MICHAEL HAMILTON
POSTAL HISTORY
POSTMARKS
STAMPS
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All world BANK TRANSFERS by WISE to Michael David Cameron Hamilton SORT CODE 23-08-01 Account 58021507. No postal charges
See "BUY THE BEST" for records of postmarks, scans of covers with text, provenance, maintained over 45 years. BUY YOUR OWN DIGITAL PDF FILE ................... Knowledge puts you ahead in the game



Country: St. Vincent Clear
Subject: All

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PAID AT ST. VINCENT CROWNED CIRCLE ILLUSTRATED COVERS PERIOD 1852-1866. Price £25
This file manages to illustrate 57 of the known 64 Crowned Circle covers either in part or full b/w, or colour. Two surprises emerge in that when the QV 6d yellow-green issue (SG.2) was exhausted the Post Office could not immediately locate the Crowned Circle and used the ST. VINCENT cds (one instance only), but probably much more interesting is that only two covers are in combination with the fully spelt out SAINT-VINCENT cds which survived the Post Office fire of OC 29 1866, and if my hunch is correct was lost when the "Water Witch", a local vessel, was hired to take passengers off quarantined ships in Kingstown Bay on DE 8 1866. Being an active "work-in-progress" file I hope to add more Crowned Circle covers as they come to light. At the end of this pdf there are 7 QV 1d, 4d, 6d, 1/- "loose" stamps cancelled with the Crowned Circle for you to ponder as there is no explanation for their use. You can now order and pay for your own DIGITAL pdf copy (no refunds, but you are entitled to TWO free updates as and when requested). This pdf has descriptions of 64 entires arranged in chronological sequence, and packed with provenance. Price £25 (no discounts to either trade or collectors as packed with information) payable by PayPal or WISE transfer (ignore Barclays mention at check out as account now closed, and I cannot change, this web shop 22 years old).
£25

ST. VINCENT TEXT DESCRIPTIONS OF PRE-STAMP AND ADHESIVE COVERS (1,665) 1772-1908. Price £800
St. Vincent postal history takes you on an epic journey, the third earliest letter of 1772 was written during a campaign against the indigenous Caribs and was placed in a bottle and given to a negro who swam out to a passing boat (the negroes being of differing African origin). After that the str. line ST. VINCENT often written by soldiers at Fort Charlotte overlooking the capital Kingstown, no 2-line, but a 3-line ST. VINCENT followed by numerous ST. VINCENTS fleurons (many with the final "S" excised), we've passed the earliest from Bequia (1797) and Mustique (1805), and now move on to descriptions of the Soufriere volcano (1812) which left the island in darkness for three days, and the devastating 1831 hurricane (thousands dead neighbouring Barbados), thereafter the ST. VINCENT dbl-arc (including 14 in red), the PAID at ST. VINCENT Crowned Circle, the GB used at Kingstown, and then the adhesives including the delightful Duke De Polignac correspondence to Paris, plus the must mention inclusion of both abbreviated types (BAR) and extended types (BARROUALLIE) etc village datestamps (the offices opened 1872). On the maritime side probably the widest range of ingoing private ships letters to ports around the British Isles, and the file ends in 1908 so as to include the rare ST. VINCENT SHIP-LETTERS dated cds. There is just too much to mention. This is a very busy "work-in-progress" file (meaning that I am constantly adding information). You can now order and pay for your own DIGITAL pdf copy (no refunds, but you are entitled to TWO free updates as and when requested). This pdf has descriptions of 1,665 entires which includes exceptional variety inter-mingled with social history, provenance, dates of shipping disasters (plentiful!) etc. Price £800 (no discounts to either trade or collectors as packed with information) payable by PayPal or WISE transfer (ignore Barclays mention at check out as account now closed, and I cannot change, this web shop 22 years old
£800

MUSTIQUE, ST. VINCENT - THE POSTAL HISTORY and STAMPS PERIOD 1805 to 1972. Price £8
Only one pre-stamp cover dated JY 7 1805 is known to exist, and then the island's postal history jumps to 1956. HRH Princess Margaret was gifted land there as a wedding present by the Hon. Colin Tennant who married Lady Anne, one of the Ladies-in-Waiting at the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Find out more by buying this digital pdf file in the "BUY THE BEST" section of my shop (no refunds).
£8

