| 481 | ELDER DEMPSTER & Co. WEST INDIA MAIL SERVICE - PARCEL RECEIPT, LETTERS & SHARE CERTS.; 1901/4 matched parcel (to Jamaica) receipt & 2 letters (ref. parcel for Jamaica & ref. sale of Beam scales at Avonmouth) on fine coloured E.D. paper of their Bristol Office; plus attractive coloured printed E.D. Share Certificates (1913, 1920 & 1936; some minor creasing). Unusual lot. (6 items). | £75 | ||
| 482 | ELDER DEMPSTER & Co. "IMPERIAL DIRECT WEST INDIA MAIL SERVICE" - OFFICIAL STEAMER CARDS; Mostly fine used 1901-10 PPC's (several in colour) depicting West Indies scenes (2; one from "S.S. Sarstoon", the other from R.M.S. Port Antonio), or the line's steamers themselves (R.M.S. Port Kingston, Port Henderson, and Port Antonio). Scarce group. Plus illust. 1901 "Sphere" article about the "New Line". (6 items). PHOTO - | £120 | ||
| 483 | IMPERIAL DIRECT WEST INDIA MAIL SERVICE CO. LTD. - COLOURED PICTORIAL "PASSENGER LIST"; Attractive 1906 folded card (5x7 ins.; some edge wear) depicting one of this short-lived (1901-11) subsidiary E. Dempster line's steamers on the front, with passenger-list inside and route-map on the back. Rare and ideal album-page sized item. PHOTO - | £40 | ||
| 484 | Similar pictorial 1909 I.D.W.I.M.S. Co. (Bristol) "PASSENGER LIST" with steamer on front and map on back, etc. Attractive item. PHOTO - | £40 | ||
| 485 | R.M.S.P. & "ROYAL DUTCH WEST INDIA MAIL" Co. - OFFICIAL STEAMER CARDS, ETC.; Unused c.1906 b/w scarce Dutch Line card (map + S.S. Suriname), 1905 used pair of Official RMSP ("Charles Dixon" artist; some wear) cards of steamers, and set of 5 unused Tuck cards of other RMSP steamers. Useful lot. Plus 1 modern stamp. (8 cards + 1 stamp) PHOTO - | £75 | ||
| 486 | R.M.S.P. & DUTCH W.I. LINE - EQUATORIAL "NEPTUNE" CERTIFICATE, STEAMER CARDS, ETC.; Unusual 1907 printed sheet (5x7 ins.) headed "R.M.S.P. Magdalena Equatorial Certificate" for a passenger en route to the West Indies with red wax seal, fair oval "Posted on High Seas" cachet, etc.; plus unused c.1905-10 PPC's of S.S. Suriname (Royal Dutch W.I. Mail Co. b/w official card with map + ship), unused "DIRECT LINE" official card and two other steamer cards. (5 items). PHOTO - | £75 | ||
| 487 | R.M.S.P. - S.S. AVON OFFICIAL FOLDING XMAS CARD, SOUVENIR CARD + WRAPPER, ETC.; c.1910 small (5x3 ins.) folding "R.M.S. AVON" Xmas card with b/w photo of the ship inside, coloured folder for official PPC's as a souvenir of a voyage on this ship (with one fine unused card from the set), & Tuck card of the ship. (4 items). | £60 | ||
| 488 | "ROYAL MAIL STEAM PACKET COMPANY" SHARE CERTIFICATES; 1921-30 group of four fine printed share certs. for this Shipping Line, ranging from £136 to £2,000 in face value. Fine and scarce. (4 items). | £40 | ||
| 489 | R.M.S.P. - ARTIST-DESIGNED COLOURED CRUISE "FAREWELL DINNER" MENU-CARDS; Attractive 1925/26/36 trio of printed folding (5x8 ins.) cards (some wear) all by "KENNETH D. SHOESMITH" depicting moonlit steamers at sea, from the SS Arcadian (2; both with numerous signatures on back), and SS Atlantis. Rare set. (3 items). PHOTO - | £75 | ||
| 490 | UNITED FRUIT CO. - SHIP MARKS & CARD; c.1930 unused official PPC of the SS Jamaica, plus 10 1931-5 pieces with US/Colombia/Cuba/Haiti/B. Honduras stamps tied by fine named steamer marks (6 ships). (11 items). | £40 | ||
| ANTIGUA | ||||
| 491 | 18th CENTURY "ANTIGUA." COVER TO LONDON's "ANTI-GALLICAN COFFEE HOUSE"; March/April 1793 EL from "Antigua" to London "Pr. Packet" with a very fine PD8 "ANTIGUA." mark nicely placed on the front. The lengthy contents include; "Notwithstanding War has been declared in the French Islands against Britain & Holland upwards of 3 weeks, we have not heard of a single Capture made in these seas, nor of more than 2 or 3 small Privateers fitted out by them". Good historical reference to the start of the Napoleonic Wars in the West Indies. PHOTO - | £200 | ||
| 492 | "SWANAGE/SHIP LETTER" COVER TO LONDON; Aug. 1831 EL from "Antigua" to London "p. [Ship] Julia" (changed from "p. [Ship] Codrington") with a very fine step-type framed "SWANAGE/SHIP LETTER" mark in black across the join on the reverse, charged "3/-" (double; originally enclosing a Bill of Exchange for £122-2s-0d). Scarce routing from the West Indies. PHOTO - | £120 | ||
| 493 | "HASTINGS/SHIP LETTER" COVER TO BATH; Mar. 1832 EL (some staining) from "Antigua" to Bath (Codrington correspondence; long letter of complaint!; full typed transcript) "Pr. Ship Jamaica, Capt. Lowell" with a mostly very fine framed step-type black "HASTINGS/SHIP LETTER" (some staining) on the lower flap, charged "1/7". [Ex\Robertson.] Plus a "Howse" print of Hastings harbour. (2 items). | £100 | ||
