1841 (Dec 6) folded entire headed "Darling Downs, December 6th 1841, NSWales" and signed "FE Rose", to "Lincoln Inn Fields/London", carried by hand to Sydney where light but legible 'PAID SHIP LETTER/[crown]/ JA*12/1842/SYDNEY' datestamp applied on the face and rated "3"[d] in red for payment of the ship letter rate, on arrival the previous rating crossed out and rated "8"[d] in black for inland delivery charges with 'SHIP LETTER' handstamp and London tablet datestamp of MY23/1842 both in red on the reverse, some light soiling/aging marks mostly at the edges. At this time, the only 'Post Office' in the entire District was the office of the Commandant's Clerk at the Moreton Bay Penal Settlement. Not recorded in Ben Palmer's Census.  In significantly better condition than the only other recorded pre-1842 Darling Downs entire, of October 1841, which sold at a Melbourne auction in 2006 - described then as the "only recorded civilian letter from this period" - for $6900. Alan Griffiths' November 1841 entire from a doctor at Moreton Bay sold in 2012 for £3600. From Moreton Bay's establishment as a Penal Settlement in 1824 until 1842, free settlers were barred from the District. In 1827 Allan Cunningham explored the inland area north of the New England district of NSW, and from the top of Mount Dumaresq made a diary note that the lush plains beyond would be ideal for settlement. The following year he returned and charted a route through Cunningham's Gap to the Darling Downs. From late-1839, settlers from New England began occupying land in the area, and by 1844 there were at least 20 properties including a number of sheep stations with more than 150,000 head. The writer states "...My last year has been one of such indescribable misery ... that Blackguard Capt Fox landed me at Adelaide when he found out that I had not any written agreement as to my destination ... I had to pay £10 ... for my passage from Adelaide to Port Philip [sic] ... Yesterday we received information that a Tribe of 50 Blacks were close up to the Station. Five of us sallied out armed to the teeth and dispersed them without Bloodshed an unusual circumstance up here, they are very troublesome ... If you can get 3 or 4 good steady Emigrants do ... Wages from £18 to £21 per year with their rations viz 10lbs meat, 10lbs flour, tea, sugar etc weekly ... If you can, send 2 pure Durham Bulls 1 Lincoln Stallion and some good cattle dogs ... I have given up drinking for a good reason, that is, there is none to be got. Address me 'c/o Messrs Hodgson and Elliott Post Office Sydney' which will reach me up here safely please God I live". An important historical document from the early settlement of the interior of the Moreton Bay District.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$5,000

1842 (Feb 22) lengthy & partly cross-written entire from Sydney to the curiously named Other Windsor Berry in Surrey "p Harrington" with the appropriate postmarks & rate markings including London arrivals of 9JY9/1842, minor internal reinforcing with archival tape. With a full typed transcription of the well-written and fascinating contents, including "...The new Settlement of Moreton Bay has recently been thrown open..It was formerly used as a penal settlement for doubly convicted felons, but has recently been cleared of those gentlemen & is now open to any person who may wish to go and settle there...a splendid climate is its chief attraction...there doubtless will be a separate government organised for it...the Registrar of the [NSW] Supreme Court [has debts of] £50,000 [as] the result of reckless speculation..." [The writer, William McLeod Bannatyne departed for New Zealand in 1847, where he became a successful merchant. Another letter from this entertaining correspondence is in the State Library of New South Wales]

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1843 OHMS outer to "Mr Geo Slade/Clerk Petty Sessions/Moreton Bay" and endorsed "Treasury Sydney/14 Jany 1843" at lower-left, fine strike of the scarce 25mm '[crown]/FREE/JA*14/1843' datestamp (White et al #F5: ERD) in red, no arrival marking, soiled along two verical filing folds. Ex Brian Peace: sold at our auction of 27.7.2009 for $2875. An important cover, being the earliest inwards or outwards official mail item in private hands. Carried per "Shamrock" out of Sydney 27.1.1843; arrived Brisbane about 30.1.1843. On her return voyage, the ship was almost totally wrecked at the entrance to Moreton Bay. On 13.8.1842, George Slade had also been appointed the first non-military postmaster at Brisbane. The fact the item was addressed to him probably explains the absence of a Brisbane arrival marking.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$2,000