ST. VINCENT - TEXT DESCRIPTIONS OF MAINLY 6,810 QV VILLAGE POSTMARKS - PRICE £500
Did you know that some St. Vincent village postmarks can fetch £500 to £1,000. Probably not. You can now order from "BUY THE BEST" section of my shop your own "work-in-progress" DIGITAL pdf copy (no refunds, but you are entitled two free updates when requested). This file has been assembled over 45 years, and the one or two copies sold will be "out there" for the students of the future to analyse and perhaps solve some of the many secrets St. Vincent holds. There are "unknown periods", and some of my observations may, or may not, still apply. Counting these text descriptions took 4 hours (132 A4 pages long), so no attempt has been made to proof read. The counts for offices are Barrouallie (447), Bequia (272), Biabou (181), Bridgetown (104), Buccament (98), Calliaqua (835), Canouan (102), Chateaubelair (397), Colonarie (473), Cumberland (184), Georgetown (547), Kingstown ("K" and ST. VINCENT cds, 482), Kingstown extended cds (689), Layou (225), Mayreau (54), Mesopotamia (331), Peruvian Vale (65), Rabacca (283), Stubbs (465), Union (276) plus smaller offices, "PP", "PD" handstamps etc. Provenance from main stream auctions is given when known, and descriptions from photocopies from other collections are coded. Gone are the days when the gang of 6 comprising Joe Chin Aleong, Ron Cronin, Vincent Duggleby, Peter Jaffe, and myself (the only survivor) would eagerly and regularly meet at Stephen Sharp's house at Pyrford, Woking, Surrey. This file is invaluable (and as such no trade or collector discounts), and buyers will find endless pleasure. Price £500 payable by WISE bank transfer (Barclays, Santander bank accounts closed), or by PayPal.
£500

ST. VINCENT - the DUKE DE POLIGNAC correspondence - Price £48
You can now order from the "BUY THE BEST" section of my shop and pay for your own DIGITAL copy (no refunds). 128 covers mostly colour illustrated (only 3 without scans) with descriptions for each including provenance where known arranged in chronological sequence. A real guide to which covers to buy covering pre-stamp (2), GB used in St. Vincent period, the Siege of Paris period. Price £48 (no discount to trade or collectors) payable by PayPal or WISE transfer (both Barclays and Santander accounts closed). Information is everything....don't miss out on this very popular digital pdf.
£48

ST. VINCENT stamps:
1884 QV 4d ultramarine-blue Crown CA REVERSED wmk P.12 ovp'd "Revenue" (SG.43x, PML.15), a mounted mint block of four with large areas original gum, some toned perfs. along top. An exceptionally rare multiple.
£1200

"K" used KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent postmark/cancel
1883 piece with rare block of six "2½ PENCE" on QV 1d lake (SG.40) individually cancelled black horiz. "A10" with black "K" AP 27 (83) and red ST. VINCENT A/AP 27 83 alongside, central pair with light vertical crease. Ex George BLAKEY, Stephen SHARP, Vincent DUGGLEBY.
£300


Unique SMUGGLED Polignac, St. Vincent postal history
1861 entire without the customary "Per RMS Steamer" or despatch cds headed "St. Vincent 9th December 1861" to The Duke de Polignac, Paris with 2 x GB QV 6d lilac pmk'd "8" in diamond obliterator (triple 4d rate) and with upper flap showing London JA 2 1862 transit and Paris 3 JANV 62 arrival. The only Polignac as such.
Contents mention Calder and Argyle estates.
£750

The GOVERNMENT OF ST. VINCENT Crowned Circle cover to DENMARK, St. Vincent postal history
1865 unique O.H.M.S. cover to Copenhagen, Denmark with spectacular GOVERNMENT OF ST. VINCENT embossed flap showing two strikes of the red ink PAID AT ST. VINCENT crowned circle (latest use) with SAINT-VINCENT A/JU 06 66 despatch cds alongside, reverse 30 6 arrival. A wonderful exhibition item.
The SAINT-VINCENT cds only appears on two Crowned Circle covers.
£6000



