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BLUE DATED "GIBRALTAR/SHIP LETTER" ON COVER TO G.B. WITH G.B. 6d LILAC WITH "G" CANCEL; 19 May 1858 E (side-flap removed and slight faults) to London "Per [Ship] Danube" with G.B. 6d Lilac tied by a mainly very fine barred "G" cancel with mainly very fine blue 3-line "GIBRALTAR/SHIP LETTER" d.s. (small hole just clear) alongside and having a very fine tombstone-framed "PAID/LIVERPOOL/SHIP" d.s. (crease) also on the front. Attractive. PHOTO - see page 20. £160
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G.B. FRANKING "A26" COVER - DOUBLE RATE TO PORTUGAL WITH 2d BLUE + 6d LILAC; Fine 29 May 1860 EL to Lisbon "Per [Ship] Ville de Lisbonne" with G.B. 6d Lilac and 2d Blue (pl.8) tied to each other by two mainly fine "A26" Numerals (unusually struck at right angles to each other) with a very fine small "GIBRALTAR/A" c.d.s. nearby; also having a very fine "320"[reis] Lisbon arrival charge-mark and very fine matching oval-framed "C. Est. de N." (Foreign Mail by Ship). Exhibition Quality. PHOTO - see page 20. £150
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G.B. FRANKING "A26" COVER WITH TG.B. 1d REDS STRIP OF SIX; Attractive 9 Jan. 1861 env. (minor flap faults) to Sheerness franked by a Strip of Six G.B. 1d Red 'Stars' (AD-AI; one or two slight rubs at ends) just tied by five mainly very fine strikes of the "A26" Numeral with a very fine small matching "GIBRALTAR/A" c.d.s. alongside. Unusual franking for the 6d rate. Exhibition Item. PHOTO - see page 20. £160
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SOLDER's 1d CONCESSION RATE COVER EX "GIBRALTAR" WITH RARE "A86" MAILBOAT NUMERAL ON 1d RED; April/Aug.(?) 1862 env. (overall soiling and repaired faults along top edge, clear of stamp) to G.B. headed & countersigned for the Soldier's 1d Concession Rate for a Private in the 2nd (Queen's Royal) Regiment, with G.B. 1d Red 'Stars' (pl.59) tied by a mainly very fine rare "A86" Mailboat Cancellation, without any Gibraltar marks but having an unclear (2 May?) 1862 Rotherham arrival c.d.s. on the reverse. Accompanied by a large part 5 Aug. 1862 letter headed from "Gibraltar" and clearly from the same writer, in which he describes a gruesome shark-attack and a military hanging during his recent service in Corfu (typed transcript), but which may originate from a later envelope in this correspondence, stating that "We left Corfu on June 1st...[having been] stationed there so long...", which may indicate that this envelope had originally contained a letter from Corfu. In either case a very rare Mailboat cover. [RPS 1989 cert.] PHOTO - see page 20. £300
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UNPAID COVER TO HOLLAND WITH RARE G.B. "T.0.6" NUMERAL AND LONDON "SHIP LETTER" C.D.S.; Unusual unpaid 1 Oct. 1868 EL (minor internal faults; small mark at top right corner barely detracts) to "Arnhem Per first Steamer via England" with a very fine small "GIBRALTAR/B" c.d.s. on the front and with a red "PD" in circle (of London?) struck in error and so cancelled by a very fine rare "T.0.6" Numeral (of the London to Dover T.P.O.?) and so charged "40" on arrival, also having a very fine small red "SHIP LETTER/LONDON" c.d.s. (10 Oct.) on the flap. The "T.0" Numerals are very rare on cover and their exact usage still not thoroughly understood; most unusual on a Gibraltar to Holland cover. PHOTO - see page 20. £200
