Auction Details - AUCTION ALREADY HELD
Worldwide Stamps and Postal History (Auction Number 33)
Auctioneer: Argyll Etkin Limited Location: London
Contact: Tel: 0207 930 6100 Fax: 0207 930 6109
Date: 28th February 2013 Time: 11:30AM
Details: Viewing:
At Stampex: Wednesday 19th-Saturday 22nd February
At Argyll Etkin: Until Monday 17th February by appointment
Monday 24th to Thursday 27th February 9 am to 4.30 pm and at
The Regus Conference Centre: Friday 28th February 9.30 am to 11.30 am
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Auction Lots - Page 1
Front Cover
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Back Cover
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ORDER OF SALE


Postcards, Literature, Autographs, Ephemera, Stamp Boxes 1-15
Watermark Master Dies 16-35
European & African Wreck Mail, from the Collection of Robin Gwynn, RDP 36-137
G.B & Commonwealth Forces Mail - The Michael Goodman Collection 138-408
Hospital Ship Mail 409-452
Thematics - Concorde, Esperanto 453-461
Worldwide Stamps & Covers 462-480
Antarctica, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Basutoland, Brazil 481-493
British Guiana, British Levant, British Solomon Is., Brunei, Burma 494-502
Canada, Cayman Is., Ceylon 503-507
Cyprus 508-525
Egypt 526-536
Ethiopia, Falkland Is., Finland, France & Colonies 537-551
Gibraltar, Gilbert & Ellice Is., Hong Kong 552-559
India & States 560-581
Ireland, Italy, Jamaica 582-589
Kenya, including Railway Postal History 590-628
Leeward Is., Malaya, Malta, Mauritius, Monaco, Montserrat 629-640
Morocco, Netherlands Indies, New Guinea 641-650
New Zealand, including Goldfields Postal History 651-670
Nicaragua, North Borneo, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal 671-678
Postal Agencies in the Persian Gulf, Rhodesia, St. Helena 679-689
Seychelles, Somaliland 690-694
South Africa, including Boer War, Cape of Good Hope, Orange Free State 695-711
South West Africa, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tanganyika, Thailand 712-731
Tristan da Cunha, Turks Is., USA 732-748
Great Britain  1883-84 Colour Trials 749-757
  Other Postage Stamps 758-785
  Officials, Underprints, Jersey, Isle of Man, Locals, Revenues 786-814
Postal History  Mixed Lots 815-833
  Early Letters 834-846
  Air Mails, Cancellations 847-880
  Cross Channel Mail, Exhibitions, Express Mail 881-901
  Frees, Machines, Maritime Mail & Mailboat Cancels 902-928
  Military Mail, Mulreadys & Caricatures 929-952
  Parcel Post 953-989
  Parliamentary Mail 990-1003
  Pictorial Envelopes, Postage Due Mail, Postal Reform 1004-1019
  Postal Stationery, including Telegraph Forms 1020-1099
  Railways, Returned Letter Office 1100-1118
  Telegrams, Uniform 4d Post 1119-1126
  Channel Islands, Hertfordshire 1127-1128
  Isle of Man 1129-1176
  Isle of Wight, London 1177-1191
  Oxfordshire, Scotland, Wales, Westmoreland 1192-1197

To Be Sold on Friday 28th February 2014

at 11.30 a.m. Precisely


AUTOGRAPHS & PICTURE POSTCARDS

see lots 328, 403, 460, 637, 653, 678, 819, 1142, 1149-1151, 1173-1175)

