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including Military mails and Ephemera, Russia, Isle of Wight, Aden to Zululand etc. |
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| 1 | 1416 LETTER FROM "DAMASCUS" TO "AMAN"; Fine 9th June 1416 EL (typed translation) sent by messenger from Damascus with fine address panel; "Nobili e Sapienti dro Donato Soranyio detar in Aman" with arrival note alongside; "Recd. 17 June 1416 da Damascus." The contents concern money and cotton material. Rare and attractive. PHOTO - ABOVE | £200 | ||
| 2 | EGYPT - 1418 LETTER FROM CAIRO TO ALEXANDRIA; Fine 1418 EL clearly addressed to an Italian merchant in "Alexandra" with contents headed "Cairo" and original wafer-seal still attached to sealing string. Attractive and rare so early. PHOTO – ABOVE LOT 1 | £200 | ||
| 3 | EGYPT - 1418 LETTER FROM DAMIETTA TO ALEXANDRIA; Attractive 1418 EL (slight staining affects left hand of address) from Damietta (100 miles from Cairo) clearly addressed to "Alexandr." with arrival date conveniently noted on the address panel, having original wafer seal and sealing string in place. Rare so early. PHOTO - see plate no. 8 | £120 | ||
| 4 | 1419 LETTER FROM VENICE TO ALEXANDRIA; Attractive 29th March 1419 EL (small internal stain does not detract) headed from Venezia and clearly addressed to "Alex[andri]a" with original thick sealing string still in place. Rare thus. PHOTO - see plate no. 8 | £150 | ||
| 5 | ITALIAN STATES - EARLY LETTERS WITH MERCHANT MARKS; 1458/9 pair of fine EL's (former with address panel crease clear of words but across merchant's mark) clearly addressed to "Venezia" and headed from Ferrara and Florence with attractive merchant marks; one with m/s "pr ptt" in corner. Good pair. (2 covers). PHOTO - see plate no. 8 | £200 | ||
| 6 | Similar fine 1459 EL from Mantua to Venice with small merchant's mark on the front. Attractive. PHOTO - see plate no. 8 | £100 | ||
| 7 | 1516 "CITO/CITO/CITO" COVER FROM UDINE TO VENICE; Attractive 1516 EL from Udine () clearly addressed to a member of the "Council of ten" (i.e. in Venice) with a neat "Cito/cito/cito" express endorsement on the front, and sealed with a fine embossed seal. PHOTO - see plate no. 8 | £150 | ||
| 8 | Similar 1516 EL from the same correspondence but with two "Cito/cito" markings. PHOTO - see plate no. 8 | £120 | ||
| MILITARY POSTAL HISTORY | ||||
| ENGLISH CIVIL WAR AND OTHER 17TH CENTURY WARS | ||||
| 9 | THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR - EARLY ROYALIST PAMPHLETS/TRACTS; 1623 "THE ROYAL RECEIPT" tract (a sermon by Elias Petley), 12th Oct.1642 "JOYFULL NEWS OF THE KING'S.....purpose to come to London with his Army..." tract, 1642 tract ref. "BRAINCEFORD", 7th Sept. 1644 "MERCURIUS AULICUS", 3rd/10th July1649 Royalist "Mercurius Pragmaticus" propaganda pamphlet & 1 print. Fine condition and rare lot. (5 items). | £120 | ||
| 10 | THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR - PARLIAMENTARIAN PAMPHLETS/TRACTS, ETC.; Good 1641-53 Collection of tracts/pamphlets full of Parliamentary propaganda incl. 1642 "Discourse or Dialogue between the two now potent Enemies" tract with pictorial title-page, 25th Sept. 1645 "Mercurius Civicus", rare 27th Jan. 1648 "Collections of Notes" pamphlet "With the sentence Denounced against the KING, who is condemned to be Beheaded" , 25th March 1652 "Mercurius Politicus", 25th April 1653 "Perfect Diurnall" news pamphlet, 1649 ACT ref. local militias, etc. Good lot; mostly rare and fine. (9 items). | £240 | ||
| 11 | CIVIL WAR NEWSPAPER & PAMPHLET REF. MONCK's PREPARATIONS FOR THE RESTORATION; July 1648 "Perfect Diurnall of some passages in Parliament" (some browning & wear) with mention of funds for Carisbrooke Castle in I.O.W. where King Charles was imprisoned; plus printed 1660 16-page "Iter Boreale" poem (some browning, later m/s & wear) ref. Monck's "Matchless March...FROM SCOTLAND TO LONDON". Rare pair. (2 items). | £100 | ||
| 12 | COMMONWEALTH PERIOD BLACK-LETTER ACTS; Pair of fine 1650 Acts ref. the Militia of the City of London and the status of Lord Fairfax after Cromwell became Parliamentary Captain General. (2 items). | £75 | ||
| 13 | SCOTLAND - BLACK-LETTER ACT REF. THE RUTHERGLEN REBELLION; 1679 printed folded Act (12x16_ins.; few words affected by worm-holes but paper very fine) with Royal arms at top, declaring the recent Rebellion around Glasgow to have been High Treason, etc. Rare reminder of a little-known later 17th century Scottish uprising. | £75 | ||
| 14 | DEVON MILITIA + WARS IN FLANDERS, ETC.; 1691 manuscript list of charges for militia of the Dawlish area, 1696/7 pair of letters (no address panels) from "Whitehall" (signed by the Secretary of State for War) ref. forces about to sail for Flanders & the Treaty of Altona, and 1697/1701 pair of fine "London Gazette" papers ref. Peace with France & the Appointment of the Duke of Marlborough as C-in-C. (5 items). | £120 | ||
