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;) ;) | DELAYED THROUGH POSTING IN A LONDON LETTER BOX, BRITISH GUIANA postal history 1952 cover with KG6 1c, 2 x 2c pmk'd Georgetown */7 JA 52 to the Philaletic (sic) Traders Society, London with 24 John Adams Street address added, re-directed Tottenham Court Road, and finally directed to The Strand, rare use of red handstamp "DELAYED THROUGH BEING/POSTED IN A LETTER BOX/FOR 'LONDON' LETTERS./PLEASE ADVISE SENDER" added in London, backstamped London FE 18, and FE 19 (twice) cancels. £75 |
;) | CHRISTMAS CARD rate, BERMUDA to Finland postal history 1936 (DE 17) cover with ½d Caravel to Finland, the enclosed Christmas card signed by Mrs Booker. £36 |
;) | POSTMARKED DAY GB STAMPS ARRIVED and also on DAY THEY WERE PLACED ON SALE, Jamaica postal history FROM AN OFFICE ABOUT TO BOYCOTT THEM!: 1858 entire to Archibald Campbell in London with weakly struck GRANGE-HILL manuscript dated 6 May (185)8 marked "Paid "6" in red crayon showing both red JAMAICA/PAID MY 8 1858 and London Paid MY 31 58 arrival. This being a unique "associated first day cover" for the day that GB QV adhesives were placed on sale in Kingston, Jamaica. The GB QV 1d, 4d, 6d arrived on "Solent" MY 6 1858 and were placed on sale at Kingston MY 8 1858. When Grange Hill received its supply of GB adhesives it boycotted their use for some 3 months along with about 30 other offices (Thomas Foster handbook Page 127) as GPO London ruled on April 16 1858 that the PMG's deputies at the Post Towns would receive only 1% commission on sale of the GB stamps whereas they had been receiving 15% commission on prestamp letters prepaid in money. £350 |
;) ;) ;) | VICTORIOUS "PORTLAND" RAN AGROUND in RIVER SHANNON and STRANDED, ANTIGUA INTERRUPTED PACKET MAIL This entire is headed “Antigua 28th Octr 1796” and marked “by Portland packet” from the Tudway correspondence to Wells, Somersetshire with handstruck S:KITTS rated 2/- changed 3/2. The “Portland” had left Falmouth with the mails for the Leeward Islands on AU 29 1796 and when off Barbados was attacked by a French privateer in which she beat off the attacker and preserved the mails. The Cook, William Thomson, lost a leg during the fighting and subsequently died of his injuries. In calm seas, near Guadeloupe, another armed privateer, the “Temeraire”, of much superior force gave chase. At daylight on October 18th the enemy hoisted her French colours and came alongside to board. The Master, Nathaniel Taylor, organised the passengers to open their musquetry upon her killing or wounding 41 of 68 on board. Captain Taylor was killed in the moment of victory. The “Temeraire” was taken into Montserrat as a prize, and the “Portland” left St. Kitts on 30th October bound Falmouth. Due a shortage of fresh water she put into the River Shannon on the west coast of Ireland on 6th January 1797. Sailing shortly after she had to put back because of bad weather, and whilst sheltering she was driven from her moorings and higher up the river ran aground. Stranded and waiting to be refloated on the Spring Tides she eventually arrived at Falmouth on 25th March. In the interim the Mate, Richard Leonard, personally took the mails from Limerick to London and they were placed in the post JA 14 97 per backstamp. This is the first recorded “Portland” interrupted mail entire clearly documenting its journey. The full story can be found in “The History of the Sailing Packets to the West Indies” by Len Britnor Pages 72-73 published by the BWI Study Circle 1973. £2250 |
;) ;) ;) | SAILOR'S LETTER WITH CONCESSION RATE PAID BY 1d COIN, Antigua postal history 1845 entire headed May 26th 1845 from John King, Master at Arms on board Her Majesty's Ship Pique, Antigua (a naval soldier responsible for discipline and law enforcement aboard a ship) countersigned Horace Baker (Lieutenant & Commanding Officer) to his wife in Devonshire Buildings in Bath without the customary manuscript "1d paid" in red ink (as applied on land) but with his last ("my last") GB QV 1d coin sewn alongside the address panel confirmed by London PAID JU 20 1845 transit (not deemed overweight or subject to additional charge). Although a few dozen Soldier's Letters are recorded for the prestamp period this seems to be the only recorded accepted stampless Sailor's Letter from the BWI prior 1850. Contents include mention of discovery that the Foremast is so rotten, and a portion sent to the Admiralty with expectation of being ordered Home by September unless the mast is ordered to be built at Halifax or Port Royal "which I do not think they will do