1
Prince Philip. 1952 Cover with "EIIR" cypher handstamp addressed to Frank Carr, National Maritime Museum, with a Christmas card enclosed which depicts the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles and Princess Anne, signed "Philip". £100-120
2
Mountbatten. 1955 Envelope to F. Carr of the National Maritime Museum with an enclosed typed letter on First Sea Lord notepaper boldly signed "Mountbatten of Burma" in green ink, the cover and letter both handstamped "Confidential". Contents refer to naming a new type of destroyer. £100-120
3
c.1902-30 G.B Picture postcards mainly with a postal theme including postmen, pillar boxes, mail coaches, the language of stamps, post offices, various novelty mailing cards depicting postmen, comic cards, also 1909 Swiss philatelic exhibition cards with a U.P.U theme, novelty size cards, a few advertising cards, etc. (114). £140-160
4
Bleriot/Aviators. 1909-11 Real photo picture postcards, three taken at Dover on 25 July 1909 showing Louis Bleriot with his wife, or his aeroplane after its flight across the Channel surrounded by onlookers and a policeman. Also a card of B.C Hucks (the first Englishman to loop the loop and fly upside down) in his plane, boldly signed by him, with interesting message, "We went to see this man flying yesterday at Gloucester. It went off very successfully. Keep this card. Got the man to sign his name on it after he had been flying", and a card of Gustav Hamel. (5). £200-250
5
Aeroplanes/Airships. Album of mainly KEVII and KGV period picture postcards featuring aeroplanes including photo cards of portraits taken in studio, prop planes, mailing novelty cards, greetings cards, comic cards with 'Airship' series cards, mostly British, a few French cards included. An interesting collection. (93). £300-350
6
Railways. c.1902-30 Picture postcards (c. 480), many published by railway companies including Cambrian, Caledonian, Furness, Glasgow & South Western, Great Central, Great Eastern, Great Northern, Great Western, Highland, Lancashire & Yorkshire, L.B & S.C, Midland, North Staffordshire, S.E & Chatham and L.N.W.R; also oilette and real photo cards of trains, stations (with real photo cards of Devils Dyke, Yate, Whyteleafe, Doncaster and Dunscore), various comic and other railway related cards, paddle steamers operated by railway companies, a fine G.N.R poster card of Skegness, a few foreign cards including Natal Government Railways and Soudan Railways showing scenes on the Wadi Halfa to Halfaya route, etc. Also an album of recent cards, photographs in two albums and loose (mainly 1960's with some reproductions of earlier views, some original Edwardian photos), a few books, etc. (100s). £300-400
7
Military. c.1914 Set of ten French picture postcards each with scenes of army life, the ten cards showing a large central picture of a French cavalry officer when joined together, entitled "Cuirassiers". An unusual set, very fine. (10). £60-70

PHILATELIC LITERATURE, EPHEMERA, P.O NOTICES & STAMP BOXES

8
1840 (Aug 18) British Post Office Notice, "Mails for Egypt and the East Indies by steam vessels via Falmouth", an early notice in fine condition, 212x305mm. £100-120
9
1930s-1950s British Post Office leaflets and brochures, various subjects include postal rates, telephone services, Post Office Savings Bank, etc., some pictorial, all very fine. (40). £140-180
10
Various philatelic books including "British Empire Campaigns and Occupations in the Near East, 1914-1924, A Postal History" by John Firebrace, "The Picture Postcard & its Origins" by Frank Staff, "The Postal History of British Air Mails" by Edward Proud, "History of the Australian Military Postal Services 1914-1950" by Edward Proud, etc. (16). £70-100
11
Books on Postmarks and Postal History of the British Colonies by Edward Proud, comprising Southern Rhodesia, British Guiana, British Honduras, British P.Os Abroad, Iraq, Bahamas, Gold Coast, Trinidad & Tobago, Mauritius, Basutoland & Bechuanaland, Cyprus, Fiji, Tanganyika, Swaziland & Zululand, Nigeria, Malta, Sierra Leone, Nyasaland, Gambia, Gibraltar, Burma, Northern Rhodesia, Hong Kong, Malaya (3 volumes) and Japanese Occupation of Malaya & Borneo. (27). £200-300
12
1913-65 G.B "Post Office Circulars", published weekly for distribution to Post Office staff, a virtually complete bound run for this 53 year period comprising 1913-23, 1925-36, 1938-48, 1950-53, 1955-61 and 1964-65 (just six years therefore missing, four post-war), the 1921 volume bound in blue (spine broken), the other 46 volumes uniformly bound in dark red with gold lettering, all in fine condition. The circulars contain much detailed information invaluable to the postal historian including opening and closing dates of Post Offices including temporary offices at exhibitions, army camps and holiday camps; later uses of Mobile Post Offices; postal services during army manoeuvres in 1913, 1925 and 1933-37; details of the Post Office at the 1925 British Empire Exhibition; temporary Post Offices at the 1936 Darlington and Mount Edgcumbe boy scout camps; opening and closing of army camp Post Offices during World War One including Army Post Office Home Defence offices; issues of new postage stamps; changes in postal rates; suspension of postal services during war; alterations, additions and suspensions to air mail services; the issue of postage due stamps and their use in 1914; postal regulations including telegrams, parcel post, registered, insured and express services, etc. A scarce run as these circulars were for internal Post Office circulation only, and were not sold to the public. 47 Volumes containing 2,444 circulars. £1,000-1,200
13
USA - Zeppelin Poster. 1912 Illustrated poster depicting a Zeppelin airship above the globe, advertising "Hamburg American Line. Cruises in skyland by Zeppelin Airships, Around the World, Two Cruises from New York, October 19, 1912, San Francisco, Feb. 6, 1913, 110 days - $650 up. Weekly to Jamaica and Panama Canal $75 and $115", produced by the New York office of Hamburg American Line. Two small library handstamps and edge tears at lower right corner, otherwise fine and attractive; clearly such Zeppelin cruises never occurred. Framed, 36x48cm. £300-350
14
Stamp Boxes. Selection of 20 boxes, various materials including wood, brass, leather, onyx, etc., mixed condition. (20). £100-120
15
Metal enamel signs for "GOSWELL RD" or "LICENSED TO SELL POSTAGE AND INLAND REVENUE STAMPS" with the Royal Coat of Arms. Also two wooden stamp boxes. £40-50

