161 RUSSIA - EMPRESS MARIA'S CHARITY LETTER-CARD: 1899 (18.January) First Day usage of the 7k advertising letter (Laferme cigarettes) with 3k uprating from Kegel (Estonia) to Berlin; slight splitting along one fold; a scarce item - particularly from Estonia. [Mikulski cert. (1989)] PHOTO. £80
162 RUSSIA - EMPRESS MARIA'S CHARITY LETTER-CARDS: Two 1899 examples of the scarce 7k advertising letters with Laferme cigarette advertising, both uprated for foreign mail: from St Petersburg to Copenhagen or Rapallo (Italy), the latter with mistaken '10' charge mark. A fine pair. (2 items). £100
163 RUSSIAN AREA: Interesting group of covers & cards inc. 5 Finland tobacco covers (1900), scarce Russian cigarette-advertising portes-timbres on 1920s cover (3 plus a piece with three more), scarce 1946 military package wrapper, advertising stationery cards etc. (20 items) £100
164 SAAR - RARE 1924 STAMP BOOKLET: Very fine example of the rare 1924 stamp booklet [SG SB1] with complete panes and gum [5c pane inverted in relation to the cover] with cover advertisement for 'Abatschari Cigaretten'. Clean & fresh with unrusted staple; seldom seem so fine. PHOTO. £150
165 SOUTHERN RHODESIA -STAMP BOOKLET: 1937 2/6d booklet[SG SB4] in fine condition inc. an advertisement for Rhodesian tobacco. Also Nyasaland 2/6d booklet [SB1] - two examples, stitched at right or left, with details of posting parcels of tobacco; in addition, a 1961 Rhodesia & Nyasaland Parcel Advice form with 1/- stamp (featuring tobacco) & 5/-. (4 items). £100
166 SPAIN - ADVERTISING STATIONERY: 1920s pair - 25c advertising E [Serie XXVI] with multi-coloured adverts , uprated with 15c to France; roughly opened - some loss to flap/repaired. Also unusual folding card for Garcia, jewellers of Madrid, with 5c stamp imprint & coloured advert - products include tobacco boxes. Attractive & scarce despite faults. (2 items). PHOTO. £70
167 SPAIN - 1930 COLUMBUS ISSUE PRESENTATION ALBUM: Maroon leather presentation album in card slip-case, containing the 1930 Columbus set (35), each overprinted SEVILLA 1930. Fine and unusual. £100
168 SPAIN - 1930 COLUMBUS ISSUE: FRAME PROOFS etc: Eleven different proofs for the horizontal frame 30c (3), 50c (3), 4p (2) & 10p (3); also the 3 triangular values with se-tenant ornamental labels, mint & with 'U.P.P.' opts (9) plus commemorative cover and several other values mint, many with 'U.P.P.' overprints. Unusual lot.(37 items) £100
169 STAMPS: Stock-book of stamps on a tobacco theme with a worldwide range of mint stamps, sheetlets etc. inc. Peru tobacco plant issues, French colonies inc. Guadeloupe & St Pierre, scarce Russian advertising label with stamp attached, proofs, errors, Bahamas 1942 Columbus set to £1, Robert Sinclair air label, fiscals etc. (100s) £100
170 STATE CONTROL OF TOBACCO: Interesting group c1810-50 inc. 1819-21 pair of Swedish printed circulars re. control of tobacco imports, 1810 Napoleonic decree concerning tobacco-growing in Italy, various covers from state departments inc.Guatemala, Turin, Ancona, Rome, Vienna etc. (16 items) £80
171 SWITZERLAND: Group of postcards from the tobacco firm of Burrus of Boncourt (linked to the famous collector, Maurice Burrus) inc. fine pictorial card (1902) used from France plus four different WWI period cards etc. Also (1932) a card with pictorial ad for 'Sato' cigarettes, smoking-related Swiss Army stamps etc. (16 items). £70
172 TOBAGO - 1852 E TO U.K.: Attractive E addressed to Edinburgh, endorsed 'p.R.M.S.P.' and with m/s '1/-' charge and fine (partly overstruck) cds 'TOBAGO/DE 17/1852/A' (no letter but summary written inside by addressee); also a group of QV postal stationery inc.1897 use of 1d card to Germany, 1895 cds cancelling unused 11⁄2d reply card (specimen?), ONE-PENNY provisional opt on 11⁄2d card and 5 other inc. unused 2d reg'd E. (9 items) PHOTO. £100
173 TRANSATLANTIC MAIL - 'BRITISH QUEEN' SECOND VOYAGE, 1839: Fine tobacco 'prices current' ex London to Virginia, carried on the second transatlantic voyage of the 'British Queen', with superb PAID SHIP LETTER / LONDON (1.November 1839), London PAID and New York SHIP cds; attractive. PHOTO. £75
174 TURKEY & RUMANIA: Four better items: 1) 1901 Turkish 20p stationery card ex the Regie des Tabacs to Belgium with fine and unusual BROUSSE cancellation; 2) E with Arabic address from the tobacco office in Osmandjik with Bodoroum cds cancelling 20p pair; 3) Rumania tobacco sample envelope to Paris with 10b stamp cancelled at Bucarest (1889); 4) 1892 10b stationery card to UK with printed details of tobacco shipment. (4 items). PHOTO. £140
175 U.S.A. - PORT TOBACCO: Four scarce stampless ELs from Port Tobacco, Maryland 1834-59, part of the Stone family correspondence, with cds marks inc. 'PORT-TOBACO/Md.' in brown-black & red with matching 'PAID' and '5' or '10' rates, 1854 larger black cds with 'PAID/2' and (1849) receipt cds 'PORT TOBACCO MD/US ARMY'. Also an 1894 2c cover plus two items from Tobaccoville (NC) 1880-1909. Good lot. (7 items). PHOTO. £150
