| Lot |
Symbol |
Description |
Est Price |
| ** 5 |
e |
EARLY MAIL & MARKINGS
1419 FROM VENICE TO AFRICA, remarkable early letter written in Latin, folded to minute size and then pierced through and sealed with string through all portions for security, with the string secured by wafer and impressed seal (probably of the merchant's guild), one small portion with blurring and discoloration which might be evidence of disinfection with vinegar, fine showpiece
Photo |
£300.00 |
| ** 6 |
e |
WORLD'S FIRST POSTMARK, 1459 (Oct. 17) courrier letter from Milan with embossed "Cursores Mediolanum" (Milan Courrier) seal (shaded in pencil for display), guild mark showing charges paid and blessings upon recipient, an important early postal history showpiece, ex LeBow, very fine. Note: the courier service was established by Simon Tasso, whose family later joined the Torre family, becoming postmasters of Charles V's Spain and later the famous house of Thurn & Taxis in Northern Europe.
Photo |
£1,000.00 |
| ** 7 |
e |
HISTORIC ELIZABETHAN LETTER, ca. 1580 folio sheet with boldly written warning to Sir Walter Aston that it was imperative to recapture the escaped Papist, Ffrauncis Olyver, who had been jailed in response to a law passed by Parliament in 1580 making attempted conversion to the Catholic faith a treasonable offense. Written and signed by Rev. George Boleyn, Dean of Lichfield (1576-1603) and relative of Anne Boleyn (wife of Henry VIII and mother of Elizabeth I), privately carried as was nearly all correspondence in the realm, fine, ex Robson Lowe collection, full transcription enclosed.
Photo |
£250.00 |
| ** 8 |
e |
VENETIAN DUCAL MAIL, 1632 letter on vellum (parchment) from Francisco Erizzo, Doge of Venice, to his envoy Antonio Longo at Verona, ordering the arrest of a money forger to be hanged "between the two columns of the Divine Martyrs" (the Venetian place of execution), with rare lead seal used exclusively on ducal mail on its original cord, excellent condition and important content, ex LeBow (lot 2035, realised $4,400)
Photo |
£1,000.00 |
| ** 9 |
e |
HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR LEOPOLD I IMPERIAL LETTER, 1693, printed document (dated Dec. 17, 1692 but docketed received 16 March 1693), signed by Emperor Leopold I and countersigned by his chancellor, T.H. von Staitmann, to Franz Antonini de Albertis of the Tyrol, regarding recent and future threats to the empire, and convoking a Parliament for April 6 at Innsbruck. With elaborate calligraphic address and spectacular embossed intact wafer seal, ex Robson Lowe and LeBow, very fine.
Photo |
£500.00 |
| ** 10 |
e |
SWEDEN FEATHER LETTERS, 1807-40, three folded covers with wax seals, earliest with single ms. line and stylised birds for fast service, second (1827) with double line, and last with three wax seals with feathers (very fast service desired), an important pre-cursor of modern "special delivery" and express mail, very fine, ex LeBow
Photo |
£300.00 |
| ** 11 |
e |
THE BOTTLE LETTER THAT HELPED PROVOKE A WAR, 1806 letter recounting his experiences from American seaman impressed into service on British sloop of war "Pethel" corked into a bottle and tossed overboard somewhere in the Caribbean, carried to the coast of North Carolina, found and delivered to Collector of Customs at Baltimore and accompanied by that worthy's letter to the Collector at New York, with red "Balte. Md. JUN 9" cds and ms. "34" rate.
The text of the bottle letter reads, in part, "...we was brought to by the above Vesel and after undergoing many Species of Insult myself & three others ... all native Americans were ordered on board which we refused & on so doing was beaten & Kicked into the Boat, was then thrown into Irons for ten days ... (we agreed to enter their service) & Embrace the first Opportunity that Occured to free us from the Slavery in which we was involved..."