WATERMARK MASTER PLATES

The following 20 lots comprise the final offering of original watermark Master Plates made by the specialist dandy roll makers Edwin Amies & Son Ltd, who supplied dandy rolls to various stamp printers. They consist of a metal plate (1-4mm thick) with one or many impressions of the watermark made of wire and affixed to the surface. Each plate is impressed with a number, a brief entry for each number appearing in the company's ledger of these plates. The plates were pressed into wax and the surface polished with plumbago (black lead) and then scraped off leaving the design with an electrical connection. The wax was then put into a bath of copper sulphate and by electrolysis the stamp bits were grown until the watermark was ready. Hot water was poured on the surface to release the copper watermark which was then filled with solder. The electrotype was then soldered on to the dandy roll and all the pieces not required were then cut away leaving just the watermark on the surface of the dandy roll ready for the paper to be made. These plates therefore show the very first stage in the watermark production. All are unique.

16
British Empire - Multiple Script CA. No. 3331, "C.A Stamps", consisting of 24 impressions of the Multiple Script CA watermark, used for many colonies stamps from 1921, together with 19 watermark bits produced from this die. An important pair, the die 115x115mm. (2). Photo on Page 8. £400-500
17
No. 281 "STAMPS", 116x31mm; No. 2034, "POSTAGE", 102x41mm; and No. 552, "POSTAGE / POSTAGE", 143x51mm, presumably used for marginal sheet inscriptions, though die "2034" is entered in the company ledger under "postal order bits". (3). £80-100
18
Great Britain. No. 1831, Crown over "GvR", eight impressions, the crown much larger than that used for postage stamps, possibly used for revenues, 88x55mm, with six watermark bits produced from this die. (2). £100-120
19
Great Britain. "GR" Script Cypher with crown above, a single die, 55x52mm; another die with a sunken impression of the same cypher, 30x32mm; and three watermark bits produced from this die each affixed to wire, unusual, possibly used for revenues or postal orders. (5). £100-120
20
Great Britain - Postal Orders. Various plates with large Crown over GvR Cypher or the identical Cypher with "ONE POUND" below; Crown between large GR Cyphers; or similar Crown between E8<$>R Cyphers; possibly used for postal orders. (4). £120-150
21
Great Britain - Postal Orders. No. 2524, "GvR. Royal Cypher for Postal Orders", four impressions of large "GvR" below a crown, 77x72mm, together with a virtually identical die No. 2330 (88x60mm), and die No. 2077 with six slightly smaller impressions of crown over "GvR", possibly also for use on postal orders, 88x85mm. (3). £100-120
22
Great Britain - P.O Savings Bank and National Savings Certificates. No. 1973, "National Savings Certificate & Shading", a single impression of large "GvR" Cypher, 41x47mm; No. 1625, "Crown over POSB", six impressions of a large crown over script "POSB", 86x64mm; No. 1767, "stamp bits - POSB", three impressions of small crown over block lettering "POSB", 85x48mm; and No. 2920, "National Savings" with six impressions of alternate crown and "GviR<$>" Script Cypher, 65x66mm. (4). £100-120
23
