£1100.00

Samoa 1877-80 'EXPRESS' 1s dull yellow, 2nd state, perforations 12½, block of 4 from R1-2/2-3 on the sheet, SG7.

A fine quality mint block with large part original gum. Shows part papermaker's watermark. The gum is rather dry (with slight tones on reverse of left pair) but very attractive fresh appearance with vibrant colour.

A rare block from the first stamps issued by Samoa.

Provenance: Includes a 'H.G. & Co' (= Hugo Griebert) guarantee mark on reverse.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £1,500+.

The first postal service in Samoa was organised by C.L. Griffiths, who had published the Fiji Times Express and needed a postal service for Samoa to distribute his new newspaper "Samoa Times".

The lithographic Express stamps were printed in Sydney, Australia by S.T. Leigh & Co., and the stamps were issued October 1, 1877 in time for the October 6th first printing and edition of the newspaper.

The Samoa Express service was discontinued late in 1881.

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