UNIQUE and historic witness to the British impressment of American sailors, one of the principal grievances leading to the War of 1812. Ex Frajola and LeBow (lot 3007, realised $27,500)
Photo |
£10,000.00 |
| ** 12 |
e |
MAILED VIA EARLY MAIL STEAMER, THE "ROBERT FULTON" - Two USA folded letters, 1821-22, to Boston or Portsmouth, N.H. each with red NEW-YORK c.d.s and "SHIP" h.s. with ms. 20 1/2 rates and endorsed for carriage by the "Fulton" (which made only 18 trips in all among New York, Charleston, Havana and New Orleans) which was named in honour of the inventor of the first practical steamboat, the "Clemont," in 1809. Both covers with file creases else fresh and fine, an important lot for the avid ship mail collector.
Photo 1 Photo 2 |
£500.00 |
| ** 13 |
e |
"CARE OF MR. WAGHORN / SUEZ" - 1837 folded letter from Calcutta datelined Aug. 5, sent to London per "Berenici Steamer Via Suez" with boxed departure rate h.s. on reverse (4.10 total) and red italic "Purifiee..." h.s., obverse with superb strike of oval Waghorn cachet plus boxed "INDES ORIEN. PAR ALEXANDRIE" and Alexandria French Post c.d.s. (27 Oct. 1837), total 13/- due on arrival, two neat disinfection slits, a spectacular showpiece, very fine. See article "Odyssey of a Letter" published in the Postal History Journal, October 1979.
Photo |
£2,000.00 |
| ** 14 |
e |
-- 1838 folded letter from Calcutta datelined 21 October, sent to Bordeaux "Via Bombay & Suez" with octagonal Calcutta Steam Letter Paid b.s. (dated Nov. 20 with ms. 2/4 paid), obverse with superb strike of oval Waghorn cachet plus boxed "INDES ORIEN. PAR ALEXANDRIE" and Alexandria French Post c.d.s. (27 Dec. 1838) as well as circular Malta "Purifie Aux Lazaret" h.s., red boxed "INDIA" and black "Paquebots de la Mediterranee" h.s., total 28 decimes due on arrival, two neat disinfection slits, an important showpiece showing a "French connection" to the Waghorn story, very fine.
Photo |
£3,000.00 |
| ** 15 |
e |
-- 1837, Two neat strikes of linear "CARE of Mr. WAGHORN / ALEXANDRIA" h.s. on folded letter from London to Calcutta, double-line boxed St. JAMES St." h.s. with c.d.s. (15 July) on reverse, sent "Via Marseilles" and with double 22a. rate prepaid (oval red "P.D." h.s.). Boxed Bombay Steam Letter b.s. (21 Nov.) and final Calcutta b.s. of Dec. 7. Fewer than 100 Waghorn letters from London to India known, very fine.
Photo |
£1,500.00 |
| ** 16 |
e |
FAR EAST TO EUROPE VIA SUEZ: Two months, eleven days. 1847 Folded letter from Manila (Nunez type 8 c.d.s. of 16 Set. 1847) to Madrid, ornate "FRANCO" h.s. and "6" ms. rate, endorsed "Via del Istmo." and backstamped at Aljeciras (Lower Andalucia) on 20 Nov. and at Madrid on the 27th.
Photo |
£50.00 |
| ** 17 |
e |
STAGECOACH MAIL, Argentina, ca. 1850 folded cover to Buenos Aires from Sto. Domingo with spectacular pictorial strike in oval of the "Mensagerias Argentinas," also "FRANCA" in fancy ribbon, very rare and important showpiece, ex Emerson (1940 auction), hint of ageing else very fine.
Photo |
£300.00 |
| ** 18 |
e |
-- Mexico, 1859 folded letter from Toluca to Mexico City, superb strike of pictorial "Diligencias Generales / Linea de Toluca" oval, plus ornate "GRATIS" oval, 1978 MEPSI cert. signed J.K. Bash with pencil note by him, "A lovely item," ex Rubio, very fine and rare showpiece.
Photo |
£250.00 |
| ** 19 |
e |
CARRIED BY LAST WOODEN CUNARD STEAMSHIP, 1851-52, two folded letters (one originating at Amsterdam) from Liverpool (octagonal-end d.s. in red) to New York (red rocking "21 CENTS" or "5" rate h.s. plus diff. curved "PAID"), one with tears along file folds else fine. Both carried by the Cunard Line "Africa," a paddle wheel steamer and the last wooden ship used by Cunard.