| 494 | EARLY MAP OF THE ISLAND + Q.V. COVER TO NOVA SCOTIA; Attractive 1799 engraved Map of Antigua (10x8 ins.) from the "History of the West Indies" by Bryan Edwards. Plus 1886 env. (toning) to Nova Scotia "Via New York" franked by an Antigua 4d blue (SG23) tied by a partly fine tall "A02" numeral with v. fine "ANTIGUA/A" c.d.s. alongside. (2 items). | £75 | ||
| BAHAMAS | ||||
| 495 | PRESTAMP COVER TO G.B., ETC.; 1805 E from "New Providence" (pencil note) to London "p. Pitt" with near fine oval framed "Ship Letter/(Crown)/LONDON" on the front, redirected locally with oval "Two Py Poft/Unpaid/Lombard St" on the flap. Scarce Napoleonic Wars Period cover. Plus c.1905 PPC of Barbados and 2 modern PPC's. (4 items). [Cover ex Robertson.] | £100 | ||
| 496 | P.O. CONTRACT & OFFICIAL P.O. NOTICES REF. "BAHAMAS MAILS"; 1868 British Parliamentary Paper (8pp; 8x13 ins., v. fine) detailing the contract for mails by the Atlantic Mail Steamship Co. between Bahamas & New York; plus 1871/2 pair of large British P.O. notices (11x17 ins.; first fine, second with faults) ref. changes to he regular Bahamas Mails service from G.B. via New York. Scarce trio. (3 items). | £120 | ||
| BARBUDA | ||||
| 497 | EARLY PRESTAMP COVER TO G.B. VIA ANTIGUA; 24th Nov. 1804 EL from "Barbuda" (from Codrington corresp.; ref. crops, and slaves; "I am very much pleased with this island...") to Gloucestershire with a very fine "ANTIGUA/JAN 15 1805" mark (variety with different sized date-slugs; PFc) nicely placed on the front. Rare early letter from this tiny island and of Exhibition Quality. Plus 1850 ILN print of the Codrington House on Barbados. (2 items). PHOTO - | £240 | ||
| BERMUDA | ||||
| 498 | "POSTED ON THE HIGH SEAS" PAQUEBOT COVERS TO U.S.; 1929/33 pair of envs. to US, each franked by Bermuda 21/2d blue "sailing ship" tied by fine "NEW YORK N.Y./PAQUEBOT" duplex; one with very fine purple oval "R.M.S.P. ARAGUAYA/POSTED ON THE HIGH SEAS" cachet, and the other with almost v. fine black encircled "POSTED/ON THE/HIGH SEAS". (2 covers). PHOTO - | £85 | ||
| BRITISH GUIANA | ||||
| 499 | MARGATE & FALMOUTH SHIP LETTER COVERS; 1811 E from "Berbice" and 1837 EL from "Demerara" to London; with poor red step-type "FALMOUTH/SHIP LETTER" (Rob.S5 "p. Shelburne"; ex Philbrick) and mostly very fine "MARGATE/SHIP-LRE" (Rob.S4; ex Robertson) both on the front. Good pair. (2 covers). | £100 | ||
| 500 | SLAVERY - DETAILED PLANTATION "LIST OF SLAVES" FROM "DEMERARY AND ESSEQUEBO"; 1820 partly printed large (13x19 ins.) 9-page double-width list of the Slaves on "Plantation Mon Repos" in British Guiana, giving considerable details; "Sex, NAMES, Colour, Age, Bodily Marks, Employment, Condition, Country". The list includes 240 different slaves; a rare document from this period. PHOTO - | £150 | ||
| 501 | SLAVERY - GREENOCK/SHIP LETTER WITH NEWS OF SLAVE REVOLT IN MARTINIQUE; Mar./Apr. 1831 E from Demerara (Alan Robertson note; ex his collection) to London "p.Calypso" with very fine "GREENOCK/SHIP LETTER" (Rob.S12) just across the join on the reverse. The P.S. is significant; "Accounts brought yesterday from Martinique represent the Negroe population as in a state of great excitement, so much so as to have commenced burning the Estates, in consequence of which all business was suspended and the Militia called out to protect, as far as they could, the town of St. Pierre from their fury". Important historical contents. Plus "Bartlett" print of Greenock harbour & steamer. (2 items). | £100 | ||
| 502 | MANUSCRIPT "ESK" CANCELLATION WITH "POSTED ON BOARD 1d" ENDORSEMENT; June 1898 env. (Demerara flap) to London with pale purple "Posted on British Packet" cachet on the front, franked by a British Guiana 20c "Ship" tied by the red "[Ship] Esk" Manuscript Cancel and by a fair "BARBADOS" arrival duplex. Rare & exceptional R.M.S.P. Ship's Cancel on cover. [Ex Tom Roberts, 1989.] PHOTO - | £500 | ||
| 503 | LATE USE OF PURPLE "TOO LATE" MARK ON REGISTERED COVER TO PERSIA; Remarkable Sept. 1926 env. from Demerara to "Abadan" (v. fine red arrival c.d.s. on the back) franked by KGV 6c+4c both tied by a single fine "REGISTRATION/G.P.O.B.G." c.d.s. with very fine large purple "TOO LATE" alongside with red "R" label; endorsed "Special Urgent via Trinidad per Pellerin de la Touche via London..." Exceptional item to an unusual destination! PHOTO - | £100 | ||
| BRITISH HONDURAS | ||||