176 U.S.A. - TOBACCO ADVERTISING ENVELOPES, c1858-1905: Group of attractive printed Es advertising various companies' tobacco products inc. fine chromo example for 'Star Tobacco', 1858 tobacco merchant at Louisville (Ky), 2c stationery Es (3) 1895-1907 inc. 'Yankee Girl' chewing tobacco etc. Good group. (9 items). PHOTO. £120
177 U.S.A. - CIGAR ADVERTISING : Three very scarce and attractive examples of advertising frames used with stamps on cover (2) or large piece c1890-1913 inc. 'Hoffman House' , 'Hulmano' & 'Planco' cigars; also 1895 2c envelope with advertising featuring a smartly-dressed pig with a cigar. (4 items).PHOTO. £100
178 U.S.A. MISCELLANY: Interesting group of covers etc. inc. 1930 reg'd E with 'home-made' (?) cancellation of smoking Texan, 1870s-80s stationery cards (3) with printed advertisements plus later examples, 1901 advertising E (Virginia dealers), 'Edgeworth' colour advertising card plus a group of items from the 1907 Jamestown Exhibition (6 special cancellations) etc. (29 items) £80
179 MISCELLANY: Substantial group of covers & cards etc. with a number of better items inc. (1886) Mauritius local postcard with cds of CUREPIPE, 1918 China 1c card uprated to Holland with a fine printed ad for cigarettes, 1846 Edinburgh tobacconist's invoice, Egypt Simon Artz material inc. 1895 card with Khedival warrant, 1880 Swedish card with tobacco manufacturer's imprint, 1920s Italian slogan cancellations etc. (Approx 100 items). £140
180 MISCELLANY: Group of 20th century advertising covers, slogan and meter postmarks, PPCs to 1980s, with material from France, UK, Germany, Switzerland and other European countries.Good variety. (Approx 60 items) £100
181 REMAINDER OF THE COLLECTION: Useful ranges of tobacco-related material, most still on original display sheets inc. original art-work for the 1951 Peru tobacco plant issue plus complete sheet of the 3s value, attractive Tasmania 1909 2d chromo advertising E for seed drills, Mozambique Waterlow 4c specimen sheetlet, Laos 1965 printer's bromide, France 1961 Nicot stamp in colour separation strip of 5 plus colour shift examples, 1949 Jamaica £1 FDC, GB Sinclair air stamp reprints etc.(Qty) £150
ALBUMS, PHILATELIC ACCOUTREMENTS, ETC.
182 TWO LARGE CARTONS with the extensive accumulation of philatelic accessories including two boxed "PLYMOUTH" albums, two boxed "WARWICK" albums (plus a third unboxed type) & two boxed "POPULAR" albums, sundry literature including Billig's volumes 34 & 35, UVITEC watermark detector, Hawid strips, Transparol mounts, etc. (Large Qty.).OFFERED ON BEHALF OF SAVE THE CHILDREN - PLEASE BID GENEROUSLY. £30
183 STOCKBOOKS: Two cartons containing 19 Edelweiss stockbooks. Virtually as new with seven (32p x 2, 48p x 3 & 64p x 2) in original film wrapping. £100
MISCELLANEOUS WORLD WIDE POSTAL HISTORY
184 CARTON with the early to modern World-wide accumulation of covers & cards in four albums and loose. A wide range of material noted inc. (Approx. 300). £100
185 MISCELLANY of covers (plus a few stamps inc. Finland 5k blue serpentine roulette with postal & pen cancellations plus German South America Flight reprints) including 1860 env. to South Australia bearing 1/- green tied by Chatham duplex with various other postal markings including "COOLWA/SOUTH AUSTRALIA" receiver, 1929 Air mail cover flown on the inaugural flight from Antigua to the USA, 1931 Air mail cover flown on the inaugural Mwanza-London flight, a group of six 1934 FFC's per Imperial Airways & QANTAS between England and Australia, 1937 (?) cover to England bearing GB Coronation 1½d tied by double-ring "TRISTAN DA CUNHA" (two other strikes of same clear of adhesive), 1955 cover bearing Malacca $2 & $5 with Petaling First Day of issue c.d.s., 1963 pair of covers bearing South Georgia ½d to £1 definitive sets, 1963 GB Red Cross set on illustrated FDC, etc. (32 items). £200
186 MISCELLANY: Album with covers inc. useful Finland 1950s FDCs, 1856 Thurn & Taxis E with 24kr tricolour franking, pre-stamp GB, 1d red covers, two attractive Victorian paper-lace valentines, 1856 Belgian cover, modern GB FDCs etc. (68 items). £150
187 MISCELLANY: Box containing desk-top letter balance with weights to 2oz, silver-plated desk-top spring balance, brass stamp-box in Art Nouveau style, qty of PPCs etc. with postmark interest (useful Lincolnshire noted), 1912 GB cover with KGV 1d 'no cross on crown' variety, plus a few pre-stamp, FDCs etc.(Small Qty.) £100
188 MISCELLANY in binder including an interesting group of WWI covers & cards including much censored mail plus a good range of QV-QEII covers & cards showing a wide selection of Bradford (Yorks.) related cancellations inc. "Eccleshill/Penny Post", Squared Circles, etc. (Qty.). £100