now the ship is three years in Commission". (Between 1841 and 1846 Pique, a sailing frigate with 36 guns, served on the North America and West Indies Station, on 10 March 1842 the Illustrious (see David Pitts lots 39, 159), with the Pique, Fair Rosamond and Spitfire departed Barbados for Antigua and Jamaica). A scan of the entire has been mounted on card and an actual 1845 1d coin has been sewn on with hemp, using the original 7 in and 7 out needle holes, to simulate how it could have looked, although it was on reverse in actual transit. Only one other BWI prepayment by sewn 1d coin entire is known written January 24th 1847 and posted on land with ANTIGUA double arc JA 27 1847 on a Soldiers Letter (ex Gerald Sattin) to a shoe maker in Edinburgh, the coin evidently was also sewn to the reverse as the circumference of the sewing holes obscure the frontal addressing. £6500 |
;) ;) | POSTMAN'S DELIVERY ROUTE, BARBADOS postal history 1935 cover to the Ursaline Convent, Barbados with USA 20c Airmail pmk'd WALL ST. STA. dated FEB 1 1935, on arrival bluish 5-line instructional handstamp "YOUR POSTMAN'S ROUTE IS/BRIDGETOWN No.15/Please include it as part of your Address, and ask your correspon/dents to do so." (Proud Type 145, this being the only recorded date for No.15 instruction). £275 |
;) ;) | REMOVED/ADDRESS UNKNOWN, Left The Island, CAYMAN ISLANDS to JAMAICA postal history 1913 cover (opened 2 sides) to Chas H. Phelps, Milk River Baths (mineral springs, highly radioactive), Milk River P.O., Jamaica with KGV 1d red pmk'd Type 5 GEORGETOWN MY 3 13 (SG lists FE 25 13 as release or earliest date), re-directed in blue crayon to Moneague House Hotel, Kingston and three times endorsed manuscript "Left the Island" with purple "REMOVED/ADDRESS UNKNOWN." (Proud Type I100) and black "UNCLAIMED." (with stop), red RETURNED LETTER BRANCH, JAMAICA dated 9 JU 13 and presumed sender's name of "Mrs A.J. Robertson" in red crayon at left edge. A rare commercial inter-island cover full of character. £625 |
;) | PRIVATE SHIP "NUBIAN" (second voyage), BERMUDA postal history 1884 cover marked per "Nubian" with 1880 QV 4d orange-red (SG.20) pmk'd ST. GEORGES K3 "2" duplex dated A/FE 21 1884 to London locally directed with crowned "R" handstamp to denote no additional charge, reverse with (early) black HAMILTON (H1, first period blue ink ended January 1883) dated B/FE 21 84 and red London MR 13 84. A rare cover from the second voyage of the "Nubian". The first voyage of the "Nubian", in transit from Virginia on an experimental new service for the Union Line, was announced to call at Hamilton on JA 10 1884. The ship was five days late and single covers are known from St. Georges pmk'd JA 10 1884 and JA 15 1884 and both landed with red LIVERPOOL SHIP cds. £450 |
;) ;) ;) | POSTAL STATIONERY ENVELOPE with COMPLETE OFFSET, BRITISH GUIANA postal history 1896 use of complete 2c carmine PSE locally to Hopetown, West Coast, Berbice pmk'd Georgetown and on reverse FORT WELLINGTON OC 10 96 d/ring opened 3 sides to show full intense offset of the printed design. Not recorded in T+H handbook £140 |
;) | 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 |
;) | RETURNED FOR/POSTAL ADDRESS, Jamaica postal history (Proud Type 173, ERD) on QV ½d Reply Post Card (reverse blank) pmk'd KINGSTON 3D/FE 26 90 sqc from Capt. Clark to a George D'Pass with text reading "I leave today for Buff Bay and to leave next week for Kingston. What you have for me save for me. I been laying here six days now and would take to rum quickly". He obviously did as with no postal address. £180 |
;) ;) | EXTRAORDINARY USE OF BROKEN OBLITERATOR "A 9" USED AT NEWLY OPENED OFFICE, Jamaica postal history 1875 unique cover with temporary re-introduction of the broken "A 9" numeral obliterator (Type H "A79" with "7" missing); two strong clear strikes on 2 x QV 1d blue Crown CC wmk (SG.8) addressed Bules Penn, Four Paths Post Office, Clarendon with KINGSTON MR 11 75 transit alonside. Reverse with manuscript "Mt Charles 11 Mar 1875" written top left corner and central poor FOUR PATHS MR 15 75 arrival. Arguably one of Jamaica's greatest rarity covers and a great exhibition item. The "A79" (H) was allocated to the Richmond Post Office (St. Mary Parish) and only one cover is known dated FE 2 1866. Shortly after this date the instrument became damaged as a differing format replacement "A79" (Type J) is known used at Richmond AU 7 1866 (just five months later). Robert Topaz in his 1967 rarity guide recorded no examples damaged "A 9" on Pine wmk issues, but recorded the "A 9" on CC wmk 1d, 2d, 3d, 4d, 6d each described as very rare and each allocated his highest pricing of £270 each in his 1981 pricing guide. The Mount Charles Post Office (St. Andrews Parish) was opened September 15th 1874. £4250 |
