NEW ZEALAND: 1901 envelope with 'DISCOVERY ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION 1901/[penguin]' embossing in blue on the flap & Mount Cook ½d pair tied by 'PORT CHALMERS/23DEO1/ E - PC' duplex, to GB with Dunedin transit & Dover arrival b/s, minor blemishes; with the enclosed letter on matching notelet headed "At Sea/off Port Chalmers/.../Dec 23rd 1901" and signed "Reginald Koettlitz".

Prussian born but English educated, Reginald Koettlitz was physician & geologist with the Jackson-Harmsworth Expedition to Franz-Josef Land, physician & biologist with Scott's 'Discovery' expedition, & surgeon on Scott's ill-fated 'Terra Nova' expedition. He writes "...I am sending a few seeds from here...looking after botanical specimens collected upon Macquarie Island...tomorrow we shall start...and will certainly not be back for fifteen or more months..." (2 items)

Grade B/A (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000