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G.B. FRANKING "A26" COVERS TO U.S.A. (2d BLUE + 6d MAUVE) OR G.B. (6d MAUVE); 22 May 1870 env. (minor edge wear) to Burlington (Vt.) with G.B. 2d Blue (pl.13) & 6d Mauve (pl.8; wing margin, slight perf. rubs) both tied by very fine or fine "A26" Numerals with a very fine matching "GIBRALTAR/A" c.d.s. alongside with a very fine red London transit c.d.s. (30 May) and v. fine scarce small red h.s. "2" (of London? - an Accountancy mark indicating 2c/2d due to the U.S.). Plus 9 May 1872 mourning env. (faults & some staining) to London "Via Southampton" franked by G.B. 6d Mauve (pl.9) tied by a very fine "A26" Duplex. Good pair at the 8d or 6d rate. (2 covers) PHOTO - see page 21. £200
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RARE REGISTERED G.B. FRANKING "A26" COVER TO G.B. "VIA SPAIN"; 7 Mar. 1877 env. (minor toning) to London "Via Spain" franked for the 9d rate (double UPU letter rate + 2d Fee) by G.B. 1d Red (pl.194; faults at top where over edge) + 2d Blue (pl.15) + 6d Grey (pl.15) all tied by mainly fine "A26" Numerals with a partly fine rare early oval-framed "REGISTERED/B/GIBRALTAR" d.s. on the front along with a similar red London mark 12 Mar.).Surprisingly few Registered G.B. Used in Gibraltar covers have been recorded. PHOTO - see page 21. £240
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G.B. "A26" 1d REDS PAIR ON COVER TO THE CANARY ISLANDS; Unusual and attractive 11 Aug. 1879 env. to "Orotava, Canarias" (23 Aug. backstamps) endorsed "P Les Vosges S.S." with G.B. 1d Reds Pair (pl.171) tied by two clear but light "A26" Duplexes; an unusual destination for the 2d 'Spain' rate. Exhibition Quality. PHOTO - see p. 21. £140
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"GIBRALTAR" O.P. BERMUDA 21/2d(2) ON BARBADOS O.P. 1st-TYPE REGD. ENVELOPE TO G.B.; 22 July 1886 usage of the G-size RP1 "GIBRALTAR" o.p. Barbados 2d regd. env. (stamp torn on opening) to Italy uprated with a Pair of 21/2d Blue BERMUDA o.p. "GIBRALTAR" stamps tied by mainly very fine "REGISTERED/GIBRALTAR" d.s.'s with a further strike alongside; there are varied Spanish & Italian backstamps. Good early usage. PHOTO - see page 21. £160
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"GIBRALTAR" O.P. ST. VINCENT/NATAL P. STATIONERY PCs EX "SOUTH DISTRICT" OR "TANGIER"; Fine 7 Feb./30 Mar. 1887 usages of the 1/2d Brown o.p. Natal PC (no message) to a local address cancelled by a very fine small "TANGIER/A" c.d.s. or the 1d Red o.p. St. Vincent PC (brief message) to Nova Scotia cancelled by a tall "A26" Numeral with a very fine scarce "GIBRALTAR/C/SOUTH DISTRICT" c.d.s. alongside. Attractive pair. (2 cards) PHOTO - see page 21. £140
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VERY LATE USAGE OF THE "GIBRALTAR" O.P. BERMUDA 4d + 1/2d ON LOCAL COVER; 14 Sept. 1893 local env. (to Archdeacon Govett) franked by o.p. Bermuda 4d 1/2d tied by very fine "GIBRALTAR/C/A26" Duplexes. An exceptionally late usage of the first 1886 issue. PHOTO - see page 21. £100
| GILBERT AND ELLICE ISLANDS | |
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RARE PROVISIONAL OVERPRINTS ON COVER TO CHINA; 21 Sep. 1911 env. (few faults) to a ship on the China station, franked vertical pair of Fiji KEVII 21/2d optd 'GILBERT & ELLICE/PROTECTORATE' tied by double lined c.d.s with additional strike on rear. Rare use on apparently commercial mail to an unusual destination. SG Cat from (on cover) £500 PHOTO - see page 21. £150
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QV-KGV SELECTION OF CANCELLATIONS ON PIECE: 1911 1/2d to 6d used on three pieces and a used 1/-. All fine SG 1-7 £375. Also Jamaica 1867 (11 Dec) fragment of newspaper bearing 1d blue pair, the left stamp bisected to make the correct 11/2d rate for three newspapers, tied by fine "A34" numerals of Claremount. SG 1d £650. BPA Cert (1955) £120
| GOLD COAST | |