THE UNIQUE and SG UNLISTED SURCHARGE DOUBLE with SHORT “F”, St. Vincent stamps:
1894 “FIVE PENCE” on QV 6d lake (SG.60c + d combination), a used example part dated Kingstown – 13 95 showing the three distinctive coloured marks on Queen’s neck (aptly named the Southern Cross plate flaw by Peter Jaffe) as always found in conjunction with the short “F” overprint variety on Row 5/1 of the complete sheet, corner perf. fault and with BPA Certificate. Ex CHARLTON-HENRY.
The SURCHARGE DOUBLE error is SG catalogued £6,000 mint and £3,000 used for any of the few known survivors, the SURCHARGE DOUBLE with short “F” is not known mint and this is probably the only surviving example.
£1800


"BAR" (BARROUALLIE) and "K" (KINGSTOWN) combination, ST. VINCENT postal history
1876 cover front to James Crook, Sailor on Board the Satellite, Kings Town, St. Vincent with QV 1d black cancelled by black ink smudge showing a unique combination light strikes red ink "BAR" and "K" each dated JU 22 76 and additionally marked "Unclaimed" in pencil. Internally addressed mail from this period extremely rare.
The additional scan, from my records, show this cover front to have had certificate number 60,509 (subsequently detached) and previous auction estimate of £1200 with £1800 realisation.
£850


MAJOR ERROR "Revenue" OVERPRINT OMITTED with Crown CA REVERSED watermark, St. Vincent stamps:
1883 THREE PENCE on QV 1d lilac Crown CA REVERSED wmk with "Revenue" OVERPRINT OMITTED (PML.10), fresh very lightly mounted mint.
PML records this error on Page 147 of the handbook. The later 1897 issues of THREE PENCE on QV 1d mauve and red-mauve (SG.63, 63a) have never been recorded with Crown CA REVERSED wmk.
£1200

ST. VINCENT stamps:
1882 QV 5/- rose-red ovp'd "REVENUE" (PML.6), superb full gum with light hinge remains.
£1200

CONSIGNEE ENTIRE landed GRAVESEND SHIP LETTER, St. Vincent postal history
1910 cover marked "Consignee" and "p. S.S. St. Croix" to William Burr, Broad Street House, London with 1d re-drawn Arms (SG.99) tied purple str. line "THE EAST-ASIATIC COMPANY" handstamp with both GRAVESEND/SHIP-LETTER and GRAVESEND 2 AM/MY 18 10 arrival cds alongside address panel, reverse London E.C. 10.15AM MAY 18 10 arrival.
The East Asiatic Company was founded in 1897 in Copenhagen by Hans Niel Andersen, initially to operate shipping services between Copenhagen, Bangkok and the Far East. In 1907 the "St. Croix" was sold to the Hamburg America Line.
£750

The SG uncatalogued 1866 QV 1/- in bluish slate (SG.8 variety), ST. VINCENT stamps:
A very fine exceedingly rare fresh mounted mint example of this unlisted stamp with printer's guide-line lower right corner, together with a fine used example with crisp horiz. brown "A10" (PML.3), plus a mint pair of the QV 1/- indigo (SG.13) for comparison.
The QV 1/- indigo (SG.13) was invoiced FE 27 1869 and the known covers spanning period AP 24 69 to OC 10 70 all fall within the use of the VERTICAL "A10" used period SP 25 68 to JU 10 72. Use of the horizontal "A10" on 1/- indigo is therefore an impossible contemporary combination. The St. Vincent PML handbook Page 34 acknowledges that the August 1866 QV 1/- Perforation B 11-13 exist in both the listed slate-grey (SG.8, Cat.£2500 mint) and also in a "bluish-shade" and initially surmised that at least two sheets perforated B slate-grey were mixed among the 500 plus sheets of the consignment. BWISC member Dr. Bruce Aitken has suggested that as this stamp was printed alongside the QV 4d deep blue (SG.6) the printers may have realised they were a few sheets short and made a special printing that came out a bit bluish in order to fill the order. Brown ink was used in the last 3 months of 1867, and used examples of this bluish slate variety were offered in the Jaffe collection.
£3500