| 18TH CENTURY CONFLICTS PRIOR TO 1790 | ||||
| 15 | VERY RARE EARLY P.O.W. COVER FROM "THE CASTEL OF BREST"; 17th Nov. 1706 EL (professionally re-backed; silked over the fully legible address but with the more important contents barely affected) addressed to Edinburgh with part London Bishop Mark, charged "8" and then "In all 11"; the letter was written by a Scotsman held prisoner by the French during the War of the Spanish Succession. Contents incl.; "I have made bold as to draw upon [you] here in my i [mpriso]ment which is but 24 livres....I have lost a great deal through this, my capture, but I believe I shall be interteaned [= paid] in the Company's service out of consideration of my loss & long imprisonment.....I was taken in Dover June 11...They say we shall go to Dinnant upon fraday, so direct for me A Mr. Charteris prisonnier Ecossoie de L'Escadre de Mr. Desangier A Dinnant ". Rare survival; one of the earliest POW items that we have seen; it has been said that POW's were "better off dead" than to be held prisoner at this early date! [George paid £83 for this in a 1978 auction and then had it restored.) PHOTO - see plate no. 8 | £200 | ||
| 16 | THE RARE "AB" IN CIRCLE (ARMEE BRITANNIQUE) MARK OF THE WAR OF THE AUSTRIAN SUCCESSION; 1743 (pencil date) Entire (minor faults) addressed to "Stowerbridge by London" with "Londres, Angleterre" on the reverse, clearly emanating from the British Forces in Flanders, with a very fine small "AB" in circle mark nicely placed on the front with m/s "8", "1/-" and "In 1/4" charges. Attractive early military cover; the first handstruck mark connected with British Forces. PHOTO - see plate no. 1 | £500 | ||
| 17 | AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE EPHEMERA, ETC.; 27th Mar. 1780 m/s Discharge Certificate for a Sergt. And a Captain addressed to "Col. J. Sherman", 1777/8 pair of London Gazette papers with news of the important defeat of General Burgoyne at Schenectady & the Evacuation of Philadelphia, plus 1776/7 pair of Massachusetts Bank Bills (£6 & 16/-) with Colonial and Independent inscriptions. Scarce lot. (5 items). PHOTO - see plate no. 1 | £100 | ||
| 18 | DEVON, ETC. - 18th CENTURY NAVAL MAIL, ETC.; 1756 EL (some faults) from H.M.S. Terrible at Spithead with "PLY/MOUTH" and fine black London "Crown" mark, 1793/1801 pair of EL's from HMS Cambridge/Resolution (latter "Off Brest") with different "PLYMOUTH DOCK" marks, 1714 Naval Victualler's receipt for "£1,142-5s-9_d" (!), 1781 London Gazette ref. a naval victory against the Dutch, and c.1790 folded plate (faults) of a rigged ship of war. Intriguing lot. (6 items). | £100 | ||
| THE NAPOLEONIC WARS PERIOD | ||||
| 19 | OFFICIAL MILITARY FREE'S, AUTOGRAPHS, ETC.; Large 1805 "O.H.M.S. War Office" partly printed E franked to Wells, similar m/s 1788 OHMS franked front, 1794 receipt signed by the Mayor of Ryde (I.O.W.) for costs incurred for Hessian troops billeted on the island, 1811/2 pair of War Office letters signed "Palmerston", 1812 vellum commission for a captain with the Notts. Militia, and 1855/63 pair of War Office official paid covers. (8 items). | £120 | ||
| 20 | JAMAICA - THE "MAROON WAR" SLAVE REBELLION; 17th Aug. 1795 internal EL from "Vaughan's Field" to "Fort Augusta, Kingston" with a fair early "MONTEGO/BAY" on the flap and endorsed "On Service" with faint m/s rate ("7_") on the front. The contents concern the campaign against the rebellious slaves; "...our duty and situation are both unpleasant...we are now preparing for a second attack....when I think we shall be able to give a better account to these rascals than we hitherto have done....I must beg that some 400 canteens and haversacks and some Camp kettles may be sent to here and also some Hatchetts, Blankets and Tents." Rare insight into this important Slave Rebellion & the scale of force that was used to crush it. PHOTO - see plate no. 8 | £200 | ||
| 21 | NAVAL MAIL/EPHEMERA WITH NELSON FLAVOUR, ETC.; 9th/11th March 1795 pair of letters (no address wrappers) with eye-witness accounts of the Naval battles with the French in which Lord Nelson was involved off Corsica, 1808 Yarmouth Admiral's Office discharge certificate, 1814 vellum Commander's Commission, and a few later items (1818 naval apprentice's indenture, fine 1831 "OHMS Admiralty Office" Free EL, 1820/58 pair of OHMS fronts, 8 PPC's ref. the life of Nelson, reproduction "Times" with news of death of Nelson, etc.). (29 items incl. prints, etc.) | £100 | ||
