| 801 | GOLD COAST - Q.V. COVER WITH MANUSCRIPT "X" CANCELS & RARE PURPLE "STEAMSHIP AGENCY/TIMBER PORTS" MARKING ; Dec. 1900 - Jan. 1901 env. (small tears at top barely detract) to Liverpool "per S/S Jebba", franked by Gold Coast Q.V. 1/2d pair (one with faults) tied by very fine purple "STEAMSHIP AGENCY/TIMBER PORTS" mark and two red ink manuscript "X"'s as well as a mostly fine "PLYMOUTH" duplex, having a second almost superb strike of the "STEAMSHIP AGENCY,/TIMBER PORTS" mark on the reverse. Remarkable and rare cover. Exhibition quality. [Ex Tom Roberts.] PHOTO - | £500 | ||
| 802 | SIERRA LEONE, ETC. - ELDER DEMPSTER & AFRICAN STEAMSHIP CO. PASSENGER LISTS & STEAMER POSTER; 1901 printed "AFRICAN STEAMSHIP CO. R.M.S. ANGOLA" Passenger List (creases but attractive and rare), and 1909 Pictorial Poster for the same Line (10x17 ins.; giving detail of the West Coast "EXPRESS" steamers' voyages from Liverpool), two PPC advertising the ports of call on the West Africa service, attractive coloured 1926 Passenger List (4pp, 5x7 ins; minor faults) for the T.M.S. ADDA's voyage from Accra via S. Leone, etc., and 1852 I.L.N. print of the S. Leone mail steamer "Forerunner". Good lot; all associated with Sierra Leone and other British West African ports. Rare ancillary material. (6 items).PHOTO - | £100 | ||
| 803 | BRITISH EAST AFRICA - STEAMER MENU, POSTCARDS, ETC.; c.1898 unused L. Marques PPC depicting a steamer at Beira, rare 1906 Official coloured artist-card ("H. Swannick") of the S.S. Insizwa of the "Aberdeen Line, London to Natal & E.A." (postally used), and 3 1925 items from a voyage in the "R.M.S. Modasa" from London to Durban via Malta, Port Sudan, Mombassa, Zanzibar, Tanga, Dar-es-Salaam & Beira (attractive pictorial folding Passenger-List, Christmas Menu-card and P&O guide to Port Sudan. Scarce group. (5 items). PHOTO - | £120 | ||
| GERMAN AND BELGIAN AFRICA | ||||
| 804 | GERMAN EAST AFRICA - VILLAGE CANCELS ON POSTCARDS (ONE TO TASMANIA); 1906-13 group of 4h green "Yacht" franked cards (one being p. stat.) to Tanga (2), Tasmania (!) & Germany (2); cancelled by mostly very fine c.d.s.'s of "AMANI" (to Tas.), BUKOBA, LINDI, MKALAMA & MOROGORO. Scarce group. (5 cards). PHOTO - | £100 | ||
| 805 | GERMAN EAST AFRICA - OTHER "YACHT" ISSUES/CARDS; 1901-12 PPC's used to Germany/Tanga with "Yacht" 3p green, 4h green (3) or 71/2h red cancelled by c.d.s.'s of Dar es Salaam (4; 2 types), & Wilhelmstall; plus unused 3p green & 5p red P. Stat. cards, and off-cover 5p, 10p (2) & 25p. (7 cards + 4 stamps). | £100 | ||
| 806 | GERMAN EAST AFRICA - STEAMER POSTCARDS & MENU CARD; c,1910-14 cards (2; mostly very fine) showing 2 views of the wreck of the S.S. Konig (sunk in Dar es Salaam harbour in Nov. 1914; one real photo, one b/w and a contemporary newspaper cutting offering the wreck for sale), rare 1910 coloured artist card ("Willi Stower") of the S.M.K. Thetis (advertising food), and fine 1935 menu-card (not posted) from the "P.D. USAMARO" at Genoa. Scarce lot. (5 items). PHOTO - | £75 | ||
| 807 | GERMAN SOUTH WEST AFRICA - RARE USAGE OF THE HIGH VALUE 2 MARK BLUE ON REGISTERED CARD TO GERMANY ; Attractive 17th July 1905 card (written from "Otavi") to Magdeburg franked by G.S.W. 2m blue "Yacht" stamp tied by very fine 20th July 1905 "OUTJI/DEUTSCH/ SUDWESTAFRIKA" c.d.s.'s, with red "R" label of the same P.O. (tied) on the front. Rare thus. Exhibition item. PHOTO - | £700 | ||
| 808 | GERMAN SOUTH WEST AFRICA - RARE PURPLE "OWIKOKORERO" WANDERSTEMPEL ON CARD TO GERMANY; 1st April 1906 PPC to Berlin franked by G.S.W.A. 5pf green "Yacht" stamp tied by an intaglio c.d.s. and a very fine "Owikokorero/D.S.W. Afrika" 2-line temporary marking. Rare thus. PHOTO - | £150 | ||
| 809 | GERMAN SOUTH WEST AFRICA - FELDPOST USAGE OF ZIEHER "STAMPS" CARD; Attractive 1907 stampless usage of the Zieher card depicting G.S.W.A. "Yacht" values from 3pf to 5m, addressed to Munden with partly very fine "WINDHOEK" c.d.s. and v. fine purple circular "Kais. Schutztruppe fur Sudwestafrika./* Artill.-Depot *" cachet by the address. Rare and attractive military item. PHOTO - | £50 | ||
| 810 | GERMAN SOUTH WEST AFRICA -POSTCARDS WITH "YACHT" FRANKINGS; 1902-12 PPC's (all varied G.S.W.A. views) to Germany (also one sent locally) with single 5pf green "Yacht" frankings tied by c.d.s.'s of Ukamas, Okamandja, Tsumeb, Windhuek, Swakopmund (3; 2 types) and 2 unidentified; or 1902 usage of the 5pf green P. Stat. PC with Swakopmund-Windhuek T.P.O. oval d.s., and 1906 PC with 3pf brown pair tied by Gobabis c.d.s. Scarce lot. (11 cards). | £150 | ||
| 811 | GOLD COAST CARDS WITH GERMAN "WESTAFRIKA" SEA POST CANCELS; 1907/10 pair of PPC's to France/G.B. franked by German 5pf green (view of Axim) or Gold Coast KEVII 1d (minor faults); tied by ovals of the "DEUTSCHE SEEPOST/LINIE/HAMBURG-/WESTAFRIKA" datestamps, coded "XLIV" and "XXXII" (latter written on board "P.S. Eleonore Werman"). Rare pair. (2 cards). [Both ex Bill Hart.] PHOTO - | £100 | ||