Photo |
£100.00 |
| ** 20 |
e |
"CANOE BRIGADE" MAIL FROM CANADA, 1852 Folded letter datelined "Norway House" (major trading post at the head of Lake Winnipeg), carried part of the way to Montreal via group of canoes travelling together for safety over lakes and rivers, with "STE MARIE / Mich." cds applied en route in USA and red Montreal receiver, "paid 5d" changed to "10" in ms. and circled "6D" h.s., fine and scarce use showing Canadian internal mail routed partly via USA and also carried by the "canoe brigade."
Photo |
£250.00 |
| ** 21 |
e |
"STEAM BOAT LETTERS" DROPPED AT QUEBEC, 1854 (June 10 & 16), two folded letters from Captain Crawford of the "Glencairne" to his ship's owners in Montreal, first with ms. "3" and black (unpaid) c.d.s. of "STEAM-BOAT-LETTER / - QUEBEC -", other with similar in red (paid mail) and h.s. "3" in black, file folds, delightful lot, fine.
Photo |
£100.00 |
| Lot |
Symbol |
Description |
Est Price |
| ** 25 |
e |
FIRST PRINTING TELEGRAPH (USA),1851 elaborate imprinted envelope for House's Printing Telegraph plus original printed message from Boston to Philadelphia with "75 col" ms. denoting 75c. charge (a princely sum 25 times the single letter rate!), illustrated by Seron (pg. 157), an important precursor of many future non-postal means of communication "by wire."
Photo |
£200.00 |
| ** 26 |
**4+ |
CARRIED BY BICYCLE MAIL, Coolgardie Cycle Express (Western Australia) of J.A. Healy, 1894 "Bicycle" issue in complete sheets of 35 of the 1/- and 2/6 values, only four sets in complete sheets recorded, disturbed ("sweated") o.g. and few toned specks in sheet margins only. Extremely rare and important showpieces for the thematic specialist, fresh and fine
Photo |
£3,000.00 |
| ** 27 |
e |
-- 1896 3rd Issue (showing camel & rider), 1897 advertising postcard for the enterprise with 2/- value tied to reverse by dark violet 2-line h.s., message states, "These are unique and in time will become rare to Stamp Collectors..." and addressed "To Aunt Mary," an extremely scarce souvenir usage (stamps were in use per Hurt & Williams for "only about two days"), also complete unused set of three (part o.g.), card with crease and small scuff else fine
Photo |
£1,500.00 |
| ** 28 |
e |
-- Coolgardie 1894 issue, three items with 1/- or 2/- "Bicycles" tied by two-line violet Coolgardie cancels, incl. 1896 outbound cover (to Sydney, other franking missing) with 1/- tied by Noresman, W.A. c.d.s. and with Esperance, W.A. transit and Sydney, N.S.W. b.s., plus inbound front with with 1/- "Bicycle" and S.A. 2d. tied, also 2/- similarly tied to 1899 inward cover via Coolgardie and with W.A. 2d. Swan tied at Albany, W.A. (with Coolgardie postal b.s. and elaborate oval cachet of the proprietor of the Bicycle Service on reverse), an extremely rare offering though in somewhat mixed condition as invariably found.
