Lot 303 India #39 1880/1, 1a brown (x3) , cover to Rev. J.W. Hall aboard the Steamship “Quetta” at Point de Galle, Ceylon, strip tied by boldly-struck C-3 I (R.L. Type 17d), crossed-out and endorsed “Try Colombo”, “Steamship Left for London”, and “Left the Steamer / Refused”, the cover having been carried to London and then returned, multiple datestamps with ?IDAIPUR (13 Oct), OUTW BOMBAY (17 Oct), Galle (2- Oct and 9 Nov), Colombo (Nov 1-), Calcutta (5 Dec), London (28/29 Dec), DLO Bombay (20 Jun) and DLO Calcutta (29 Jun), opened on three sides for display, bottom fragile, typical faults as expected on such a well-traveled cover, a delightful item with tremendous visual appeal. Sold for C$200.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.
London
Lot 249, Great Britain one pence Mulready envelope London to Sherborne, “May Date” usage
Lot 249 1840 Great Britain (May 21), 1d Mulready envelope to Sherborne, “May Date” usage, postmarked with an ideal red Maltese Cross, London despatch backstamp (21 May) on reverse, addressed to Sherborne, Dorset, a lovely and scarce early May usage with tremendous visual appeal. Estimate C$600-800.
Lot 649, 1890 “Around the World” postal stationery card, Montréal via Vancouver, Yokohama, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Bombay and London
Lot 649 1890 (April 18), 2c “Around the World” postal stationery card, despatched from Montréal, with sender’s notations on reverse “Experimental P.O. time / from Montréal Around World Westward”, with further instruction “Postmaster – please erase last P.O. address before remailing,”, struck on front and back with myriad markings tracing the card’s journey via Vancouver (24 Apr), Victoria (25 Apr), Yokohama, Japan (2 Jun), Shanghai, China (11 Jun), Hong Kong (17 Jun), Bombay, India (11 Jul), and London, England (30 Jul), returning to Montréal on August 8, for a total transit time of 113 days, some edge wear and corner creases as expected for such a well-traveled card, a scarce and striking card with tremendous visual appeal. Estimate C$300.
Lot 664, India 1856 two anna orange, four anna grey black, and eight anna mauve on cover Madras to London, sold for C$292
Lot 664 India 1856, 2a orange, 4a grey black, and 8a mauve, Arbuthnot & Co forwarding agents, adhesives tied by “MADRAS / INDIA PAID / 1865 / MR 1” & “C/1” duplex (Cooper Type 17), further cancelled with “ARBUTHNOT & CO” boxed forwarding agent marking, “LONDON / PAID / BH / MR 29 /65” arrival c.d.s. in red, vertical filing fold not affecting stamps, a fine cover with an uncommon cancellation, which Cooper notes are “very scarce.” Estimate C$100, sold for C$250.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.
Lot 678, India 1869 half anna blue, one anna pale brown, and four anna green on cover from Cocanada to London, sold for C$321
Lot 678 India 1869, ½a blue, 1a pale brown, and 4a green, on cover from Cocanada, tied to cover by ’74’ duplex, to London, endorsed “via Bombay” with 26 Nov transit datestamp, to London c.d.s. receiver on front (28 Dec), Bezoarah transit backstamp, merchant mark of Lafaucheur Freres, horizontal fold, a fine three-colour franking. Estimate C$100, sold for C$275.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.