Lot 30445 – 1859 (Dec 6) entire from Bangkok to the USA, with Indian franking forwarded from Singapore

1859 (Dec 6) entire from Bangkok to the USA, written by David Oakes, a clerk at the agency Russel & Co. (from the same correspondence to Boston as the famous 1859 (Sep 1) cover in the Gongvatana collection, which is the earliest recorded use of Indian stamps with this cover being the fourth earliest from Thailand), forwarded via Singapore with Bousted & Co forwarding agent cachet on reverse with Singapore transit cds, franked with 1855 glazed blue paper 4a black and 8a carmine die I, and 1856-64 1a brown, each cancelled by Singapore “B172” numerals, handstamped with London “FREE” cds in error and cancelled by “44” oval with correct “PAID” cds struck adjacent, New York arrival and framed “10” accountancy hs.

One of only a very few covers from Siam with Indian stamps, and probably the second most important usage of Indian stamps abroad after the Gongvatana cover.

Note: Illustrated in “British Consulate P.O. Bangkok” by Michel J. R. Houde p.181.

Expertise: Cert. Scheller (2022), cert. BPA (2023)

Provenance: John Lancaster collection (displayed at the Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria in 1992)