| 812 | LAGOS CARDS with similar SEEPOST cancels; V. fine 1899 usage of the Lagos QV 1d red Postal Stat. PC from "Lagos" to Germany cancelled by a very fine oval "DEUTSCHE SEEPOST/LINIE/HAMBURG-/WESTAFRIKA" d.s. (code "VI"), similar v. fine 1905 usage of the Lagos KEVII 1d red P. Stat. PC to Hamburg ex "Lagos" cancelled by a v. fine similar "XXVII" oval d.s., a 1902 PPC (of & from the SS Lucie Woermann at "Lagos") to Hamburg with German 5pf red tied by v. fine oval "XXXII" d.s. Rare and fine trio. (3 cards). [All ex Bill Hart.] PHOTO - | £140 | ||
| 813 | LIBERIA/CANARY ISLANDS CARDS with similar SEEPOST cancels; 1904/8 pair of PPC's from Las Palmas and Monrovia - both to Germany - with German 10pf red (tied by LINIE HAMBURG WESTAFRIKA oval d.s. code "XX"?) or Liberia 1c+2c (tied by fine oval "XXXX" d.s.'s). Plus fine Cockrill "Woermann Steamship Line of Hamburg" booklet (1980; 34 pp.) ref. these oval marks. (3 items). PHOTO - | £100 | ||
| 814 | GERMAN TOGO & KAMERUN - "YACHT" DESIGN POSTAL STATIONERY CARDS; 1902/6 used 5pf green Togo (creases) & Kamerun cards with v. fine Lome & Victoria c.d.s.'s, plus c.1908-17 unused KAMERUN 5pf green cards (3), 5pf+5pf reply-card pairs (2 types), and similar pair of 10pf+10pf red cards. Scarce group. (9 cards). | £100 | ||
| 815 | VERY RARE USED KAMERUN "C.E.F." OVERPRINTED 1/2d ON 5pf GREEN POSTAL STAT. CARD WITH FRENCH MARITIME OCTAGON D.S. ; Very fine 3rd Sept. 1915 usage of the rare 1/2d overprinted Kamerun "Yacht" card, addressed to France and cancelled by the S.S. Afrique's very fine and rare "MATADI A BORDEAUX/L/L/ No.1" octagon d.s. Exceptional combination; rare French maritime cancel on a card of which few used examples have been recorded. Exhibition item. [Ex Tom Roberts.] PHOTO - | £400 | ||
| 816 | BELGIAN CONGO - "CIE. BELGE MARITIME DU CONGO" - PHOTO, CARD & OFFICIAL HISTORY; c.1900 fine cabinet photo (61/2x41/2 ins.; mounted on Antwerp photographer's card) depicting the "Albertville" Mail Steamer, rare c.1920 official Poster-type PPC depicting the same ship and advertising this shipping line, and c.1927 fine 88-page soft-back book (6x9 ins.; in French) with coloured covers, many colour illustrations and folding coloured maps, being the Company's official history of the "LIGNE POSTALE RAPIDE ANVERS-CONGO". Rare trio. (3 items). PHOTO - | £100 | ||
| ADEN | ||||
| 817 | ADEN-BOMBAY SEA P.O.'s & "PAQUEBOT"; 1868 ingoing env. (minor creases) from London to India (Lahore) with 1d Red & 1/- green tied by duplexes having a partly fine blue oval "SEA POST OFFICE" d.s. on the back, unusual 1902 usage of the Egypt 2m green Postal Stat. env. to G.B. franked by G.B. KEVII 1d cancelled/tied by v. fine boxed "PAQUEBOT" with matching "ADEN" c.d.s. on back, 1904 PPC from India to Uruguay (!) with "SEA POST OFFICE/A" c.d.s., and 1915 PPC from Italy to India with S.S. Salsette's "SEA POST OFFICE/B/BOMBAY ADEN" c.d.s. Good lot. (4 covers). PHOTO - | £75 | ||
| 818 | EARLY INGOING COVER FROM FRANCE AT THE 1F 30c RATE; 25th Sept. 1874 env. from Boulogne to an English Officer's wife at "Aden via Brindisi", franked by French 80c red + 25c blue (2) all tied by mostly fine to very fine "549" dotted diamond numerals, with 3 different French T.P.O. c.d.s.'s on the back along with a superb "ADEN STEAMER POINT" arrival c.d.s. Scarce destination. PHOTO - | £100 | ||
| 819 | ADEN USAGE OF A FRENCH CARD TO GERMANY WITH SCARCE FRENCH "SUEZ" OCTAGON D.S., ETC.; Sept. 1885 usage of the French 10c grey PC (minor toning) from "Aden" but just cancelled by a mostly fine scarce red French maritime "SUEZ PAQ.FR. No.7" d.s. of the Ligne N's "S.S. Saghalien" (written on board), with a very fine "ADEN" c.d.s. and a fine "SEA/POST OFFICE/D" c.d.s. alongside; rare thus. Plus an off-cover French 40c with a 75% strike of the similar black No.5 octagon d.s. (S.S. Yangtse). [Ex Tom Roberts.](2 items).PHOTO - | £200 | ||
| 820 | INDIA (USED IN ADEN) CANCELLED IN EGYPT - WRONGLY CHARGED IN ADEN; Unusual 1906 PPC (of Messageries Maritimes SS Nera) from Aden to Ismailia franked on picture side by India KEVII 1a red, which was cancelled on arrival in Egypt by a superb diamond dots "retta" cancel, while the "T" mark of Aden (with v. fine "ADEN" c.d.s.) was also cancelled; the Aden PO did not spot the stamp on the picture side! Rare thus. PHOTO - | £100 | ||
| 821 | OFFICIAL BOMBAY-ADEN SEA P.O. SHIP's CARD USED BY PASSENGER, ETC.; Attractive 1909 PPC (official artist card of S.S. Salsette; by Dixon; rare artist) sent from this ship to G.B. with India 1a red tied by a very fine strike of the ship's "SEA POST OFFICE/BOMBAY-ADEN" c.d.s. (scarce as a cancel); plus unused c.1910 PPC's of SS Arabia at Aden, and of the M.M. "Rade d'Aden". (3 cards). PHOTO - | £60 | ||