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QV REGISTRATION ENVELOPE TO PRAGUE; 11 Aug. 1888 2d registration env. to Prague uprated 4d QV cancelled b/n '554' with Accra c.d.s at lower left and REGISTERED/LIVERPOOL datestamp also on face. Backstamped at Prague and addressed to the famous natural history dealer Vaclav Fric (1839-1916). Exotic destination and fine exhibition item. PHOTO - see page 21. £150
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SCARCE INTERNAL USE OF 1/2d POSTCARD; 14 Feb. 1894 1/2d QV postcard (in German) used to Accra, the indicia cancelled b/n 'B27' with Quittah c.d.s at lower left. Uncommon correct use of the internal postcard. Photo. P.21. £100
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QV REGISTRATION ENVELOPE UPRATED TO LONDON; 28 Nov. 1901 G.B. 2d QV registration env. with 'GOLD COAST COLONY.' opt at extreme right to London and uprated 1d QV tied by Anamaboe c.d.s with additional strike on face and London registration datestamp at lower right. Address partially erased though still attractive PHOTO - see page 21. £80
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SCARCE 11/2d POSTCARD USED TO LONDON; 8 Jul. 1890 11/2d QV postcard to London cancelled Cape Coast duplex and inscribed 'Per S.S."Congo"'. A scarce card used. PHOTO - see page 21. £100
| GREAT BRITAIN - SHIP LETTERS | |
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LONDON - EARLY 2-LINE "SIP-LRE" MARK ON COVER FOR DEVON SENT TO A LONDON AGENT; Fine c.1776 E (origin unknown; fine red wax seal of an Indian? design) to a vicar at "Tiverton, Devon" but endorsed "To be left..." with a firm in London and so with a mainly very fine "LONDON/SHIP-LRE" on the front (matching "19/AV" Bishop Mark on side-flap) and the "1" rate (Ship Letter fee) changed to "2" (an extra 1d for local London postage). Unusual example of saving inland postage prior to 1800. PHOTO - see above. £100
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MILFORD - VERY RARE MANUSCRIPT "Milford" ABOVE "SHIP-LRE" WITH RARE "CURACOA" FLEURON D.S. (BRITISH OCCUPATION) ON COVER TO LONDON; Fine 29 Aug. - 2 Sept. 1811 E from "Curacoa" (Rothschild correspondence) to London "Pr Brig Clio" and charged "1/-" with a mainly very fine rare "CURACOA" Fleuron d.s. (very few examples recorded; used during the British Occupation of Dutch Guiana) nicely placed on the front alongside a very fine rare brown "SHIP-LRE" with the endorsement "Milford" above. [Ex Robertson and illustrated in his Ship Letters book (p.E212B); the only recorded example in this colour.] Superb Exhibition Item. [Ex The Cavendish 'Cymru' auction, Feb. 1990, where it realised £728 and was the front-cover illustration for that catalogue. Derek wrote it up on the album page as "one of my favourite items" and I can see why; Unique! PHOTO - see page 5. £1,000
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FALMOUTH - GREEN "CADIZ/F" DATESTAMP ON COVER TO GUERNSEY; 22 Nov. 1812 E (oddly identically addressed inside and outside) from "Alicante" to Priaulx & Co in Guernsey charged "2/2" with a very fine green "CADIZ/F" d.s. (14 Jan. 1813) nicely placed on the front. Exhibition Item. PHOTO - see page 21. £200
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FALMOUTH - GREEN "CADIZ/F" DATESTAMP ON COVER TO G.B.; 29 Sept. 1813 EL (family business letter; minor edge wear) from "Cadiz" to Manchester charged "6/6" with a mainly very fine green "CADIZ/F" d.s. (23 Oct. 1813) nicely placed on the front. PHOTO - see page 21. £150
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FALMOUTH - GREEN "AMERICA/F" DATESTAMP ON "VIA NEW YORK" COVER TO G.B.; 27 Sept. 1821 EL (long family contents - large part typed transcript - light dusting and some speckling of address panel, not affecting Falmouth mark) from "St. Marys" (Georgia? - writer gives return address as "Savannah, Georgia") to Scotland endorsed "Paid 25" (internal US postage to NY) and "via New York" and then charged "2/2" and "2/8"with a mainly very fine green "AMERICA/F" d.s. (30 Nov. 1821) on the flap. Very scarce thus. PHOTO - see page 22. £160