| 504 | POST OFFICE NOTICE REF. THE NEW R.M.S.P. CONTRACT FOR MAILS "BETWEEN KINGSTON AND BELIZE"; 12th Feb. 1872 British P.O. Notice (11x17 ins.) headed "Mails for British Honduras" giving details of the new Contract, with dates and detailed rates for mails to British Honduras. Scarce and fine. | £75 | ||
| CUBA | ||||
| 505 | BRITISH P.O. "HAVANA" COVERS TO G.B. INC. ONE ALSO WITH "HABANA" MARK; 1842/3 trio of covers to London by steamers "Teviot", "Solway" & "Tay" (all rated "2/3"); the first with mostly fine black "HABANA" mark on the front, and all with mostly fine to very fine British P.O. "HAVANA" c.d.s.'s on the flap. (3 covers). | £100 | ||
| DOMINICA | ||||
| 506 | THE RARE "SOLENT" MANUSCRIPT CANCEL ON LEEWARD IS. COVER TO G.B. VIA ST. LUCIA ; Attractive Jan. 1899 env. from Dominica (sender's "ED. NEWMAN & Co./Dominica, B.W.I." cachet on the back) to London endorsed "[Per] Mail", franked by Leeward Is. QV 1d tied by a very fine bold red "Solent" Manuscript Ship's Cancellation, with a very fine 20th Jan. "ST. LUCIA" transit c.d.s. alongside and London arrival c.d.s. (2nd Feb.) on the back. One of the rarest of the R.M.S.P. West India Steamers' cancels and of Exhibition Quality. [Ex Tom Roberts, 1989.] PHOTO - | £1,800 | ||
| 507 | THE RARE "EDEN" MANUSCRIPT CANCEL ON LEEWARD IS. COVER TO ST. LUCIA ; 20th July 1899 env. (minor creasing; almost certainly from Dominica) "Per Mail" to "Castries, St. Lucia" franked by a Leeward Is. QV 1d cancelled by a very fine neat red manuscript "Eden " Manuscript Ship's Cancellation, with a mostly very fine "CASTRIES/ST. LUCIA" c.d.s. alongside. Rare M.S.P. Ship's cancel on inter-island mail. Exhibition item. [Ex Tom Roberts, 1989.] PHOTO - | £1,200 | ||
| HAITI | ||||
| 508 | FRENCH EMPIRE COVER WITH BLUE "ANCHOR" CANCEL & "LE CAP-HAITIEN" D.S., ETC. ; Attractive 19th Dec. 1866 E to Manchester franked by French Empire 80c perf. tied by a very fine blue dotted "Anchor" cancel with mostly very fine 1st-type "LE CAP-HAITIEN" d.s. and very fine matching blue boxed "PD" alongside; on the reverse are very fine 19th Dec. "* LIGNE-D */PAQ. FR. * No1" and nearly very fine "* LIGNE-D */PAQ. FR. No2" c.d.s.'s (both across join; latter slightly affected by seal). Rare thus and of Exhibition Quality. PHOTO - | £500 | ||
| 509 | HAMBURG AMERICAN PACKET CO. 10c LOCAL STAMP ON COVER; 30th May 1877 EL (some creasing but complete) from "CAPE HAYTIEN" (firm's cachet on back) to" Port au Prince Pr. Rhenania", franked by H.A.P. Co. 10c blue & yellow "PRIVATE POSTAGE STAMP" (corner crease etc.) tied (by indentation) by a fine blue "Anchor" mark. Rare thus. PHOTO - | £150 | ||
| 510 | 2nd-TYPE "LE CAP HAITIEN" OCTAGON CANCEL ON COVER TO FRANCE; 21st Feb. 1881 E from "CAP HAITIEN" (firm's cachet on front) to Lyons "p. St. Domingue", franked by a French 1876-81 1f grey ("N under B" variety) tied by mostly fine "LE CAP HAITIEN/*" octagon d.s. with a second poor strike alongside, with a partly very fine red "LE CAP HAITIEN/PAQ. [FR. B No 2]" octagon d.s. (filing fold) nearby. Rare thus. [Ex Tom Roberts, 1982.] PHOTO - | £200 | ||
| JAMAICA | ||||
| 511 | EARLY PACKET LETTERS TO G.B. - ONE CHARGED AT THE 8-TIMES RATE OF 12/-; 1758/9 pair of EL's (latter with toning) from "Kingston, Jamaica" to London (former a very long letter endorsed "2 Oz" and so charged 8 times the 1/2oz rate of 1s-6d; "12N" = 12/-), endorsed "By the Duke Packet" and "By the Lady Augusta Packet". Scarce pair by the early P.O. Packets; see Foster pp.39/41 for details of the ships. (2 covers). [Both ex Fitzherbert.] PHOTO - | £150 | ||
| 512 | EARLY "JAMAICA" MARK ON PACKET LETTER TO G.B.; 1762 EL from "Jamaica" to London "By the Lady Augusta Packet, Q.D.C.", charged "1N6" with a very fine "JAMAICA" (Foster J1; light filing crease) nicely placed on the side flap with near fine "19/IY" London arrival Bishop Mark. [Ex Fitzherbert.] PHOTO - see plate no. 47 | £150 | ||
| 513 | "JAMAICA" COVER WITH NEWS OF 2-HOUR SEA-BATTLE WITH A "PRIVATEER" (PIRATE SHIP); 23rd Oct. 1777 EL to London "By the Granville Packet" with a very fine "JAMAICA" (J1) on the side-flap. The contents include; "...the 'Racehorse' [under acting Lieut. Jordan, cruised] round the Island to preserve the trade; he fell in with a privateer that had taken a Vessel going from Kingston to Montego Bay & had an engagement with her that lasted upwards of two hours; he killed & wounded upwards of 30 of her men & took her with only the loss of one man killed...The Admiral has promised me to give him a Commission as Lieut. as soon as he arrives from his Cruise..." Rare evidence of the dangers of trade in Jamaican waters. [Ex Fitzherbert.] PHOTO - | £200 | ||