Photo
|
£5,000.00 |
| ** 29 |
e |
-- USA: Fresno & San Francisco Bicycle Mail Route, first issue (spelling error "Fransisco") tied by faint bars cancel and San Francisco duplex to USA 2c. entire, with elaborate h.s. pictorial ad for the service on reverse dated July 10, 1894, San Francisco cancels dated the 12th, scarce and very fine (Scott 12L1)
Photo |
£500.00 |
| ** 30 |
*4+ |
-- Second issue (corrected spelling), full pane of 6 and another pane imperf. vertically (very rare; ex Birkinbine, not priced by Scott), also reprint (pane of four) from defaced die, signed by the originator, Arthur C. Banta. Fine and elusive coverage of this issue (Scott 12L2 & 12L2a)
Photo |
£300.00 |
| ** 31 |
e |
CAMEL POST, Sudan 1903 "Camel Postman" with inverted "5 Milliemes" ovpt. (SG 29a) tied to cover by Khartoum c.d.s. (14.XII), signed Holcombe and with 1903 R.P.S. cert., cover fold and very trivial ageing else fine and quite scarce
Photo |
£500.00 |
| ** 32 |
O |
EXPRESS COMPANIES, Victoria (Australia) W. McCulloch & Co. Parcels Express, two of the rarest "cinderellas" of the world, the 6d. Rose inscribed "Registered B" and the 6d. Green "Registered C," with only two examples of each known, cancelled by ink smudges, first with defective corner and both a bit wrinkled, good colours, fine overall
Photo |
£1,000.00 |
| ** 33 |
e |
-- USA "Pacific Stage & Express Co." pictorial frank with "PAID." and showing stagecoach with 3 pairs of horses, on yellow env. with three 2c. "Black Jacks" (mute target cancels) partly tied by "REGISTERED" h.s. (ms. numbers at bottom left), San Francisco c.d.s. (13 March 1865), two large "Z" h.s., sent to New York and endorsed "pr. steamer via Panama," one stamp creased, ex Willard and Haas, a magnificent Western Express showpiece, fine, 1968 P.F. cert. signed by John R. Boker Jr.
Photo |
£2,500.00 |
| ** 34 |
e |
-- "The Star of the Union" stagecoach company pictorial imprint (inscribed "Overland via Los Angeles / US Mail") on cover from San Francisco (Nov. 23, 1865 c.d.s. ties 1861 3c.) to Marietta, San Joaquin County, very scarce express company frank, small tear at top center of env. else very fine
Photo |
£500.00 |
| ** 35 |
e |
-- Wells, Fargo & Co. imprint on USA 3c. entire posted at Virginia City, Nevada Territory (thus 1864 or earlier use; dated Nov. 19) sent to New York and inscribed "Over Land Mail," with New York arrival c.d.s. (one month later) and 6-point star cancel, fine and unusual usage
Photo |
£75.00 |
| ** 36 |
* |
-- Boyd's Express Despatch (Victoria, Australia), six examples of "Despatch Stamp" in green used, two with part o.g., mixed condition, also USA Boyd's City Express local (faults) on 1849 NY & Phila. R.R. cover. The founder of the N.Y. company was the grandfather of the proprietor of the Victoria firm (located in Melbourne and active 1894-1910).
Photo |
£100.00 |
| ** 37 |
e |
RAILROADS & TROLLEYS, USA, 1875 "Railroad Business" cover to Los Angeles carried by Southern Pacific R.R. to end of the existing line, then by Wells, Fargo stagecoach the rest of the way, with imprints for both and "Office of Chief Engineer / S.P.R.R.CO." dated oval h.s. (July 26, 1875), another strike on reverse, reduced very slightly at right, fine and uncommon.
Note: the trans-Continental tracks to the small hamlet of Los Angeles were still under construction at the time.
Photo |
£250.00 |
| ** 38 |
e |
-- USA R.P.O., Trolley and Collection Wagons, ca. 1865 to 1909, eleven covers or cards with various exhibit-quality cancels incl. Eastern R.R. on 3c. Nesbitt entire, Boston & Cape Cod R.R. on cover with 3c. 1861, later incl. one delivered to final destination by Wells, Fargo and two R.P.O. streetcar covers and one Collecting Wagon, a good lot for the variety included.
Photo |
£300.00 |
| ** 39 |
e |
-- 1883 ORIENT EXPRESS, red adhesive, Die I (uncancelled) paying supplementary fee on cover franked with Germany 20pf. tied by K.D.O.P.A. Constantinopel FORERUNNER c.d.s. dated 22.7.1883 at 11-12 A.M., backstamped at Zweibrucken (Pfalz), Germany on the 25th at "6 Nm" thus in transit only 72 hours (believed possible only with the "Orient Express"), thus this is believed to be the earliest known use of an "Express D'Orient" label.