POLIGNAC COVER DENIED DESTINATION DUE SIEGE OF PARIS, St. Vincent postal history
This Duke de Polignac wrapper arrived at Calais NO 29 1870 on the same day that the “Jacquard”, the 34th ballon monté, crashed into the Irish Sea off the Scilly Isles killing the pilot Alexandre Prince; some bags of mail were later recovered. Paris, at this time, was surrounded and besieged by the Prussian army period SP 17 1870 until the FE 28 1871 Armistice. No mail could get in, hence the re-routing to the small hamlet of St. Jean du Cardinay, Maromme in Normandy. French aeronauts suggested to the postal authorities in Paris that balloons be used to maintain communications with the provisional government in Tours, and beyond. In total 67 well documented outgoing flights were made carrying over 2 million pieces of mail to places around the world with rare survivors having reached Mauritius, Hong Kong, and Japan.
This unique NO 9 1870 cover bears the earliest recorded use of the QV 1/- brown in combination with printer’s guide-line positional strip of three, and single QV 1d rose-red, the former invoiced AU 13 1869 but held back for 14 months as seemingly not a suitable oil-lamp match for the latter. All further uses of the 1/- brown pay the single rate to England, and a replacement QV 1d in black was hastily ordered on JA 6 1871.
£6000




The MUSTIQUE ISLAND carriage labels - "No mint copies exist"
This is the only known 10c yellow mint sheetlet of two labels, produced circa 1971, in fresh unmounted mint condition (small gum disturbance at lower right), accompanied by both 10c yellow label on inaugural first flight cover dated 1 SEP 1971 which terminated the private conveyance service, and subsequent Urch Harris "ballot" order form (included) for supply of the four covers. Lord Glenconnor, Colin Tennant, owner of Mustique island conceived the idea of 10c labels to privately convey island mail, with Government consent from the Hon. Hudson Tannis, Minister for Communications & Works, by more flexible regular use of small aircraft to mainland St. Vincent circumventing the slower and less frequent by boat service offered by the Mustique Post Office. Four differing colour same design labels were printed, and stocks ultimately depleted when they were affixed, alongside St. Vincent GPO issues, to SP 1 1971 first day covers for the official inaugural flight Mustique to St. Vincent. Cancelling of the covers was firstly undertaken by Doreen Simon, the Mustique schoolmistress who doubled as the island post mistress, and secondly by the mainland Kingstown G.P.O., and the bulk were carried back to London by a member of the Mustique management team in a suitcase via Luxembourg (accompanied by Princess Margaret). The Bristol based Urch Harris company, famed for their distribution of new stamp issues, marketed them . These covers were not only First Day Covers but also LAST DAY COVERS.
The Urch Harris catalogue listed printing quantities as 10c orange (2000), 10c blue (550), 10c yellow (250), 10c mauve (70). The Wilson figures for both blue and yellow are inaccurate and the estimated use for yellow labels used on inaugural flight covers is 234 leaving 14 labels (or 7 sheetlets) unaccounted for. No "earlier" service 10c orange labels are known on cover. Accompanied by scan of BWISC Bulletin article being the UH copied source for quantities affixed to first flight covers.
£1200



ST. VINCENT stamps
EXCEPTIONALLY POWERFUL EXAMPLE OF THE DOUBLE SURCHARGE on 1893-94 QV FIVE PENCE on 6d deep lake (SG.60ac, Cat.£4,000), very fine appearance used showing part KINGSTOWN cds and "AP" month slug, small lower left corner marginal coloured marks will determine sheet position, reverse with thinned top perfs. 1975 RPS Certificate. Ex JAFFE
£1250



MUSTIQUE ISLAND stamps: The currently only known 10c blue MUSTIQUE COMPANY LIMITED mint sheetlet
Produced circa 1971 in fresh unmounted mint condition, small surface abrasion lower right edge.
550 blue labels were printed and an estimated 525 blue labels used up on the inaugural flight covers which terminated the private conveyance service. Only an estimated 25 labels (or 12 sheetlets) remain unaccounted for. No earlier service 10c blue labels are known on cover. One 10c blue label is illustrated in Nicholas Courtney's book (available internet) alongside later cover which importantly shows the handwriting style of Colin Tennant matching the unique proving cover of the earlier service.
£850

MUSTIQUE, St. Vincent postal history
San Andres Island, Colombia, Hotel Abacoa cover with St. Vincent 2c, 8c, 10c Bird definitives pmk'd */9 AU 72 to Miami, Florida. Exceptionally attractive.
£120
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