| 514 | EARLY PACKET & SHIP LETTERS TO G.B.; 1777 EL from "Jamaica" with partial fine "PORTSMOUTH/SHIP LRE" (new variety of Rob.S2; wide "M") "By H.M.S. Maidstone", plus 1801 pair of EL's from Kingston with light 2-line "JAMAICA" datestamps (J5A), both endorsed "[Per] Packet"; all to London. (3 covers). [All ex Fitzherbert.] | £100 | ||
| 515 | "JAMAICA" & "IAMAICA" COVERS TO G.B. BY NAMED PACKET SHIPS; 1780 pair of EL's from Kingston to London per "Duke of Cumberland" & "Dashwood" Packets (latter not in Foster's Appendix E), with near fine "IAMAICA" and very fine scarce "Jamaica" marks respectively. Good pair. (2 covers). [Both ex Fitzherbert.] PHOTO - | £150 | ||
| 516 | "JAMAICA" COVERS TO G.B. BY "DASHWOOD PACKET"; 1780/1 pair of EL's from Kingston to London each with a mostly fine "JAMAICA" mark (both crossed by filing folds) on the reverse, endorsed by this Packet, which is not listed in Foster's Appendix E. (2 covers). [Both ex Fitzherbert.] | £100 | ||
| 517 | THE FINEST KNOWN (?) STRIKE OF THE "IAMAICA" MARK ; 23rd Feb. 1784 EL from "Grange Estate, Jamaica" to London "p. Packet" charged "1N", having a really superb strike of the J2 "IAMAICA" mark nicely placed on the lower flap; this is the finest of the 100 or so "IAMAICA" covers found in the Fitzherbert archive, and is still the finest example known to us. Exhibition quality. [Ex Fitzherbert.] PHOTO - | £300 | ||
| 518 | Similar pair of 1796 EL's to London "p. Packet" with mostly very fine and near fine strikes of the "IAMAICA" (J2) mark on the reverse (latter across join). (2 covers). [Ex Fitzherbert.] PHOTO - see plate no. 47 | £75 | ||
| 519 | NEWS OF HURRICANE LOSSES, BILLS OF LADING & 2-LINE DATESTAMPS; 1801 pair of EL's to London with fair "JAMAICA" 2-line d.s.'s (J5A; one with 2 enclosed Bills of Lading), 1800/4 pair of other Bills of Lading, and fine Oct. 1806 complete "BELL'S WEEKLY MESSENGER" newspaper (8pp; 10x15 ins.) with lengthy account of a Jamaica convoy (109 vessels sailed) from which 20 vessels had apparently been lost in storms. Useful and very fine lot. (7 items). [All except the newspaper ex Fitzherbert.] | £120 | ||
| 520 | SUPERB "COMMERCIAL ROOMS/KINGSTON JAMAICA" COVER TO G.B. ; 3rd Aug. 1822 EL from Kingston to London "p Lady Popham", redirected to Ashbourne with a superb 2-line CR4 Commercial Rooms cachet and a near fine step-type "DEAL/SHIP LETTER" (Rob.S8) both nicely placed on the front. One of the most attractive covers in the whole "Fitzherbert Archive". Exhibition quality. PHOTO - | £300 | ||
| 521 | PAIR OF "PENZANCE/SIP LETTER" COVERS TO G.B. - ONE WITH DETAILED DISCUSSION OF THE TRANSITION FROM SLAVERY TO PAID WORK; 1834/6 pair of EL's from "Blue Mountain" and "Kingston" to London "Favd. by Captn. Ferrier" & "p Ship Tulloch Castle", each with a very fine step-type "PENZANCE/SHIP LETTER" (latter just affected by toning); the former with very long (9 sides) & interesting letter from a Plantation manager about feared Slave uprisings during the transition to paid work and shorter hours, etc. Good pair. (2 covers). | £150 | ||
| 522 | THE LARGE "KINGSTON/SHIP LETTER" DATESTAMPS ON MAIL FROM U.S.; 1842/3 pair of long family EL's from "SALEM/N.C" (v. fine blue c.d.s.'s & matching "PAID" marks on the front) addressed to Mandeville P.O. "via Baltimore by the first vessel/Packet for Kingston" with a mostly very fine and a near fine SL4 "KINGSTON/SHIP LETTER" transit c.d.s. on the front. Scarce pair. (2 covers). PHOTO - | £150 | ||
| 523 | THE 2-LINE "JAMAICA/SHIP LETTER" MARK ON INGOING COVER FROM U.S.; Attractive Dec. 1843 EL from "SALEM/N.C" (v. fine blue c.d.s. and fair matching "PAID" mark) to "Fairfield, Mandeville P.O. via Baltimore per the first vessel", with blue manuscript "forwarded by Wm. Mason & Co." endorsement on the back. Charged "10" on arrival on the front beside a very fine black "JAMAICA/SHIP LETTER" mark (SL5). Exhibition quality. PHOTO - | £200 | ||
| 524 | Similar 1845 EL from the same correspondence with very fine "JAMAICA/SHIP LETTER" (SL5) nicely placed on the front, but no forwarding note on back. Attractive. PHOTO - | £200 | ||
| 525 | "JAMAICA/SHIP LETTER" 2-LINE MARK ON INGOING COVER FROM U.S. BY NAMED SHIP; 1845 EL from "BETHLEHEM/Pa." (v. fine red c.d.s. and matching "PAID 5" marks on the front) to "Mayhill P.O., Jamaica, Via Philadelphia per barque John Walsh" with a mostly very fine "JAMAICA/SHIP LETTER" Kingston transit mark on the front. Attractive. PHOTO - | £200 | ||