Photo |
£300.00 |
| ** 40 |
e |
WARTIME CENSORED MAIL, diverse lot incl. 1916 N.W.P.I. reg'd to USA, 1940 New Guinea to N.Z. dual censored, others from Morocco incl. one via USA diplomatic pouch with "MA from FC" boxed h.s., five covers in all, useful.
Photo |
£100.00 |
| Lot |
Symbol |
Description |
Est Price |
| ** 41 |
e |
USA INLAND WATERWAY CANCELS, 3 items incl. Buffalo, N.Y. stampless with blue c.d.s. and superb fancy "BUFFALO / NY / STEAM BOAT / 10 CTS" handstamp (Erie Canal mail), also circa 1855 3c. Nesbitt entire with "...Evening Packet" D.S. Mattingly c.d.s. (Mississippi River mail) and later 3c. entire with 1872 "Str. BEN FRANKLIN / U.S. MAIL LINE" clerk's c.d.s. (Ohio River mail), scarce and fine.
Photo |
£150.00 |
| ** 42 |
O |
TRINIDAD'S "LADY McLEOD" - the first stamp issued in a British Colony, 1847 (5c.) Blue, clear to generous margins all around and neat pen cross cancel, a premium example, cert. R.P.S. (1946), fine, ex Amundsen
Note: the "Lady McLeod" adhesive was issued in April while the first , "Post Office" issue of Mauritius (the first governmental issue of any British Colony) was issued in September.
Photo
|
£2,500.00 |
| ** 43 |
e |
-- 5c. "Lady McLeod" with margins all around save at bottom left, with customary pen cross, on folded letter (small repair at top centre) from Port of Spain to San Fernando written July 1, 1847, fine and attractive, certs. R.P.S. & B.P.A., ex Seybold (usual large h.s. on back) and van Dieten.
Photo |
£10,000.00 |
| ** 44 |
e |
-- 5c. "Lady McLeod" with margins all around save at left, with customary pen cross, on folded letter (heavy file fold) from San Fernando to Port of Spain written August 28, 1847, fine for these rare covers, signed Raybaudi, Holcombe and Colla (with certs. from the last two)
Photo |
£10,000.00 |
| ** 45 |
e |
Carried by Ship
CARRIED "VIA NICARAGUA" - Accessory Transit Co. of Nicaragua boxed h.s. (used before 1860) on cover to Maine franked by generously miscut pair of USA 3c. 1851 imperfs. with bold but uneven "STEAM / SHIP" cancel, probably originating in San Francisco, stamps with good to clear margins, one of the finest quality covers with this scarce transit, reverse with illustration-quality large oval h.s. of J.W. Sullivan's Newspaper Office (agent for the Nicaragua transit route who supplied the pre-stamped envelopes), ex White, Emerson and Knapp, very fine, cert. R.P.S. (1989) The mail crossed the 18 kilometers from Pacific to Atlantic over Nicaragua by mule.
Note: Nicaragua was long under consideration as an alternative to Panama (then under British control) as a route across Central America for mail from one coast of the USA to the other.
Photo |
£750.00 |
| ** 46 |
*4+ |
USA STEAMSHIP LOCAL, 1861 Prince's Letter Dispatch (the only USA local issued for carriage by steamship), full sheet of 40 with nearly all u.m., couple trivial marginal faults else very fresh and fine, cert. P.F. (Scott 122L1)
Photo |
£300.00 |
| ** 47 |
O |
-- Prince's Letter Despatch issue with black Boston and blue serrated oval company cancels, cert. P.F. mentions thin spots, fine appearing, also large red Prince's label picturing the steamer (rare) and 1865 receipt for carriage of large amount of gold dollars by "Prince's Express," fine overall. Ex Caspari. |
£150.00 |
| ** 48 |
t |
-- Prince's Letter Despatch issue tied with black Boston duplex together with 1861 3c. value to cover front to Rhinebeck, N.Y., stamp with close to ample margins, rare usage, attractive and fine overall (Scott $8,000 for cover).