| 22 | INVASION OF ENGLAND & DEPARTURE FOR THE WAR ITEMS; Rare 30th April 1798 printed hand-bill (creasing & dusting) addressed to "THE HOUSEHOLDERS...[of] Burslem, Tunstall, Longport and Cobridge" regarding Home Defence "at this alarming Crisis" (i.e. the threat of Invasion); plus last minute May 1815 EL from a Devonian officer about to leave for the campaign in France (almost too late!) regarding costs of kitting himself out. (2 items). | £100 | ||
| 23 | THE VERY RARE "EXAMINED/JPB/PORCHESTER CASTLE" MARK WITH OVAL "TRANSPORT OFFICE/(crown)/G·R/PRISONERS OF WAR" MARK; Fine 6th July 1798 EL from a French POW (Sergeant in the Marines) in "Porchester Prison de Guerre" (near Portsmouth) addressed to Rochefort (charged "13") with a mostly very fine strike of the large Porchester Castle mark (we are only aware of two other examples of this mark, but neither have the Transport Office mark as well) just across the join on the reverse, beside a very fine oval "TRANSPORT OFFICE" mark (very early date for this). Exceptional combination of marks; one of George's favourite treasures. PHOTO - see plate no. 1 | £1500 | ||
| 24 | THE "(crown)/ARMY BAG" MARK OF THE BRITISH EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN HOLLAND; 30th Sept. 1799 brief EL to London charged "1/-" with a very fine encircled "(crown)/ARMY BAG" mark (just crossed by light fold at right) nicely placed on the front. Seldom seen; the first mark of a British Forces' P.O. overseas, and only used during this brief and disastrous campaign of 1799. PHOTO - see plate no. 1 | £400 | ||
| 25 | PENANG, MALAYA - EARLY LETTER FROM "H.M.S. CULLODEN"; 5th Feb. 1805 EL to Cornwall headed "H.M.S. Culloden, Penang, East Indies" with a mostly very fine oval "Ship Letter/(crown)/DEAL" (just affected by small area of toning) nicely placed on the front; contents concern the voyage from Madras, money shortages and the imminent arrival of 400 British troops in the island. Rare early letter from Asia. PHOTO - see plate no. 8 | £150 | ||
| 26 | RARE UNPAID 1d CONCESSION RATE COVER FROM IRELAND TO A SOLDIER IN ESSEX; 14th Feb. 1806 EL (address panel slightly reduced at left and minor creasing) with very fine black "BALLYMENA" and BLACK MANUSCRIPT "1" on the front; addressed to a private in the Grenadiers at "Colchester Barracks, England" with Dublin & London backstamps. Very few letters have been recorded sent UNPAID at the Soldier's 1d Concession rate; this P.O. rules error was changed soon after this. Attractive. PHOTO - see plate no. | £150 | ||
| 27 | OXON. - SOLDIERS' 1d CONCESSION RATE COVERS; 1807/16 prepaid pair of EL's (latter toned & worn) from "HENLEY-T"/"OXFORD" (mileage marks) to Weymouth/Windsor, both correctly addressed to soldiers at the 1d Concession Rate. (2 covers). | £100 | ||
| 28 | PENINSULAR WAR - CAMPAIGN MAIL; 1812 letter & EL from "Camp before Badajos" (advising of the addressee's brother's death two days before "at the Storm of Badajos" (in "the Breach"), and from "Camp near Almadilla" (the writer's servant and horses were killed and his baggage lost in the latest sudden manoeuvres). The latter was addressed to London endorsed "Service", with m/s "2/6" charge and London "FOREIGN" arrival c.d.s. Historical pair. (2 items). | £100 | ||
| 29 | FRENCH P.O.W.'s - TRANSPORT OFFICE CORRESPONDENCE; Aug. 1813 EL from the "Agent for Prisoners of War" in Biggar to an Edinburgh Bank regarding Transport Office funds (Biggar had French parole prisoners at this date); plus 1815 E from Gosport addressed to "Transport Office, Dorset Sqr. London" and charged "9" in spite of a fine red London Inspector's Mark. Also 3 PPC's (one showing "THE BOROUGH OF RAMSGATE'S VESSEL FOR THE DEPORTATION OF ALIENS" in 1912; very topical today too) and sundry ILN prints. (2 covers, etc.) | £100 | ||
| MILITARY MAIL, ETC. 1816-53 | ||||
| 30 | RARE POST-WAR SOLDIER's 1d CONCESSION RATE COVER TO FRANCE; 29th Aug. 1817 EL (minor toning & edge wear) from "ROBERTSBRIDGE" (partly fine straight line on the front) in Sussex, prepaid 1d and addressed to "Henry Moore, Private, M./P. Campbell's C., 52 Regt., British Army, France" with London Foreign Branch transit c.d.s. on flap. Rare example of mail to the forces left behind in France after the end of hostilities and a very early 1d Concession rate cover to overseas. PHOTO - see plate no. 1 | £150 | ||
| 31 | IRELAND/HULL - SOLDIERS' 1d CONCESSION RATE COVER, ETC.; 1818 EL from "HULL" (mileage c.d.s.) to London with red m/s "P1" addressed to a private soldier, plus Tallow/Ballina 1824/5 EL's (one with sellotape stains) to Chelsea Hospital with "FREE" d.s.'s. (3 covers). | £100 | ||
| 32 | FRANKED "JACK BOOT" DRAWING & SCOTTISH 1d CONCESSION RATE COVER; Unusual 1833 franked EL with an outline of a boot's sole addressed to a Bond St. shoemaker (!) and a fine 1838 EL headed & countersigned for the Soldier's 1d Concession Rate from Montrose to the Stirling Tartan makers. (2 covers). PHOTO - see plate no. 8 | £100 | ||