Great Britain - 1923 Stamp Exhibition. Two plates, Nos. 2048 and 2050, showing six single or 12 multiple impressions of an aeroplane, together with a watermark bit produced from this last die comprising 12 impressions of the multiple watermark, used for the 1d Mercury Air Mail essays, the winning design in the J.P.S competition for an airmail stamp, the labels being used as souvenirs at the London International Stamp Exhibition. Three unusual and interesting watermark plates and bits, with examples of the perforated essays in four colours. Plate 2048 (90x42mm) dated "9.3.23" and plate 2050 (63x91mm) dated "15.3.23". (3). £150-200
24
Australia - New South Wales. No. 276, "Stamp bits - N.S.W 20/-", six impressions of "20/- / NSW" within an oval (S.G. w54), used for the 1890 20/- postage stamp, 70x87mm. £120-150
25
Australia. Nos. 1695 and 1787, both differing versions of "POSTAGE / COMMONWEALTH / OF AUSTRALIA", presumably used for marginal inscriptions, 135x78mm and 143x52mm. (2). £80-100
26
Ceylon. No. 75, Lotus flower and Singhalese letters "Sri", similar to S.G. w81, used for 1949-69 stamps, 70x58mm; and No. 1309, six impressions of Singhalese letters, possibly used for revenues, 60x27mm. (2). £80-100
27
India. No. 1620, "Stamp bits - star, Indian", 14 impressions of the multiple star watermark (S.G. w69) as used for 1926-58 stamp issues, 87x60mm. Also die No. 228, two impressions of the same star, 41x34mm. (2). £100-120
28
India - Mysore. No 2593, "Stamp bit - Mysore", nine impressions of a double headed eagle, probably used for revenues, 62x53mm. £70-100
29
India - Travancore. No. 1997, "Stamp bit - shell", and two dies numbered 2070, "Stamp bits - Travancore", each with four, six or eight impressions of conch shells, all three dies differing slightly, probably used for revenues. (3). £180-220
30
New Zealand. No. 1159, "Stamp bits - NZ and Star", 18 impressions of the single NZ watermark (S.G. w43), as used for 1902-42 stamp issues, 90x60mm. Also No. 653, two impressions of the single star only, 36x23mm. (2). £150-180
31
South Africa. No. 1723, "Stamp bits - South Africa springbok head", 12 impressions of the multiple watermark (S.G. w9) as used for 1926-59 stamp issues, 113x52mm. £150-200
32
South Africa. An identical watermark plate, also numbered 1723, 112x55mm. £150-200
33
Various watermark dies, marked as "stamp bits" in the company ledgers, the countries and stamps of use not identified, comprising No. 170, 16 impressions of a crown, 58x48mm; No. 2680, nine impressions of "AP" within a jar, 60x81mm; No. 2204, 24 impressions of "SP", 100x51mm; No. 2625, 25 impressions of a star within shield, 75x74mm; and No. 2860, 27 multiple impressions each of three Greek letters (marked "Greek stamp bit" in the ledger), 73x74mm, some probably used for revenues. (5). £150-180
34
Various watermark dies possibly used for stamps, the country of use not yet identified, including multiple impressions of crowns, shields, lotus flowers, hearts, circles containing a Star of David, etc., the largest 133x149mm. (8). £160-200
35
Various watermark dies possibly used for stamps including stars in various sizes (3 dies), crosses, a peacock head and a crown over "VC" cypher, multiple and single dies, the country of use not yet identified, the largest die 70x57mm. (6). £150-180

WRECK MAIL of EUROPE & AFRICA

From the Collection of Robin Gwynn, RDP.

