Use these buttons to see the usual pdf file of the auction catalogue and the prices realised.

For earlier auctions, visit the Previous Auctions page.

REPORT  ON  THE  SECOND  PHILAS  ON-LINE  AUCTION

                                                                                            By Mark Bailey, Publicity Officer

November 12 saw PHILAS hold its final auction for 2022.   The auction was also the second auction to feature live online bidding.

176 bidders registered for the live online session in the morning and 69 of them bought 163 items.  There were also 149 absentee bidders (mail and email).  There was a clearance rate of 53% using the live online platform.   This was above our average under the previous system.  Buyers enjoyed the live online bidding with many giving favourable feedback on the online catalogue and the move towards a new approach to PHILAS Auctions.

In the afternoon auction session, 133 in-room bidders registered to bid on the albums and bulk lots.   There was a clearance rate of 60%.

Australian Kangaroo lots remained popular. Highlights were a 1st watermark £1 fetching $2000 (Lot 1029).  A similar item with the “TR” flaw realising $950 notwithstanding some issues with the stamp (Lot 1030) and a 3rd watermark £1 chocolate and blue with the “Break in Bight” flaw fetching $480 (Lot 2072). A selection of used 1d Kangaroos showing the various dies, inverted watermarks, plate flaws and scarcer postmarks (Lot 236) sold for $1900 on an estimate of $1000.

n the KGV stamps a 1915 1d KGV with an early state of the “CNE” flaw fetched $600 (Lot 2011).

China continued to be popular with a collection of 1970 – 1976 sets fetching $1600 (Lot 1127) with spirited bidding driving this item past its reserve of  $300.  A comprehensive collection of 1949 – 1966 sets realised $1600 on an estimate of $380.

A feature of the auction was a collection of Cinderella items which attracted great interest.  New Zealand 1921 8/- and 1940-1951 Arms-design Revenues fetched over $1,000 between them (Lots 1157 and 1158).

The high bids on the large box lots for which PHILAS is famous brought gasps from the bidders, particularly Australian decimal on paper kiloware (Lots 117 and 118) which sold for $1500 and $1600 on estimates of $1000.

The next PHILAS Auction due in March 2023 may be delayed due to the pending move of the PHILAS organisation to new premises.  It is possible that there will be a special auction of bulk lots only to clear out material prior to the move.  In the future, bulk lot auctions and smaller lot auctions may be held separately, a few weeks apart, with some auctions dedicated to specialist single country collections or themes.

How to bid in a Philas Auction

Absentee  Bids

​

  It is important that absentee bids be submitted on a postal bidder's form.

  If you do not do this, your bids have to be re-written on to a form by a volunteer and mistakes may occur.

  Do not simply list your bids within an email and hope that they will be transcribed correctly.

​

  Print off a postal bidders' form here.

​

  You can:

• mail the completed form to Philas

• or scan your completed form; save it as a .pdf or .jpg file and attach it to an email

• send the email, with the attachment, to  auction@philas.org.au .

Or you can use the  interactive form.

 A guide to completing the interactive form is available here.

In  The  Room

​

   Fill the gaps in your collection by bidding at the Philas auction. You can read the auction catalogue and view the lots by following the links on this page or contact Philas to receive a printed catalogue.

​

   View the lots at Philas House during the preceding week (see times opposite). On auction day, arrive early to obtain a bidder's number. The auction starts at 12.00 noon.

​

See our Bidders' Terms & Conditions.

Viewing Times for regular Philas Auctions

previous Saturday       10.00 am to 4.00 pm

previous Sunday          10.00 am to 4.00 pm

previous Thursday       10.00 am to 4.00 pm*

previous Friday            10.00 am to 4.00 pm

​

  *Absentee bids (mail and email) will close at:

                4.00 pm on previous Thursday.

Do you want to sell material through the Philas auction?

Philas now offers lots to bidders throughout the world on-line auctions.  Our auctions also attract a large number of room bidders (unlike some commercial auctions) as well as postal and email bidders.

​

For full information on selling through Philas see our Vendors' information.

You can directly email the Auction Convenor.

​

Vendors lotting their own material should use the Standard Abbreviations.

Page updated 20/11/2022.