| 33 | THE UNIQUE "BERMUDA/PAID" + "BERMUDA" FLEURON 1d CONCESSION RATE COVER ; Exceptional 19th March/3rd April 1835 EL (top flap lost. some wear and closed tear affecting address, but still attractive) headed and countersigned "From Alexander Spain on board H.M.S. Wasp" at the 1d Concession Rate to G.B. ("Southampton"), commenced on board ship sailing around the Caribbean delivering troops, and completed at "Bermuda" with a note that "The Letter Bag will be sent this afternoon by a merchant Brig for England..." However the letter was clearly delayed and probably sent by P.O. Packet Ship, because there are mostly very fine strikes (for these) of the rare black "BERMUDA" fleuron and the much rarer black "BERMUDA/0 PAID 0" c.d.s.'s on the lower flap, both dated 13th April 1835. Concession Rate mail from Bermuda prior to 1840 is extremely rare, and the "PAID" mark is likewise a great prestamp rarity. An important Exhibition Centre-piece. PHOTO - see plate no. 1 | £1500 | ||
| 34 | THE CARLIST WAR - MERCENARY SOLDIER's LETTER CHARGED 2s-4d BECAUSE THERE WAS NO CONCESSION FOR FOREIGN ARMIES; 26th Sept. 1836 EL (grubby address panel but sound and complete) from "San Sebastian" to Manchester with fascinating contents ref. the writer walking from Manchester to London (5 days) to join up, his journey via Portsmouth, the loss of a friend in Spain, other casualties, etc. Postal marks inc. poor red "S. SEBASTIAN" in oval and very fine black "ESPAGNE PAR/ST. JEAN-DE-LUZ" on the front. Rare insight into this distant war by a common foot-soldier. | £100 | ||
| 35 | ADEN/INDIA - SOLDIER's 3d CONCESSION RATE COVER WITH ACCOUNT OF THE EXPEDITION TO SOCOTRA ISLAND OFF ADEN; 12th Aug. 1836 EL (part address panel & back flap cut away with loss of marks) headed & countersigned for the Concession Rate ex Bombay with 80% fine "INDIA SOLDIERS/3/LONDON" mark on the front, advising the addressee of the death of her brother in the disastrous Expedition to the Island of Socotra the previous year, in which the writer also took part. 24 Europeans were sent to the island to set up a coaling station for the Suez/Bombay steamer route but 13 of them died within 4 months. Rare evidence of this disaster and these early attempts to establish a secure steamer route to India. PHOTO - see plate no. 8 | £100 | ||
| 36 | TASMANIA - GARRISON SOLDIER's LETTER; 22nd March 1838 EL from Hobart to London (redirected to Aberdeen with a P.S. added in transit) with scarce small crowned oval "HOBART TOWN/VDL" d.s. (20% off edge) on the front and part red boxed "DARTMOUTH/INDIA LETTER" on then flap. The contents inc. "I had not left the command of the Quarantine Guard 48 hours when the Officer who relieved me...was nearly murdered by the emigrants who were in Quarantine". PHOTO - see plate no. 8 | £100 | ||
| 37 | DOUBLY TRANSATLANTIC SOLDIER's 1d CONCESSION RATE COVER FROM G.B. TO CANADA & BACK; 27th April/Aug. 1840 EL (overall creasing and wear & most of top flap lost) addressed to a Sergeant at "Saint Helen's Island, Montreal, L. Canada" prepaid 1d in cash in Devonport (oh, why didn't they wait a week and use a 1d Black!), redirected back to Ireland with no extra charge. An exceptional Concession Rate item. PHOTO - see plate no. 8 | £100 | ||
| THE CRIMEAN WAR, 1854-56 | ||||
| 38 | THE "O*O" CANCELLATION ON DOUBLE RATE COVER, 1/- EMBOSSED, ETC.; 3rd Dec. 1855 env. to London with 3 GB 1d Reds (one with faults) tied by two mostly very fine Crimean War P.O. "O*O" cancels with a m/s "3" extra charge alongside; there is a fine red "POST OFFICE/A/BRITISH ARMY" c.d.s. on the reverse. Very scarce and attractive. Plus rare off-cover 1/- Green Embossed with v. fine "O*O" cancel in what appears to be BLUE INK, and nine other 1d Reds with the same cancel. (1 cover + 10 stamps). PHOTO - see plate no. 8 | £150 | ||
| 39 | RARE CRIMEAN WAR USAGE OF THE 1d PINK ENVELOPE; Unusual 29th Oct. 1855 usage of the 1d Pink envelope (the first that we can recall having seen from the Crimean War) to Cornwall uprated with two 1d Reds and all cancelled on arrival in London, having a mostly fine blue "POST OFFICE/B/BRITISH ARMY" c.d.s. on the flap. Colourful and rare thus. PHOTO - see plate no. 2 | £150 | ||
| 40 | FRENCH ARMY P.O.'s - INGOING & OUTGOING MAIL FROM/TO FRANCE; March 1855 EL from "Kamiesch" to Rouen with 4m 10c brown tied by "1896" numeral (Marseilles) with a faint "ESCADRE DE LA MEDITERRANEE" c.d.s. alongside (with long contents); plus Aug. 1855 env. from France (Boulogne) to a British Naval Officer with the "Black Sea Fleet" having a partly fine "ARMEE D'ORIENT/GDE. IMPIE." c.d.s. on the back. Scarce pair. (2 covers). | £120 | ||