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LIVERPOOL - VERY RARE RED "PAID/P.S. PACKET" DATESTAMP ON "RIO-DE-JANEIRO/PAID" COVER TO U.S.; 14 Mar. 1874 env. (slightly reduced at left) to Ohio with mainly very fine red encircled British P.O. "RIO-DE-JANEIRO/PAID" c.d.s. overlapped y red manuscript "1s/2d" with a superb strike of the very rare red "PAID/LIVERPOOL/P.S. PACKET" c.d.s. (9 Apr.) on the front; there is also a red crayon "2" showing the 2d due to the US from G.B.. This "P.S." c.d.s. was very little used (most mail was sent unpaid by this "P[acific] S[team] Nav. Co. route); it is Rob.P25a (23mm diameter); only a few examples are known, all dated 1872-6. This is the first example on a British P.O. Abroad cover that we can recall having seen. [The similar Naval Bag cover with G.B. 4dx3 in Cavendish's 'Geoff Osborn' auction, June 2007 - illustrated on the Front Cover - sold for £1,840.] Important and very fine Exhibition Item. PHOTO - see inside back cover. £600
| GREAT BRITAIN - OTHER POSTAL HISTORY | |
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RARE 1d "HOUSE OF COMMONS" ENVELOPE FRONT PLUS WELLINGTON AUTOGRAPH FREE, ETC; 30 Mar. 1840 1d Black front (rebacked with closed tear that affects a single letter of the heading) unusually posted locally in London and not from Parliament but without surcharge to "Charter House" with the "To be posted at the House of Commons only./Post Paid.-ONE PENNY.-Weight not to exceed 1/2 oz." heading (Huggins setting 4B; SG £6,000 if complete) with a mainly very fine red octagon-boxed local London Post "PD/6Ev" d.s. nicely placed on the front, though without any authorising signature. Plus fine 1839 env. franked by the "[Duke of] Wellington" to Ireland, privately carried c.1833 EL from a girl (!) on "H.M.S. Victory" (at Portsmouth?), a free front and 2 pieces. (6 items) PHOTO - see page 21. £140
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RARE 1d "HOUSE OF COMMONS" ENVELOPE USED TO THE ISLE OF WIGHT; Fine 23 Mar. 1840 usage of the 1d Black env. (slight creasing and a small closed tear just affects a single letter of the heading) to "Wootton, Ryde, Isle of Wight" with the "To be posted at the House of Commons only./Post Paid.-ONE PENNY.-Weight not to exceed 1/2 oz." heading (Huggins setting 3B) with a lovely strike of the London Official Paid Crowned "PAID/+" d.s. nicely placed on the front, though without any authorising signature but having a black was "LIBRARY HOUSE OF COMMONS" seal. Fine usage. [SG £6,000; Ex Tes, 1995.] Exhibition Item. PHOTO - see inside front cover. £1,200
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G.B. 1d RED IMPERF. USED ON COVER FROM FRANCE TO G.B. "VIA SOUTHAMPTON"; Unusual and attractive 3/4 pr. 1842 EL (long family contents ref. a passage by sea, etc.) from "Le Havre de Grace" to North Shields "Via Southampton" most unusually having a 4-margin 1d Red (pl.18; pre-usage crease of lower LH corner) tied by French manuscript "9" rate and by a whisker of the mainly very fine 2-ring "LE HAVRE" c.d.s.; the letter has been correctly charged as unpaid on arrival in G.B. with a "1/7" charge (10d English rate plus 9d for the French 9 decimes charge) and there are backstamps of Paris, London & N. Shields. Rare usage of a British stamp on the Continent when people were still uncertain as to whether the British 1d rate had to be separately prepaid! Exhibition Item. [BPA 1996 cert.] PHOTO - see page 21. £300