| BURMA | ||||
| 822 | 1st BURMESE WAR - DETAILED ACCOUNT IN CONTEMPORARY "BOMBAY COURIER EXTRAORDINARY"; Fine 22nd July 1824 issue of this 1-sheet newspaper (12x17 ins.; folds consistent with having been posted back to England in a letter) giving lengthy detailed accounts of the progress of the War, including a despatch from Brig. General Sir A Campbell, "Commanding Expedition". Fascinating and rare account of the campaign. | £75 | ||
| 823 | HENDERSON LINE - PRINTED "PASSENGER LIST" & OFFICIAL STEAMER CARDS; Attractive 1934 "S.S. BURMA" Passenger List booklet (attractive colour covers; 4x6 ins., 12pp) listing the small number of passengers for the voyage from Liverpool to Rangoon via Gib., Marseille & Port Sudan, with on-board rules etc. Plus 1908/26 pair of fine used Official PPC's of Henderson steamers from passengers, posted at Alexandria/Hamburg to G.B. Scarce trio. (3 items). PHOTO - | £75 | ||
| CEYLON | ||||
| 824 | "INDIA SOLDIERS/3/LONDON" MARK STRUCK WITH MANUSCRIPT "Caltura Post Paid 6d" MARKING ; Very fine 25th May 1832 E (part Missionary Report from Caltura) to London, boldly endorsed along the top; "Per Thomas Peile from Caltura, Ceylon, May 25th 1832.- Post paid to the Ship ", and so mistaken in England for a Soldier's Concessionary Rate cover. There is therefore a very fine circular framed "INDIA SOLDIERS/3/ LONDON" mark (Rob.In.Sol.4) nicely placed on the front, beside the Ceylon P.O.'s manuscript "Caltura Post Paid 6d" marking. Rare and attractive early letter from this minor Post Office and a rare London P.O. rating error! [Ex Tom Roberts.] PHOTO - | £600 | ||
| 825 | KANDY STEAMER LETTER TO G.B. WITH RARE BOXED "Too Late for the/STEAMER [13 Nov./53]" MARKING; Attractive Nov. 1853 stampless env. to Edinburgh "via Southampton", prepaid 1/- internal rate and charged "1/-" on arrival, with v. fine (part m/s) "PUSILAWE/POST [Paid]" circular mark and near fine "KANDY/STEAMER LETTER" c.d.s. on the back; there is also a mostly very fine strike of the rare Kandy boxed "Too Late for the/STEAMER..." mark on the front. Rare thus. PHOTO - | £150 | ||
| 826 | OFFICIAL ROTTERDAMSCHE LLOYD STEAMER CARD, ETC.; 1894 usage of the Ceylon 2c PC from Colombo to "H.M.S. Eclipse" at Trincomalee (message ref. sending some Golf Balls!); plus attractive 1938 usage of the S.S. Indrapoera's official R.L. card from a passenger at Colombo to Holland. (2 cards). | £30 | ||
| INDIA | ||||
| 827 | EARLY NEWSPAPERS REF. SHIPS BOUND FOR INDIA WITH MAILS; 1815 complete "Bell's Weekly Messenger" with p.296 paragraphs ref. Post Office Packet Ships named to carry Packet Letters to St. Helena, the Cape and India, etc.; plus similar 29th Aug. 1840 issue of the same paper with good report about the celebrations for the formation of the P&O Line recently held (on the SS Oriental) prior to the departure of the ship to Alexandria with mails for India. Also 1853 ILN page with picture of the R.M.S. Calcutta in "a hurricane off the island of Mauritius". (3 items). | £30 | ||
| 828 | WAGHORN COVER FROM CALCUTTA TO FRANCE WITH THE OVAL SUEZ CACHET ; 16th Nov. 1840 EL to Bordeaux "By Overland" with a most attractive very fine strike of the oval "Care of/Mr. Waghorn/Suez" mark (initialled "G.D. [for] S.S."; Samuel Smith agency), nicely placed on the front beside a very fine red boxed "INDIA" and a mostly very fine red boxed "PAQUEBOTS/DE LA/MEDITERRANEE" (slight glue mark). There is a faint Malta Lazaretto mark and a red boxed "STEAMER POSTAGE/INLAND DO./TOTAL" mark on the flap. It is rare to find so attractive a Waghorn cover; true Exhibition quality. [With Heddergott 1994 expert certificate.] PHOTO – INSIDE FRONT COVER | £2,400 | ||
| 829 | WAGHORN COVER TO FRANCE WITH NUMEROUS TRANSIT MARKS ; Spectacular 17th Oct. 1838 E (disinfection chisel-slits) from Calcutta to Marseille with a very fine oval framed "Care of/Mr. Waghorn/Suez" cachet on the front (initialled "G.D. for S.S."; for Samuel Smith & Co.), slightly overlapped by mostly very fine black boxed "PAQUEBOTS/DE LA/MEDITERRANEE" and "INDES ORIENT/PAR/ALEXANDRIE" marks, with very fine red boxed "INDIA" and black 2-ring "PURIFIE AU LAZARET/MALTE" marks and a mostly fine "ALEXANDRIE/(EGYPTE)" c.d.s. all on the front, etc. Attractive and rare. [Ex "Bonaparte"; Cavendish 1998] PHOTO - | £1,500 | ||
| 830 | THOMAS WAGHORN - ORIGINAL AUTOGRAPH LETTER, SIGNED ; c.1845 letter on one side of folded sheet (minor wear; no address wrapper), headed "Thursday" and sent to "C.R. Smith, Esq."; ref. a meeting at Snodland on "Saturday", clearly signed "Thos. Waghorn". Rare autograph letter from this famous Pioneer of the Anglo-Indian Mail-route via Egypt. PHOTO - | £400 | ||