** 189 MISCELLANY: 1908 env from HMS Amphitrite to London franked with Chinese ½c x 15 with four more on reverse,and another torn away cancelled with multiple strikes of the Lau Kung Tau c.d.s. and a single French Shanghai P.O. transit c.d.s. 1929 PPC card from a POW at Osaka to Matsuryama. (4 items). £100
190 MISCELLANY: Box of covers & cards c1830-1970 with much of interest inc. POs in the Levant, exhibition cancellations, USA & other machine cancellations, Scout jamborees, China, Zanzibar, Upper Silesia etc. Inspection recommended. (Approx. 150 items). £120
191 MISCELLANY: Interesting group of covers inc. 1930s trio of air covers to the Philippines, one with KGV 2/6d & 5/- franking with Manila Steamer receipt, WWII censored mail inc. 1940 E ex Manila with red 'AV2' and Singapore censorship, Dutch E.Indies E to Manila with fine Soerabaia censor, attractive National Savings ill'd economy label, 1944 E with 'Stamp fallen off/at Toronto, Ont.' h.s. etc. (55 items) £160
192 MISCELLANY: Scarce 1914 Monaco Rallye Aerien commemorative PPC with special label tied by dated cachet (2 repaired tears); 1924 PPC of Arctic explorer carried by the 'Fram', with Polhavet cancellation (weak corner); 1929 Sweden-UK air cover ex Malmo, forwarded to the Dominican Republic. Useful trio. (3 items). £100
193 BRITISH COMMONWEALTH: Substantial miscellany of covers c1930-70 inc. KGVI Coronation & short sets frankings, good range of QEII period Hong Kong sub-office cancellations (30), Australia, NZ & Dependencies inc. Antarctic, Islands & small territories with postmark interest etc. Inspection essential. Useful lot. (190 items). £150
194 EUROPE: Shoe-box of mainly middle period covers, mainly European with better (1948 BERLIN opt on 25pf - pair on cover noted) inc. Switzerland, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Scandinavia etc. plus a few USA and overseas items. Viewing recommended. (Approx. 150 items) £120
195 GLOSSARY of postal history and philatelic terms written-up on album leaves. A few stamps noted inc. defective GB 1840 1d & 2d but with major emphasis on adhesives collected for postmark interest and on covers & cards. Topics covered include Cancellations, Censored mail, Instructional mail, Postcards, Postal Stationery, Railway Station & TPO cancellations, Sea post, etc. (Qty.). £120
196 LORD LYONS CORRESPONDENCE, 1794 - 1855: Biographical study of Vice Admiral Lord Lyons, based around correspondence to him inc. Hampshire material, naval mail inc. EL ex Antigua (1825) with fine SHIP LETTER/PLYMOUTH, 1840 E ex Corfu with fine 'POSTA PAGATA' h.s., 1831 inspector's crown correcting rate on E ex HMS 'Madagascar' off Greece, Balmoral Castle note-paper with crayon memo in Queen Victoria's hand, mentioning Lord Lyons plus an extensive correspondence 1794-1839 (30 items with transcripts) to William Lyons at Tenby, reference material etc.Interesting lot. (28 covers and several other items). £240
197 MAURITIUS: Small commercial correspondence between France and Mauritius, 1846-89 concerning ebony & sugar, most by named ships (8, some tropicalisation); also 1856 EL to Malta ex Constantinople with '2/6' charge and another cover. (10 items) £100
198 POSTAGE DUE & INSTRUCTIONAL MARKS: Group of PPCs & covers c1903-70 with interesting range of postage due marks and stamps, largely U but with examples from France, Belgium, Holland, Canada, Brazil, Austria, USA etc. (44). Also a similar group of items (19) with instructional marks inc. UK missorts (3), various 'return' & 'missent' marks etc. (63 items). £120
199 POSTAGE DUE MAIL: Range of covers & cards with postage due marks & stamps c1905-80s with emphasis on GB inc. good variety of local and Inland Section h.s. , various instructional marks inc. CONTRARY TO REGULATIONS, LIABLE TO LETTER RATE, INSUFFICIENTLY ADDRESSED, NOT KNOWN etc., coded hexagons (G68 of London-Dover TPO noted), 'T' marks etc. Also a selection of foreign covers inc. Madagascar pair, Australia 1d due on forwarded cover (1931) plus a few stamps. (Approx. 120 items) £120
200 POSTAL STATIONERY: Six binders with the superb unused & used World-wide collection of postal stationery items. Much from the 1950's and 1960's but with some earlier noted. A magnificent original lot in pristine condition. (1,000+). £300
201 RAILWAYS - BRITISH EMPIRE: Substantial range of cards & covers with railway station and TPO marks c1900-60 inc.UK (1920 Lincoln Sorting Carriage cds on BEA cover noted), Australia, Canada, Egypt, India etc. but also smaller territories such as Sierra Leone (attractive 1927 card with Freetown TPO cds). Inspection recommended. (Approx. 180 items) £140
202 RAILWAYS - SCANDINAVIA: Extensive range of railway postmarks, mainly on postcards c1900-60s and inc. station and TPO marks of Norway (58), Sweden (34), Denmark (14) and Finland (49) - the last a particularly interesting selection of mainly Russian period material. (155 items). £150