| 526 | RARE BLUE SAVANNA LA MAR "A75" NUMERAL ON 6d-RATE COVER TO G.B. WITH "JAMAICA/SHIP LETTER" & "11/2" ACCOUNTANCY MARK ; Attractive 7th Sept. 1863 env. (faults and opening tears at top neatly restored) to G.B. endorsed "Ship Letter", franked by Jamaica 1d blue & 2d red (some perf. stains & latter rubbed), each cancelled by a very fine BLUE "A75" numeral matching the BLUE "SAVANNA-LA-MAR" c.d.s. on the side-flap (opened out for display), having a very fine rare red Kingston handstruck "11/2" Accountancy Mark (PD9) and a very fine black Kingston "JAMAICA/SHIP LETTER" (SL5) nicely placed on the front; the former slightly overstruck by a very fine red tombstone-framed "PAID/LIVERPOOL/SHIP" d.s. Exceptional combination of marks. In spite of faults, a very attractive and rare cover. PHOTO - | £400 | ||
| 527 | PRINTED R.M.S.P. "OUTPORTS OF JAMAICA" NOTICE; Feb. 1886 folded "Royal Mail Steam Packet Co." Notice (8x101/2 ins.) issued from London listing the Jamaican ports ("Milk River" added in manuscript) to which "goods etc." could be sent by the regular Southampton "MAIL PACKETS". Rare Notice. [Ex Fitzherbert.] | £30 | ||
| 528 | OFFICIAL "IMPERIAL DIRECT WEST INDIA MAIL SERVICE Co." &"CLARKE STEAMSHIP Co." STEAMER CARDS; c.1901-11 set of three colour PPC's (perf. at top) showing Jamaican views with the R.M.S. Port Antonio, Port Henderson & Port Kingston steamers; plus c.1930 green PPC of the "T.S.S. NORTH STAR" of the Clarke Steamship Co.'s "Miami-Jamaica Cruises". Scarce lot. (4 cards). PHOTO - | £50 | ||
| 529 | "UNITED FRUIT COMPANY STEAMSHIP SERVICE" OFFICIAL BROCHURE FOR THE JAMAICA ROUTE; Attractive 1912/3 very well-illustrated 48-page booklet (6x9 ins.; some marginal adhesion of a few pages inside) with fine coloured covers (depicting artist's view of a steamer near a tropical shore), giving full information for passengers about ports of call, maps, etc., etc. With Boston (US) firm's cachet on back. Rare and ideal album-page size. PHOTO - | £40 | ||
| MARTINIQUE | ||||
| 530 | "PORT GLASGOW/SHIP LETTER" ON COVER TO G.B. REF. THE IMMINENT NAVAL ATTACK ON GUADELOUPE; 26th Jan. 1810 EL from the Captain of "H.M.S. Wanderer, Martinique" to the Shetland Isles with an almost very fine Rob.S3 "PORT GLASGOW/SHIP LETTER" on the front (the end crossed by crease), with interesting contents ref. the imminent invasion of Guadeloupe; "The ship I now command is a most desirable ship, one of the finest of her Class in the service....We are in daily expectation to commence the attack against Guadeloupe; we can land about 10,000 men - the French have not three! And the inhabitants [are] well disposed towards the British, so that we may expect to be in full possession of the Island in the course of a month." The island was indeed taken by the British shortly after this letter was written. Historical letter connected with this important naval campaign in the West Indies. PHOTO - | £150 | ||
| 531 | PRESTAMP "MARTINIQUE" & "COLONIES/PAR BORDEAUX" MARKS ON COVER TO FRANCE; 1819 fine EL (long letter in French - from a lover?) from Martinique to Toulon with a very fine "MARTINIQUE" mark on the front, beside a mostly very fine scarce "COLONIES/PAR BORDEAUX" mark, having very fine "AVRIL/1819" Bordeaux (?) transit marks on the lower flap. Attractive letter from the newly restored (from 1814) French colony. Exhibition item.PHOTO - | £150 | ||
| 532 | "POSTAL SWINDLE" COVER TO FRANCE - FRENCH STAMPS "DISGUISED" AS FRENCH COLONIAL ISSUES ; Remarkable 28th Sept. 1874 commercial E (blue oval "BORDE CARLHAN & BORDE FILSAINE/ST. PIERRE/(MARTINIQUE)" cachet on the front to Bordeaux "[Par] Packet", franked by French Ceres 30c(2) +40c(2) all tied by light dotted "CF" (?) diamonds with very fine "MARTINIQUE/ST. PIERRE" c.d.s. and v. fine blue "COLONIES FRA. V. ANGL./*" c.d.s. nearby. The stamps have all had their perforations cut off, and it is thought that this was a deliberate attempt to make them appear to be the contemporary French Colonial issues, which had a higher exchange-rate value. Fascinating item. [Ex Tom Roberts, 1982.] PHOTO - | £300 | ||
| 533 | LE HAVRE TO COLON - LIGNE L OCTAGON CANCELS; 1937/8 pair of envs. to G.B. with Martinique frankings tied by "LE HAVRE A COLON/L. No.3" and "COLON AU HAVRE/L. NO.3" octagonal datestamps (light strikes on the stamps, but each with a second very fine strike alongside); plus off-cover pair of Curacao 121/2c brown with the similar "No.2" cancel. (3 items). [All ex Tom Roberts, 1982.] | £50 | ||
| PUERTO RICO | ||||
