Great Britain and British Commonwealth Postal History - Registered Mail
Sale No: 243
Lot No: 664
Symbol: PS
1889-1902 Registration Envelopes with various 'REGISTERED' datestamps of Melbourne used within Victoria, to NSW, to Germany x2, or to the Netherlands Indies, fine to very fine used. An unusual lot.
(Qty 5)
1881 usage of 2d pink Envelope uprated with scarce franking of Laureates 4d & Bell 1/-, BN '1' killer cancels & double-oval 'REGISTERED/AP9/81/MELBOURNE' d/s, to Surrey with London transit of 23MY81 in red on the face & 'CROYDON' arrival b/s, minor blemishes.
1881 cover to New Brunswick "Via Sanfrancisco" with Laureates 6d & Naish 2d brown x3 tied by BN '1' killer cancels, double-oval 'REGISTERED/JL12/81/MELBOURNE' datestamp, Canadian transit b/s of 'WINDSOR', 'MONTREAL' & 'McALPINE/NB' plus 'NARROWS/NB' arrival b/s. Ben Palmer's Census Canada #75. [Despite the endorsement, this was sent via London for which the rate was 8d + 4d registration fee, reduced from 6d on 1.7.1881]
1881 (Aug 1) very early usage of Embossed 4d lilac Registration Envelope size a to Ireland where redirected to England with GB 1d lilac added & tied by 'WICKLOW - 449' duplex, octagonal ' 5 /REGISTERED/DUBLIN' b/s in red & 'NORWICH' arrival cds, small closed flap tear. [Private correspondence between David Hill, the 'father' of Victorian philately & Capt (later Major) EB Evans, one of the original 20 signatories to the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists]
1881 cover with 'DEUTSCHER VEREIN/[eagle]/TALBOT, VICTORIA' to Hanover "pr Chimborazo" with scarce Three-Issue Four-Colour franking of Laureates 8d brown/pink, Bell 1d green & 1/- indigo/blue and Naish 2d brown tied by 'TALBOT/OC31/81/VICTORIA - 244' duplex, superb boxed 'REGISTERED' h/s at L/L (a rare marking from a small goldmining town), transit b/s framed 'REGISTERED/MELBOURNE', Italian TPO cds, 'AUSG' & superb 'FRANKFURT a MAIN/12 12/81' plus miscut German 'vom Ausland/uber Frankfurt a M 1' R label. Very attractive. Ben Palmer's Census Germany #37. The rate was 8½d per ½oz x2 + 6d registration fee for mail sent via Brindisi. [This is a very significant cover. Only this & one other to Italy are recorded paying the 6d registration fee via Brindisi that applied 1881-86 only]
1881 correctly rated cover to Melbourne with Laureates 4d tied by 'WEDDERBURN' duplex, apparently contained money so endorsed "d6 Officially registered" but on arrival with '("8d")/MORE TO PAY' h/s, resized & repaired at U/L. Ex Charles Lathrop Pack and Max Watson. RPSofV Certificate (2008).
1882 (Feb 14; Valentine's Day) usage of 4d lilac Registration Envelope size b with Double Embossing One Albino to a Melbourne pharmacist with Naish 2d brown x2, poor BN cancels & 'PORTSEA' cds below plus oval '("4D")/MORE TO PAY' h/s. [The rate was 2d per ½oz, so the article must have weighed between 1 & 1½oz]
1882 cover to Italy with scarce Three-Issue franking of Laureates 6d blue, Bell 1d green & Naish 4d rosine tied by BN '120' with 'WEDDERBURN' cds alongside, 'TALBOT/OC31/81/VICTORIA - 244' duplex, boxed 'REGISTERED' h/s at L/L (a rare marking from a small goldmining town) & Italian rubber 'R'-in-octagon h/s in violet, transit b/s framed 'REGISTERED/MELBOURNE' & 'BRINDISI/20/MAO/82' and 'NAPOLI' arrival b/s, minor stains mostly at L/R. [The rate was 7d + 4d registration]
1882 (June 28) cover apparently posted in New South Wales with Albury b/s, to Yackandandah with Naish 2d brown & endorsed "Vic stamp" in red, sent to Sydney (b/s of JU30) where marked 'ILLEGALLY/STAMPED' in violet & forwarded - probably in a sealed bag - to Melbourne where officially registered - probably because it contained a coin - & the stamp cancelled with the 'REGISTERED'-in-oval h/s, octagonal 'DLB/JY3/82/VICTORIA' b/s & rare 'DLB/REGISTERED' h/s both in red, opening faults at the base. Most unusual. The cover was probably forwarded in a DLO envelope & the addressee charged 2d postage + 2d fine + 4d registration = 8d. RPSofV Certificate (2008).
