and in global demand as a reference work in itself.

I am selling them also for $100 plus post until mossgreen run out of theirs - and general auctioneers always DO run out!

https://www.glenstephens.com/arthur-gray-kangaroos.html

I also bought 2 cartons off Shreves, which ran them right out of stock, and those moved fast. I still use my dog earned copy more than once EVERY week.

Glen

As many people know, I have a particular interest in the ½d Green single line perf.

The catalogue illustrates 6 examples - 1 unused & 5 used.

Arthur's collection contained at least 9 examples.

So where are the other 3? Did Arthur sell any material prior to his death, or are these stamps still to be sold?

The Pom wrote:As many people know, I have a particular interest in the ½d Green single line perf.

The catalogue illustrates 6 examples - 1 unused & 5 used.

Arthur's collection contained at least 9 examples.

So where are the other 3? Did Arthur sell any material prior to his death, or are these stamps still to be sold?

Chris where did you read he had NINE? Arthur generally did not seek numbers of things - one decent copy (mint and used if possible, but he far preferred mint) was all he generally sought. 5 used is really a lot for him. Probably found some used copies in bulk lots for nothing, with his good eyesight!

Indeed I was listing up a superb 4d LIME Yellow KGV last night on my Rarity Page, and was astounded he did not own even one of that quite distinctive shade, mint or used. Incredibly amazed, seeing it has been catalogued for many years now, as Simon Dunkerley and I worked hard to have it listed, first in the 2007 book as I recall, but maybe even earlier.

The washed out looking, off centred no gum ½d Green SLP he had, Arthur was never happy with, and said he thought it was simply a postally used copy that had largely escaped cancelling.

I had a superb looking Deep Emerald SLP, wonderfully centred with gum copy (cat $20,000) with an ACSC variety as well. No others of the dozen unused copies known have a plate flaw. None are catalogued in mint, with none priced in ACSC, so it is doubtless unique. And as such, a key piece for his collection.

He was bugging me for years to sell it to him, as he knew his was not of high calibre, as one of the key single stamps in his Large Gold Exhibit, being very heavily faded, no gum, toned, and poorly centred. Judges always expect collectors at this level to upgrade, if finer copies are available in the market.

A couple of weeks before he passed he was on my case again about it .... indeed Arthur bought a LOT of top end stamps just weeks before he died, even though he knew he was very ill.

As a listed plate flaw clearly adds 300% to this or any KGV head, Arthur would have none of that! "Who cares about damn flyspeck Stephens - sharpen your ******* pencil!" That was the endearing negotiating style of Arthur, and he nearly always prevailed in the end.

Over a few years, we never could quite get to a meeting of the minds on this, and that is a shame.

Glen

Arthur's collection contains much duplicated material, particularly 1d Reds; he had bought the Dr Greg Deluile Penny collection intact in the 1980s, extracting for the exhibit only the essential items. The balance remains in Deluile's original albums.

The duplicates will be marketed when considered appropriate. The outcome of the auction of the exhibit may have a bearing on just when that might be.

Incidentally, the 4d "lime" shade was introduced to ACSC by Geoff Kellow and I in 1990s. Arthur must have had an example or two (perhaps inadvertently residing in the duplicates?).

Rod

Rod Perry wrote:
Incidentally, the 4d "lime" shade was introduced to ACSC by Geoff Kellow and I in the 1990s. Arthur must have had an example or two (perhaps inadvertently residing in the duplicates?).

Rod, yes I was MOST surprised to not see even a single copy in the mossgreen catalogue on quick skim through the PDF. You'd think in a International Large Gold exhibit of the KGV heads, mint and used examples of the all the major shades would be on the pages.

Does not seem that long back that "Lime" first appeared in ACSC. Time flies. Anyway that gave him 20 years to track one down.

Used are now $600, and hinged mint $1,750, so I doubt Gary would have neglected adding in either as a separate lot, had Arthur owned one!

And it is not a stamp easily overlooked on a album page, as you know!

I was not entirely happy with my scan below, and am still working on it. DARN hard shade to scan and capture the unusual "citrus" tinge Lime colour hue as I found last night when listing it up.

Simon was also very keen on these Lime Yellows as you know, and between us we owned most copies out there, I am sure.

I put aside near all the 100s of 4d Lemon Yellow group stamps I bought for 35 years, and just decided to start selling them last night, when noticing Gray did not have one offered.

Glen

That Lime looks good enough to eat, Glen.

Should fetch a pretty penny?

Rod

Rod .. do you want a slice of Lemon with your Lime?

I had several, as have been socking them away for decades and decided yesterday it was about time they found new homes. Listed it up last night for $500 and it sold a few hours back. Have a couple near as nice, and others still very nice at a couple $100 less.

Many do not realise that a light cds on these still looks "heavy" due to the almost translucent paper, - and that very same cds on a 4d Violet we'd hardly notice!

As you would know, 4d was the standard combined Registered mail and postage rate to the entire British Empire, and this super pale stamp often got scuffed and badly soiled on the 10,000 mile WWI trip to UK and Canada etc, if used for that mailing purpose.

Glen

p.s. - Did you ever see a COVER with a 4d Lime Yellow on it Rod? No mention or price in ACSC so they'd be a gem find! Even 4d Lemons are not that common on cover or parcel piece.

I've seen just one Lime-yellow on cover, Glen.

Rod