| 534 | BRITISH P.O. SAN JUAN CROWNED CIRCLE COVER TO SPAIN; Sept. 1850 E (minor flap fault) to Madrid with 90% very fine black "PAID/AT/SAN JUAN PORTO RICO" Crowned Circle on the front, having red manuscript "2/1" rate and London transit marks etc.; also with a near very fine large "SANE JUAN-PORTO-RICO" c.d.s. on the top flap. Attractive and very scarce. PHOTO - | £240 | ||
| ST. LUCIA | ||||
| 535 | RARE MANUSCRIPT "Ships Letter" DATED CANCELLATION ON COVER TO N. SCOTIA WITH RARE "ST. JOHN N·B/SHIP LETTER" MARKS ; Attractive 26th May 1894 env. (minor opening-faults at top clear of stamp and marks, but with sender's "MERCHANTS" cachet on the flap) to Halifax, franked by St. Lucia QV 1891-8 21/2d blue tied by the manuscript cancellation, having three nearly very fine strikes of the "ST. JOHN N·B/SHIP LETTER" transit mark alongside, plus an 11th June arrival c.d.s. of Halifax on the back. Exhibition item of character. [Ex Tom Roberts, 1989.] PHOTO - | £700 | ||
| 536 | EARLY POSTCARDS WITH HARBOUR VIEWS; c.1906 pair of b/w PPC's showing R.M.S. Tees plus "Military stores being prepared for auction", and the "Prince Alfred Basin". Scarce pair. (2 cards). | £30 | ||
| ST. THOMAS & ST. CROIX (BVI & DWI) | ||||
| 537 | LORD NELSON CONNECTION - ST. THOMAS NAVAL INTELLIGENCE REPORT; Detailed 1808 report (16x12 ins., folded) from Lord Nelson’s nephew Sir William Bolton. Bolton was the Captain of HMS CHILDERS (14 gun frigate) at Trafalgar. This "Report of Vessel boarded by the Boats of H.M.S. Eurydice, Sir William Bolton Kt., Captain", written by Bolton onboard HMS EURYDICE at sea, reports the embargo of the ship "Freedom" that had been bound from St. Thomas to Boston when boarded; she had reported the presence of a French Fleet of 13 ships off the coast of St. Thomas. Rare document of this type, connected to Lord Nelson. | |||
| [It is interesting to note that John Gunn is related through marriage to Sir William Bolton. His family are direct descendants of William Woodthorpe (1750) of Little Oakley Hall, Essex. Woodthorpe’s daughter Mary married the Rev. William Bolton; Bolton’s brother Thomas married Sussanah Nelson, the Admiral’s eldest sister. Her daughter Catherine went on to marry her first cousin William (later Sir William), son of the Rev. William and Mary Woodthorpe]. | £75 | |||
| 538 | ST. THOMAS/ST. CROIX - PRESTAMP PACKET/SHIP LETTERS TO G.B.; 1819/29 pair of E's to London from St. Thomas with very fine red boxed step-type "PORTSMOUTH/SHIP LETTER" (Rob.S14) or very fine red boxed London "PACKET LETTER" on front/back; plus long Jan. 1829 EL from "St. Croix" to Scotland "Pr. Wm. Byrnes" charged "5/21/2" with v. fine boxed step-type "LIVERPOOL/SHIP LETTER" and matching "Addl/1/2" mark. Scarce trio. (3 covers). [All ex Robertson.] | £120 | ||
| 539 | ST. CROIX./ST. THOMAS - FINE CROWNED CIRCLE ON COVER TO U.S. ; Attractive 18th Jan. 1861 env. from "St. Croix" to Boston "Per Steamer" with near fine "CHRISTIANSTED" 18th Jan. c.d.s. (St. Croix; Danish P.O.) on the front, but having both Danish & British P.O. "ST. THOMAS" c.d.s.'s of the next day on the back, as well as a very fine red manuscript "Pd 1/-" beside a very fine red "PAID/AT/ST. THOMAS" Crowned Circle and fine blue "BALTIMORE/Md." (1st Mar.) c.d.s. and matching "SHIP/5" marks all on the front. Rare thus; good example of postal cooperation between the Danish and British P.O.'s in the Virgin Islands. Exhibition quality.PHOTO - | £300 | ||
| 540 | ST. THOMAS - FINE CROWNED CIRCLE ON COVER "Per R.M.S. Stmr. Magdalena" TO SCOTLAND; Sept. 1857 E (central file-fold clear of marks) to Edinburgh with a very fine red "PAID/AT/ST. THOMAS" Crowned Circle and red manuscript "6" rate on the front. Rare thus. PHOTO - | £240 | ||
| 541 | 1F-RATE COVER TO FRANCE WITH DANISH "ST. THOMAS" C.D.S. AND LIGNE B ANCHOR CANCELS; Attractive 28th Feb. 1874 E (flap faults) from "St. Thomas" to Paris franked by a fine strip of four 1871-6 25c blues tied by light Dotted "Anchor" cancels with a very fine Danish "ST. THOMAS" c.d.s. (light fold) on the front with a fine "* LIGNE-B */PAQ. FR. * No.2" 2-ring c.d.s. across the join on the reverse. Rare thus; posted from the Danish P.O. but sent as a French mail-boat cover PHOTO - | £360 | ||
| 542 | EARLY CARD OF ST. THOMAS WITH MAP; Attractive coloured c.1906 unused PPC of the West Indies islands with a small b/w vignette of "TOWN AND HARBOUR, ST. THOMAS, D.W.I."; published by "Taylor's Book Store, St. Thomas, D.W.I." Rare card. PHOTO - | £30 | ||
| ST. VINCENT | ||||