The following 102 lots comprise covers with an Europe or Africa origin or connection from the exceptional collection of wreck mail formed over the last forty years by Robin Gwynn. Great care has been taken to acquire the rare or unusual, many items being the only recorded items from particular wrecks, others illustrating particularly unusual origins or destinations, cachets or explanatory labels, whilst the overall quality is unusually fine for wreck covers, many of which inevitably show water or fire damage as a result of the wreck or disaster in which they were involved. Robin has also focused on unusual incidents and reasons for a wreck; all covers and incidents have been meticulously researched and written up in the standard work on the subject, "Maritime Disaster Mail: a study of mail salvaged from maritime disasters, as casualties of war, collisions, fires, shipwrecks and stranding" which he co-wrote with Norman Hoggarth (published by The Stuart Rossiter Trust Fund, 2003). Many items from this collection are illustrated in this fine publication.The collection has been displayed internationally most recently receiving Large Gold medals at both London 2010 and Indipex 2011. Robin is continuing to develop the collection of wreck mails from New Zealand. His wreck covers from the Americas and West Indies will feature in a future Argyll Etkin auction. Many wreck covers are sent between differing countries and are wrecked en-route in a third country, and can therefore fit into various country collections. The following cross-references are therefore provided as an aid to collectors. Also see lots 221, 359.

G.B 94-96, 103, 109, 110, 113, 115, 116, 126, Colombia 59
128,135, 136 Corsica 83, 84
Channel Islands 40, 41 Czechoslovakia 106
Isle of Man 45-47 Denmark 105
Isle of Wight 52, 56-62 Egypt 90, 91, 103, 126-129
Scilly Islands 55 Finland 100-102, 107, 108
Scottish Islands 36, 51, 70, 71 France 64, 81-84, 86-93, 127
Angola 109 French Colonies 82, 86-88, 92, 117-122
Argentina 85 Germany 57, 60, 61, 65, 66, 98, 112, 114, 131
Austria 57, 59, 99 India 89
Belgium, Belgian Congo 48, 123, 124 Ireland 49, 50, 53, 63, 64
Brazil 93 Israel 130-134
Canada 70-72, 77, 78 Italy, Somalia 137
Jamaica 80 Southern Nigeria 42-44
Kenya & Uganda 135, 136 Sudan 125
Norway 39, 104 Sweden 100-103, 105-108
Poland 106, 132 Switzerland 63, 130
Roumania 133, 134 USA 52-69, 73, 79, 81
Russia 66 Sea Post Offices 67, 73, 110
South Africa, S.W.A 109-116 P&O 37, 90, 135, 136