Photo |
£500.00 |
| ** 49 |
e |
USA CIVIL WAR BLOCKADE RUNNER COVER, 1864 cover with original cross-written contents (fascinating contents of life at Charleston under siege and shelling, and Union attempts to regain Ft. Sumter; transcription enclosed) written at Fort Pemberton on 21 July 1864, addressed to writer's wife care of Liverpool, carried from Charleston to Nassau, Bahamas on the blockade runner S.S. "Druid Tilton," with Nassau b.s. (Aug. 3) and Liverpool receiver (12 SP) and h.s. "2/-" rate. Manuscript "No. 35" (refers to writer's sequence - if one number did not arrive, it would be evident it had been seized). The letter waited at Nassau for the "Corsica" which took mail and cotton to New York (recorded arrival Aug. 26) and the letter went on through Boston to Liverpool on the S.S. "Asia." An important and rare example of "blockade runner" mail with historic content.
Photo |
£7,500.00 |
| ** 50 |
e |
DANUBE STEAM NAVIGATION CO. MAIL, 1867 folded letter with 17k. Red tied by blue Calafat (Romania) c.d.s. and sent to Braila, plus 1869 folded letter with 10k. Green tied by Sistov (Bulgaria) agent's oval and sent to Orsova, fresh and fine.
Photo 1 Photo 2 |
£300.00 |
| ** 51 |
* |
SUEZ CANAL ISSUES, 1868 Issue set of four, 1c marginal, 40c. no gum, 20c. & 40c. with surface scuffs, also 20c. fresh BLOCK OF 15 (o.g., creases, one stamp with small tear), useful, fine overall (SG £1575)
Photo |
£350.00 |
| ** 52 |
* |
MURRAY'S STEAM NAVIGATION CO. - 1869 (circa) unused set of 5 incl. both 1/2d. (inscribed "PENNY" or "PENCE"), faults (trivial to severe), very rare (Robson Lowe 2-5) |
£450.00 |
| ** 53 |
e |
GERMAN NEW GUINEA SHIP DISASTER, 1891 Forerunner cover franked by unoverprinted strip of four Germany 10pf. lightly cancelled 11 April 1891 at Stephansort, sent to Germany aboard the "Ottilie" which sank en route, with the mail recovered and forwarded on the steamer "Schwalbe" via Singapore, arriving at Dresden only on 30 June. Treated as unpaid because by then the "forerunner" stamps were no longer valid (and no longer tolerated) and charged "80" (pf.) due (double deficiency). Tiny franking faults, fine and compelling item of true colonial postal history, cert. Dr. Steuer.
Photo
|
£500.00 |
| ** 54 |
e |
1902 USA "BOTTLE MAIL," 1c. McKinley postal card with message requesting finder to drop it in the mail with report of where found, originally rolled up and bottled, then dropped from the Staten Island Ferry on 14 September. The finder posted it from Elberon, N.J. two days later and in turn, asked for it to be returned to her as a souvenir. With letter of transmittal from Commander of US Navy Hydrographic Office in Washington, D.C. acknowledging receipt of a copy from the amateur hydrographer. Fine, uncommon and interesting items.
Photo |
£200.00 |
| ** 55 |
e |
1896 JEAFFRESON-FARNHAM ARCTIC EXPEDITION, cacheted cover plus matching lettersheet (each showing "Nordkap") written and signed by Jeaffreson from Amsterdam Island (80 degrees N. Lat.), cover franked by Norway 20o plus five diff. Bypost issues (Hammerfest, Spidsbergen, Tromso, Vadso and Vardo), most tied by Advent Bay, Hammerfest or 29 VII 96 Nordlands Post Exp. cancels (one by ms. "Vardo"), Aug. 4 English backstamp, odd short or toned perf. and trivial cover edge tears else fine and very scarce early Polar item.
Photo |
£750.00 |
| ** 56 |
e |
1908 BRITISH ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION, Cover plus original letter (docketed "Approaching the Pack Ice / January 13th 1908") using S.Y. "Nimrod" stationery, written in pencil (a "PS" states, "It is hopeless trying to use ink") by a crew member and praising Shackleton's spirit and leadership, the virtues (and death of one) of the ponies, as well as reporting "one continuing gale" since the addressee left them at Lyttleton. The cover, with expedition imprint, is franked by the King Edward VII Land 1d. tied by B.A.E. c.d.s. of Feb. 3 1908 and with Lyttleton transit (7 March) and Brigg (England) b.s. (18 April). Cover somewhat foxed and with env. tears and fold, letter pristine, an important document from the expedition accompanied by four original pencil-annotated photos incl. one of Shackleton with Chief Engineer Dunlop.