| 831 | PRINTED RETURN OF MAIL VOLUMES TO INDIA/CEYLON/FAR EAST & OF THE P&O CONTRACTS; 1847 2pp (8x13 ins.) Return of numbers of Ship Letters sent in 1835/45 to India, China, Ceylon & Singapore (they show a dramatic fall); plus similar 46pp Return (same size) giving full texts of the 4 P&O contracts (1853/54/61/61) for mails to India/China, Bombay/Aden, Ceylon/Sydney & Mauritius. Useful information. (2 items). | £50 | ||
| 832 | PICTORIAL "MR. ALBERT SMITH's OVERLAND MAIL" LETTER-SHEET SIGNED BY SMITH HIMSELF; 1851 usage of the writing-paper that matches Smith's rare Pictorial envelopes (see Bodily, Jarvis & Hahn, p.317) with illustrations of a steamship, a camel-post and a steam-engine exiting a tunnel. The letter (to a Mr. Parke) concerns advertisements for Smith's "Overland Mail" show, tickets for the next performance in a theatre, and low stocks of the "envelopes" (due to the show ending at Christmas). The only example of this pictorial letter-sheet of which we are aware. Rare signed autograph letter. PHOTO - | £200 | ||
| 833 | THE ARMED INDIAMAN SAILING SHIP "BLENHEIM" - CABIN-LAYOUT SHEET WITH PASSENGERS' NAMES; c.1852 (wmk. 1851) paper sheet (13x19 ins.; some creasing) with printed diagrams of the cabins for this ship, with the passengers' and crew's names located in manuscript. Rare thus; an early form of passenger-list. | £50 | ||
| 834 | EARLY INGOING STAMPED 2-FRANC RATE COVER FROM FRANCE ; Fine 24th July 1854 EL from Paris to "Dugshaie, Simla, Bengal" (to a British Officer on the 22nd Regiment), endorsed "via Bombay par de Malle des Indes via Marseilles", franked by an attractive pair of the 1849 1f red (close to wide margins all round but just touched at bottom left) tied by grid roller and the top of a fine "PARIS" c.d.s., with a mostly fine boxed "CALCUTTA/STEAM LETTER/Bearing" datestamp on the flap. Rare thus; early French frankings to India are very seldom seen. Exhibition quality. PHOTO - | |||
| [N.B. This letter is No. 8 (of 20 letters) in the Warren Hastings Anderson "find", written from father to son, and discovered in 1980.]. | £1,800 | |||
| 835 | PICTORIAL "LINE OF PACKETS FOR CALCUTTA" LETTER-SHEET SENT WITH 1d RED WITHIN SCOTLAND; Very attractive EL (headed by print of fully-rigged ship) with printed details of various sailing ships bound for India, seeking applications to "GEORGE SMITH & SONS....GLASGOW" for details of freights and passages of 14 ships; posted from Glasgow to Edinburgh with 1d Red tied by "159" numeral. Rare. PHOTO - | £150 | ||
| 836 | FRENCH COLONIES LIGNE INDOCHINE "EAGLE" COVER FROM PONDICHERRY TO MAURITIUS WITH "DONNAI" SHIP's D.S., ETC. ; Attractive Nov./Dec. 1864 E (side-flaps removed) to Port Louis franked by French General Colonies 1859-64 "Eagle" Issue 40c orange pair (margins all round but close at top right and shaved at right), tied by fine dotted lozenges with v. fine 2-ring "ETABS. FR. DE L'INDE/*PONDICHERRY*" c.d.s. alongside, having a near fine 2-ring "DONNAI/*" ship's c.d.s. on the lower flap. Rare thus. Plus part Jan. 1867 E from Pondicherry to France with Eagle 40c + 10c(2) franking (faults) tied by "Anchor" cancels with v. fine "ETAB.FR.INDE/PAQ.FR. O No.1" octagon d.s. alongside and fine "DONNAI/*" ship's 2-ring c.d.s. on the top flap. Rare pair. (2 items). [Both ex Tom Roberts.] PHOTO - | £400 | ||
| 837 | LIGNE ANNEXE DE CALCUTTA - "ERYMANTHE" SHIP's MARK ON "EAGLE" COVER FROM PONDICHERRY TO MAURITIUS; Rare Aug./Sept. 1864 E (side-flaps removed, some minor faults/ink-etching and opened out for display) to Port Louis (v. fine blue "6d/TO PAY" arrival charge-mark matching c.d.s. on back) franked by pair of 1859-64 General Colonies "Eagle" 40c red tied by a superb dotted lozenge cancel, with a very fine matching Pondicherry c.d.s. nearby and a superb "ERYMANTHE/*" ship's c.d.s. across the join on the reverse beside an Aden c.d.s. Rare in any condition. [Ex Tom Roberts.] PHOTO - | £200 | ||
| 838 | DIFFERENT 3-COLOUR FRANKINGS ON 61/2 & 102/3 ANNA RATES COVERS TO FRANCE; 1864/5 pair of EL's from Calcutta (unusual all-in-one "PD" c.d.s.'s) to Nantes, franked with 1/2a blue, 2a yellow & 4a black or 1a brown (2), 8a red (fault) & 8pi lilac; the first cancelled by v. fine black "B/1" octagons and the other with poor blue "B/1" octagons. Good pair. (2 covers). PHOTO - | £120 | ||
| 839 | P&O ENGINEER's CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE ON R.M.S. NORNA, EMEU & BENARES; 1865 certificate with printed P&O heading (8x13 ins.), made out in London, giving details of the 1854-65 career of "T.S. Bineham" on board various ships. Rare item associated with a crew-member on mail-carrying ships. | £30 | ||
| 840 | EARLY P&O S.S. BANGALORE MENU-SHEET; Attractive 11th April 1871 manuscript menu (extensive choices - 5x16 ins.! - folded to fit album-page) headed with a fancy pictorial vignette of a steamship of "PENINSULAR & ORIENTAL STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY/S.S. [Bangalore] BILL OF FARE". A printed "12-58" code may suggest that the design was produced in 1858. Very rare survival of an attractive and truly ephemeral item. PHOTO - | £75 | ||
