1865 Police Department envelope with poor Chief Secretary Die 1 Frank h/s in blue, endorsed "Officially Registered/ supposed to contain coin" with "killer" '1' of Melbourne & 'REGISTERED/FE3/65/MELBOURNE' cds in red, superb '["6d"]/MORE TO PAY' handstamp (S&# #E1770). Ex Hans Karman & Max Watson. A remarkable & important item: registration fees were payable on franked mail only between 3.8.1864 & 31.7.1865. This item helped bring about the change. [Illustrated by Stieg & Watson at page 22]
1873-86 OHMS envelopes with Dead Letter Office imprint 1) headed 'RETURNED LETTER' with Code 'W' & very fine 'DLB___PB___/REGISTERED' h/s in green; 2) similar with the same marking with 'PB' Removed in purple; & 3) 'RETURNED LETTER/REGISTERED' Envelope Code 'T' with the recut marking in purple. Very scarce trio; two with the original contents.
(Qty 3)
1874 folded entire on Pentridge Prison stationery with printed instructions at top including '1. Prisoners may write a letter on arrival to their friends, and one other every three months ...', sent to the prisoner's wife care of the Melbourne GPO with Bell 2d tied by BN '67' (large figures & single side bars; rated R) and 'COBURG' b/s, a couple of minor blemishes. The writer states that he was framed as revenge for spurning a woman and states "... I can prove that I am innocent ...". [HM Pentridge Prison was opened in 1851 and closed in 1997. The original bluestone walls now enclose a housing estate] The illustration is above Lot 1618.
1875 OHMS envelope with very fine 'MINISTER OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION' Frank h/s Die 1 in blue with Laureates 6d tied by BN '255', oval 'FRAMLINGHAM/FE2/--/VICTORIA' (the only recorded example; no year slug) & 'REGISTERED'- in-oval h/s, Melbourne arrival cds of FE4/75, minor punch-hole at L/L. Most unusual. At the introduction of Franks in 1864, registration fees were required to be paid but they were exempted from 1865. It is thus most unusual & irregular to find such a fee being imposed 10 years later. [Framlingham was established in 1861 as an aboriginal reserve run by Anglican missionaries]
Sale No: 242
Lot No: 1566
Symbol: C
Cat No: Collection
1900 OHMS cover with 'ROYAL MINT' imprint at L/L & superb 'ROYAL MINT' Frank h/s in blue, registered with 'LAW COURTS' cds, superb 'R'-in-circle h/s & 'ROYAL MINT/[arms]/VICTORIA' seal impressed twice in red wax on the flap, 'AVOCA' arrival b/s, a few minor defects. An outstanding item for a collection of registered mail.
1912 PPC posted on train with 1d only tied by 'TPO 13/UP 25NO12/VICTORIA' cds, very fine strike of the rare 'T1D/LATE FEE' h/s alongside & Postage Due 1d affixed & tied by pen cancel. Nice item.