;) ;) | FABRICATED PAID AT ENGLISH HARBOR Crowned Circle, ANTIGUA postal history a completely fabricated wrapper (produced circa 1950) on brown parchment-like outer lettersheet addressed J. Lea Esq, Solicitor, Nevis with “Pd” lower left corner showing very fine red ink PAID AT ENGLISH HARBOR Crowned Circle plus very fine black ink ENGLISH HARBOR, ANTIGUA datestamp for JY 1 19 (19 for 61) and purplish ink “4” inter-island rate mark above address panel. Lower flap with trace of NEVIS arrival dbl-arc and some circular stains which are the base of a candle holder which has been cunninglyly blown out to spatter tiny flecks of red wax, also some minor soiling added by use of a paint brush dipped in water. Only two genuine entires with this Crowned Circle (Cat.£9,000) are recorded. £725 |
;) ;) | PAID AT NEVIS - AN EXQUISITE and INTRIGUING FAKED COVER 1885 completed fabricated cover showing why the PAID AT NEVIS Crowned Circle was used on pairs QV ½d dull green and singles QV 1d carmine (SG.25,27a) during the period 9/12/83 to 9/9/86 (dates taken from village manuscript markings on loose stamp overstruck with the Crowned Circle): 1885 cover addressed Chas. Hill Esq., English Harbour, Antigua with genuine QV 1d carmine superbly tied full upr. bogus PAID AT NEVIS Crowned Circle to uprate to 2½d for the under 300 mile inter-island rate (with further strike alongside) additionally showing bogus NEVIS A/DE 12 85 despatch cds alongside address panel. B/stamped further bogus NEVIS A/DE 12 85 cds and what is now considered extremely dubious ANTIGUA/ A/DE 14 85/ ENGLISH HARBOUR cds (note that this is the same date as found on the E.V. Toeg cover bearing 8 x QV 1d to Sherring, Bristol with RPS certificate). The author being aware that genuine strikes of both the Crowned Paid and Nevis cds have an oily appearance at this time has cleverly used his paint brush to simulate the oily stains within the Nevis despatch cds and soiled the cover at top left for good measure. (Shortages of the 2½d adhesive were highly probable at this time as only 1080 copies 2½d red-brown CA were invoiced AU 10 82 followed by 5100, 5100, 5160 copies of the 2½d ultramarine on NO 6 83, MY 21 84, AU 7 84). No genuine covers with the QV ½ds or single QV 1d with PAID AT NEVIS are known to exist. £925 |
;) ;) | PRIVATELY PRODUCED POST CARD, BARBADOS postal history with ½d rose Seal of Colony card addressed Dominican Republic with text re buying stamps of the Leewards group, some soiling. Being a private production this card could not go through normal postal channels and had to be sent as an enclosure which explains there being no postal markings. £75 |
;) ;) | GOVERNOR locally produced Postal Stationery Envelope, British Guiana postal history (T+H unlisted) lightly but clearly struck in violet pmk'd Georgetown P.B. dated 13 SP 26 on cover to Essequibo, b/stamped Anna Regina */14 SP 26, address panel lightly toned. A rare official postal stationery PSE, probably unique. £175 |
;) ;) | BOGUS BISECTED REVENUE, BARBADOS to ST.CHRISTOPHER postal history the bogus "Revenue" and "HALF PENNY" overprints on diagonally perforated genuine QV 1d carmine (SG.92) tied faked Barbados duplex A/JA 4 87 on cover to St. Christopher showing both red and black faked arrival cancels. Opened-out for display, a little fragile with small faults, only entire seen as such. BPA cert as faked cover. £275 |
;) ;) | Poisoned-pen mail to a licentiously got nasty bastard!! A rare example of anonymous poison-pen mail addressed Henry Smythe, 10 West Queen Street, (Kingston) on reverse QV ½d red-brown Post Card mailed at Kingston ID/ MY 18 91. Best full transcript reads Henry Smith mother is Eliza Doby the leader in Wesley Chapel, and George Smythe the parson. Why you don’t go back to St. Anns or christen after your father Smythe? Why you was shipped off to sea? and now you rob money in Colon you can’t go back? Pay Col. Morrice & Co for the goods you trust so long you damn thief. Show this to your friends. I can prove it, bring me up, you are a nasty bastard licentiously got, I know you well in St. Anns as a ragged boy. Face with Advertised and Unclaimed handstamps plus four Returned Letter Branch dated 17 JU 91. Reverse also shows m/script postal endorsements of “Not known” (twice with dates) and “No name”. A most interesting item for research, and why had Henry Smythe also known as Henry Smith disappeared? £75 |