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;) | ST. KITTS PAID (used during shortage 2½d stamps for the under 300 sea miles rate) to ANTIGUA. 1889 stampless cover to Joe Goodwin, High Street, (St. John's), Antigua with the (2½d) rate covered by black undated ST. KITTS PAID with ST. KITTS C/DE 12 89 despatch being the latest known date of use. Frontal vertical fold and with no arrival backstamp which is consistent with covers to Antigua at this time. Ex FORSYTH, BROOKES. The 1889 shortage of ½d, 1d, 2½d, 4d stamps currently spans a 22 day period NO 21 1889 to DE 12 1889. New supplies were invoiced NO 29 1889 comprising ½d dull green (6,080 stamps), 1d carmine-rose, 2½d ultramarine, 4d grey (6,100 each) all Crown CA wmk, with expected arrival in time for the DE 19 89 sailing to UK. Only four covers and two cover fronts are recorded comprising NO 21 89 (at the over 300 miles rate) to Trinidad, NO 21 89 and DE 5 89 cover fronts (at the 4d UPU rate) to Edinburgh and London respectively, DE 5 89 and DE 12 89 (at the 2½d under 300 miles radius rate) to Barbados and Antigua respectively, and DE 10 89 (at the 1d local rate) to Nevis. £1250 |
;) ;) ;) | VICTORIOUS "PORTLAND" RAN AGROUND in RIVER SHANNON and STRANDED, ANTIGUA INTERRUPTED PACKET MAIL This entire is headed “Antigua 28th Octr 1796” and marked “by Portland packet” from the Tudway correspondence to Wells, Somersetshire with handstruck S:KITTS rated 2/- changed 3/2. The “Portland” had left Falmouth with the mails for the Leeward Islands on AU 29 1796 and when off Barbados was attacked by a French privateer in which she beat off the attacker and preserved the mails. The Cook, William Thomson, lost a leg during the fighting and subsequently died of his injuries. In calm seas, near Guadeloupe, another armed privateer, the “Temeraire”, of much superior force gave chase. At daylight on October 18th the enemy hoisted her French colours and came alongside to board. The Master, Nathaniel Taylor, organised the passengers to open their musquetry upon her killing or wounding 41 of 68 on board. Captain Taylor was killed in the moment of victory. The “Temeraire” was taken into Montserrat as a prize, and the “Portland” left St. Kitts on 30th October bound Falmouth. Due a shortage of fresh water she put into the River Shannon on the west coast of Ireland on 6th January 1797. Sailing shortly after she had to put back because of bad weather, and whilst sheltering she was driven from her moorings and higher up the river ran aground. Stranded and waiting to be refloated on the Spring Tides she eventually arrived at Falmouth on 25th March. In the interim the Mate, Richard Leonard, personally took the mails from Limerick to London and they were placed in the post JA 14 97 per backstamp. This is the first recorded “Portland” interrupted mail entire clearly documenting its journey. The full story can be found in “The History of the Sailing Packets to the West Indies” by Len Britnor Pages 72-73 published by the BWI Study Circle 1973. £2250 |
;) | MONTSERRAT taken to ST. CHRISTOPHER for posting to BARBADOS postal history 1876 cover endorsed "J.S. Hollings Montserrat W.I" at lower left from the known correspondence to James Sanderson, Bridgetown, Barbados conveyed "loose" (as too late for sealed bag) by the Cassin contract mailboat to St. Kitts where inter-island rate QV 6d green affixed and tied by dumb circled single central bar cancel with ST. KITTS JY 13 76 despatch rated red "4". An exquisite and most unusual exhibition piece. Ex HART. TOO LATE FOR INCLUSION FIRST SAILING OF JY 12 1876 BEARING MONTSERRAT 1st PRINTING QV 1d, 6d ADHESIVES: The 1st printings Montserrat QV 1d red (13,200 stamps) and QV 6d green (6,960 stamps) Crown CC Perf.14 were invoiced JU 12 1876 and would have arrived in time for the JY 12 1876 first sailing bearing Montserrat's own adhesives. Montserrat had lost its steamer service in 1852 and for many years thereafter the mails were conveyed to and from St. Kitts by means of sailing vessels. From SP 26 1864 to DE 31 1879 Frederick Slater Cassin, of Antigua, held the contract to convey the mails between St. Kitts, Nevis and Montserrat, for which he received a subsidy of £490 a year. £4250 |