| 543 | EARLY SHIP LETTERS TO MADEIRA/G.B.; 20th April 1800 EL (stains on reverse) from "St. Vincent" to "Madeira" endorsed "p. S[hip]. Ealing Grove, Capt. Sime, Q.D.C." and sent care of a London Agent, having a very fine scarce double-oval "Ship Lre/(Crown)/PLYMOUTH" mark (Rob.S4; only known 1800-1 in black; shaved by crease at right) nicely placed on the front; plus 1820 EL (posthumous wax seal) from "St. Vincent" to London "p. Fanny" with a very fine scarce boxed step-type "DOVER/SHIP LETTER" (Rob.S9) on the front. Attractive pair. (2 covers). [Former ex John Sussex, latter ex Robertson.] PHOTO - | £150 | ||
| 544 | VILLAGE CANCEL COVER TO G.B.; Attractive Feb. 1898 env. (closed tear at bottom right barely detracts) to London with St. Vincent QV 21/2d on 1d blue tied by a very fine "C"-code "UNION" village c.d.s. (rare) with a second very fine strike alongside. Exhibition item. PHOTO - | £100 | ||
| 545 | ST. LUCIA "PAQUEBOT" COVER WITH CANADIAN STEAMER CACHET; Mar. 1938 env. (light stains and opening tears) addressed to St. Lucia franked by St. Vincent KGV 11/2d brown tied by a partly fine boxed "PAQUEBOT" mark matching the very fine "CASTRIES/ST. LUCIA" c.d.s. nearby, also with very fine purple 3-ring "LADY NELSON/POSTED/ON THE/HIGH/SEAS/Canadian National Steamships" cachet (closed tears) on the front. In spite of faults, very scarce thus. | £65 | ||
| TRINIDAD | ||||
| 546 | THE LADY McLEOD LOCAL STAMP ON COVER SENT FROM SAN FERNANDO TO PORT OF SPAIN: Important and Very Rare 11th May 1847 EL (minor dusting and with closed tears and some slight reinforcing of folds) addressed to "Messrs. Taylor, Graham & Angus, Port of Spain" (second line of address crossed by fling crease), having been written by "S. Taylor" of "Taylor & Co.", franked by the [5c] blue (SG1; cut close all round) cancelled by a black manuscript "X" and signed in pencil "E. Diena" beside the stamp. Rare example of the stamp used on mail carried by the ship "S.S. Lady McLeod" belonging to David Bryce, who had these stamps specially produced for this mail service. Important Exhibition item; few covers are known, and this example is particularly desirable because it is a complete entire letter and the stamp was Used Within its First Month of Issue . [Ex Lord Leathers.]. Few such covers have been sold in recent years; the last example (2001) was in the "Marriott" sale and realised £25,300. PHOTO - | £16,000 | ||
| ARGENTINA | ||||
| 547 | BUENOS AIRES PROVINCE - PADDLE-STEAMER ISSUE ON 1 PESO-RATE INTERNAL COVER ; 30th Dec. 1858 E from "Sn Nicolas" to Buenos Aires franked by a horiz. pair of the 1858 4 reales brown (RH stamp with margins almost all round; LH stamp with margins in places) tied by a very fine dotted oval cancel in black, with a mostly very fine blue oval sender's cachet on the front. Rare on cover. PHOTO - | £300 | ||
| 548 | BUENOS AIRES PROVINCE - PADDLE-STEAMER ISSUES OFF COVER; 1858 4r brown pair with central black dotted oval cancel (LH stamp with 4 clear margins; RH stamp with 3m but showing defective top left corner dot variety); plus two 2p blues (3 & 2m; latter with large "P" variety). Scarce group. (3 items). | £100 | ||
| 549 | S.S. CARMEL's OCTAGONAL "CONF. ARGENTINE/CARMEL" DATESTAMP; 12th March 1866 E (minor faults) from B. Ayres (firm's cachet on front) to Paris charged "10" (decimes) with a very fine black "CONF. ARGENTINE/CARMEL" ship's datestamp nicely placed on the front. Rare River Plate steamer marking. [Ex Roberts.] PHOTO - | £120 | ||
| 550 | FRENCH SUPPLEMENTARY MAIL - 80c-RATE COVER TO FRANCE WITH "BUENOS-AYRES/*" OCTAGON; Attractive 14th Oct. 1867 E (flap faults) to Paris "Via Bordeaux" franked by French Empire 80c red tied by a very fine Dotted "Anchor" cancel, with a very fine small red boxed "PD" alongside and a very fine black "BUENOS-AYRES/*" octagonal datestamp nearby. Exhibition quality. [Ex Roberts, 1982.] PHOTO - | £160 | ||
| 551 | ANCHOR-CANCEL COVER WITH "CONFEDERATION ARGENTINE/*" OCTAGONAL D.S.; 30th April 1872 EL (flap faults) to Bordeaux franked by French 1870-6 Ceres 25c blue (4; 2 pairs - one fine, one with slight faults) all tied by mostly very fine dotted ship's "Anchor" cancels of the S.S. Asiatic, with the same ship's very fine "CONFEDERATION ARGENTINE/*" octagon d.s. on the front, with partly fine 2-ring red "BRESIL/BORDEAUX" entry-mark (crease) nearby. Rare franking and an attractive cover. [Ex Roberts.] PHOTO - | £150 | ||
| 552 | 3-COLOUR FRANKING COVER EX THE 1st RETURN VOYAGE OF THE "SECONDARY LIGNE J"; Unusual 26th Nov. 1872 E from B. Ayres (firm's blue oval cachet on the front) to Italy "via Bordeaux p. [S.S.] Gambie" franked by French 1870-76 Ceres 15c+25c+40c pair (one 40c creased), all tied by very fine dotted "Anchor" cancels with almost very fine matching S.S. Gambie's octagonal "BUENOS-AYRES" datestamp nearby. Rare franking and attractive. [Ex Roberts.] PHOTO - | £150 | ||