203 RAILWAYS - WORLDWIDE: Extensive group of covers & cards with railway marks c1900-70 inc. substantial USA plus Brazil, Chile, Balkans inc. unusual Rumania, Hungary, Spain, Portugal etc. Inspection recommended. (Approx 200 items). £120
204 WEST AFRICA ; 1872-1901 trio inc. 1872 env. (foxed) Sierra Leone to Derby with 6d purple (SG.2) tied by B31 numeral cancel fine red Paid Liverpool BR Packet c.d.s. and on the reverse a red "PAID AT SIERRA LEONE " d.s.; 1895 1d PC (bend crack) Sierra Leone to London with Freetown c.d.s. and fine red Paid Liverpool BR Packet c.d.s. plus Registered OHMS env. Gambia to New Jersey via Liverpool with 6d olive & red(SG.51) plus 4d. brown & blue(SG.50) tied by Registered Gambia oval d.s., signed by the Postmaster etc. Despite faults a good trio. £75
WORLD-WIDE MARITIME POSTAL HISTORY
205 MISCELLANY: 1800-94 assortment of covers inc. 1800 EL from London to Madeira with a readable oval "Ship Letter/Crown/LONDON" h.s. 1808 EL from London to Madeira with a good "PAID SHIP LETTER/Crown/LONDON" c.d.s. 1839 EL from St Croix to London with red boxed "PACKET LETTER" h.s. Also 1894 copy of the GB Post Office Circular (7 items). £100
206 MISCELLANY: Accumulation of maritime mail covers inc. substantial Norwegian steamer mail c1910-80, seapost covers of Germany, Russia, UK, USA, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy etc. c1890 to date with a wide variety of marks. Inspection recommended. (Approx. 120 items). £120
207 MISCELLANY: Assortment of covers with emphasis on USA material from 1930s onwards inc. nice pair of SS'Manhatten' covers, various 'US Ger. Seapost' cancels, ships' cachets etc. Also earlier paquebot marks inc.fine 1911 Southampton cds type plus 1951 machine, various German and other European covers etc. (100+ items) £100
208 BRITISH PAQUEBOTS: Useful lot of marks on cover or card inc. (1905) late use of the London IS fancy octagon d.s. on Singapore PPC, Holyhead cds (1929) on returned 2½d air postcard, Dover cds (1913), Plymouth machine (4, 1911-20), London machin (4, 1914-32)various Liverpool, Southampton, Harwich etc. Also a bundle of 1960s-'80s covers with ships' cachets and various paquebot marks etc. (100 approx.) £120
209 NAVY OFFICE LETTER CONCERNING CONVICT SHIP: 1816 EL addressed to the Navy Office, London from 'Sheerness Yard' concerning an improved system of fitting out ships for the use of convicts, mentioning the 'Edgar' (renamed 'Retribution'!) and the 'Bellerophon'; no details of the system except that The conduct of the Convicts differs from what it was ...as day from night. Red SHEERNESS/51 mileage and '8' charge on front. £140
210 INCOMING MAILS VIA LIVERPOOL ETC.; 1828-1906 group of covers etc. inc. 1828 EL Amsterdam to Rhode Island via Liverpool with red "AMSTERDAM", "SHIP" etc. various rates and endorsed "p Silvanus(?) Jenkins"; 1837 EL New York to Edinburgh via Liverpool and redirected to Saltcoates with boxed ½d, "POSTAGE/TO/EDINBURGH/NOT PAID" h.s. and fine "SALTCOATES/PENNY POST" h.s. etc; 1855 embossed env. Greenville to Poole with Greenville c.d.s. overstruck with red "AMERICA/PAID/LIVERPOOL" (Tab.P6) d.s. etc.; 1870 EL Ceara (Brazil) to London with fine boxed "LIVERPOOL/SHIP" (Tab.S18) overstruck by red Ship letter London, etc. Good selection of handstamps etc. (20 covers). £100
211 RARE RE-ROUTED FALMOUTH PACKET LETTER EX MEXICO SENT VIA IRELAND DUE TO STORMS; 27 Mar. 1831 EL from "Tampico" to London endorsed "p. H.B.M. Packet Eclipse" and so intended for routing via Falmouth, but having a fine red Dublin diamond transit d.s. (19 May) on the flap, and unkindly charged the full Packet & Dublin-London rates combined (a double letter) - "6/8". West Indies/South American Packet Mails only went via Dublin if their ships were forced into Irish ports due to storms or accident. Rare thus. PHOTO. £400
212 RARE PERSIAN GULF ROUTE FALMOUTH PACKET LETTER FROM INDIA TO SCOTLAND; 26 July 1838 EL from "Nagpore" to Inverness "Per Steamer via Bombay" endorsed "If too late for the Steamer, to be despatched via Cape" on the top flap beside a very fine red boxed "NAGPORE/PAID [10 Annas]" d.s.; however it caught the steamer "Atalanta" from Bombay to Mohummerah (near Basra, Iraq) and so was carried overland via Hit and Beirut to Alexandria, and then on to G.B. It has a faint oval-framed Bombay "INDIA" and a fine green Falmouth boxed "1⁄2" on the front. There is a fine red 10 Jan. 1839 Edinburgh transit c.d.s. on the top flap, proving that this letter went by the 51⁄2-month Gulf route rather than by the normal 2-month route via the Red Sea. Fine example of a cover sent by this rare, slow and unreliable monsoon-period Persian Gulf route. PHOTO. £1500
213 CEYLON & INDIA - FALMOUTH PACKET LETTERS; 23 Nov. 1838 EL (dusty) from "NUSSEERABAD" (fair red d.s. on flap) to Inverness charged "2/6" with red oval Bombay "INDIA" and fair green Falmouth boxed "½" on the front, having a 6 Feb. 1839 Edinburgh transit c.d.s.; plus 12 Aug. 1842 EL (printed address insurance questionnaire) to London charged "1/-" with partly fine claret-red crowned boxed "COLOMBO/POST PAID" d.s. (showing reversed "S" variety) on the front. (2 covers). £120