| 841 | P&O BILLS OF LADING FOR OPIUM CHESTS BOUND FOR HONG KONG; 1875/83 group of 4 printed Bills (minor faults) for cargoes of "Malwa Opium" to be sent from India to Hong Kong (all headed from Bombay, and each with India 4sa green Revenue stamps on the reverse). Scarce lot. (4 items). | £75 | ||
| 842 | LIGNE T FRENCH MARITIME MARKS ON MAIL FROM PONDICHERRY TO MAURITIUS; 1887 pair of fronts to Port Louis, each franked with French Colonial 1881-6 5c +10c(2) all tied by Pondicherry c.d.s.'s, having mostly very fine red "COL.FR.PAQ.FR T No6" or black "COL.FR/PAQ.FR.T No2" octagonal d.s.'s alongside of the S.S. Caledonian. (2 fronts). [Both ex Tom Roberts.] | £75 | ||
| 843 | SHIP's COPY-LETTER BOOK OF THE SHIP "COLONY" ON VOYAGES BETWEEN INDIA, G.B. & SAN FRANCISCO, ETC.; 1890 volume (poor condition in parts, being on flimsy copy-paper) with modern card binding, containing on-board copies of the Captain's correspondence. Rare survival. | £50 | ||
| 844 | TRADE-CARD OF STEAMER PASSENGERS ON DECK & A SHIP's "GREETINGS" CARD; c.1890 colourful Huntley & Palmers trade-card showing Indian & European passengers on deck; plus c.1935 folding ribboned "Greetings" card from one crew-member to another with small photo of the "S.S. City of Birmingham" inside. Unusual pair. (2 items). PHOTO - | £30 | ||
| 845 | BRITISH INDIA STEAM NAVIGATION CO. - TIMETABLES FOR NEXT SEASON's VOYAGES; Fine 1902 booklet (49pp; 6x9 ins. - brown tape along spine) giving the firm's detailed "INTENDED" timetables for regular voyages to India, the Far East and Australia with fine coloured folding 2-page map, lists of Captains, etc. Rare. | £50 | ||
| 846 | INDIAN P.O.'s IN "PERSIA" - BRITISH P.O. NOTICE REF. PARCEL POST; June 1904 printed Notice (8x13 ins.; minor creases) headed "PARCEL POST TO PERSIA" with details of rates and weight limits for parcels by P&O ships sent to the Indian P.O.'s in Persia, etc. | £30 | ||
| 847 | BIBBY LINE ARTIST-DESIGNED MENU-CARD; Attractive 1909 colourful folding card menu (8x8 ins. overall) for the "S.S. WARWICKSHIRE", signed "Arthur Burgess" depicting a steamer passing a tree-lined shore; the "AU REVOIR" banquet (?) for the Liverpool to India (via Egypt, Ceylon & Rangoon) voyage. Ideal display item. PHOTO - | £40 | ||
| 848 | "ELLERMAN's CITY LINE TO INDIA" OFFICIAL ARTIST-DESIGNED CARD; Most attractive c.1908 coloured PPC (superb condition) depicting a steamer in the Nile (?) and other exotic vignettes, signed (printed) "ODIN ROSENVIN", and inscribed for this Shipping Line with printed note that; "Frequent G.C.R. Trains in connection with Ellerman Sailings from Liverpool". One of the finest maritime cards that John Gunn has seen; perhaps the only recorded example from this Line. Rare.PHOTO -R | £75 | ||
| 849 | OFFICIAL "GEO. W. WHEATLEY & Co., FORMERLY WAGHORN" CARD; Attractive coloured 1916 PPC (some creases) sent from Wheatley & Co. (ref. a package sent from Calcutta) posted from London (perfin KGV 1/2d), depicting the famous camel-post at full gallop, an Indian Ocean steamer and a Red Sea felucca; headed from the firm, the "PIONEER OF THE OVERLAND ROUTE TO INDIA". Rare commercial item. PHOTO - | £60 | ||
| 850 | Similar German c.1900 unused PPC (by Hugo Moser of Stuttgart) depicting a camel-post with an illustration of the Egypt 1pi at top left. Rare. PHOTO - | £50 | ||
| 851 | OFFICIAL "P&O - FLAG" STEAMER CARDS; 1903/10 group of these attractive PPC's, depicting RMS "India" (at "ADEN"; with GB KEVII pair tied by Aden c.d.s.'s with fine boxed "PAQUEBOT" alongside), S.S. "Sumatra" (with GB KEVII 1d tied by oval "VALETTA/MALTA" d.s.), S.S. "Palawan" (stains; posted from Ceylon), H.M.T. "Dongola" (fine unused) and unnamed (with Gibraltar Paquebot mark). Scarce lot. (5 cards). PHOTO - | £85 | ||
| 852 | P&O - OFFICIAL ARTIST-DESIGNED STEAMER CARDS; c.1910-15 cards (all but one unused; mostly fine) by various artists, depicting S.S. Karmala, Marmora, Moldavia, Mongolia and Viceroy of India (2 types). Good lot. (6 cards). PHOTO - | £75 | ||
| 853 | Similar lot of c.1925-37 Official cards of the RMS Carthage, RMS Kaisar-i-Hind, RMS Mantua, SS Rajputana, SS Ranpura & SS Viceroy of India. (6 cards). PHOTO - | £75 | ||
| 854 | BRITISH INDIA STEAM NAVIGATION CO's OFFICIAL STEAMER CARDS; Scarce c.1920-25 group of artist-designed cards (3 by H.K. Rooke, 1 by Charles Dixon) of this Line's steamers; not named (except for one of S.S. Karapara as a WWI Hospital Ship) but all different views. (4 cards). PHOTO - | £50 | ||
| 855 | BALANCE OF THE INDIAN STEAMERS' OFFICIAL CARDS COLLECTION (NO P&O); c.1901-36 PPC's (5 of the 7 being postally used) depicting RMS India, (1915 real photo), SS Circassia (1912 Anchor Line), Dollar Steamship Lines (map; 1936), Bibby Line (1923 unnamed), Karapara (unused; as a WWI Hospital Ship), British India S.N.C. (unnamed) and Ellerman City Line (1901 card of 1850 City of Calcutta sailing ship). Good variety of scarce cards. (7 cards). PHOTO - | £100 | ||
