Coolgardie Cycle Express Company Cinderella Stamps

luke_coolhand · Post by **luke_coolhand** » 04 Mar 2009 17:51

How can I tell if this is the real deal or one of the reprints?

Post by **ozstamps** » 04 Mar 2009 18:19

105% genuine .. the reprints are very crude.

I sold this 5/- above of the set of 3 recently.

It is not a Cinderella really but a genuine Local Post and covers are known of all designs.

When photobucket comes back up again, I will also show corner pairs of the other design I have in stock.

Without doubt the most attractive and superbly produced Cinderella issue in Australian history. In 1895 when this was printed, it even pre-dated the ground breaking bi-colour charity stamps from NSW. Mint very lightly hinged with original gum. Near all on the market are no gum as the original "sandy' gum granulates into sandy particles more or less in our hot climate.

This has been in the UK most of its life, hence still having original gum. And centering on most is APPALLING! In 1895 James Healy used camels on some of his more distant private local post mail runs, previously covered by cyclists. (I have matched original corner pairs of the 1894 1/- and 2/6d Healy Cycle Post stamps for sale - photo posted soon!)

The "Australian Philatelist" records 1,000 of these 5/- Camels were printed. (The same number as the Lake Lefroy Cycle mail - retail of those is about $1,500-$2,000 each. The Tete-Beche pair of those I once owned recently sold for $A21,275 - https://www.glenstephens.com/snmarch05.html

Post by **gavin-h** » 04 Mar 2009 20:23

Love the idea of a Cycle Express Company using camels

COLIN · Post by **COLIN** » 05 Mar 2009 21:37

Not in the best condition but one of my favorite local posts

Post by **ozstamps** » 06 Mar 2009 01:35

Well that makes the set of 3 above - in 3 different hands.

Post by **ozstamps** » 07 Mar 2009 04:10

Here is the other set I mention above -

davpot · Post by **davpot** » 08 Mar 2009 07:52

Hello Glen et al: I also find this set very impressive. After the depression..eh..er recession...I hope to find a nice set of the camels. Very Aussie! And I remember just how hot and cold it can get out there in WA, what a job they must have had!
Are there any statistics on the printings of the blue bike stamps?
Love these!
Dave

Didge · Post by **Didge** » 08 Mar 2009 07:57

Glen,

Have you seen or had examples of the covers?

Tim

Didge · Post by **Didge** » 08 Mar 2009 08:00

Folks,

Martin posted a very nice set of the three in the Favourite Australian Stamps thread.

Tim

PeterS · Post by **PeterS** » 08 Mar 2009 10:00

davpot wrote: Hello Glen et al: I also find this set very impressive. After the depression..eh..er recession...I hope to find a nice set of the camels. Very Aussie! And I remember just how hot and cold it can get out there in WA, what a job they must have had!
Are there any statistics on the printings of the blue bike stamps?
Love these!
Dave

It is a little known fact that Australia exports camels to Saudi Arabia. The Australian camels are disease free, having been brought to this country in the 1800s. They are a pest in Australia, like so many other imported animals.

Didge · Post by **Didge** » 08 Mar 2009 10:24

Peter,

Having not long ago gone through central Australia in a four wheel drive I can attest to your comments. There are thousands of camels roaming around. I think there is talk of a program to reduce their numbers as they are pests.

Tim

Post by **ozstamps** » 08 Mar 2009 14:29

Some background on these issues from my column:

https://www.glenstephens.com/snmarch05.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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

None of the stamps below are listed in Stanley Gibbons, Scott or ASC type catalogues and are thus often overlooked by local and most especially, overseas collectors.

I smiled to see a Charles Leski Auction catalogue late 2004 feature the unique 1897 6d Lake Lefroy Goldfields Cycle Mail tete-beche pair for his next auction.

I had bought and sold this item less than 20 years back - at about 10% of the current price.

The Leski Auction sold this pair illustrated nearby for $A21,275.

The buyer? Leading auctioneer Gary Watson from Prestige Philately in Melbourne. Watson purchased it on behalf of a European collector client and added a modest profit margin on top of the price he paid, when he passed it on to his buyer.