214 MEXICO/ST. DOMINGO/ST. THOMAS - PACKET LETTERS VIA FALMOUTH; 1840/3 fine covers to Bordeaux(1) or London(4) with v. fine red boxed London "Packet Letter" (1840 ex St. Domingo to France), Vera Cruz pair dating from the penultimate & ultimate pre-R.M.S.P. voyages, and v. fine large 1843 "ST. THOMAS" c.d.s. (5 covers). £140
215 MANUSCRIPT JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE FROM LIVERPOOL TO ANTOFAGUSTA, CHILE, 1911: Substantial (160pp) notebook filled with observations, photographs and drawings, written by an engineer, C.W. Glover on board the PSNC liner 'Orita' and inc. observations on railways & tramways , his notes on the ship's engines etc. Also an attractive GSNC Royal Mail Service guide-book (100pp) c1900 with map & chromo covers, three postal contracts 1895-1913 for West Indies Mails, Union Castle Line bound book of postcards c1910 (23 cards remaining) plus Shaw Savill Line boxed playing cards. (7 items). £150
216 EUROPE: Accumulation of covers & cards with maritime marks inc. various French paquebot marks of Toulon & Marseille c1910-'30s, British ship cachets, extensive s/l paquebot marks etc.Viewing recommended. (100 approx.) £100
217 GERMAN SHIPPING LINES etc.: Accumulation of covers c1960s-'80s, most linked to various German shipping lines, many with ships' cachets inc. submarine, Kiel Week h.s., NDL, plus Fred Olsen, Swiss lake steamers, paquebots etc. Useful material. (150 approx.) £100
218 HAPAG-LLOYD: Large binder with collection of covers c1954-89 with cachets of a wide range of HAPAG-LLOYD ships inc. various frankings, paquebot marks etc. Good lot for development. (87 items). £100
219 PAQUEBOT MAIL: Substantial group of covers & cards c1900-70 (largely pre-WWII) with a wide variety of paquebot marks inc. France, Scandinavia, Canada, USA, Cape, Canaries, Spain, Italy, Gibraltar, Malta, Egypt, Kenya, Aden, Australia etc. Inspection recommended. ( 102 items) £140
220 RIVER & LAKE POSTS: An interesting group of elusive covers & cards inc. Gambia 1943-46 pair with TPO No2/RIVER GAMBIA cds, British Guiana covers 1952-61 with seven different river steamer cds, Sudan 1909 Kareima-Argo TPO, Swiss, German & Italian Lake Steamer cancellations etc. Good lot. (29 items). £100
221 SEA POST OFFICE: Group of cards c1890-1930 with cds marks of he Aden-Bombay Sea PO and associated marks inc. various sizes , types and codes of the SEA POST OFFICE cds, Aden & Colombo paquebot marks, fine strike of the elusive SINGAPORE TO HONG KONG cds (1906) plus another example with different code-letter (stamp missing) etc. Good specialist lot. (30 items). £100
222 SWEDEN - MAIL TO FINLAND c1881-1932: Interesting group of covers & cards with Finnish arrival marks etc. inc. scarce Mariehamn (Aland) FRAN UTLANDET, similar mark used at Abo to cancel 10 ore card and on cover to Wasa (1905), [ship]/POSTI*POST h.s. (2), fine pictorial ship c.d.s. cancellations of TURKU -ABO (3, 1913-28, one with bilingual inscription), various paquebot types etc. (23 items). £180
223 TRANSATLANTIC MAIL - COMBINED CGH & GB FRANKING: 1901 Long E addressed to New York with amazing mixed franking of Cape of Good Hope 21⁄2d blue (strip of 3) plus GB 1d lilac pair and 21⁄2d (strip of 3) - making up a 1/5d rate - all cancelled by indistinct London rubber cds of February 1901; CGH stamps affected by crease. Most unusual. PHOTO. £100
224 U.S.A. - 'WE PREFER A NIMBLE NICKEL TO A SLOW SHILLING!' CAMPAIGN ENVELOPE: c1894 E (slight edge wear) with a printed slogan referring to the campaign for transatlantic Ocean Penny Postage, used locally with 1c stamp from Toledo to Defiance (Ohio). Unusual. PHOTO. £100
MILITARY POSTAL HISTORY
225 BURMA - RED BOXED "MOULMEIN/Paid" D.S. ON PACKET LETTER TO G.B. EX "CAMP"; 27 Dec. 1841 EL (minor wrinkling & flap faults barely detract) headed from "Camp at Moulmein" to London "Per Steamer Ganges via Calcutta" and "Via Falmouth" with a very fine red boxed "MOULMEIN/Paid" d.s. on the flap, endorsed "Ship and Overland Postage", having fine red oval Bombay "INDIA" and m/s "1/-" on the front. Good contents ref. the recent unrest in Burma and prospects of being sent to China; "The cause of our coming [here] is that His Burmese Majesty Tharawadee left his Capital and set out for Rangoon with a large Army...Negotiations with Tharawadee are now going on...The Madras Government has applied for us to go to China to relieve our 37th...300 of them having been lost at sea in the Golcondah...[before going to Burma] I volunteered the services of the Regiment again for China...but the request was met with the hacknied story that the appointment was in the gift of the Governor General...there has been a dreadful outbreak in Affghanistan - the population there appears to have risen en masse. Sir Alexr. Burnes with many other officers have fallen, and the Troops are besieged in their Camps; long before succour can reach them from Hindoostan they must be staved out...Tomorrow we are to have a sham Battle of Waterloo, a fight which Col. L was present at..." Fascinating historical letter from this pivotal moment between the Afghan & Chinese Wars. PHOTO. £240