| 41 | FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE & SCUTARI HOSPITAL; 18th Nov. 1854 env. with 3 1d Reds (faults) tied by London numerals ADDRESSED TO "HOSPITAL SCUTARI" (scarce destination), Dec. 1864 local London front endorsed by the addressee "From Florence Nightingale", and 2 19th century prints of F.N. at work in Scutari. (cover, front & prints). | £100 | ||
| 42 | "POST OFFICE/BRITISH ARMY" C.D.S. COVERS TO DERBY; Aug./Nov. 1854 pair each with 3 1d Reds tied by London numerals and having large uncoded Army c.d.s.'s in black & blue; plus battered m/s "3" env. with small "B"-code c.d.s. in blue. The first with contents mentioning cholera. (3 covers). | £75 | ||
| 43 | BALANCE OF THE "POST OFFICE/BRITISH ARMY" C.D.S. COVERS - 1d REDS CANCELLED IN LONDON OR M/S "3" RATES, ETC.; Useful study of covers inc. three with 1d Red strips of 3 (faults; one with extra m/s "3" charge), unusual E endorsed "photo of Arthur J. Lazard" with SIX 1d Reds cancelled on arrival in London and redirected to Surrey with single 1d Red, and stampless covers with handstruck "2" of London (sent in diplomatic mail) or m/s "6" & "3" charges (one with m/s note beneath the flap; "Lady Erroll & Mrs. Creswell are out here; the formers husband is wounded & the latter is dead. Such is war.") Useful lot. (8 covers + 1 PPC). | £150 | ||
| 44 | "RAGLAN" AUTOGRAPH & COLLECTION OF I.L.N. PRINTS; c.1850 privately carried local London env. signed "Raglan" addressed to "Benjamin Disraeli" and excellent collection of Illustrated London News pictures of the War inc. superb views of the "BALTIC FLEET P.O." and (A4 size plus) "BRITISH ARMY P.O. CONSTANTINOPLE". (Quantity). | £85 | ||
| 19TH CENTURY CONFLICTS, 1860-75 | ||||
| 45 | NAVAL OFFICERS' MAIL, ETC.; 1861 stampless env. to Surrey endorsed ""Barbados" with v. fine h.s. "6d" and matching "SOUTHAMPTON/PACKET LETTER" c.d.s., 1856 env. (H.M.S. "NANKIN" flap) with 1d Red probably ex East Indies but posted in Chatham, 1850 E (stamp replaced) with fine blue "NAVY POST OFFICE" mark of Portsmouth, and fine file of mounted Illustrated London News prints ref. naval life. (3 covers + many prints). | £100 | ||
| 46 | AMERICAN CIVIL WAR - P.O.W. MAIL; 1864 pair of envs. with oval "EXAMINED/PRISONER'S LETTER" marks of "CAMP DOUGLAS" (3c pink env. with superb blue "CHICAGO" c.d.s. and cork cancel) and "FORT DELAWARE DEL" (tying poor 3c red cancelled by barred grid); latter with full contents & typed transcript. Scarce and attractive pair. (2 covers). PHOTO - see plate no. 8 | £100 | ||
| 47 | THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR - PATRIOTIC COVERS, ETC.; Useful collection of colourful "flag" and other types of Patriotic covers (8 used - varied condition - and 1 unused), plus Jefferson Davis 10c blue cover, off-cover 10c & 5c(3), $100 bill, 2 plain covers & good collection of "Illustrated London News" prints of battles, etc. (10 covers, 4 stamps, 1 banknote & many prints). PHOTO - see plate no. 2 | £150 | ||
| 48 | NEW ZEALAND - THE MAORI WARS; 1d CONCESSION RATE; April 1864 front (somewhat grubby) headed & countersigned by the "Medical Officer in Charge, General Hospital, Auckland" for the Soldier's 1d Concession Rate to London for a private, franked by a Chalon Head 1d (3_m) tied by a faint Auckland numeral. Rare thus. Plus3 I.L.N. prints. (4 items). PHOTO - see plate no. 8 | £100 | ||
| 49 | THE PARAGUAYAN WARS, 1864/9 - BRAZILIAN CONCESSION LABELS; Unused c.1865 "EXERCITO/EM OPERACOES/CONTRA/O PARAGUAY" labels presumably produced by the Brazilian authorities for use on soldiers' letters sent home from the Wars, printed in black on green (2 shades), purple, yellow & blue papers. Rare; only two examples have been recorded on cover according to George's notes. (5 labels). | £50 | ||
| 50 | FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR - RED CROSS COVER & INTERNEE LABELS; Battered 1st Dec. 1870 env. (printed "BRITISH NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE SICK & WOUNDED IN WAR" heading with 20c blue & 2c brown (faults; two further stamps have been removed) tied by boxed "K.P.R. FELDPOST/RELAIS No.43" datestamps; plus unused "Militaires francais/internes en Suisse/Gratis" labels (2 settings) on orange/purple paper. (3 items). | £75 | ||
| 51 | PICTORIAL & UNUSUAL ENVELOPES/ADDRESSES; 1872 pair of 1d Red fronts sent from Norwich to Farnborough with hand-coloured pictures of ships dominating their addresses; plus remarkable file of 1870/9 1d Red covers (6) oddly addressed to the War Office in London incl. "Under Taker, Warr Office" (ex Kettering!), "Foul Mouth" (ex Birmingham!), "To the Secret of War, War ofice, pall mall" (ex Kilrush!), "The receiving ware office under hir Magest sarvest, London", etc. (8 items + prints). PHOTO - see plate no. 2 | £120 | ||
| LATE 19TH CENTURY CONFLICTS, 1876-99 | ||||