| 553 | 1f 60c-RATE COVER TO SPAIN WITH ANCHOR CANCELS & FRENCH STEAMER MARKS; Attractive 24th/27th Dec. 1872 E to Madrid "Via Lisboa" franked by French 1863-70 Laureate 80c pink pair tied by very fine dotted "Anchor" cancels with mostly very fine matching double octagon "CONFEDERATION ARGENTINE/*" d.s. (date inverted) and a very fine red double octagon "BUENOS AYRES/PAQ.FR.J.No.4" d.s. (of the S.S. Rio Grande struck en route at Bordeaux) alongside, as well as a very fine red "4R" arrival charge-mark. Exhibition quality. [Ex Roberts.] PHOTO - | £150 | ||
| 554 | ARGENTINE/FRANCE COMBINATION COVER WITH S.S. NIGER ANCHOR CANCELS, ETC.; Attractive 9th/10th March 1874 EL from B. Ayres to Genoa franked by French 1870-1 (Paris) Ceres 40c (irregular block of 3; one torn) tied by very fine dotted "Anchor" cancels, and by an Argentine 1867-74 5c (slight faults) tied by a very fine "B" in diamond; there is a very fine double-octagon "BUENOS-AYRES/PAQ.FR.J No.1" d.s. of the S.S. Niger on the front. Exhibition item; the scarce 1f20c rate. [Ex Roberts.] PHOTO - | £150 | ||
| 555 | ARGENTINE/FRANCE COMBINATION COVER WITH CANCELLED "FR/2F 20c" ACCOUNTANCY MARK; Remarkable 26th Aug. 1874 E from South America to G.B. "Via Buenos Ayres" franked by Argentine 1867-74 5c and French 1871-6 80c red, both tied by a fine dotted "Anchor" cancel of the S.S. Erymanthe, but the Argentine stamp also tied by 2-ring local "BUENOS AYRES" c.d.s. There is a very fine double octagon "BUENOS AYRES/PAQ.FR.J No.6" d.s. on the front beside a very fine oval "FR/2F/20c" Accountancy Mark which has been cancelled with a manuscript "X". Exceptional Accountancy Mark error on an attractive Combination Cover. [The twin cover - same date and address - to Roberts.] PHOTO - | £240 | ||
| 556 | FIRST DAY USAGE OF THE U.P.U. "T" POSTAGE DUE MARK ON B. AYRES STEAMER MAIL; Attractive 9th/10th March 1876 EL (flap faults) from B. Ayres to Bordeaux "p. [Steamer] Niger", franked by Argentine 1867 10c tied by a fine 2-ring B.A. c.d.s. and by the corner of a very fine "T" in triangle (struck on the ship - the first sailing from B.A. to use the T mark after France joined the U.P.U. on 1st Jan. 1876), which matches the very fine double-octagon "BUENOS-AYRES/PAQ. FR.J No.1" d.s. beside the "12" arrival charge-mark. Rare thus. [Ex Roberts. See also under Chile for a similar March 1876 "T" F.D.C. from Valparaiso.] PHOTO - | £150 | ||
| 557 | ARGENTINE/FRANCE COMBINATION COVER CARRIED BY S.G.T.M.'s S.S. SAVOIE ; 20th Dec. 1876 EL from B. Ayres to Paris "par Steamer Savoie voie de Marseille", franked by French 1871 Ceres 25c blue strip of four (tied by part "MARSEILLE" arrival c.d.s.'s because this shipping line did not have a P.O. contract for carrying mails), with an Argentine 1867 5c tied by a fine B.A. c.d.s., with part red 2-ring "PLATA /MARSEILLE" c.d.s. entry-mark on the front. Scarce shipping line. [Ex Roberts.] PHOTO - | £300 | ||
| 558 | ARGENTINE/FRANCE COMBINATION COVER WITH SCARCE BLUE "POR SENEGAL" STEAMER's NAME MARK, ETC. ; 24th Nov. 1877 E (minor stains) to Bordeaux "Par Vapeur Frances Senegal" franked by Argentine 1877-87 8c (perf. stains) tied by B.A. c.d.s. and also by French Type Sage 1F (crease) tied by mostly fine octagon "BUENOS AYRES/PAQ.FR.J No.6" d.s. with a second strike nearby, as well as a very fine rare blue straight-line "POR SENEGAL" ship-routing mark. Rare thus. [Ex Roberts.] PHOTO - | £300 | ||
| 559 | Similar 8th Nov. 1877 Argentine/France Combination Cover (EL; minor faults and some stains - from the same correspondence as the previous lot) franked by Argentine 1873 4c pair (creased & one cut when opened, being folded over the edge) tied by boxed B.A. d.s., as well as by French Type Sage 20c (5; one creased) all lightly tied by pale RED "BUENOS AYRES/PAQ.FR.J No.6" octagon d.s.'s, having a mostly fine rare blue "POR EQUATEUR" ship-routing straight-line mark on the front. Rare thus. [Ex Roberts.] PHOTO - | £240 | ||
| 560 | VERY EARLY USE OF THE NEW 2-RING "BUENOS AYRES/PAQ.FR.J.No.2" DATESTAMP; 8th May 1879 E from B. Ayres to Bordeaux "p. [Ship] Equateur", franked by Argentine 1877-87 16c roulette (tied by v. fine B.A. c.d.s.) with a very fine strike of this "Replacement" c.d.s. (Salles 1074; 2 months earlier than recorded by him) alongside. Fine. [Ex Roberts.] PHOTO - | £100 | ||
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