226 BURMA - RED BOXED "MOULMEIN/Paid" D.S. WITH INTERESTING CONTENTS REF. THE VOYAGE TO BURMA, THE COUNTRY, ETC.; Similar 29 Dec. 1841 EL (minor creasing) from "Camp at Moulmein" with v. fine red boxed "MOULMEIN/Paid" d.s. (light creases) endorsed "Ship & overland Postage", having a good account of the writer's recent voyage from India to Burma and the beauties of Moulmein and the surrounding area. Interesting reading. PHOTO. £240
227 AFGHANISTAN + BURMA - RED BOXED "MOULMEIN/Paid" D.S. WITH GRIPPING NEWS OF THE KHYBER PASS MASSACRE, ETC.; Similar 6 Mar. 1842 EL from "Camp at Moulmein" with v. fine red boxed "MOULMEIN/Paid" d.s. (creases) on the top flap endorsed "Rupee 1-1-0 Ship and Overland Postage". The letter notes that their hopes of leaving for China have receded, and then continues [the Khyber Pass Massacre had taken place on 13 Jan. 1842, so news was only now filtering out]; "The Order for our going to China passed Council...when a piece of Intelligence came amongst them like a thunderbolt which altered their arrangements. This was the murder of Sir William McNaghten and the complete destruction of the Caubul force - 6,500 men and some 7,000 followers. Up to the last account we have received only one officer, Dr. Brydon, and not one man had reached Jellalabad...all the poor ladies and their children in the hands of these villains; what a dreadful fate we must suppose them to have suffered...it really appears that General Elphinstone was totally incompetent..." He gives very detailed news of other developments in Afghanistan. Important and unusual early cover from Burma. PHOTO. £300
228 SINGAPORE - ON BOARD TROOPSHIP 'PEKIN' EN ROUTE TO HONG KONG & CHINA; 6 May 1842 EL (few closed tears but attractive) headed from "On board the Transport 'Pekin', Singapore Harbour" to London with mostly fine scarce red boxed "SINGAPORE/Paid" d.s. (creases; frame just affected by close tear) with manuscript "9 ans" nearby; endorsed Paid to Bombay" and "Per Calcutta & via Falmouth" on the front, charged "1/-". Good contents about the writer finally leaving for the 1st Opium War; "...we are bound for China...Tomorrow morning we are off again:- for Hong Kong in Canton River, whence we are told we are to go to Chusan and then to Pekin...It was to us a novel sight - a fleet of fifty sail in this harbour...We went to call on the Governor..." He describes the voyage from India, the 'Pekin' (a new ship), Singapore, etc. Good letter from this important Expedition.PHOTO. £200
229 LETTER FROM HONG KONG HARBOUR - ALSO LIEUT. KIRBY's COMMISSION, & THE BALANCE OF THE CORRESPONDENCE; 7 June 1842 letter (some faults; no address wrapper) headed from "On board the 'Pekin', Hong Kong Harbour" with good contents about the progress of the Fleet; "Here we are, progressing towards the scene of the action. We arrived only yesterday having has a very tedious passage from Singapore...the 'Walmer Castle' led us wrong by leading through the inner passage between the Paracel Islands and the Island of Hainan. We were there for eight days tacking to and fro...we were in sight of the Ladrone Islands at daylight yesterday. There is so much uncertainty of sending letters from this place that, as I am going on board the Commandant's ship, where the Post Office is, and the 'Druid', Man of War, sails tomorrow for Bombay, I will send off this little scrawl...It is reported that our Regiment is to be garrison at Chusan, Amoy, &c..." Plus Kirby's 1836 vellum commission, 2½ 1839/41 EL's from the same correspondence before he had left India for Burma (one privately carried to GB and posted locally in London during the 4d Postage Period), and a pair of 1843 letters (no wrappers) written by Kirby on his return voyage at Malta & Ryde. The latter mentions that "...the China Medal which has been given us...". (7 items). £150
230 THE FINAL BATTLE OF THE 1st OPIUM WAR - GRAPHIC EYE-WITNESS ACCOUNT OF THE FALL OF CHING-KIANG; Remarkable 26 July 1842 EL (minor wear to outer wrapper; contents fine) to London "Per Steamer via Falmouth" headed from "Chin-Keang-foo" (i.e. Ching-kiang) endorsed "Per Steamer via Falmouth" with red oval Bombay "INDIA" and near fine red boxed "MADRAS" datestamp, charged "1/-". The contents give an update on Kirby's progress, since the letter from Hong Kong in the previous lot, and gives a very detailed account of the taking of Ching-kiang that he witnessed from start to finish, and descriptions of looting and the occupation of the city. "We went up in a convoy...I landed on the Island of Chusan and had a hasty look at the scene of the last