Lot 70871 – 1852 Waterlow 4 cent black on deep blue, used on JA 27 1852 cover to London

THE EARLIEST COVER SENT ABROAD BEARING A BRITISH GUIANA STAMP

1852 Waterlow 4 cent black on deep blue, a marginal example from the right of the sheet, showing complete to huge margins on three sides, used on 27 January 1852 cover to London, tied by light Demerara datestamp (« 7 » of « 27 » omitted, with a further strike on flap having the « 7 » inserted by pen), charged one shilling packet postage in London, stamp with left frame line very slightly touched and the lower right corner showing a small tear which is confined to the sheet margin and does not impinge on the design.

The only cover recorded bearing this rarity sent to a foreign destination, and of much greater significance, the earliest external British Guiana mail franked with postage stamps, as well as, with the exception of Brazil, the earliest transatlantic bearing a South American stamp. Without doubt, one of the most significant covers in existence crossing the Atlantic from South America.

Provenance:

William Augustus Townsend (Lot 19, Harmer’s, October 1969)

Small (Lot 24, Robson Lowe, March 1970)

John E. du Pont (Lot 60051, David Feldman SA, June 2014)

Expertise: Cert. BPA (2014)