;) ;) ;) ;) | ST. BARTHELEMY taken to St. CHRISTOPHER for posting to TURKS ISLANDS postal history 1879 entire headed "St Barths 11 Septr 1879" to The Post Master, Grand Turk, Turks Islands, enclosing a letter for Mr. Gibbs (presumed George Gibbs, the Salt Merchant, and Commission and Forwarding Agent at Grand Turk). Conveyed to neighbouring St. Christopher for onward transit where QV 6d green affixed and tied by the "APMY" dumb cds with weak ST. KITTS despatch (thought SP 12 79), rated red "4". On arrival most unusually handstruck internally with pristine TURK'S-ISLAND code removed/OC 10 79 cds probably as a record of receipt to show date acted upon for any future reference. Additionally unique for being the only known St. Christopher UPU member cover to a non-UPU member commanding a 6d rate (St. Christopher was full member from JY 1 1879, Turks Islands did not join the UPU until JA 1 1881). An exceptional showpiece conveyed through British Colonial Post Offices during the second year of French reoccupation. On NO 26 1781 St. Eustatius was captured by the French under Marquis De Bouille, St. Martin was seized the following day, and Saba and St. Bartholomew soon after. The latter island remained French until 1784 when it was suddenly sold by one of Louis XVI's ministers to Sweden in exchange for trading rights in the Swedish port of Gothenburg. In 1877 France bought back the island from Sweden for 400,000 francs with the agreement ratifield in Stockholm NO 9 1877 and in Paris MR 4 1878. On MR 16 1878 the French officially reoccupied St. Barthelemy. A census in 1875 indicated there were around 2,300 inhabitants on the island. (Note: this is similar to the expectation of how a Cayman Island cover for the period would travel, if one existed, and equally as rare). £12500 |
;) | Exceptionally rare "BOTH WAYS" COMBINATION COVER, VICTORIA postal history 1858 cover with GB QV 6d pmk'd London S.W. duplex dated DE 21 58 to Melbourne, South Australia arriving MR 20 59, returned with tied 6d Queen on Throne to Shinfield, Reading. Soiling with some perf. toning. 144 days total in the mails. By THAMES Southampton JA 12 59 to Alexandria, COLUMBIAN sailed JA 30 from Suez to Melbourne MR 20 59. Back home by P&O MALTA Melbourne AP 18 to Suez, CEYLON Alexandria to Southampton JU 10 1859. Mail 89 days out, 54 home. £425 |
;) ;) | The UNIQUE QV 1d red INVERTED "S" cover, Montserrat postal history (Ex THOMPSON) 1886 commercial cover to Mrs. Witham, Basseterre, St. Kitts with accepted by Post Office and correctly tied diagonally bisected QV 1d red (SG.8ca) with full QV 1d red with INVERTED "S" (SG.8a) alongside partly pmk'd identically inked "A08" with both MONTSERRAT A/JA 23 86 despatch and ST. KITTS C/JA 29 86 alongside address panel. A further 1d stamp, making up the 2½d inter-island rate, was lost during transit or subsequently removed, peripheral faults. Ex THOMPSON (1977). This Perf. 14 bisect Cat.£1300 on cover, Inverted "S" Cat.£1000 and rated from x12 on cover. Sir Edward Bacon whilst examining a full sheet of 120 stamps established that the Setting was twice arranged in five horizontal rows with the inverted "S" appearing Stamp No.3 in both 2nd and 7th rows. £2500 |
;) | ST. CHRISTOPHER postal history Originally an exceptionally rare and wonderful unique franking to The Right Reverend Bishop Potter in New York which had six QV 1d magenta P.14 (SG.6) pmk'd worn use of the APMY killer plus ST. KITTS MR 30 78 despatch and New York APR 17 DUE 5c duplex on face with red crayon "4" showing sea post paid. You can either enjoy a distressed cover with single 1d removed or perhaps improve by adding, by hinge, a suitable stamp of matching shade and postmark. £625 |
;) | AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE CASE OF "O.R." (Official Registration), Victoria postal history 1876 interrupted mail cover to Horse Shoe Bend with QV 1d, 2d pmk'd Sandhurst "4" duplex dated B/MY 29 76. Marked in manuscript "O.R." (Officially Registered) as it contained something of value contrary to law with two strikes framed REGISTERED and oval MORE TO PAY appended "6d" in matching ink. Some faults, soiling and backstamped Redesdale Victoria MY 30 76 clear of missing flap. RPSV Certificate (2008). The expectation is that the survival rate of Officially Registered covers, because they contained coin or other valuables, for the pre-1885 adhesive period is approximately 1 within every 10,000. This means that most countries can offer no examples. For the whole of the British West Indies group I record only one cover which was compulsorily registered. £2250 |
;) ;) ;) | SAILOR'S LETTER WITH CONCESSION RATE PAID BY 1d COIN, Antigua postal history 1845 entire headed May 26th 1845 from John King, Master at Arms on board Her Majesty's Ship Pique, Antigua (a naval soldier responsible for discipline and law enforcement aboard a ship) countersigned Horace Baker (Lieutenant & Commanding Officer) to his wife in Devonshire Buildings in Bath without the customary manuscript "1d paid" in red ink (as applied on land) but with his last ("my last") GB QV 1d coin sewn alongside the address panel confirmed by London PAID JU 20 1845 transit (not deemed overweight or subject to additional charge). Although a few dozen Soldier's Letters are recorded for the prestamp period this seems to be the only recorded accepted stampless Sailor's Letter from the BWI prior 1850. Contents include mention of discovery that the Foremast is so rotten, and a portion sent to the Admiralty with expectation of being ordered Home by September unless the mast is ordered to be built at Halifax or Port Royal "which I do not think they will do now the ship is three years in Commission". (Between 1841 and 1846 Pique, a sailing frigate with 36 guns, served on the North America and West Indies Station, on 10 March 1842 the Illustrious (see David Pitts lots 39, 159), with the Pique, Fair Rosamond and Spitfire departed Barbados for Antigua and Jamaica). A scan of the entire has been mounted on card and an actual 1845 1d coin has been sewn on with hemp, using the original 7 in and 7 out needle holes, to simulate how it could have looked, although it was on reverse in actual transit. Only one other BWI prepayment by sewn 1d coin entire is known written January 24th 1847 and posted on land with ANTIGUA double arc JA 27 1847 on a Soldiers Letter (ex Gerald Sattin) to a shoe maker in Edinburgh, the coin evidently was also sewn to the reverse as the circumference of the sewing holes obscure the frontal addressing. £6500 |
;) ;) | "A36" used DRY HARBOUR (Ex Trivett, Glassco, Jose P. Simon, Simpson, Mahfood, Pitts) The unique and complete entire with letter headed "Dry Harbour 9th Dec 1859 " from John Ellis to Edward Leahy, Chief Engineers Office, Spanish Town with GB QV 4d rose pmk'd "A36" (H) with matching inked DRY HARBOUR code 2/DE 9 1859 across upper flap which would display perfectly for exhibition if a few hinge remainders were professionally removed. The adhesive with top left wing marginal short perfs. Ex TRIVETT, GLASSCO, JOSE P. SIMON, SIMPSON, MAHFOOD, PITTS. Distance Dry Harbour to Kingston 71 miles, Spanish Town to Kingston 13 miles being 71 less 13 = 58 miles (4d rate under 60 miles). The code "2" was previously unlisted. The only other known entire is the top portion of a wrapper to Barclays & McDowell (Kingston) pmk'd code 2/SP 2 1858 which has GB QV 6d lilac for the 71 mile distance (over 60 miles rate). The “A36” (H) had a short life being either lost or mislaid as the earliest Pine watermark Jamaica stamps are cancelled by manuscript “36”. The best explanation probably comes from Bill Atmore in his January 2000 “Land of Wood and Water” publication where he wrote “It is known that stocks of imperial stamps had begun to run out at several offices as early as 1859, even before their official withdrawal from use on 1st August 1860. In these circumstances, the obliterators at most, if not all, offices became temporarily redundant, possibly leading to their loss or damage”. £4500 |