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RARE EARLY ARCHER PERFORATION 1d RED COVER FROM JERSEY; Remarkable 25 May 1851 EL (ref. mining shares; minor faults on reverse) from ""Plaisance Terrace, Jersey" to London franked by a Henry Archer perf. 16 1d Red 'Stars' (wmk. SC; plate 98 - light ironed fold - SG £2,600 on cover) tied by a mainly fine "409" Jersey Numeral with the supporting red "JERSEY" c.d.s. on the top flap. A good early usage of this elusive Experimental Perforation stamp and extraordinary coming from the Channel Islands! Unique? [RPS 1990 cert.] PHOTO - see page 6. £750
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THE EMBOSSED "FREE" ENV. USED FROM HAMBURG WITH RARE BOXED "not paid" MARK, ETC.; Fine [c.15] Mar. 1851 usage of the privately produced env. with fancy crowned "FREE" embossed design around the space for a stamp (the word "FREE" inked over at the time) but sent unpaid with a manuscript "2" in the stamp position beside a very faint "HAMBURG" d.s. and an (apparently matching - so struck in Hamburg?) very fine boxed "not paid" with m/s "8" charge alongside; there are London and Dublin backstamps and a blue "WEXFORD" arrival c.d.s. on the front. Remarkable overseas usage of this very British envelope. [BPA 1997 cert.; ex Horst Kollrepp.] PHOTO - see page 22. £150
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EARLY PLYMOUTH-BRISTOL T.P.O. USE OF "B16" NUMERAL ON 6d MAUVE COVER, ETC.; c.1869 env. (minor faults) to Shrewsbury (part c.d.s. - "DE 13" but year missing - on reverse) in "England" with G.B. 6d Mauve (pl.8; some perf. stains) tied by a superb "B16" Numeral that had originally been issued for a Mailboat usage but was then reissued (late 1869) to the Plymouth to Bristol T.P.O. for sorting West Indian mails; this 6d stamp was issued in March 1869 so it seems very likely that this cover was sent from the West Indies in Dec. 1869 and has a very early example of the B16 Numeral used on the T.P.O. rather than on the Mailboat. Plus off-cover Jamaica 1860-70 1/- Brown (Pine wmk.; faults) with a very fine strike of the same "B16" Numeral. (2 items) PHOTO - see page 22. £140
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SCARCE ENTIRE TO BOLIVIA; 1 Jul. 1870 EL "via Panama" to Cobija franked QV 1/- (LG) & 6d (AB - small defect at base) both tied by two strikes of the Liverpool duplex with oval PAID/A marking and Cobija arrival c.d.s. on face and London transit c.d.s. on reverse. Scarce destination PHOTO - see page 22. £100
| GRENADA | |
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EARLY PRESTAMP MAIL TO G.B. INC. "GRENADA/[Crown]", ETC.; 10 Aug. 1772 E & 18 Dec. 1786 EL to London (former to "the Jamaica Coffee House" with mainly fine "DEAL/SHIP LRE" on the front (charged "7") or a partly fine (but over-written by filing notes) encircled "GRENADA/[Crown]" on the reverse (charged 1/- "P Packet"). Good pair. (2 covers) PHOTO - see page 22. £120
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EXCEPTIONAL STRIKE OF THE ENCIRCLED "GRENADA/[Crown]" ON COVER TO G.B.; 26 Oct. 1790 EL (minor wear) from "Montreuil" (details of a sugar estate in St. Patrick parish) to Glasgow "By the Packet" charged "1/-" and then "1/10" with a lovely strike of the encircled "GRENADA/[Crown]/+" mark on the flap, having a very fine 2-ring London arrival c.d.s. (11 Mar. 1791) alongside across the join. Exhibition Quality; we cannot recall having seen a finer strike of this elusive mark. PHOTO - see page 22. £300
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G.B. USED IN GRENADA - 6d LILAC WITH "A15" NUMERAL ON COVER TO G.B.; 9 Apr. 1859 E to London "P Steamer" with G.B. 6d Lilac just tied by a mainly fine "A15" Numeral (and tied by some light filing notes) with a matching very fine large "GRENADA" c.d.s. nicely placed on the top flap with the date digits unusually changed from "0 AP 0" to "9 AP 9" in contemporary manuscript. Unusual usage. PHOTO - see page 22. £150