1882 (Sep 25) cover with Italian Consul's h/s across the flap, to Rome "Via Brindisi" with scarce franking of Bell 1d green & 1/- blue/blue x4 + Naish 2d brown x2 tied by '1' killer cancels, double-oval 'REGISTERED/MELBOURNE' d/s below, 'ROMA' arrival b/s & rubber 'R'-in-octagon struck in violet, minor faults & a little truncated at both ends. Ex Guy Linfield. Ben Palmer's Census Italy #19. [The rate was 7d per ½oz x7 + 4d registration = 53d or 4/5d]
1883 (June 27) cover with 'S de BEERS & Co/SHIPBROKERS, MELBOURNE' cachet in blue across the flap, to France with scarce franking of Laureates 3d orange x3 & Bell 1d green tied by '1' killer cancels, double-oval 'REGISTERED/MELBOURNE' d/s below, Italian rubber 'R'-in-octagon struck in violet in transit, French 'CHAMBERY A MACON' TPO cds & redirected on arrival, part-flap removed on opening. Ben Palmer's Census France #220. [The rate was 6d + 4d registration]
1883 large-part entire to Switzerland endorsed "Registered" with Laureates 6d pair & Bell ½d pink tied by poor BN of 'HEPBURN' (cds unusually on the face), transit b/s of Daylesford & Melbourne diverted to Venice where disinfected, Swiss 'AMBULANT/13VIII83/No 39' TPO transit & 'LOCARNO' arrival b/s, minor blemishes. Ben Palmer's Census Switzerland #289. [The rate was 8½d + 4d registration]
1883 (July 27) cover to France "per S Pekin" with Laureate 6d + Naish 4d carmine for the registration fee tied by '1' killers & oval 'REGISTERED/MELBOURNE' d/s below, Italian 'R'-in-octagon h/s in purple, 'MODANE A PARIS' TPO transit cds in red, redirected with 'PARIS A RENNES' TPO b/s & fine 'ST PHILBERT DE GD LIEU/LOIRE INFRE' arrival b/s, minor toning/soiling. Ex Trevor Davis. Ben Palmer's Census France #222. [Per 'Pekin' to Aden via Colombo, & 'Venetia' non-stop to Venice as required during the Egyptian Cholera Epidemic]
1883 (Aug 27) Pfaff Pinschof & Co cover to Germany "per SS Australia" with Bell ½d rosine & 1/- blue/blue tied by '1' killers with oval 'REGISTERED/MELBOURNE' d/s alongside, Italian 'R'-in-octagon h/s in purple & TPO b/s, three disinfection slits, superb 'AUSG' b/s. Ben Palmer's Census Germany #45. [Per 'Australia' ex Melbourne 28.8.1883, 'Kaiser-i-Hind' ex Colombo 19.8.1883; & 'Venetia' ex Aden 28.8.1883 non-stop to Venice where it was disinfected]
1884 (Apr 18) cover with superb 'Ro CONSOLATO D'ITALIA IN MELBOURNE/[arms]' cachet across the flap, to Italy "per Sorata" with scarce Three Issue franking of Laureates 6d blue, Bell 1/- blue/blue pair & Naish 2d brown tied by oval 'REGISTERED/MELBOURNE' d/s, Italian 'BRINDISI/24/MAO/84' transit & 'R'-in-octagon h/s in purple, Rome arrival b/s, minor faults & repaired flap. Ben Palmer's Census Italy #32. Carried per Orient 'Sorata' ex Melbourne 19.4.1884; 'Tanjore' ex Suez 21.5.1884, arrived Brindisi 24.5.1884. [The rate was 7d per ½oz via Brindisi x4 + 4d registration = 32d = 2/8d]
1884 (Nov 5) usage of 4d lilac Registration Envelope size b to Germany with Three Colour franking of Bell ½d rosine &1d green + Large Stamp Duty 2/- blue/green - rarely seen on cover - tied by double-oval 'REGISTERED/ MELBOURNE' d/s, Brindisi transit b/s of 15.12.1884 & Italian 'R'-in-octagon h/s on the face, very fine Hannover arrival b/s, the addressee's surname neatly erased. Ben Palmer's Census Germany #51. [The rate was 8½d x3 + 4d registration]
1885 (Mar 25) usage of 4d lilac Registration Envelope size b to Germany with Four Colour franking of Naish 1d green & 2d lilac + Large Stamp Duty 1d bistre x2 & 6d ultramarine x2 all cancelled with 'REGISTERED'-in-oval h/s & an unusually fine strike of the double-oval 'REGISTERED/MELBOURNE' d/s alongside, Brindisi transit b/s of 3.5.1885 & Italian 'R'-in-octagon h/s unusually in blue, very fine Hannover arrival b/s. A really beautiful item. Ben Palmer's Census Germany #57.