| 52 | NATAL - SOLDIER's 1d CONCESSION RATE COVER; 8th Sept. 1878 env. (faults at left) headed & countersigned for a private in the Buffs "at Ebnizamkulu" with Natal 1d cancelled by the "30" numeral of Umzimkulu with the matching "No.30" quartered circle c.d.s. nearby; addressed to Pretoria but redirected to "Fort Werber". Rare cover from the period of military build-up prior to the Zulu War. PHOTO - see plate no. 8 | £100 | ||
| 53 | ZULU WAR - NATAL SOLDIER's 1d CONCESSION RATE COVER; 16th Oct. 1879 grubby env. to G.B. headed & countersigned for a corporal of the 80th Regiment, franked by a Natal 1d tied by the "2" numeral of Durban. Rare Zulu War soldier's cover. PHOTO - see plate no. 8 | £300 | ||
| 54 | ZULU WAR - FIRST BRITISH OCCUPATION OF TRANSVAAL; Unusual c.24th Oct. 1879 env. (faults at left and part back lost) from the same correspondence as the previous lot, headed & countersigned for the 1d Concession Rate with a Natal 1d tied by the Transvaal "10" in circles numeral of Martinus-Wesselstroom. Rare example of Soldier's mail from this area, and an unusual cancellation on Natal. PHOTO - see plate no. 2 | £240 | ||
| 55 | BRITISH OCCUPATION OF EGYPT; Aug./Sept. 1885 pair of envs. (some tone-spots, etc.) from London addresses to a Major at "Abbaseyeh Barracks, Cairo" with 2_d lilacs, plus soldiers 1pi frankings to G.B. (regimental insignia on flaps) from "SIDI GABER" (18th May 1886) & "ASSOUAN" (24th Sept. 1884), and 3 off-cover G.B. 2_d blues cancelled by part rare "BRITISH ARMY POST OFFICE/EGYPT" c.d.s.'s (Sept./Oct. 1882). (7 items). | £150 | ||
| 56 | BURMA - INDIA USED ABROAD SOLDIER's CONCESSION RATE COVER TO G.B.; Attractive April 1889 env. headed & countersigned for a Private in the 2nd Leic. Regt., franked by an India 9p lilac tied by a fine scarce "THAYETMYO" squared circle. Rare thus. PHOTO - see plate no. 9 | £120 | ||
| 57 | INDIA - THE CHITRAL RELIEF FORCE, ETC.; 16th/19th Sept. 1895 usage of the India _a green Newspaper wrapper (faults) from "FATEHGARH" addressed to "Field Post Office No.5, Chitral Relief Force Camp..." with a v. fine scarce "F.P.O. I. No.5A" arrival c.d.s. on the reverse. Plus off-cover India 1a6p (faults) cancelled by the Chin-Lushai Expedition "FIELD P.O. No.7" Squared Circle, and an 1890 env. (faults) sent to G.B. at the Concession Rate having an India 9p tied the "CHOPALHAKA" Squared Circle. (3 items). PHOTO - see plate no. 9 | £100 | ||
| 58 | GOLD COAST - "ON ACTIVE SERVICE IN THE HINTERLAND " CONCESSION RATE COVER EX "BONA"; Spectacular 18th Dec. 1897 stampless env. (opened out for display & minor creasing) to G.B. with this dramatic m/s heading, a superb "T" in circle on the front matching the superb 2-ring 7th Jan. 1898 "KUMASI/GOLD COAST" c.d.s. on the flap, and a Liverpool "2 D /466" mark amended to 2_d (the single UPU rate with no penalty as a concession to the military nature of the letter). To quote George's scruffy m/s note; "Very rare - this had the W. Africa Study Circle gasping! " (at meetings both in 1980 and 1991!!) A rare survival from Sir Francis Scott's Expedition up-country. PHOTO - ABOVE | £200 | ||
| 59 | GOLD COAST - THE MATCHING STAMPED COVER TO THE PRECEDING LOT; March/April 1898 env. (some wear) to G.B. (same correspondence as previous lot) with Gold Coast _d greens (5; faults) tied by 1st April "KUMASI" c.d.s.'s, endorsed "Bona" and "Stamped". Rare thus. PHOTO - ABOVE | £150 | ||
| 60 | 19th CENTURY BALANCE + G.B. ARMY OFFICIALS; 1893 usage of the blue Ceylon O.H.M.S. PC with v. fine boxed "FREE" mark, 1891 India Concession Rate env. (faults), good study of KEVII G.B. "ARMY OFFICIAL" stamps (mostly of-cover with cancellations study), 1901 stampless G.B. env. with scarce oval "WAR DEPARTMENT/TOWER" [of London] cachet, pair of 1904 envs. with Mauritius 6c tied by "PILLAR BOX/PORT LOUIS" c.d.s.'s, and 1909 cover/PC with scarce "ARMY POST OFFICE/10" c.d.s.'s. Good variety. (10 covers, c.60 stamps, etc.) | £100 | ||
| BOER WAR - BACKGROUND AND PROPAGANDA | ||||
| 61 | 1st BOER WAR OFFICER's STAMPLESS "ON FIELD SERVICE" COVER; Attractive Aug. 1881 env. (minor creasing) endorsed "No stamps available, being on field service " and signed by "Chas. F. C. Beresford, Capt." with no marks of origin (but with photo of matching item ex same correspondence with "NEWCASTLE/NATAL" c.d.s.) but clearly from the Transvaal war area; addressed to Ireland with a superb "H & K PACT." transit c.d.s. on the flap and m/s "6" charge. Rare. (Ex Steph Stobbs; Cavendish 8th April 1989 auction, lot 350, £230). PHOTO - see plate no. 8 | £300 | ||