I have no idea what he was invoiced, but if we guess at around $A25,000 I am sure we are pretty close to the mark.

"My client had authorised me to bid a lot higher than $21,275" Watson told me today.

"In fact, had I not been acting on instructions for that client I would have gladly paid that or more myself, and included it along with the superb Dr. Cecil Walkley 'Western Australia' we are offering later this year at Auction" he concluded.

Ten fold increase

I purchased this same pair in the mid 1980s, and paid around 10% of what Watson's client just paid. I sold it then to a Napa Valley (California) USA collector who specialised in 'Bicycles On Stamps'.

The local magazines at the time recorded this sale as being the highest price ever obtained by a 'Local' stamp issued by either Australia or any of the Australian States.

The pair was not in terrific condition, being slightly toned, and way off centre, but was unique. It may even have had some paper thinning, I really do not recall now, but the paper quality was atrocious.

The tete-beche pair

It is roughly 'cancelled' in red pencil with the manuscript letters "H & M" ... denoting the owners of the service, Messers H. Lacy-Hillier and Frederic. E. Maskell.

The stamps were incredibly crudely printed, via a zinc block on almost coarse blotting paper by 'The Coolgardie Miner' newspaper office, and virtually all copies that I have sighted are horribly centred. It is estimated in the W.A. study group handbook that only about 20 examples exist worldwide, either mint or used.

They were in use for only about 3 months in early 1897 to carry mail by cycle to and from the new gold rush area of Lake Lefroy and Coolgardie. The Post Office had not yet commenced any service and the Cobb & Co coach was infrequent.

No covers are known although some used copies have the dated PO 'Coolgardie' CDS indicating they were once affixed to covers. Covers originating from the Lake to destinations outside Coolgardie needed to have applicable WA postage added, and doubtless some 6d 'Locals' got cancelled by Coolgardie PO in this process.

Post Office ban

An official letter dated June 1897 from Mr Scholl, the Chief Postmaster at Perth WA warned the owners these 'local' stamps were illegal by saying 'Postage 6d' and thus breached postal regulations. He threatened to prosecute the cycle mail service if they persisted. All goldfields area Post Offices prominently placed up posters warning the public of this new edict, and the usage ceased.

The unique tete-beche pair was discovered in 1972 laying hitherto unrecognised in an old collection in London, and was auctioned by Robson Lowe. It was purchased initially by one of Australia's most prominent philatelists, Mr John Gartner of Victoria.

John was well known to many on the Australian stamp scene, and published all the excellent Hawthorn Press series of detailed stamp monographs, as well as publishing the 'Australian Commonwealth Specialists' Catalogue' for a long time.

The Gartner's mansion in Mount Macedon was totally burnt to the ground in the horrific 1983 'Ash Wednesday' bushfires, and with it, his entire existing stamp collection. Some sections of which were International Gold Medal winners, most notable being his unsurpassed early Fiji collection. A tragic loss to philately.

To their credit John and Zelma rebuilt the house exactly as it had been, and as John once told me: 'we simply changed a few small features we never liked in the first house'.

And although a very elderly man at that time, John bravely ventured back into philately with a passion and started buying up Zanzibar and Zululand, as he argued he could then work BACKWARDS through the British Commonwealth alphabet if he lived long enough!

Gartner's mind boggling Western Australia collection was auctioned in April 1979 by Robson Lowe/Christies in Geneva, thankfully preceding the tragic bushfire, and contained one of the finest 4d 'Inverted Frames' to exist.

The Lake Lefroy tete-beche pair sold for 5,400 Swiss Francs plus 10% buyer premium on an estimate of 3,250 Swiss francs. At the time £1Stg was worth 3.52 Swiss francs, so this sold for about £1,687 at that time.

I do not recall exactly where I bought the pair, but do recall it cost me only about 10% of the recent sale price to Gary Watson's client. My client in California passed away and the tete-beche pair later ended up in the hands of well know British dealers Argyll Etkin Ltd.

The pair seems to have been in their stock for some time, and was finally consigned to the Leski Auction, where I believe it sold for a good deal more than their marked retail price!