;) ;) | B01 used ALEXANDRIA, Egypt postal history (Ex GRIFFITHS) 1869 entire with handstruck "POSTED AFTER/DEPARTURE OF PACKET" to Liverpool with pair GB QV 6d Plate 8 pmk'd "B01" with ALEXANDRIA JY 10 69 alongside, fine GIUSEPPE CAMPOS sender's cachet with Liverpool 27 JY 69 arrival on upper flap. Ex JOHN O. GRIFFITHS. £825 |
;) ;) ;) | North Africa BARBARY COAST and GB USED ABROAD combination, GIBRALTAR postal history 1871 mourning cover with unidentified blue Arabic-like origin cachet almost certainly originating in the Barbary Coast regions of North Africa, addressed with French salutation to Madame Isabella Wilson, Youngstown, Ohio with GB 4d, 6d pmk'd "A26" with GIBRALTAR A/NO 22 71 despatch showing London 7 DE 71 and New York Paid All (indistinct date) transits over red "2/CENTS" handstamp). No backstamps and smaller portion of flap missing. A currently unique and intriguing item. At that time there was no state postal system and foreign post offices were in only a few North African coastal towns. The Parmenter & Gordon handbook Page 1/5 states that "From 1st March 1858 mail from Tangier and other British Consulates in "Barbary" had to be prepaid in GB adhesives which were later cancelled in Gibraltar". The first TANGIER cds was sent from the GPO London on 16th March 1872 (some 4 months later than this cover, examples of use are TANGIER A/JU 29 73 and A/OC 15 73 placed below GB 6d, and GB 2d,4d each pmk'd "A26" on covers to Monsieur A. Boucard, London, Ex Glassco). Some irregular private couriers were also actively taking international mail to European Post Offices. The handstamp was probably carved from wood and the manufacturer chiselled it as he would see it but when struck it would appear in mirror image, ie reverse. It is also noted that if the third digit in the "date" were not inverted and reversed it might read 1871. (See also Kabyle Rebellion, Algeria) £4250 |
;) ;) | The Chinese minority (period violent anti-Chinese Lambing Flat Riots), Victoria postal history 1861 exceptionally rare handmade envelope from a Chinaman sent with correct QV 4d inland postage plus 1/- for registration pmk'd Castlemaine "31" numerals (no despatch date) to a Hung Hat, 53 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne (present day Chinatown) with red REGISTERED/A/AU 22 61/MELBOURNE. Exhibition item ex PACK, FORSTER, PERRY, KELLOW. Chinese peasants had flocked to the newly discovered goldfields in the 1850's but their different organised methods of mining constantly aggravated their Europeans counterparts. By 1861 Australia had at least 38,000 Chinese in the country (1 in 9 of the population - at Bendigo gold fields there were 5367 Chinese men and only 1 woman). They were fanatically loyal to a despotic foreign emperor and the local fear was that he could order them to rise up at any moment. In 10 months of unrest at Burrangong, NSW (about 375 miles away) the most infamous riot of the goldfields occurred on the night of June 30th 1861 (some 7 weeks earlier) when a mob of 1500-2000 drove the Chinese off the Lambing Flat, and then moved to the Back Creek Diggings where they destroyed tents, stole possessions, and cruelly beat up 150-200 Chinese. This led to the NSW Chinese Immigration Act of November 1861 which seriously limited the flow of Chinese into the Colony. £2750 |
;) | RARE LATE RE-INTRODUCTION MARSEILLES ROUTE, Ceylon postal history 1871 cover marked "per French Steamer Via Marseilles" to London with DLR 1d blue, 1/- reddish violet pmk'd A/COLOMBO/DE 19 71 duplex with clear red London Paid 15 JA 72 arrival, reverse red Galle Paid DE 20 71 transit cds. The Franco-Prussian War saw the closure of the overland Marseilles 1/1d route to the UK with mail being switched to the Brindisi route (initially 1/4d, reduced 1/- early 1870). The surface route via Southampton stayed at 9d. After the German victory in 1871 two covers are recorded with 1/1d rate by French steamer (other OC 23 71 with 5d, 8d to Aberdeen). These short-lived late uses come just before the introduction of new currency JA 1 1872. The last Pence issue sailing via Brindisi was DE 26 71 £1000 |