| HAITI | |
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"VERY RARE" BRITISH P.O. "CAP-HAITIEN" C.D.S. ON LOCAL COVER TO PORT AU PRINCE; 10/11 Jan. 1849 EL (toned file fold across address-panel) with faint red crayon "6d" rate from Cape Haitien to Port au Prince with a very fine "CAP-HAITIEN" sanserif c.d.s. (Parmenter "Very rare"; very slightly affected by tiny closed tear and slight wrinkles of wafer seal) on the top flap. Few examples known; although two Crowned Circles were issued to this small P.O., they have never been recorded in use. PHOTO - see page 22. £150
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JACMEL/PORT-AU-PRINCE - G.B. ADHESIVES WITH "C59" AND "E53" CANCELLATIONS: Great Britain 1858 1d plate 130 IL & 1867 2/- HI (marginal) with"C59" cancellations. 1858 1d plate 171 QA. 1870 11/2d plate 3 TA-TC (re-joined). 1877 4d sage plate 16 JK and 1881 11/2d pair. All with "E53" cancellations. Mostly fine. SG £890 (9) £80
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"VERY RARE" BRITISH P.O. "AUX CAYES" C.D.S. ON LOCAL COVER + JACMEL COVER TO G.B.; 6 Mar. 1860 EL (minor toning) to Port au Prince (no postal rate apparent) with a very fine sanserif "-"-coded sanserif "AUX-CAYES" British P.O. c.d.s. (Parmenter "Very rare") on the lower flap; plus 27 Aug. 1850 EL to Liverpool "P Steamer" charged "1/5" with a slightly overstruck very fine large serif "JACMEL" c.d.s. on the top flap. (2 covers) PHOTO - see page 22. £140
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JACMEL - BRITISH P.O. "PAID/AT/JACMEL" CROWNED CIRCLE COVER TO ST. THOMAS; 24/26 Sept. 1861 EL (sellotape behind filing fold across address, just clear of Crowned Circle) to St. Thomas "[By] Steamer Anglais" with red crayon "8d" rate and a very fine 2-ring red "PAID/AT/JACMEL" Crowned Circle nicely placed on the front; an unusually clear strike for this elusive mark. There are Jacmel and St. Thomas British P.O. backstamps. PHOTO - see page 22. £240
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PORT-AU-PRINCE - G.B. "C59" COVER TO U.S. WITH 1/- GREEN + 6d MAUVE PAIR & ST. THOMAS F.A.C.; 5-10 July 1867 EL from Jacmel to New York but sent care of a firm in St. Thomas (whose address was crossed out in transit) with G.B. 1/- Green (pl.4) + 6d Mauve Pair (pl.5; two corner faults, one in wing margin) tied (Pair through perfs.) by fair and very fine "C59" Port au Prince Numerals with a fair red "JACMEL/PAID" c.d.s. alongside; there are two British P.O. "ST. THOMAS" backstamps (14 +29 July) alongside a very fine double-oval blue "FORWARDED BY HUNTZIG & Co./ST. THOMAS" (just affected by filing fold) with manuscript date (29 July). There is a blue crayon "30" (NY arrival charge?) on the front. Spectaular and unusual cover. PHOTO - see page 22. £300
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PORT-AU-PRINCE - 1867 G.B. 5/- WITH CENTRAL "E53" CANCELLATION: 1867 Great Britain 5/- pale rose DF plate 2 with central "E53" (type 8) cancellation. A good readable strike. SG Z56 £500 PHOTO - see page 13. £140
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JACMEL - 1867 G.B. 5/- ROSE WITH FINE "C59" CANCELLATION:1867 Great Britain 5/- rose plate 1 GA with almost complete central "C59" (type 4) cancellation. Fine SG Z30 from £500 PHOTO - see page 24. £140