A standing joke in the stamp world is that NO-ONE alive can afford to pay Eric's retail prices, and he has had the last laugh on this occasion.

So for those who eschew Locals and Cinderellas - think again. An AWFUL lot of glamour pieces from Australia have not increased in value 10 fold - or over $20,000 tax free, since 1985.

A challenge to someone might be to try and buy just 5 of the remaining single stamps - see how long THAT takes you. On average they sell for about $A1,000-A1,500 each, and in my view are an item with a LOT of upside potential. Used are scarcer than mint by my observation.

Having a swan as a strong central design feature makes them a sought after piece for serious 'Bird' thematic collectors, and there are VERY few issued 'Bird' items anywhere in the world from the 19th Century.

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 27 May 2010 01:25

gavin-h wrote:
Love the idea of a Cycle Express Company using camels

We like to be different down here.

pandadog28 · Post by **pandadog28** » 28 May 2010 13:46

Didge wrote:Glen,

Have you seen or had examples of the covers?

Tim

Tim,

A Rod Perry catalog from the 70s showed some used examples.

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 28 Aug 2011 19:08

Adding this nice pair to my Rarity Page this week.

1896 Coolgardie Cycle Express Company local Post WA Goldfields: Prices for these are soaring in recent years, with the vast prosperity over in WA, and the large number of new collectors globally for top end Goldfield related material.

These were produced for use on the rich Kalgoorlie Goldfields, and were used thus until the WA PO closed the service down. Reports a few years after their issue state 500 sets were printed, and of those, only 130 sets were unsold.

A rough condition and foxed used pair (shown above) was invoiced for $A2,530 on August 27, 2011 at auction - https://tinyurl.com/CoolGar - lot 222 Phoenix. A decade ago it would not have got 10% of that level.

These were crudely printed by Lithography on essentially coarse blotting paper by "The Coolgardie Miner" newspaper office. Near all I've seen are thinned/creased/toned, and with horrible perfs and centering.

These are clean and flat and fresh with deep colour. 2/6d has a nice ink blob flaw next to value. They come complete with the also scarce 1964 Reprint pair on the special postcard - photos of that above.

Post by **GlenStephens** » 07 Sep 2011 15:06

Loking on the web saw this sold at a Leski auction for $10,000 plus 16.5% = $11,650

Local Issues circa 1895 cover addressed to "Neil Smith, Esq., Norsemanton, Norseman", endorsed "Per Healy's Cyclist" & franked by Coolgardie Cycle Express 1/- blue adhesive tied by two line 'Per COOLGARDIE CYCLE EXPRESS CO. / HUNT STREET" h/s in purple.

A similar one got a slightly lower figure in same sale, being invoiced for just short of $10,000.

https://www.leski.com.au/catalogues/a256/COLONY.php

wilbaer · Post by **wilbaer** » 10 Feb 2012 09:54

Hi All,

Does anyone have scans of the fakes of the 1/- and 2/6 bicycle stamps for comparison to the originals for everyone to check out? I tried searching for them in Stampboards, but couldn't see any scans of them....I ask since there were two listings on ebay recently that someone raised the question about, but I stupidly deleted the listing after it was over before I 'photobucketed' them - maybe someone has also been watching them and can scan in the pics from that listing (it only finished a couple of days ago).

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 10 Feb 2012 10:07

The "fakes" might be soaked off reprints from the card above perhaps?

My background to the set I have in stock in below.

1896 Coolgardie Cycle Express Company “Local Post” WA Goldfields: Prices for these have truly soared in recent years, due to the vast prosperity over in WA, combined with the large number of new collectors globally for top end 19th Century “Goldfield” related material. (Or CYCLE related from the same era.) These were produced for use on the rich Kalgoorlie Goldfields, and were used thus, until the WA PO closed the service down.

Stamp Magazine reports a few years after their issue state 500 sets were printed, and of those, only 130 sets were unsold. A rough condition and foxed used pair was invoiced for $A2,530 on August 27, 2011 at auction - https://tinyurl.com/CoolGar - lot 222 Phoenix. A decade ago it would not have got 10% of that level.