| 62 | 1st BOER WAR COVER & COLLECTION OF ITEMS REF. ORIGINS OF THE 2nd BOER WAR; 26th March 1881 stampless env. (faults at top left affecting endorsement) to Bristol endorsed "[On field service]; no stamps procurable" with v. fine black handstruck "6d" in circle (struck on the Plymouth to Bristol T.P.O. presumably) beside the fine "NEWCASTLE/NATAL" c.d.s. From a soldier in the field (in Transvaal) and very rare; plus many pages of neatly mounted background information (prints, etc.) following the whole history of conflict between the British and Boers/natives from 1806 onwards. (1 covers + ILN prints, etc.) PHOTO - see plate no. 8 | £200 | ||
| 63 | THE JAMESON RAID & IMMEDIATE BACKGROUND TO THE 2nd BOER WAR; 6th Jan. 1896 usage of the OVS 1d orange PC from Bloemfontein to G.B. with significant contents ref. the effects of the Raid; "Extremely busy on account of War breaking out in the Transvaal....All our Burgers are called out to assist the Transvaal". Plus collection of 12 propaganda PPC's, Neville Chamberlain autograph, SIGNED PHOTOGRAPHS of Roberts & Kitchener, and an unusual mounted set of photo cameos of QV, Baden-Powell and her 5 generals. (24 items + notes). | £120 | ||
| 64 | PROPAGANDA, ETC.; Victoria Charity issue 1d & 2d unused, PPC's, Roberts autographs (3), 1901 secretary's letter ref. painting Lord Roberts, Kitchener autograph & silk PPC, "JUST BEFORE THE BATTLE, MOTHER" patriotic song printed music, other ephemera (incl. colourful "THE PRESENT MINDED BEGGAR" sheet), contemporary ILN Mustard/Bovril adverts with Boer War themes, and contemporary 1899 real photo of British Troops marching off in "Corsham, Wilts." to embark for South Africa. Ref. the latter item, George added the poignant note; "My grandfather (who was landlord of the George Inn in Addlestone Surrey at this time spoke of similar scenes....[he] stood a row of water-filled buckets by the roadside for their drinking water." Useful lot. (22 items + cuttings). PHOTO - ABOVE | £120 | ||
| 65 | PICTORIAL ENVELOPES; Aug. 1901 usage of the Budrick env. "MEMOIR OF THE BOER WAR 1899-1900" from Rondfrost (CGH) to GB, rare unused Harry Furniss satirical 1901 New Year design ("IMPERIALISM", "WAR COST....", etc.) env. + insert, small privately printed "Pte. A. Larkin" PC requesting a "pudding" with bogus "stamp" design in corner, and unused "ALF Lyons" Kitchener-carrying-Kruger's-head-on-a-plate env. design. Scarce group. (5 items). PHOTO - see plate no. 9 | £150 | ||
| 66 | THE MANCHESTER P.S. WAR FUND LABELS - USED ON COVER, COMPLETE SHEET, ETC.; Colourful 26th April 1900 env. sent locally in London with QV _d vermilion/blue either side of a War Fund 1d which is also tied by a very fine Squared Circle; plus unused sheet of 12 2_d's (few spots), and unused/off-cover 1d(2), & 2_d(2; one "used"). Scarce lot. (6 items). PHOTO - see plate no. 2 | £100 | ||
| 67 | PATRIOTIC PPC's INCL. "THE AUTOMOBILE SHOW/CRYSTAL PALACE" LABEL; 20th Jan. 1904 PPC (depicting Thornycroft's Motor Lorries with favourable quote from Lord Kitchener) sent from London to Liverpool with a spectacular red circular label of this early Motor Show on the address side. Rare! Plus mounted collection of other pro-British patriotic cards incl. kissing couple, tasteless Irish whisky advert depicting Red Cross lorry, generals, etc. (25 PPC's). PHOTO - see plate no. 2 | £120 | ||
| 68 | ANTI-BRITISH PROPAGANDA PPC's, ETC.; c.1900-2 Collection of mostly comic cards with unflattering portraits of QV (and one of KEVII!), Dutchman with removable folded "newspaper" in the back of his trousers (the "newspaper" is a patriotic folksong; to protect against British caning no doubt), etc. Plus an anti-War pamphlet. Scarce lot. (20 items). PHOTO - see plate no. 9 | £100 | ||
| TROOPSHIPS AND INDIVIDUAL SOLDIERS’ TALES | ||||
| 69 | TROOPSHIPS & "EN ROUTE" MAIL; 1900/1 covers (6) from soldiers on board troopships bound for the War (2x "SOUTHAMPTON/SHIP LETTER" c.d.s. with purple "PAQUEBOT" or "PAID" d.s.) or recently arrived there (1901 with coloured drawing of route out showing "ST. HELENA", etc.); plus 14 PPC's of British Warships, docks, etc. (20 items). PHOTO - see plate no. 9 | £120 | ||
| 70 | "RECOVERED FROM/WRECK OF MEXICAN" CARD; 1st/28th April 1900 usage of the CGH 1d brown P. Stat. PC (usual creasing) from Uitenhage to GB with very fine strike of this red Wreck cachet on the front; the Mexican was sunk by the British Troopship "Winkfield". Very scarce. PHOTO - see plate no. 9 | £100 | ||
| 71 | BOER OFFICER LEARNS THAT "MY HOME IS BURNT DOWN"; 4th/7th Oct. 1899 pair of Transvaal Telegrams received in Pretoria on the eve of the war from a Boer Major involved in preparations for the Invasion of Natal; from "H[oof].L[ager]. Zandspruit" (the Boer H.Q.); the first reads simply "Just learnt that my home is burnt down. How is it Reply immediately.", while the second asks for a "Kaffir" to be sent (as a guide for the Invasion). Both have fine Pretoria Squared Circles. Rare pair. | £75 | ||