action here...The 'Bellisle' with Lord Saltoun and the 98th Regt. had arrived just before us; we called upon his Lordship...had a tedious passage...to the Yang-tsze-Keang River, in the mouth of which was the Admiral Sir Hugh Gough, and the whole Expedition at anchor off Woosung on 26th June...surveyed the River...came in sight of our destination, Golden Island, on the 19th July...the storming of this Fortress...was a very interesting sight...we had a commanding view of the whole Fort and Town...Sir Hugh soon moved on to the attack of the Tartar Camp...They [the Chinese] behaved exceedingly well, standing the fire of musketry and artillery, all but the bayonet, which soon sent them off...We could see the whole process of bringing up the ladders, raising them; then the leading Officer of the Grenadiers of the 55th mounted by himself, and we could see him waiving his sword and engaged with the enemy...we had soon the pleasure of seeing the Colours of the 55th on the wall..." He eventually entered the city and tried to restrain the men (and his fellow officers!) from looting. he describes the stench of the dead bodies, the appalling heat, etc. He notes the British losses as 13 officers & 128 men killed or wounded. He concludes; "The Sappers are now mining the ramparts...after which the 1st & 3rd Brigades [the latter including Kirby's Regiment] start for Nankin which is supposed to be 30 miles further on..." Important eye-witness account of the final Battle of the 1st Opium war. PHOTO. £750
231 1st OPIUM WAR - LETTER FROM NANKING AS THE FINAL TREATY WAS BEING NEGOTIATED; 22 Aug. 1842 EL (some closed tears and wrinkling, etc., but barely affecting the text) to London "Per Steamer Via Falmouth" headed from "On board the 'Pekin' off Nankin" with fine red oval Bombay "INDIA" and charged "1/-" on arrival. The letter was written from the British Force that had reached Nanking and threatened to attack the city while Sir Henry Pottinger was busy negotiating the terms of the Peace Treaty that was to be signed a week after this letter was written. The Treaty of Nanking ended the War and forced the Chinese to pay $21,000,000 in silver bullion. The letter gives details of developments at this crucial stage of the conflict; "...a Treaty for Peace is now going on...arrived at this place...the 9th [Aug.]...the Commissioners appointed by the Emperor very soon found out the Plenipotentiary. The first intention was to breach the old wall of Nankin...by the Flag Ship...Sir Hugh Gough advanced with part of the Troops and his Artillery towards the new wall of the City...The Chinese have no dread of ships battering their walls for at Amoy the Men of War fired for several hours and made no impression, but the aspect of the land force was very different to them - the Commissioners came down to the bank and begged most earnestly to be taken off to the Steamer where Sir Henry Pottinger...was, and on the 17th [Aug.] he wrote to the General...'It affords me great satisfaction to have it in my power to inform you that mu negotiations with the Chinese High Officers...have advanced to that stage that authorizes me to beg that you will consider hostilities suspended...The demand on the Chinese is 21 millions of dollars, six to be paid here, two and a half more at Woosung. Some possessions also will be kept, Hong Kong certainly, and it is said that British Consuls will be stationed at Amoy, Ningpo, Ching-Keang-Foo &c...." A surprisingly accurate summary of the Treaty of Nanking written as it was being negotiated. Important Historical letter.PHOTO. £500
232 HONG KONG - FINAL LETTER SENT AS THE BRITISH EXPEDITION WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE; 18 Dec. 1842 EL (minor faults; parts of flaps lost with seal) to London from "Hong Kong Harbour" endorsed "via Falmouth Per 'Vixen' via Bombay" with fine red oval Bombay "INDIA" and charged "1/-" on arrival. The letter was written two days before the British Fleet left Hong Kong to return to India; "This is certainly the most pleasant stay we have made at any place in China...the people of the Town being under our rule are very civil...we have had our Sepoys on shore and...the hold has been repacked, and the vessel well cleaned inside and out...our ship was originally the most crowded...at Moulmein we embarked in a hurry...we have lost 83 fighting men in these eight months...I hope Sir Henry Pottinger is quite right in the estimate he has formed of the Chinese and the Peace with them. He has given it as his opinion that there is no chance of a disagreement with them for the next 20 years, or otherwise he is sending away a fine Force that may be wished for hereafter when far away...since the Peace two 'accidents' have occurred that do not look well. One is the massacre in Formosa of more than 100 men...the Crews of the Ships 'Nerbudda' and 'Ann'...which vessels were wrecked there in Sept. 1841 and Mar. 1842 - they have been kept in prison for many months and put to death only recently. The other is a disturbance at Canton during which the English Factory and other houses were burnt down." He describes a visit to Whampoa and Canton, describes the Chinese defences, and notes that he was prevented from wandering very far in Canton. He continues; "...Hong Kong is wonderfully improved since our visit in June last; houses, warehouses, hotels, shops, whole streets are springing up in every direction..." Important early letter from the newly ceded island of Hong Kong and interesting reading.PHOTO. £400