Great Britain

36
Brig "Agir". 1817 (Dec 17) Legal document describing the voyage of the "Agir", bound from Copenhagen to Malaga, and her wreck at Bearness on the Orkney island of Sanday, sworn before a notary public at Kirkwall with an embossed 5/- revenue stamp and printed 2/- paper duty stamp. £60-80
37
S.S "Colombo". 1862 (Dec 27) Long blue O.H.M.S Post Office ambulance envelope sent to Wareham with boxed cachet "Saved from the wreck of / the Colombo." in red and a red "PAID / LONDON" c.d.s, forwarded back from Wareham to London with a 1d red applied and cancelled "843", endorsed "over 1/2oz" and charged 2d. The P.&O. "Colombo" left Galle for Aden on November 19th, striking a coral reef that same day, subsequently splitting in two; all 53 boxes of mail were salvaged within three weeks and were sent to London for drying and sorting. Vertical and horizontal folds and opening tear at upper edge, nevertheless an unusual ambulance envelope, the "Colombo" cachet very scarce in red. Ex. Woolfe. Photo on Page 8. £350-400
38
1879 (Nov 1) O.H.M.S Lettersheet, "Report of wreck or other articles taken possession of by a Deputy Receiver", sent from Birkenhead to The Receiver of Wreck, Custom House, Liverpool, franked 1/2d. The form records the salvage of an anchor and chain by two fishermen. £40-50
39
Barque "Silo". 1898 (Aug 6) Cover from Arendal bearing Norway 20ore (faults), to a crew member of the Bark "Silo" (Capt. Jakobsen), c/o Norwegian & Swedish Consul at Newcastle upon Tyne, endorsed "Picked up when the "Silo" was wrecked off Dymchurch, Kent, Nov. 24th 1898, Crew saved by the Rocket apparatus", vertical crease and a little roughly opened at right, otherwise fine. Also a Leibig trade card showing the rocket apparatus. An unusual cover, delivered to the ship but then involved in its subsequent wreck, illustrated on page 96 of "Maritime Disaster Mail". Photo on Page 11. £100-120
40
S.S "Ibex". 1900 (Jan 4) 1/2d Brown postal stationery newspaper wrapper containing a complete copy of "The Standard", sent from London to St. Lawrence, Jersey, the wrapper and contents with a little water damage, the wrapper handstamped "MAIL PER S.S IBEX" (cachet type 1). The G.W.R mail steamer "Ibex" left Weymouth on January 4th, striking a rock in the Little Russell Channel off Guernsey the following morning and sinking in the shallow waters with the loss of two lives. 44 Bags of mail for the Channel Islands were on the steamer, 42 of which were recovered by divers by 20th January, another bag being washed ashore at St. Brelades Bay on January 25th, the final bag apparently found in the "Ibex" after she was raised and taken into St. Peter Port on July 21st. Mail addressed to Jersey had the S.S "Ibex" cachet applied at St Heliers, mail for the other islands being delivered without any explanation. A remarkable item, the only known newspaper from this wreck. Photo on Page 8. £800-1,000
41
S.S "Ibex". 1900 Cover to St. Heliers, Jersey, the stamp washed off, from the final mail bag found on the wreck after she was raised in July and brought to St. Peter Port, handstamped "MAIL PER SS IBEX" (cachet type 2), the reverse with an Officially Sealed label handstamped with a "JERSEY" squared circle (July 30). Endorsed "Deceased" with two Jersey datestamps (Aug 1/2). This type 2 "Ibex" cachet (with the letters PER in the same size and no stops after SS) was only used on mail found in the final mailbag recovered in July, the original cachet presumably destroyed by then because the Post Office in Jersey did not expect any further mail to be found. A fine and rare cover. Photo Inside Front Cover. £1,000-1,200
42
S.S "Jebba". 1907 (Feb 25) Registered cover to London bearing Southern Nigeria 1d strip of three tied by "EBUTE METTA" datestamps with handstruck "R" within an oval and a Plymouth registration label applied, backstamped with the violet cachet "SALVED FROM / SS JEBBA" (cachet type 2b) and Registered datestamps of Lagos (Feb. 28), Plymouth and London (both March 19), a fine registered cover. The S.S "Jebba", sailing from West Africa to Plymouth, ran ashore in thick fog near Bolt Tail, South Devon. All passengers and mails were saved and much of the cargo salvaged before the ship broke up, the mail being taken to Plymouth where several explanatory cachets were used. Photo on Page 11. £200-250
43
S.S "Jebba". 1907 (Feb 11) Cover to London with Southern Nigeria 1/2d pair tied by "CALABAR" c.d.s, handstamped black "SALVED FROM / SS JEBBA" (cachet type 3b), backstamped at Calabar and London (Mar. 20), very fine. Photo on Page 11. £150-180
44