Photo |
£1,000.00 |
| ** 57 |
e |
1912 SCOTT & 1913 MAWSON ANTARCTIC EXPEDITIONS, doubly used cover first franked with 1d. "VICTORIA LAND." issue tied by B.A.E. 3 March 1912 c.d.s. thus from the second Scott expedition, then re-used on the 1913 Australian Antarctic Expedition (light 2-line cachet) under Mawson with "Loose Ship's Letter" pictorial h.s. of the S.Y. "Aurora" and signature of the ship's Commander, with Tasmania 1d. franking cancelled at Hobart (11 March 1913) on the day of the A.A.E.'s return to civilisation. Fine and uncommon double usage.
Photo |
£1,000.00 |
| ** 58 |
P |
-- 1972 Ross Dependency Pictorials, 6 diff. master die proofs in issued colours, the unique set from the Format archives so with printer's ink fingerprints, etc., also 1979-81 Australian Antarctic Dependency pictorials depicting early Antarctic ships, five diff. 25c or 30c artist's photographically reduced essays (for issued 2c, 10c, 40c, 45c & 50c values), ex Ray Chapman (his h.s. on reverse), with issued stamps for comparison, fine.
Photo |
£1,200.00 |
| ** 59 |
e |
JAPANESE OCCUPATION OF CAROLINE ISLANDS - WARSHIP MAIL, 1916 naval fieldpost stampless cover with boxed red Japanese "Fieldpost" h.s. plus "No. 6 Warship Post" c.d.s. dated "3.10.24" (= 24 October 1914) with 26 October b.s. in Japan. Reverse has docketing "On Board the Japanese Imperial Warship Kawachi / 22 October." The ship operated from the newly-occupied Caroline and Marshall Islands, establishing garrisons and bases; original letter enclosed. While covers from any of the islands seized by Japan from Germany are very scarce from the 1915 onwards, one from the early days of the Occupation is exceptionally rare, as noted by the 1998 Eichhorn BPP certificate ("Postgeschichtliche Raritat von ausserordentlichem Rang"). Fine and quite attractive, with bold calligraphy.
Photo |
£2,000.00 |
| ** 60 |
e |
GERMAN U-BOAT MAIL - WORLD WAR I, 1917 cover originally posted at Waiblingen (8 Jan.) and addressed to USA, endorsed "Tauchbootbrief nach Bremen" and showing superb strike of pictorial Bremen 1 / D.O.R. c.d.s. (16 Jan.) with large 3-line "Zuruck" h.s. explaining that due to the end of the U-Boat service it was being returned to sender. The U-Boat mail was an attempt to break the Allied blockade of Germany, but due to the deterioration of relations (and imminent resumption of unlimited submarine warfare) the third trans-Atlantic trip of the submarine "Deutschland" was cancelled, and the submarine fee refunded ("Tauchbootgebuhr erstattet" ms. at left). Fine and scarce showpiece, also showing discrete censor h.s. below the Bremen c.d.s.
Photo |
£150.00 |
| ** 61 |
e |
TONGA TIN CAN MAIL, useful lot of three items: 1934 (Aug. 13) outward and 1938 INWARD (scarce) from Buenos Aires, plus 1962 Tin Can Canoe Mail, variety of cachets, fine group
Photo |
£50.00 |
| ** 62 |
e |
BALANCE of Water-Borne Mail, 1821-67, six trans-Atlantic showing variety of rates and h.s., plus two from Nova Scotia to USA via Boston and one France to London with scarcer crowned (type H) ship letter d.s., all stampless, also 1867 cover from Spain with two 4c. as franking plus superb ornate pictorial "CARRIL" h.s. showing steamship, nice and highly diverse group, examine (10 covers).
Photo 1 Photo 2 |
£200.00 |