1885 (July 7) cover to Switzerland with scarce franking of Naish ½d pink & Large Stamp Duty 1/- blue/yellow tied by BN '4' with boxed 'REGISTERED' h/s & 'REGISTERED/SANDHURST' cds at U/L,Italian 'R'-in-octagon h/s unusually in blue, Swiss 'AMBULANT/No + 39' TPO transit & undated 'GIUMAGILO'-in-oval arrival b/s, repaired opening faults on the reverse. Ben Palmer's Census Switzerland #298: illustrated at his p187. [From 1.1.1884, postage & revenue stamps were interchangeable]
1885 (Aug 11) cover endorsed "Registered Book Post" to England with Naish 2d violet & 4d magenta tied by Richmond duplex with boxed 'REGISTERED' h/s at U/L, London transit of 4OC85 in red & 'COLCHESTER' arrival b/s, opened-out. [The concessional rate was 1d per 2oz x2 + 4d registration = 6d. Stated to be the only recorded example of registered book post]
1889 (Jan 4) usage of 4d pink Registration Envelope to Germany with scarce franking of Astley 6d blue + Fergusson & Mitchell 1/- purple-brown tied by 'REGISTERED'-in-oval h/s with double-oval 'REGISTERED/MELBOURNE' d/s below, superb Hannover arrival b/s. Ben Palmer's Census Germany #83. [The rate was 6d x3 + 4d registration]
1889 cover to Italy with Naish 4d rose-pink & Astley 6d blue tied by 'WALHALLA/MY6/89/VICTORIA - 481' duplex with boxed 'REGISTERED' h/s alongside, framed 'REGISTERED/MELBOURNE' transit & Naples arrival b/s of 13/6-89', ink notations on the reverse. Ex Les Molnar. Unlisted in Ben Palmer's Census. [The rate was 6d + 4d registration]
1891 Avis de Reception form to GB with 'REGISTERED/DE21/91/GPO' cds (affected by amateurish repair at left), with 'COLCHESTER/JA25/92' arrival cds & Victorian 2½d red/yellow tied by oval 'REGISTERED/LONDON' d/s of the next day in red, returned to Victoria under cover where forwarded in OHMS envelope endorsed "Avis De Reception" & thus sent free of charge, Prahran arrival b/s of MR4/92. [A very early usage, less than three months after Victoria joined the UPU on 1.10.1891]
(Qty 2 items)
1892 (July 6) usage of 3d carmine Registration Envelope to "War Department/Batavia/Java" via Sydney with ½d pink & 2d violet tied by bold 'R' h/s with 'REGISTERED/GPO' cds at L/L, 'WELTEVREDEN/8/8/1892' squared-circle arrival b/s. [Ben Palmer's Census records only two pre-UPU covers to the Dutch Indies]
1893 (May 22) usage of 2d pink Envelope to Russia "per P&O RMS Ballaarat" with ½d pink, 1d brown x3 & 2½d red/yellow tied by multiple 'R' handstamps with 'REGISTERED/MELBOURNE VIC' cds alongside, Italian TPO b/s & very fine Cyrillic arrival b/s of St Petersburg. Per 'Ballaarat' ex Melbourne 24.5.1893; arrived Brindisi 25.6.1893. [The addressee Grand Duke Alexei Mikhailovich was only 17 at the time. He died of tuberculosis in 1895]
1895 (Jan 15) usage of 3d rose Registration Envelope to Germany with ½d pink x2, 1d orange & 2d violet x2 tied by Melbourne duplex, largely very fine strike of the very rare rubber 'OFFICIALLY REGISTERED/AT GPO' h/s, Berlin arrival b/s of 17.2.95, minor blemishes. [Believed to be the only recorded strike of the handstamp. It suggests that the envelope was improperly posted in a letter slip]
1895 (Apr 9) usage of 3d cramine Registration Envelope to "Telegram Agency/Queen St Brisbane" endorsed "Officially/Registered" in magenta, Naish 2d violet added, 'REGISTERED/MELBOURNE VIC' cds, faults on the reverse.