233 NAPOLEONIC WARS - YORKSHIRE INTEREST: Two fine, large, original handbills: 1) 1803 Notice of a meeting held at the Tiger Inn, Beverley to discuss defence measures including evacuation of the sick, beacon rockets, flood defences etc. 2) 1804 copy of an address & prayer delivered to the Grimston Yeomanry at Hull. (2 items). £120
234 RARE BRITISH OCCUPATION P.O.'s "SURINAM/1 FEB 1809" MARK ON COVER WITH FALMOUTH SHIP LETTER; Jan./Feb. 1809 EL (amusing contents ref. drink, trade, etc.) with partly fine rare "SURINAM/1 FEB 1809" datestamp (few known) on the front, charged "1/3" with a mostly very fine double-oval "SHIP LETTER/[Crown]/FALMOUTH" mark also on the front. Written during the 2nd British Occupation (1804-14) of this Dutch Colony. Interesting reference to the Martinique Expedition; "...the Martinique Expedition is entirely over on account of the French Fleet being at sea; they say 24 sail of the Line." It has been stated that only two examples of this rare 2-line datestamp have been recorded. Exhibition Item. PHOTO. £750
235 ROYAL MARINES - TREATMENT OF A DESERTER, 1809: EL written from Edinburgh, endorsed 'On Service' and addressed to a Royal Marines sergeant based at Dumfries , containing orders to track down and arrest a deserter; endorsed on the outside: Mr Docherty Tailor will receive & detain the Person of Robert Campbell who is sworn to be a desferter till a party arrive to escort him to his regiment. Unusual. £100
236 NAVAL BLOCKADE OF TOULON, 1811: Lengthy EL written by an officer on board the 'Warspite' off Toulon in October 1811, describing a reconnoitring mission when the ship came under fire from the French guns on the island of Porquerolles, mentioning French naval sorties, meeting officers from other ships, the departure of the 'Royal Sovereign', the wastage of men caused by 'fever' etc. Oval SHIP LETTER/PORTSMOUTH mark and corrected rate charge. Good naval letter. £180
237 NAPOLEONIC P.O.W. LETTER FROM PORCHESTER CASTLE TO FRANCE WITH CENSOR (?) INITIALS; 31 Jan. 1814 EL (trivial faults) to Gironde, France, headed from "Porchester" (the P.O.W. Camp at Porchester Castle in Hampshire) charged "10" in black manuscript and having a distinctive red manuscript squiggle ("Exd."? or initials?) on the lower flap that was presumably added to show that the letter had been examined by the Camp authorities. The letter (in French) mentions the writer having received money safely from a friend in Guernsey, and includes a witnessed authority for the addressee to conduct the POW's affairs in his absence. He notes that "It is five years I have been drinking water."!! Two 1795/8 Porchester Castle POW letters are recorded with the fancy oval "EXAMINED" mark, but we have not seen any other covers from there apart from this one. Exhibition Item. PHOTO. £300
238 INDIA - MEYWAR FIELD FORCE, 1827: Part EL (seal and side flaps removed) addressed to Scotland, with a fine strike in watery ink of the rare encircled 'P.O./Meywar/F. Force' , boxed INDIA LETTER/PLYMOUTH alongside; what remains of the letter gives a tantalising glimpse of this little-known campaign. £140
239 FRENCH ARMY IN ALGERIA - AN ENGLISHMAN'S LETTER HOME: 1834 EL to his wife in Devon from Thomas Pomery in Algiers - he seems to have been a ship's captain, mentioning moving on to Alicante & Marseille in search of a cargo; most unusually, the letter was sent through the French military posts - the address panel has a fine strike of the 4-line 'A/ARMÉE EXPÉDre/D'AFRIQUE/P.P.' with an authorising paraphe alongside and oval 'A.E.D.' confirming postage paid to destination; some ink spots and damp marks but an extraordinary item! PHOTO. £150
240 SCARCE NAVAL CONCESSION RATE LETTER, 1835: EL (dusty, split with sellotape repairs) written from HMS 'Excellent' at Portsmouth to Dublin, concerning the writer's transfer to the 'Sapphire', adding The letter must be directed to William Wood Seaman aboard HMS Excellent, Portsmouth and a penny put in the post with it and I get it free, if you miss one letter in the direction I pay full postage; wrapper signed by Lt.Hastings, with 'Paid one penny' endorsement and a red '1'. Despite faults, a scare Naval concession letter. PHOTO. £120
1-80
81-160
161-240
241-320
321-400
401-480
481-560
561-640
641-720
721-800
801-880
881-960
961-1040
1041-1120
1121-1200
1201-1210
INDEX