These were crudely printed by Lithography, on essentially coarse blotting paper by “The Coolgardie Miner” newspaper office. Near all I’ve seen over the decades are thinned/creased/toned, and/or with horrible perfs and centering. These are clean and flat and fresh with deep colour, and have NO faults of any kind. Impossible to improve on for these. 2/6d has a nice ink blob flaw next to value.

This pair also comes complete with the also scarce and accurate 1964 Reprint perforated pair of these used on the special Goldfields postcard – near 60 years old itself – photos of both sides of that here - https://tinyurl.com/CoolGar2 - value $50 alone. If a rough used pair is now over $2,500 - in this quality, these are a gift
(Order as stock number 583RT)

memphre · Post by **memphre** » 06 Oct 2012 12:36

Hi
Are these the real McCoy, reprints or forgeries?

Sorry, this is the best image I can get.

If real, would retail be correct at about $100?

Thanks for your feedback.
Memphre

Kiwidude · Post by **Kiwidude** » 10 Jul 2014 21:31

Bump...

Interested to know if reprints or what to look out for...

goof · Post by **goof** » 28 Jul 2014 00:39

Lat week I picked up these as part of a collection, some further interesting history on the cycle stamps.

The author points out a couple of major flaws, I am sure by the very nature of the print on porous paper, these issues are full of flaws, but wondered if these were constant, possibly due to plate wear?

1. C to G in cycle

2. O to U in coolgardie

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 28 Jul 2014 02:11

Goof they were printed by LITHOGRAPHY .. about the crudest print method there is .. every stamp on the sheet differs as the example above how clearly!

goof · Post by **goof** » 28 Jul 2014 02:29

Thanks Glen, I love the story behind these almost as much as the Great Barrier Island pigeon stamps.

regards
Mick

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 23 Feb 2015 13:01

I spoke to Kevin Duffy last week who reminded me legenday stamp dealer Ken Baker had just turned 103 years of age.

https://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=34641

Best Wishes Ken .. he must SURELY be the oldest stamp dealer on this planet?

I was processing some old covers today for stock, and saw this one from over 50 years back in 1964 that Ken prepared -

A 1964 Coolgardie Cycle Express re-enactment cover from Rockdale Sydney in 1964, that in my 35 years of dealing I have never seen before, so not many seem to have been done!

Glen

jaywalker · Post by **jaywalker** » 15 Sep 2016 12:39

From "Explore Australia Through Stamps: An illustrated History of Australia as depicted on the nation's postage stamps"
Text by Bill Hornadge, Cartoons by Monty Wedd.
Published by Review Publications Pty Ltd Sterling Street, Dubbo NSW Australia 2830.
No date of publication listed, no copyright notice.

Post by **GlenStephens** » 22 Sep 2016 15:40

Noted this from Status today for $A6400.

The cancel "looks too good to be true" but appears genuine so far as one can say.

"Superb fresh VFU, with unrecorded violet h/s "KURNALPI MINE" & "E. COOLGARDIE"

Brit-Col · Post by **Brit-Col** » 24 Sep 2016 11:59

I'll put my ignorance on display for the world to see here but I note the swan on the above example, which was also featured of course on regular WA issues.

So, never having thought about it before, why a swan? What was it about the swan that led to it becoming the emblem for WA stamps?

BC

Post by **GlenStephens** » 24 Sep 2016 12:04

See many of these in Texas? In the USA? In Europe?

Oddly we do not depict Bald Eagles on our stamps or coinage.

Brit-Col · Post by **Brit-Col** » 24 Sep 2016 14:41

Ah. So it's a black swan. I get it now.

Thanks for the explanation (even though it was slightly sarcastic).

BC

Post by **GlenStephens** » 24 Sep 2016 15:25

Brit-Col wrote:Ah. So it's a black swan. I get it now.

Very good.

WA had the Black Swan from SG #1 onwards.

Allanswood · Post by **Allanswood** » 24 Sep 2016 15:28

The English thought the first black swan sent back to England was a hoax as they, (snooty nosed no-it-all's), believed that there were only white swans as that's what they had, therefore there were no other colours.