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MIRAGOANE/JACMEL + PORT AU PRINCE - UNPAID COVERS TO FRANCE WITH "G.B./1F60c" OR "T/1-10"; 18/24 Mar. 1874 E to Havre "pr Royal Mail Steamer" with private 2-ring "H. JACOB & Co./MIRAGOANE (HAITI)" cachet on the front but posted from "JACMEL" (v. fine c.d.s. on reverse; the British P.O. at Miragoane was very little used - only a single c.d.s. of 1854 has been recorded!) with boxed "G.B./1F60c" and "12" arrival charge-mark; plus 10 Nov. 1879 unpaid env. to Havre with mainly v. fine British P.O. "PORT AU PRINCE" c.d.s. on the front with v. fine scarce "T/1-10" mark and "16" arrival charge-mark. Both sent via London. Good pair. (2 covers) PHOTO - see page 22. £120
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JACMEL - 1877 G.B. 4d SAGE GREEN - THE UNIQUE BLOCK OF TEN WITH "C59" CANCELLATIONS: 1877 Great Britain 4d sage-green plate 16 a marginal block of ten MG-NK with multiple "C59" (type 4) cancellations. Rejoined, creased and a little soiled. Believed to be unique, described on page 148 of S.P. Postage Stamps by Galland & Louise. Very few, if any other used multiples of this adhesive are recorded. SG Z11 £2,000 as singles, unpriced as a used block of four. Ex J.O. Griffiths. RPSL Cert (1987) PHOTO - see page 12. £750
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PORT-AU-PRINCE - SUPERB RED "PAID/AT/PORT-AU-PRINCE" CROWNED CIRCLE ON COVER TO FRANCE; Spectacular large 9 Apr. 1881 env. (minor edge wear) prepaid "11/11/2" (red crayon rate) to Paris "Pr Royal Mail Str. Don" with a blue 2-ring ender's cachet "COMPAGNIE G[ENERA]LE. TRANSATLANTIQUE/ AGENCE/DE/PORT-AU-PRINCE" (latest known date) on the front as well as a superb 2-ring red British P.O. "PAID/AT/PORT-AU-PRINCE" Crowned Circle with a small matching black c.d.s. alongside (as well as Calais a Paris TPO c.d.s.'s; there are London and Paris backstamps. An extremely high postal rate for a Crowned Circle cover. Dramatic Exhibition Item. [RPS 2004 cert.] PHOTO - see page 22. £850
| HELIGOLAND | |
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REGISTERED MAIL TO G.B. - LATE USE BRITISH 3-VALUE FRANKING; 25 July 1890 long env. (two folds clear of stamps) to Salisbury with British Heligoland 5pf+25pf+50pf all tied by two mainly very fine large "HELIGOLAND" c.d.s.'s (lower arc shortened at right), having a red "Helgoland/Eingeschreiben/R" label alongside. Colourful and attractive cover. [Signed by Peter Holcombe.] Plus unused c.1870 Money Order card. (2 items) PHOTO - see page 23. £150
| HONG KONG | |
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CHUSAN - BRITISH OFFICER'S LETTER TO G.B. VIA FRANCE WITH EARLY USE LARGE "HONG-KONG" C.D.S.; Fine 19 Nov. 1844 EL (folded to show internal heading beside address and postmarks) from Lieut. (?) Edwards to his mother in England endorsed "Overland Mail" and "Via Marseilles" unusually charged "1/5 [+] 10 [=] 2/3" on the front with a mainly very fine large serif "HONG-KONG" c.d.s. (Webb type 7, 27 Nov. 1844; filing fold) on the top flap slightly overlapped by a red London transit c.d.s. (7 Mar. 1845); a good example of the first HK datestamp used only a few months after its introduction. The long contents describe the writer's recent journeys to Shanghai and his convalescing in Chusan following his contracting fever in Hong Kong itself; he notes that there are "about 100" invalids in Chusan, but notes that "I think it very likely that we shall have some more work with the Chinese at Canton." The writer had been part of the British Expeditionary force in the 1839-42 First Opium War. PHOTO - see page 23. £300
