Postal History of the World

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Ceylon Pre-philately

Ceylon

Ceylon Pre-philately

Lot 2080

50.00 CAD

Live

1840 (September 30), stampless folded letter from Colombo to Kandy, with clear strike of the crowned Colombo / Post Free handstamp applied

1840 (September 30), stampless folded letter from Colombo to Kandy, with clear strike of the crowned Colombo / Post Free handstamp applied for official correspondence exempt from postal rates, addressed to The Honourable The Acting Government Agent for the Central Province, some tone spots, but a better than average example of this marking.

Lot 2081

70.00 CAD

Live

1846 (October 14),"Kandy Steamer Letter" to London, stampless folded cover via Galle and Southampton, bearing handstruck rate marking in

1846 (October 14),"Kandy Steamer Letter" to London, stampless folded cover via Galle and Southampton, bearing handstruck rate marking in black, endorsed "Overland Mail - per Galle Steamer via Southampton," with a fair strike of "KANDY STEAMER LETTER" handstamp on reverse, red circular arrival backstamp (2 Dec), light filing folds, a desirable and fine example.

Ceylon

Lot 2082

90.00 CAD

Live

1847 (January 22), Kandy Post Paid, stampless folded letter to Bombay, India, reverse with clear Kandy / Post Paid double split-ring, (22

1847 (January 22), Kandy Post Paid, stampless folded letter to Bombay, India, reverse with clear Kandy / Post Paid double split-ring, (22 Jan), front with framed Bombay / Ship Letter handstamp (29 Jan), endorsed "per Steamer", 1sh2d manuscript rate marking, some light toning along file fold and edges, else fine. The letter is a three-page correspondence from James Dunan to Frank Dunan in Bombay. Dunan details his interest in purchasing Hadden's Land, a 75-acre estate, for coconut and coffee cultivation, includes a hand-drawn estate map showing the proximity of the "Rawella" and "Rangalla" tracts to "Wright's" property, and notes the land is "beautifully and easily accessible" but carries the risk of "frequent weedings." He expresses concern that a "reduction of the duty on tea" in England might diminish coffee consumption unless colonial coffee duties are lowered in kind, and notes that local lawyers are shifting their gains into coconut cultivation driven by the "high price of coconut oil."

Lot 2083

80.00 CAD

Live

1851 (September 15), Colombo Steamer Letter, via H.M.S. Banshee to London, folded entire from George Stuart & Co. of Colombo, rated 2/3 in

1851 (September 15), Colombo Steamer Letter, via H.M.S. Banshee to London, folded entire from George Stuart & Co. of Colombo, rated 2/3 in black manuscript and endorsed "per Steamer via Galle & Marseilles", the rate paying the corresponding British Packet rate via Marseilles, struck on reverse with fine "Colombo Steamer Letter" in black, conveyed via mail coach from Colombo to Galle, thence via the P&O Steamer "Oriental" to Suez, overland across Egypt and then via the P&O Steamer "Indus" from Alexandria to Malta, where conveyed to the Admiralty Packet "Banshee" to Marseille, fine; the H.M.S. Banshee was commanded by Lieutenant-Commander Hosken, and saw service in the Crimean War.

Lot 2084

90.00 CAD

Live

1852 (September 15), Colombo Steamer Letter, transatlantic cover to Ribeauvillé, France, with circular British Packet / Paid /

1852 (September 15), Colombo Steamer Letter, transatlantic cover to Ribeauvillé, France, with circular British Packet / Paid / Postage handstamp on face and handstamped "10" decimes due, reverse with large circular Colombo / Steamer-Letter transit (14 Oct), double-ring Alexandria datestamp (5 Nov), double-ring Malta transit (8 Nov), Strasbourg transit (11 Nov), and Ribeauvillé arrival (11 Nov), particularly attractive strikes, very fine.

Lot 2085

90.00 CAD

Live

1853 (August 19), "Colombo Ship Letter" to Nancy via Ceylon, with contents, datelined Port Louis, bearing red manuscript rate notation and

1853 (August 19), "Colombo Ship Letter" to Nancy via Ceylon, with contents, datelined Port Louis, bearing red manuscript rate notation and "10" in black, struck on front with black "BRITISH PACKET POSTAGE / PAID" and Crowned "MAURITIUS GPO" (19 Aug) handstamp, endorsed "By Maria / via Ceylon," with red Marseille entry mark, backstamped with "COLOMBO SHIP LETTER" and "Nancy" (28 Oct) arrival c.d.s., some wrinkling and the odd small tear typical of this flimsy paper, else fine.

Lot 2086

50.00 CAD

Live

1853 (June 23), "Colombo Steamer Letter" to London, stampless folded letter, with contents datelined Colombo, rated 2/3, endorsed "per

1853 (June 23), "Colombo Steamer Letter" to London, stampless folded letter, with contents datelined Colombo, rated 2/3, endorsed "per Steamer via Galle, Suez, & Marseilles," with a neatly-struck "COLOMBO STEAMER LETTER" handstamp (25 June) on reverse and red arrival c.d.s., typical filing folds, a fine strike of this steamer marking.

Lot 2087

120.00 CAD

Live

1855 (September), "Trincomalee Steamer Letter" to the East India Company, London, stampless folded letter, with contents from a sailor

1855 (September), "Trincomalee Steamer Letter" to the East India Company, London, stampless folded letter, with contents from a sailor requesting payment for naval service, backstamped with "TRINCOMALEE / STEAMER LETTER," struck on front with oval "RECEIVED / VIA SOUTHAMPTON" (24 Sep), partial red c.d.s. on reverse, address panel with tear, heavy vertical filing folds, yet a seldom-seen marking.

Lot 2088

40.00 CAD

Live

1902 (June 14), Hamburg to Ragama Camp, Ceylon, Boer War prisoner of war cover, franked with four-colour Germania franking (1pf, 2pf, 3pf,

1902 (June 14), Hamburg to Ragama Camp, Ceylon, Boer War prisoner of war cover, franked with four-colour Germania franking (1pf, 2pf, 3pf, and 5pf) tied by HAMBURG c.d.s., routed via Colombo, violet Ragama Camp "Passed" censor handstamp on front, partial pink "Under Martial Law" censor tape at top, reverse with Colombo (2 Jul) transit and Ragama Camp (2 Jul) receiver, light wear, else very fine. Ragama Camp was a primary internment centre for Boer War prisoners transferred to Ceylon, with overseas-origin covers addressed there scarcer than British Empire mail.