The black swan was native to Aus and prevelant in WA. A very popular bird, even today and used on many things 'WA'.

jewels · Post by **jewels** » 31 Dec 2016 15:08

I'm wondering if you could give me some information or value on a stamp we've had in the family for over 100 years. It's a Western Australian Lake Lefroy Cycle Mail 6d unused. Any information would be appreciated. I'd attach a photo except I'm having trouble doing it! Thanks Julie

Post by **GlenStephens** » 31 Dec 2016 15:33

Julie .............

No members have crystal balls or clairvoyancy skills, so we need to see a PHOTO in post #1 of all new threads here. 8)

We have way over 16,000 members here, from 150 different countries, who have made over 4½ MILLION posts or messages over 10 years, and we are the world’s largest Stamp Bulletin Board – by FAR.

ALL well asked questions will get an answer, as members are delighted to assist others. But, in order for them to assist, you need to do your bit, and add a PHOTO/PHOTOS of some kind.

Using the “PREVIEW” Button is a superb idea for new members, so that you can “see” the post before you press “SUBMIT” - and edit it if needs be.

Adding photos to posts here is an absolute cinch, and we have 100,000s of them here already – here is a simple step by step tutorial on exactly how to do that -

https://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=284

Thanks - Admin

jewels · Post by **jewels** » 31 Dec 2016 16:31

I've finally worked it out! How to post a photo of my Western Australian Lake Lefroy Cycle Mail 6d. Any info on this stamp would be appreciated.

Post by **GlenStephens** » 31 Dec 2016 16:45

Well done with photo.

100% genuine, but has bad perfs and centering, and a diagonal crease for sure that we can see, and maybe if you can scan the reverse we can give a better idea.

Even with faults, still a valuable Cinderella stamp. 8)

Glen

Post by **GlenStephens** » 18 Apr 2017 14:18

Western Australia 1895 “Coolgardie Cycle Express Company” Camels Stamp set 3: Without doubt the most attractive and superbly produced "Local" issue in Australian history. Many YEARS since I had a set.

Added them to stock today, and are noted here for the record as it is not often the full set is seen in one place! (Stock 782KQ)

Glen

MJ's pet · Post by **MJ's pet** » 12 Jan 2020 12:24

GlenStephens wrote:Noted this from Status today for $A6400.

The cancel "looks too good to be true" but appears genuine so far as one can say.

"Superb fresh VFU, with unrecorded violet h/s "KURNALPI MINE" & "E. COOLGARDIE"

Had not seen these "cancellations" before? Thoughts? (The colour of the stamp looks off, but it is Status).

MJ's pet · Post by **MJ's pet** » 12 Jan 2020 12:36

Kurnapli Mine

Gold was discovered here by Alex Slater and party in 1894, 95 kilometres north-east of Kalgoorlie. The goldfield produced incredibly rich alluvial gold in its initial years and was known as the 'home of slugs' referring to the large slug shaped gold nuggets lying around all over the ground.

Normally the gold mineralisation would be expected to increase with depth, but this did not occur at Kurnalpi. By 1900 it was noted that the alluvial gold had pettered out and people began drifting away. A 1902 correspondent stated: 'with the exception of a few unimportant shows, worked by small parties of men, the place has little to recommend itself to public notice. Once the initial goldrush was over, the place fell silent. Evidence of human life is confined to a few struggling pathetic gold hunters whose vocation is with them as a disease'.

Kurnapli Town Site

MJ's pet · Post by **MJ's pet** » 12 Jan 2020 12:39

Map. The closest town is Kalgoorlie.

MJ's pet · Post by **MJ's pet** » 12 Jan 2020 16:21

There are now multiple threads about these WA cycle stamps all over the place = they should be merged together

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 07 Aug 2023 18:56

This still looks suss to me re the cancels - others?

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 07 Aug 2023 19:09

Snaws has added a lot of Coolgardie Cycle Express Company Cinderella Stamps and 6d Lake Lefroy Local stamps here today - excellent summary -

https://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=27923&start=679