Lot 30140 – 1856-58 Post Paid 2d. blue, position 2, paying the 2d village to Port Louis on folded cover

1856-58 Post Paid 2d blue, position 2, complete to very large margins for the great majority, paying the 2d village to Port Louis rate up to 1/2 oz on folded cover, tied by numeral ’16’ of two concentric rings, with matching octagonal ‘EASTERN SUBURB/OC19.1857’ hs and crowned circle of Port Louis struck one day later, a very rare usage, ex Vikram Chand and “Tatiana”.

Note: Kanai states that this office “was opened in 1851 and probably existed for a few years as it does not appear in later Post Office lists and No. 16 is recorded as being used later in Rivière Such, presumably after Eastern Suburb closed”. It is presumed that Eastern Suburb may be another name for Rivière Sèche. This example features the finest strike of this fascinating postmark.