| MAURITIUS - POSTAL HISTORY | ||||
| 856 | "COLONIES/&c ART.12 [or] 13" MARKS ON SHIP LETTERS TO FRANCE VIA G.B.; 1845/7 E's (3) to Bordeaux with London "SHIP-LETTER" marks (one in red); two (1845) with very fine or near fine red boxed "COLONIES/&c ART.12" marks and one (1847) with almost very fine matching "ART.13" mark; each has a partly fine 2-ring Port Louis "MAURITIUS/POST OFFICE" c.d.s., and the first two are by named ships, "Briton" & "Emma Eugenia". (3 covers). [All ex Robertson.] | £100 | ||
| 857 | PRESTAMP MAIL TO FRANCE & FROM INDIA; 1854 EL from Calcutta "pr. Str. Hindostan", plus 4 1846-54 EL's to Bordeaux with varied marks incl. v. fine red "MAURITIUS/POST OFFICE" c.d.s. with v. fine "COLOMBO/STEAMER LETTER" c.d.s., overstruck "COLONIES/&c ART.13" (with fair blue Falmouth Ship Letter), and two others routed via Ceylon. Plus an I.L.N. print of the "SS Calcutta in a hurricane off the island of Mauritius". (6 items). | £120 | ||
| 858 | LAPIROT 2d PAIR ON COVER TO FRANCE "P. Str. SALSETTE VIA SUEZ" ; 10th Sept. 1859 E (minor faults; closed tear at foot of address) from Port Louis to Bordeaux endorsed "P. Str. Salsette" at top and franked by unusual pair of Lapirot 2d Blues (intermediate impressions; 4 close margins all round, except just touched at one point at lower right), showing a dramatic difference in the degree of wear of the two adjoining stamps on the same plate (positions 1 & 2); tied by very fine circular black target cancels matching the black Port Louis 2-ring "G P O/MAURITIUS" c.d.s., across the join on the reverse beside the French arrival c.d.s.'s (7th Oct. 1859). There is also a partly very fine red 2-ring "PAYS ETR. V. SUEZ/AMB." c.d.s. (crease) and the handstruck "16" (decimes) arrival charge on the front. Carried during the first year of the new P&O contract via Suez. Unusually fine and attractive franking of this early Primitive Issue. Exhibition item. PHOTO - | £4,000 | ||
| 859 | LAPIROT 2d PAIR ON COVER TO PARIS ; 20th June 1859 env. (creases clear of stamps) addressed to "Monsieur Rothschild, Rue de Notre Dame de Grace, Paris" (and so presumably ex the Baron Rothschild stamp collection!) endorsed "Per Overland Mail via Suez & Marseilles", franked by a pair of Lapirot 2d Blues (intermediate impressions; one with enormous margins on 3 sides and just cut into at foot, the other clear at top & left but just cut into on the other sides). They are tied by dumb oval barred cancels matching the mostly very fine Port Louis "G P O/MAURITIUS" 2-ring c.d.s. on the back (beside a 21st July Paris arrival c.d.s.). Charged "8" (decimes) on arrival with a fair red 2-ring "PAYS ETR./SUEZ AMB." c.d.s. (crease) on the front. Rare and attractive Exhibition item.PHOTO - | £3,200 | ||
| 860 | VILLAGE USAGE OF BRITANNIA 6d BLUE ON COVER TO G.B. ; Attractive 5th Aug. 1861 env. to Hastings "via Southampton" (i.e. carried by P&O steamers via Suez) franked by a very fine 1859-61 6d Blue (wide even margins all round) tied by a fine "B53" oval numeral of Port Louis with red manuscript "11/2" Accountancy Marking alongside. This cover was posted from a village and has a mostly very fine octagon-boxed fancy "Flacq/5 AU1861" datestamp on the flap. Marvellous Exhibition item of great quality and eye-appeal. [Ex Kanai.] PHOTO - | £2,000 | ||
| 861 | BRITANNIA 1/- YELLOW-GREEN SINGLE FRANKING COVER TO G.B. VIA FRANCE ; 9th Sept. 1862 env. (minor wear and closed tear at top left) from Port Louis to London "via Marseille", franked at bottom left by an 1861 1/- yellow-green (good even margins all round, though slightly close at bottom corners) tied by a very fine "B53" numeral with fine red handstruck "41/2d" Accountancy Mark (credit to G.B. & France) on the front, beside the London 13th Oct. arrival c.d.s. There is a very fine small blue Port Louis "MAURITIUS" c.d.s. on the flap. Very rare example of the higher rate via France. [Ex Kanai.] PHOTO - | £1,800 | ||
| 862 | EARLY NEWSPAPER SENT BY POST AT 4c RATE (TO G.B.?); Rare and fine March 1885 issue of "The Merchants & Planters Gazette, OVERLAND MAIL EDITION" of Mauritius (some creasing) posted from Port Louis (address wrapper lost upon opening as usual) still bearing a Mauritius 4c orange tied by a very fine oval "B53" numeral, with part of the paper's own blue oval cachet at top. The front page is headed with a wood-cut of a steamer inscribed "PER M.M.S. CALEDONIEN", suggesting that it was sent to G.B. via Suez. Much interesting content including a long leading article reporting on the legislative council's discussions of Mail deliveries to/from the island by "THE CURRIE LINE" and by "THE CASTLE LINE" with detailed analyses of transit times. Rare posted paper with important P.H. contents! PHOTO - | £150 | ||