S.S "Jebba". 1907 (Feb 22) Cover to Edinburgh bearing Lagos 1d tied by "CREEK TOWN / SOUTHERN NIGERIA" c.d.s, handstamped violet "SALVED FROM / S S JEBBA" (cachet type 1), backstamped at Calabar and "Edinr & Carlisle Sorting Tender" (Mar. 20), a fine cover. Photo on Page 11. £160-180
45
S.S "Ellan Vannin". 1909 (Dec 2) Cover from the Isle of Man to London with KEVII 1d tied by "DOUGLAS" c.d.s, a little water damage causing staining to the printed address, the loss of the side flap and the upper flap becoming detached, this flap repaired and rejoined to the cover with a "Found Open and Officially Sealed" label bearing a London W.C c.d.s (Dec. 6). The Isle of Man Steam Packet Co S.S "Ellan Vannin" left Ramsey for Liverpool on December 3rd with 14 passengers and 21 crew, but sank en route with the loss of all lives. A postal hamper was recovered from the sea by the Formby Lightship. A rare Isle of Man wreck cover, just two covers from this wreck recorded in "Maritime Disaster Mail". Photo on Page 11. £800-1,000
46
S.S "Douglas". 1923 (Aug) Cover to Douglas, Isle of Man, the stamp washed off and the edges repaired with brown tape and stamp edging, handstamped violet "DAMAGED BY / SEA WATER" (lettering 8mm tall). Readdressed to Warrington and again to Chester, with datestamps of Douglas (Aug 20) and Frodsham (Aug 22). From the Isle of Man Steam Packet Co S.S "Douglas" which collided with the "Artemisia" off Brunswick Dock in the River Mersey early on the 16th August when sailing from Liverpool to Douglas. The ship quickly sank, all crew and passengers being saved, one mailbag being washed ashore on August 18th. A rare wreck cover, only about half a dozen covers recorded. Photo on Page 11. £500-600
47
S.S "Douglas". 1923 (Aug 15) Picture postcard from Leicester to Douglas, Isle of Man, the stamp washed off and the right edge water damaged, handstamped violet "DAMAGED BY / SEA WATER" (lettering 5mm tall), inscribed at the top edge by the recipient "This card went to the bottom of the sea on the Manx steamer "Douglas" on August 15th 1923. 12pm". This card and the previous cover show that, rather surprisingly, two differing explanatory cachets were used at Douglas on the mail recovered from this wreck. A rare card, only about half a dozen items recorded from the "Douglas". Photo on Page 11. £500-600
48
S.S "Ville de Liege". 1929 (Feb 11) Cover from Brussels to Folkestone bearing a 25c stamp, two other stamps washed off, handstamped black "DAMAGED BY SEA / WATER". The Belgian cross channel steamer "Ville de Liege" ran aground at the entrance to Dover inner harbour in the evening of 11th February, and was driven onto rocks near the breakwater before being towed to deeper water where the ship began to settle. The letter mails were recovered at low water the following day. Photo on Page 11. £80-100
49
M.V "Princess Victoria". 1953 (Jan 28) Cover originally sent from Belfast to England, reposted back from Burnley to Belfast, with brown tape applied over the original postmark and the Belfast address inserted in the original 'window' envelope, the stamp washed off and water damage resulting in the loss of two back flaps, handstamped "DAMAGED BY / SEA WATER" (tying the cover to the enclosed address card) and endorsed "Salvaged from M.V "Princess Victoria"". The British Railways car ferry, employed on the Stranraer to Larne route, sank in a severe storm in the Irish Sea on January 31st after the car deck flooded, with the loss of 134 lives. One mailbag was recovered shortly afterwards and sent to Belfast, a second bag being recovered by the Fleetwood trawler "Dunnet" in May and sent to Manchester. A scarce wreck cover, from the first recovered mailbag. Photo on Page 14. £250-300
50
M.V "Princess Victoria". 1953 Water damaged remains of a registered envelope bearing Llanwrtyd Wells registration label, addressed to Larne, bearing two violet "RETURNED LETTER BRANCH / 4 FEB. 53 / BELFAST" datestamps and marked "£5", the reverse endorsed "Damaged by sea-water. Salvaged from "Princess Victoria"", very scarce. Tape stains, sellotape having been used by the Post Office to repair the item and apply the registration label. Photo on Page 14. £200-250
Auction Details - AUCTION ALREADY HELD
Worldwide Stamps and Postal History (Auction Number 33)
Auctioneer: Argyll Etkin Limited Location: London
Contact: Tel: 0207 930 6100 Fax: 0207 930 6109
Date: 28th February 2013 Time: 11:30AM
Details: Viewing:
At Stampex: Wednesday 19th-Saturday 22nd February
At Argyll Etkin: Until Monday 17th February by appointment
Monday 24th to Thursday 27th February 9 am to 4.30 pm and at
The Regus Conference Centre: Friday 28th February 9.30 am to 11.30 am
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