| 72 | CAPTAIN ORR's WAR; Jan. to July 1900 envs. from Orr en route to and Active in the Boer War, all to his family in G.B. The cancellations (incl. two 1d lilac envs. with fine "PLYMOUTH/SHIP LETTER" c.d.s.'s) trace his war with Lord Roberts' Army; he ended up in 1902 with the Governor's Office in Pretoria.(17 covers + 3 PPC's). | £75 | ||
| 73 | SAPPER MITCHELL's WAR; Dec. 1899 - July 1902 envs. + some letters to/from Sapper Mitchell en route to/from and in the War, but with a gap from July 1900 to Feb. 1902 with varied postal marks and endorsements; plus fine cabinet photo of him, his O.A.S. identity card and battle-field mementoes, viz. a Dec. 1899 Boer telegram with "VENTERSBURG PAID R.O" c.d.s. (O.V.S.), and unused "Piet Relief" P.O. Transvaal Postal/Money Order form. (13 items). PHOTO - see plate no. 9 | £100 | ||
| THE EARLY CAMPAIGNS AND SIEGE OF MAFEKING | ||||
| 74 | THE RELIEF OF KIMBERLEY, ETC.; 13th Nov. 1899 env. from Lord Methuen himself (initialled "Mn") to his wife in G.B. from Orange River only three days after he arrived in Africa en route to relieve Kimberley, 16th June 1901 env. also from "Methuen" with "F.P.O./4" c.d.s. (near Mafeking), 2 other covers, several PPC's and a rare Parcel Post label with the "43/.FPO" cork cancel on Jubilee 9d's (3). (12 items). | £120 | ||
| 75 | THE VRYBURG PROVISIONALS ON COVER FRONT; 16th Dec. 1899 front locally addressed with the Boer-overprinted C.G.H. 1d, 1d, 2d & 2_d tied by very fine "VRYBURG" ("B.B." removed) c.d.s.'s. Few postal items are recorded with these stamps of which only 2400 (_d) + 2400 (1d) + 440 (2d) + 480 (2_d) were produced. [With R.P.S. 1968 Certificate of Genuineness.] PHOTO – FRONT COVER | £500 | ||
| 76 | THE OCCUPATION OF BLOEMFONTEIN, ETC.; 1900-2 (mostly March to May 1900) covers (20) from the British Forces in the Orange river Colony area, incl. A/F.P.O.'s, purple "Norvals Pont", May 1900 EL with good contents ex Thabanchu ("On outpost duty every other 48 hours, in camp the other 48...had a warm time. Fought for two hours but [they] got away. For some extraordinary reason nobody was hit...The Boer rifle shooting is very bad.. Their artillery is much better, but the shells are often bad ones and don't burst properly...Had to pull the roofs off the houses to get the rafetrs [for fuel]....the Free Staters seem to be thoroughly sick of the war & would join us at once if allowed..."), 13th March 1900 printed notice from "Military Commandant, Bloemfontein" ref. the costs of food in the market, 31st May 1902 regd. env. ex APO Bloemfontein on the Last Day of the War, etc. Good lot. (28 items). | £100 | ||
| 77 | THE KIMBERLEY STORY; 1893/1902 covers (11) incl. 1893 env. with CGH 1d's (5) tied by c.d.s.'s, unusual June 1900 env. regd. with oval "KIMBERLEY" c.d.s.'s on C.G.H. stamps and "F.P.O./1" c.d.s. on ORC 1d, FPO/16 c.d.s. (3rd March 1900; at Kimberley), later Censor marks, March 1902 stampless env. endorsed "Stamps not available in Hospital", PPC's, etc. (22 items). | £100 | ||
| 78 | PRO-RHODES PICTORIAL COVER; May 1901 usage of the red printing A.F. Lyons comic env. depicting Rhodes giving a "Made in Kimberley" New Year present to Kruger. Scarce. PHOTO - see plate no. 9 | £75 | ||
| 79 | SIEGE OF MAFEKING - ADHESIVES: The small selection of adhesives comprising overprints on COGH & Bechuanaland with vals. to 6d on 2d (2) 6d on 3d and 1/- on 4d. Also an Imperial Transport Services cover sent from Pretoria to Aliwal North on 17 Dec. 1900 bearing Transvaal 1d VRI opt., Transvaal 3d adhesive with purple "VR" opt. (SG.5) and a 1902 cover ex Rustenburg bearing GB 1d lilac tied by "FIELD POST OFFICE/1/AP 14/02/BRITISH ARMY.S.AFRICA" d.s. (14 plus 2 covers and 2 other items). | £100 | ||
| 80 | SIEGE OF MAFEKING - ADHESIVES: 1d Goodyear (2) good used, one on small piece plus an imperforate unused forgery of same and a poor used example of the 3d Baden Powell tied to small piece. Also a magazine photograph depicting the "Top Brass" involved in the defence of Mafeking. | £75 | ||
| 81 | THE MAFEKING SIEGE BANKNOTES; Creased Capt. Greener 10/- Green note, fine unfolded 2/- currency voucher and similar creased 1/- voucher. Plus PPC. (4 items). PHOTO - see plate no. 9 | £150 | ||
| 82 | THE SIEGE OF MAFEKING - EPHEMERA/POSTCARDS COLLECTION; c.1900/2 lot incl. Pictorial printed env. (addressed on back) "Hold the fort for I am coming", similar PPC's, 19th May 1900 small PPC entitled "Mafeking's Relieved" sent to G.B. (2 days after the end of the siege), Rail ticket from Mafeking to Cape Town, worn/browned & re-backed 27th Dec. 1899 "THE MAFEKING MAIL" newspaper produced in besieged Mafeking, patriotic Stevens silk PC of Baden Powell and a range of other connected items. (17 items + many cuttings). | £100 | ||