| 863 | Similar 10th May 1886 complete fine issue of the same newspaper's "OVERLAND MAIL EDITION" with "PER M.M.S. CALEDONIEN" woodcut at top, franked by a Mauritius 4c orange tied by a very fine "Mauritius 10/5/86" MANUSCRIPT CANCELLATION and very rare thus. This is one of only two Port Louis manuscript cancellations on cover that we have recorded. Good contents incl. front page report of "OUR MAILS", listing arrivals and departures of the various ships (with the Caledonien listed as leaving for Marseille via Reunion/Seychelles/Aden on 12th May). Attractive Exhibition item. [Ex Roberts, 1989]. PHOTO - | £400 | ||
| MAURITIUS – STAMPS | ||||
| [NB John Gunn’s maternal Grandfather while in command of Square Rigged sailing ships during the 1860’s often visited Port Louis and anchored in the harbour opposite Labourdonnais Square. Consequently John has always been a keen collector of Mauritius stamps – even if not on cover.] | ||||
| 864 | J.O. BARNARD ISSUES: 1853 Early impression 1d orange vermilion with blue "1" in circle cancellation, three close to good margins, cut into at right. Horizontal crease. 1854 Intermediate impression, 2d blue, a clear to good margined example with central "target" cancellation, tiny scissor cut at foot, thinned & creased but a rare adhesive. (1989 BPA Certificate). 1857-59 Worn impression 1d red-brown on bluish paper, a wide margined example cancelled to leave profile clear. Fine. (1933 RPS Cert.). SG. 7, 14 & 19. Cat. £8,600+. All mounted on a page with a photograph of Labourdonnais Square. PHOTO - | £1,200 | ||
| 865 | THE J.O. BARNARD ISSUE: 1855-58 Worn impression 2d blue with central "1" in circle cancellation. Fine. SG. 22. Cat. £750. RPS cert. (1948). PHOTO - | £300 | ||
| 866 | THE J.O. BARNARD ISSUE: 1857-59 Worn impression 1d red-brown on grey paper with oval of bars cancellations. Fine. SG 17. Cat. £425. PHOTO - | £160 | ||
| 867 | THE BRITANNIA ISSUES: 1858 4d green, two used examples, one cut into, one fine. 1858-62 No value expressed (4d) green mint and used (2), (6d) vermilion, a mint vertical pair, creased and a used single. (9d) dull magenta, four used singles with different cancellations. Mostly fine. SG. 26 to 29. Cat. £2,450+. Ex. Kanai PHOTO - | £700 | ||
| 868 | LAPIROT ISSUES: 1859 (March), Early impression 2d blue with oval of bars cancellation leaving profile clear. Close margins, just "nicked" at upper left corner. 1859 (July) Intermediate impression 2d blue pair with oval of bars cancellations. Short tear at upper left and other minor faults as is normal on this issue. 1859 (Oct.) Worn impression 2d blue, a three margined example with circular framed "PAID" cancellation, also a slightly less worn impression with oval of bars cancellation. Touched on two sides. SG. 37, 38 pair & 39 x 2. Cat. £3,600. PHOTO - | £1,000 | ||
| 869 | L.A. DARDENNE ISSUE: 1859 1d dull vermilion with central oval of bars cancellation, wide margins, central thin. 2d slate blue with oval of bars cancellation, wide margins, repaired tear at top. 2d pale blue with part circular framed "PAID" cancellation leaving profile clear. Fine. 2d pale blue, clearly showing "FEATHER VARIETY" with central oval of bars cancellation. Fine. SG. 41, 43, 44 & 44b. Cat. £2,400+. PHOTO - see plate no. 36 | £1,000 | ||
| 870 | LATER QV ISSUES: 1878-1905 The mint (38) & used (63) collection inc. mint 1891 "TWO CENTS" on 4c "double surcharge one inverted " variety and 1879-80 13c & 38c. The used inc. 1878 2c to 50c surcharges, 1879-80 38c and 2r. 50c. The cancellations inc. the "B53" numeral and "MAURITIUS" c.d.s. Mixed condition but many are fine. (101). | £180 | ||
| REUNION | ||||
| 871 | PRESTAMP COVER SENT TO FRANCE "VIA CEYLON" & DISINFECTED; 21st Feb. 1852 E from "St. Denis, Reunion" to Nantes, endorsed "via Ceylon" with partly fine "COLOMBO/STEAMER LETTER" c.d.s. on the back & overstruck partly fine circular Colombo "BRITISH-PACKET/PAID/POSTAGE" mark on the front, having many other transit marks incl. v. fine large "ALEXANDRIA" c.d.s., fair 2-ring "PURIFIE AU LAZARET/MALTE" and 2-ring "INDES OR./MARSEILLE" c.d.s. Unusual early cover. | £100 | ||
| 872 | FRENCH EMPIRE FRANKING COVER TO PARIS WITH "ANCHOR" CANCELS OF S.S. MOZAMBIQUE; Attractive 18th April 1870 env. with Empire 1863-70 10c & 20c(2) all tied (one through the stamp) by fine dotted "Anchor" cancels, matching the very fine small boxed "PD" mark and the fine SS Mozambique "COL.FR/PAQ.FR. T No.2" octagon d.s. (of the Aden to Reunion/Seychelles/Mauritius branch route) on the front. This d.s. is dated 3 days before the ship reached Aden, and so the letter must have been posted from Reunion (the other ports of call did not use French Empire adhesives). Rare and unusual. [Ex Tom Roberts.] PHOTO - | £150 | ||