;) | NEW BRUNSWICK postal history (Ex DALE LICHTENSTEIN, CARTIER) 1863 treble rate local cover with exceptionally rare QV 10c red bisected diagonally in se-tenant pair with whole stamp (SG.17) tied by mute grids on orange envelope to Richibucto, flap torn on opening, backstamped weak red KINGSTON and clearer black SHEDIAC both dated JY 20 1863. Ex DALE LICHTENSTEIN (Nov/1868) and CARTIER (Sept/1977 realised £1300). The 10c red bisected on its own (SG.17a, Cat.£600 on cover) paying the 5c local rate is commonly found (the bisect being a temporary solution for the suppressed 5c Connell stamp which was never issue, the QV 5c was issued in or around July 18). The 10c alongside a separate 10c bisect on cover is exceptional (one noted dated DE 1860 paying 5c local rate plus 10c registration from Salisbury to Lower Coverdale SG Auction May/1979 realised £1300). Argenti only recorded three examples of the se-tenant 10c pair, one bisected on entire. The two other dated covers being FE 14 1861 from W.O. Albert Mines to Hampton paying 5c local, 10c registration (Dale Lichtenstein May/1969 R$525, Sothebys Sept/1984 E£800) and a second triple local rate dated MR 30 1865 from St. John to Kingston, Richibucto marked "with note enclosure" no doubt accounting for the extra weight (ex Argenti, Groom, Chester Beatty). Argenti only recorded three examples of this 15c make-up, two being treble local rate (for letters weighing 1 oz. but not exceeding 1½ oz.), and one paying 5c local rate plus 10c registration. £4250 |
;) ;) ;) ;) | The MUSTIQUE ISLAND carriage labels - "No mint copies exist" This is the only known 10c yellow mint sheetlet of two labels, produced circa 1971, in fresh unmounted mint condition (small gum disturbance at lower right), accompanied by both 10c yellow label on inaugural first flight cover dated 1 SEP 1971 which terminated the private conveyance service, and subsequent Urch Harris "ballot" order form (included) for supply of the four covers. Lord Glenconnor, Colin Tennant, owner of Mustique island conceived the idea of 10c labels to privately convey island mail, with Government consent from the Hon. Hudson Tannis, Minister for Communications & Works, by more flexible regular use of small aircraft to mainland St. Vincent circumventing the slower and less frequent by boat service offered by the Mustique Post Office. Four differing colour same design labels were printed, and stocks ultimately depleted when they were affixed, alongside St. Vincent GPO issues, to SP 1 1971 first day covers for the official inaugural flight Mustique to St. Vincent. Cancelling of the covers was firstly undertaken by Doreen Simon, the Mustique schoolmistress who doubled as the island post mistress, and secondly by the mainland Kingstown G.P.O., and the bulk were carried back to London by a member of the Mustique management team in a suitcase via Luxembourg (accompanied by Princess Margaret). The Bristol based Urch Harris company, famed for their distribution of new stamp issues, marketed them . These covers were not only First Day Covers but also LAST DAY COVERS. The Urch Harris catalogue listed printing quantities as 10c orange (2000), 10c blue (550), 10c yellow (250), 10c mauve (70). The Wilson figures for both blue and yellow are inaccurate and the estimated use for yellow labels used on inaugural flight covers is 234 leaving 14 labels (or 7 sheetlets) unaccounted for. No "earlier" service 10c orange labels are known on cover. Accompanied by scan of BWISC Bulletin article being the UH copied source for quantities affixed to first flight covers. £1200 |
;) ;) | CEYLON postal history 1869 OFFICERS CONCESSION RATE OF 10d cover (1 of 2 known) endorsed "Chichester/Cap. A.D.C." at lower left to his daughter Amy in Cleobury-Mortimer RE-DIRECTED THREE TIMES on arrival with Ceylon QV 10d orange pmk'd black "B" showing red TRICOMALEE PAID AU 18 69 cds alongside and b/stamped red COLOMBO PAID A/AU 21 69. On arrival b/stamped LONDON N7/SP 20 69 and LONDON X10/SP 20 69 with re-direction to a Square in London S.W with circled "1d" due handstamp; further re-direction to Army Agents Cox & Co, Craig Street with free re-direction within London crowned "R" applied plus CHARING CROSS W.C. A6/SP 20 69 cds, finally re-posted with GB QV 1d red Plate 108 pmk'd BEWDLEY SP 21 69 duplex to Tiverton, Devon. Flap removed plus minor faults. Officers did not mark their mail for the privilege postage rate of 6d per ½oz (plus any Foreign Rate) unless there was a savings. There was no advantage on U.K. mail when rates were 6d via Southampton and 10d via Marseilles, but increases to 9d and 1/1d respectively on FE 1 1868 allowed a savings of 3d (as seen on the above cover). The concessionary rate was withdrawn DE 31 1869 so savings were only possible over a 23 month period. £3250 |
