Lot 70021 – The Only Known Combination of Both Values of the Early

The Only Known Combination of Both Values of the Early Impression on Cover

1d orange-vermilion, early impression, position 9, used in combination with 2d dark blue, early impression, position 2, on cover to Port Louis, light circular numeral « 3 » of Souillac with clear despatch datestamp SP 7 1854 at left, GPO arrival for the following day, 2d with part sheet margin at top, minor crease in margin, an extraordinary usage and the only known combination of both values of the early impression.

Rate: The 3d rate is the addition of the 2d inland rate between rural towns and the Port Louis delivery (Article 5 of the Ordinance No. 13 of 1846)

Unique and one of the major items of Mauritius. A major showpiece of this issue.

Illustrated on the cover of « Mauritius Post Paid » by J. Petřík.

Note: The only other comparable item is a cover ex Burrus with intermediate 1d and 2d from Souillac DE 18 1855.

Provenance: Dale-Lichtenstein; Hiroyuki Kanai, November 1993 (Lot 46); Chand 2000 (Exhibited at British Library).

This cover was one of the most important items in the Liechtenstein collection and was featured in the first Dale-Lichtenstein auction (1968), described as:

« A wonderful combination cover, as fine as it could exist. » It realised half the price paid for the « Post- Office » 2d on part cover in the same sale. It realised CHF161’000 in the Kanai auction.

This cover was also the star item of the Vikram Chand presentation exhibition at The British Library, 2000.

Expertise: Cert. R.P.S. (1968), Bühler (1979) and David Brandon (2007)