| 873 | "LIGNE U" CANCEL ON COMORO ISLANDS COVER; 25th Feb. 1901 env. to France with "GRANDE COMORE" 15c tied by v. fine "LA REUNION A MARSEILLE 1º/L.U. No.1" octagon d.s. with a similar strike alongside. Posted on the SS Iraquaddy at Mayotte. Attractive. [Ex Roberts.] PHOTO - | £100 | ||
| 874 | MARSEILLE/REUNION LIGNE U COVER REGD. EX SS DJEMNAH AT PORT SAID, ETC.; Attractive 15th Sept. 1902 env. to France regd. with France 5c+25c+40c all tied by fine octagon "MARSEILLE A LA REUNION 1º/L.U.No.1" d.s.'s with a second v. fine strike alongside, matching the v. fine boxed "R" mark; struck on the SS Djemnah when leaving Port Said. Plus off-cover stamps (Reunion, France, B.E.A., Madagascar & Zanzibar) with these octagon d.s. as cancels. Useful lot. (1 cover + 6 stamps). [All ex Roberts.] PHOTO - | £100 | ||
| 875 | REUNION/MARSEILLE FRENCH MARITIME OCTAGON CANCELS ON COVERS/CARDS, ETC.; 1900-16 covers/cards incl. large part 1900 env. with L. Marques 100r+21/2r(2) showing the R/M "L.V.No.4" d.s., quartet with French stamps cancelled by M/R octagons of "L.V.No." 1/3/4/4 (one with Sower 10c - faults - with "MM" perfin of Messageries Maritimes), and 1916 Madagascar P. Stat. PC to G.B. cancelled by Tananarivo c.d.s. mentioning shipping movements in the area (via Reunion etc.). Scarce group. (6 covers). | £100 | ||
| 876 | BRITISH EAST AFRICA FRANKED COVER COMPULSORILY REGISTERED ON BOARD S.S. DJEMNAH WITH "LA REUNION A MARSEILLE No.6" OCTAGON CANCELS; Long env. (81/2x51/2 ins.) to Germany endorsed "Registered" and franked by KGV "EAST AFRICA AND UGANDA PROTECTORATE" 15c+12c tied by near fine French Maritime octagon datestamps of SS Djemnah, with red French "R" label alongside tied by rare straight-line "LA REUNION A MARSEILLE" mark. Endorsed "Lettre trouvee dans la boite du Djemnah apres le depart de Mombassa. Recommande d'office. La Controleur. [signature]." on the front. Remarkable Compulsorily Registered cover. Exhibition item. PHOTO - | £150 | ||
| 877 | OFFICIAL MESSAGERIES MARITIMES CARDS DEPICTING WORLD WAR I SINKING OF THEIR STEAMERS, ETC,; Unusual c.1919 set of 6 unused MM PPC's depicting the torpedo sinking of their steamers (incl. SS "DJEMNAH" - see previous lot); plus 1932 PPC of SS Lurline. (7 cards). PHOTO - | £50 | ||
| SEYCHELLES | ||||
| 878 | RARE EARLY MENTION OF A VISIT TO THE "SEYS CHELLE ISLANDS" IN A PRESTAMP LETTER FROM MAURITIUS ; 4th Dec. 1829 EL (some folds reinforced with hinges, etc. and worn crease through address panel) from "Mauritius" addressed to Eton (Bucks.) with a 60% very fine "[MAU]RITIUS/[PO]ST OFFICE" mark and "1/2" arrival charge on the front, beside a very fine scarce boxed "INDIA LETTER/SWANAGE" (Rob.In.1; only known for 1830 in black - just crossed by crease at left). The letter is written and signed by the Blind Traveller, James Holman (1786-1857; see Dict. of Nat. Biog. entry), who travelled round the world in 1827-32, publishing his story in 1834/5. This letter was previously written up as being a description of travel in the West Indies, but Cavendish's describers have taken the time to transcribe the (understandably) terrible hand-writing, and revealed that it describes a journey in the Indian Ocean! To quote; "I am lately returned from a voyage through the Mozambique Channel, visiting the shore of Madagascar and the east coast of Africa, the Islands of Johannah and Mohileh [two of the Comoro Islands] located (?) to the northwest of the equinoctial (?) line, after which to several of the Seys Chelle [sic] Islands, returning here 31st of Octr. [1829]..." Important early reference to the Seychelles from one of its earliest literary visitors. Nice Page One item for any Seychelles display. PHOTO - | £400 | ||
| 879 | MAURITIUS FRANKING "B64" 8d-RATE COVER TO FRANCE VIA MARSEILLES ; 15th May 1869 E from "Mahé, Seychelles" to Nantes "Via Suez & Marseille", franked by a horizontal pair of Mauritius 1860/63 4d rose (one with pre-use wrinkle and the other with fault at foot) neatly tied by light but fine "B64" numerals, matching the very fine (but partly overstruck) "SEYCHELLES/A" c.d.s. on the reverse; also having a very fine small black "P.D" mark (struck in Seychelles?) and a very fine orange-red octagonal "POS.AN.V.SUEZ PAQ. F/1 MARS. 1" entry datestamp on the front. Very rare Mauritius Usage cover to an interesting destination. [Ex Fritz Muller.] PHOTO - | £2,000 | ||
| 880 | "B64" & "SEA POST OFFICE" C.D.S. BOTH CANCELLING 8c BROWN PC TO INDIA; Unusual 14th April 1892 usage of the 8c card (some toning and light speckling) from "Mahé" to Bombay, cancelled by both a light "B64" numeral and by a very fine Aden-Bombay Sea P.O. "SEA POST OFFICE/C/+" c.d.s. with a very fine "SEYCHELLES" c.d.s. on the front. Unusual commercial usage of this card. [Ex F. Muller.] PHOTO - | £200 | ||
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