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• Auction House:
  Leski Auctions
• Sale Name:
  Australian & Historical
• Sale Date:
  03 Dec 2022 ~ Session 1 (Lots 1 - 670) 10am (AEDT)
  04 Dec 2022 ~ Session 2 (Lots 671 - 1277) 10am (AEDT)
• Lot #:
  1109
• Lot Description:
  Brett Whiteley
  (1939-1992)
  Two designs for a Sydney Harbour Bridge Anniversary stamp
  ink on paper
  each with serrated edges and approx 4.5 x 5.5cm
  affixed to a large format envelope (23 x 33cm), with one tied by the LINDFIELD NSW 3 Oct. 1980 datestamp, which also ties the issued 22c stamp to the envelope. Additionally, at upper left, Whiteley has affixed an “enhanced” middle eastern image with “IRAN 15c and some mock Arabic text”. The return address in Whiteley’s hand at lower left and the rear of the envelope with the following text, also in Whiteley’s hand: “P.S. Graeme. Have put the two black + white ‘stamps’ on the front, just to show how effective b+w can be. also the darker one could have 1/4” cut off the bottom of it and be used as the stamp we want?”
• Provenance:
  The estate of Graeme Dennis.
• Notes:
  Graeme Dennis held a position in the Australia Post Group (late 1970s - early 1990s) as liaison manager with stamp artists and printers. He visited Whiteley in Sydney to brief him on the requirements for the Sydney Harbour Bridge stamp intended for issue in March 1982. The designs were forwarded to Dennis in his role as stamp production manager. [Thanks to Richard Breckon, Australian Post Philatelic Archivist, for these details.]. Whiteley’s designs for the 50th Anniversary of the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge were not successful. “When an unfavourable reception is anticipated, some stamp designs in the past have never made it as far as the printing plant, most notably a design by Brett Whiteley. The celebrated and controversial artist had been commissioned to design a stamp to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The Post Office rejected Whiteley’s effort, or as they say in the business, the design was ‘unadopted’.” [see page 180 “The Stamp of Australia’, by Kelly Burke, 2009]. The envelope with the affixed designs and texts has been allocated the catalogue number 127.80 and will be included in the next edition of “Brett Whiteley Catalogue Raisonné 1955 - 1992” by Kathie Sutherland.
• Estimate:
  A$15,000 - 25,000
• Realised Price:
  *****
  

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• Category:
  Art

This Sale has been held and this item is no longer available. Details are provided for information purposes only.