1900 (Apr 9) usage of 3d carmine Registration Envelope to France with ½d blue-green, 1½d yellow-green & 1½d red/yellow pair tied by 'INGLEWOOD' cds, French 'MODANE A PARIS' TPO cds in red on the face, Paris transit & 'LILLE' arrival b/s.
1900 commercial usage to New Zealand of 3d Registration Envelope with Red Line through the Embossed Stamp (Stieg #C8i) with Naish 4d scarlet tied by 'RIALTO - 1977' duplex, 'WELLINGTON' arrival b/s. [The Line through Stamp varieties were recognised by collectors who retained numerous unused examples. Commercially used examples are rare]
1901 commercial usage of 3d rose Registration Envelope to South Yarra with light Melbourne b/s & the stamp cancelled "Toora" in purple indelible pencil at the GPO, a little soiled. [All such indelible-pencil cancellations were applied in the same hand to registered mail arriving uncancelled at the GPO]
1903 American black/pink Avis de Reception form to Victoria duly signed by the recipient, returned in a rare stampless 'ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RECEIPT' Envelope sent free back to Vermont with San Francisco transit b/s of OCT/19/1903 in violet, the envelope slightly truncated at right.
(Qty 2 items)
1903 (Oct 6) usage of 3d rose Registration Envelope to Dutch Indies with 2½d blue tied by 'R'-in-circle h/s with Prahran cds below, Weltevreden transit & superb 'PADANG' squared-circle arrival b/s, forwarded with fair 'TAPAN' squared-circle arrival b/s. [Padang is on the south coast of West Sumatra. Tapan is some 150km SSE & slightly inland]
1903 (Oct 6) usage of 3d rose Registration Envelope to Singapore with 2½d blue tied by 'R'-in-circle h/s but remarkably with no originating cds, 'SINGAPORE/NO14/1903' arrival b/s. Most unusual.
1907 (Sep 6) Tatts cover to Hobart with light 'PIRRON YALOAK/VICTORIA' b/s, but the 2d stamp uncancelled until arrival at Melbourne (b/s) where cancelled in manuscript "Pirron/Yallock" [sic] & endorsed "3d pd", Hobart arrival b/s of SE9/1907. The only recorded example. RPSofV Certificate (2008) states "cancelled in manuscript at receiving office". This was believed at the time to be the case. However, subsequent research has shown that such manuscript cancellations were applied on arrival at the GPO to uncancelled registered mail. In this instance, the registration fee was paid in cash - probably because of a shortage of stamps - & the envelope was likely forwarded under cover with a note to that effect from the PM]
Sale No: 243
Lot No: 699
Symbol: PS
Cat No: Collection
1910 (July 12) usage of 3d rose-pink Registration Envelope to Austria with 1½d brown/yellow & 6d emerald tied by 'REGISTERED/STOCK EXCHANGE' cds and boxed 'LATE FEE' h/s, the flap damaged on opening. Very attractive. [The rate was foreign letter 2½d per ½oz x2 + 2½d late fee + 3d registration]
1910 commercial usage to London of 3d rose-pink Registration Envelope with 1d pink x6 paying triple-rate & scarce black/white 'GPO Melbourne' registration label, a bit soiled.