;) ;) ;) | OFFICERS 10d CONCESSION and CIVILIAN 1/1d SAME DAY SAILING, CEYLON postal history TWO COVERS TRAVELLING ON THE SAME DATE VIA MARSEILLES to ENGLAND, the first with exceptionally rare (1 of only 2 known) OFFICERS CONCESSION RATE of 10d endorsed "Chichester/Cap. A.D.C." to his daughter in London pmk'd COLOMBO B/JY 3 69 backstamped London AU 2 69, the second with standard 1/1d rate to Axminster, Devon pmk'd COLOMBO B/JY 2 69 backstamped Axminster A/AU 3 69, both with missing flaps. An exceptional pairing. Officers did not mark their mail for the privilege postage rate of 6d per ½oz (plus any Foreign Rate) unless there was a savings. There was no advantage on U.K. mail when rates were 6d via Southampton and 10d via Marseilles, but increases to 9d and 1/1d respectively on FE 1 1868 allowed a savings of 3d (as seen on the above cover). The concessionary rate was withdrawn DE 31 1869 so savings were only possible over a 23 month period. £3750 |
;) ;) ;) ;) | The "42" Kolkata cover from Prince Alfred, Royal Visit to Ceylon 1870, a unique exhibition item 1870 cover with spectacular four colour Royal Coat-of-Arms printed flap posted by Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh (second son of Queen Victoria born 6 August 1844 and first member of the British Royal family to visit Ceylon) to his eminent friend Dr. Joseph Fayrer C.S.S., 42 Chowringhe Road, Calcutta with QV 1/- reddish lilac tied COLOMBO AP 18 70 duplex paying the double short-lived (1868-1870) 6d rate to India, reverse Galle transit and Calcutta STEAMER LETTER AP 27 70 arrival. (Ceylon was ceded to the British Empire in 1815 and when the Prince arrived March 30 1870 thousands of chiefs, headsman and ordinary people flocked to Colombo. On the day after arrival a grand reception was hosted by Governor Sir Hercules Robinson, and thereafter the Prince made excursions to elephant kraals with gatherings of 10,000 people or more, went elk hunting, elephant shooting, and was lavishly dined throughout, even with gold plates and gold cutlery encrusted with rubies, emeralds and pearls. Prince Alfred, Honorary President 1890-1900 of what is now the Royal Philatelic Society, was the first serious stamp collector in the royal family and it is thought that he encouraged his nephew, later KGV, to collect stamps. Prince Alfred sold his collection to his brother King Edward VII, who shared his enthusiasm, who in turn gave it to his son King George V, and keenly expanded by the latter the two collections became the basis of what is now the Royal Philatelic collection. Sir Joseph Fayrer (1824-1907) was an English physician noted for his writings on medicine and particularly the treatment of venomous Indian snakebites. In 1847 he was appointed medical officer on H.M.S. Victory and in 1869 accompanied Prince Alfred, as his physician, on his grand tour of India. In 1901 he was appointed Physician Extraordinary to King Edward VII. Eastern India's tallest project, The "42", an iconic 62 storey tower with luxury apartments is planned for 42B Chowringhee Road. £18500 |
;) ;) | TRINIDAD postal history: 1882 wrapper on "Bookman Mills" wmk'd paper with "N. GARDES & Ca, Ciudad Bolivar" purple d/ring sender's cachet endorsed "p. Royal Mail" to Leipzig, Germany with Trinidad 4d grey tied TRINIDAD MY 27 82 cds locally applied and rated red "3" as top flap displays previously unrecorded blue chamfered corners framed "FORWARDED BY/SCHOCK BUNDSCHUH & CO/PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD, W.I." cachet which has sealed tear. £825 |