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THE 2nd OPIUM WAR - RARE G.B. 1d REDS "A88" MAILBOAT NUMERAL COVER TO G.B. EX "[H.M.S. REYNARD, GULF OF PECHILI"; Spectaular [Aug.?] 1860 8d-rate mourning env. to Hereford "Via Marseilles" attractively franked by 8 G.B. 1d Red 'Stars' (some cut perfs.) all cancelled by light "A88" Mailboat Numerals (struck on board ship en route across the Mediterranean Sea) - one (GK) tied by indentation - with other postal marks except for a mainly fine small "HEREFORD" arrival backstamp (struck across the black mourning border but clearly dated "[18]60" - probably "SP/1.."). The front also endorsed "C.W. [?the writer's initials, presumably C. Watts] [H.M.S.] 'Reynard', Gulf of Pechili", which is the Gulf of Chihli in the Po Hai Sea near Tientsin and the Taku Forts where the British Fleet was successful in August 1860; HMS Reynard is listed as a screw sloop (1856-66) that was in that British Fleet acting against China. [This cover is probably the cause of the old confusion about the place of use of the A88 Numeral, as it was for some years listed as being used at the "Gulf of Pe-Chi-Li" (e.g. in Brumell's Numerals book).] [RPS 1999 cert. inexplicably stating that the "stamps lifted and reaffixed, cover restored", as there are no signs of this at all, and the only damage to the cover - a small tear n the flap - remains unrepaired.] Important Exhibition Item. PHOTO - see page 6. £1,200
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MARITIME AND COMPANY CANCELLATIONS ETC:1863-1935 group of adhesives with a good range of interesting cancellations inc French mail boat d.s. (17), company security chops (12), company perfins (12), Hong Kong to Macao steamer c.d.s. (3) and 1935 Jubilee 10c block of ten with Swatow Steamer cancellations. Generally clear strikes. (62) £140
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RARE "B56" MAILBOAT NUMERAL ON 10d-RATE COVER FROM "HONG KONG" TO G.B. VIA FRANCE; 12 Feb. 1866 env. (creasing affecting stamps and overall wear) from "H.M.S. Leopard" (on China Station duties 1862-66) to Scotland "via Marseilles" endorsed "Officer's Letter" and so with G.B. Small Letters 4d Vermilion & Large Letters 6d Mauve (pl.5) - both stamps creased and rubbed - both tied by a faint and a very fine rare "B56" Mailboat Numeral (struck on ship en route fro Egypt to Marseilles) but also having a fine small "HONG KONG/C" c.d.s. (12 Feb.) and Scottish arrival c.d.s. (27 Mar.) on the reverse. [RPS 1994 cert. with unhelpful comment; "probably genuine despite poor tying", which does not take into account the clear tying of both stamps by the Numerals!] Very rare usage of this elusive Numeral on a cover from Hong Kong. PHOTO - see page 23. £500
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RARE "C79" MAILBOAT NUMERAL ON 10d-RATE "OFFICER'S LETTER" COVER TO G.B.; Fine [Mar.?] 1868 env. to Scotland endorsed "Via Marseilles, Officer's Letter" from the 'Pollard' correspondence with G.B. 1d Reds (4; pl.86) + 6d Lilac (pl.6; faults) all just tied by partly fine tall "C79" Numerals [though the RPS cert. says; "Genuine as far as one can say."!], struck on the P&O 'Nyanza' en route from Egypt to France, with a very fine Dunkeld arrival backstamo of 1 June 1868. Pollard was the Commander of HMS Zebra until 6 April 1868 and the ship was stationed at Hiogo in Feb. 1868 [see Osborn's Naval Officers' Letters, pp.22/23], but there is a contemporary pencil note "Hong Kong" on the reverse, so this letter was probably mailed when the ship was back at the naval base in Hong Kong. [RPS 1989 cert.] Rare Exhibition Item; one of only a handful of recorded "C79" covers from the Far East. PHOTO - see inside front cover. £500
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TRANS-PACIFIC 8c-RATE NAMED SHIP COVER TO U.S.A.; 12 July 1873 env. to Massachusetts endorsed "P Pacific Mail Str. Quang Si" with Hong Kong 8c Orange tied by a mainly very fine "B62" Numeral with lovely red "Hong kong/c/paid all" c.d.s. and red manuscript "8" alongside; there is a San Francisco transit c.d.s. (13 Aug.) on the reverse. Attractive trans-Pacific cover. PHOTO - see page 23. £120
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