1844 (Mar 27) entire from England perversely addressed to "The Registrar of the Supreme Court/Melbourne Port Phillip/Van Diemans Land" [sic] (!) with 'SHIP LETTER/AU*13/1844/SYDNEY' backstamp, missent to the Moreton Bay District with clear oval 'BRISBANE/[crown]/AU*21/1844/NEW S WALES' backstamp (ERD), returned to Sydney with backstamp of AU*26/1844, faint Melbourne arrival of SE*8/1844, docketing regarding a court case. Carried per Toulmin Packet 'Ceylon' to Sydney. Obviously somebody found the whole thing entertaining and has written on the face: "Be pleased to look/at the address of/this letter". Marvellous. Sold at our auction of 13.9.2008 for $8050. This is believed to be the earliest recorded usage of any postmark in what became Queensland. Hugh Campbell had speculated that the first datestamp would be a circular device. He recorded no Brisbane markings prior to 1848.

Grade A- B1- (Image1)

Estimate AU$5,000

1845 (Feb 25) folded entire from Scotland to "George Leslie Esq, Care of Capt Wickham PM [= Police Magistrate], Brisbane, Moreton Bay, New South Wales" endorsed "Per mail packet of 1st March" with Edinburgh 'PAID' boxed & London 'PAID' datestamps in red on face, rated "1/-" in red paid for the packet letter rate and "7[d]" in black on arrival with largely very fine 'SHIP LETTER/[crown]/JY*5/1845/SYDNEY' backstamp, vertical file fold & minor blemishes. Carried by Toulmin Packet 'Peruvian'. The 7d delivery charge comprised Sydney 3d inwards ship letter fee plus 4d intra-colonial ship letter to Brisbane. The letter from MA Davidson is headed "My beloved Georgie ..." and contains family news. George Farquhar Leslie migrated from Scotland to New South Wales in 1838, and in 1840 financed his brother Patrick's Darling Downs expedition. Patrick established the Canning Downs sheep station, but was financially ruined in 1844. George & his other brother Walter took over ownership of property, and this letter was presumably forwarded to him there. Captain John Clements Wickham was the former commander of the HMS Beagle during its survey voyages of the coasts of the Gulf of Carpentaria & Cape York. After his retirement from the Navy, he was appointed Police Magistrate and later Government Resident of the Moreton Bay District.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

1849 small envelope to "Gara/Sydney" endorsed on the flap "favored By Mr Frederick Manger" & rated "7" in black, very fine 'SHIP LETTER/[crown]/NO*23/1849/SYDNEY' and largely fine to very fine strike of the scarce oval 'BRISBANE/[crown]/DE*2/1849/NEW.S.WALES' datestamp, very minor blemishes. Sold at our auction of 15.8.2014 for $1205. At first glance this would appear to be from Brisbane to Sydney. However, the Brisbane datestamp is 10 days later than the Sydney cds, indicating that the letter arrived at Sydney by ship, probably from one of the Pacific Islands. "Gara" was a pastoral station in New England & it appears that the letter was missent via Brisbane, rather than overland from Sydney, Newcastle or Port Macquarie to Armidale. This is the only cover we can recall having transited the Moreton Bay District. 

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,500

1850 OHMS outer endorsed "Clerk of the Peace's Office/Sydney 26 March 1850" at lower-left to "The Clerk of Petty Sessions/Brisbane" with a superb Sydney Views Plate I Early Impressions 2d greyish blue SG 16 [24] (margins good to large with outer framelines on three sides; Cat £750 x2+ on cover) tied by bars cancel of Sydney (backstamp), largely fine oval 'BRISBANE/AP*1/1850/NEW.S.WALES' arrival backstamp, ironed-out horizontal filing crease & a couple of insignificant tonespots. Ben Palmer's Census #1850.72. A very early stamped cover to the Moreton Bay District: Palmer records only one earlier. Ex Boucher, Wiggins and 'Carrington' (Mark Dankin): sold at our auction of 2.8.2013 for $2645. RPSofV Certificate (2013).

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$4,000

1851 (Oct 12) stampless entire headed "Darling Downs New South Wales" and signed "John Gilmore", to England with 'PAID SHIP LETTER/[crown]/JA*31/1852/SYDNEY' datestamp in red, on arrival rated "8[d]" inland delivery charge with London transit and 'SUNDERLAND/JU 18/1852' arrival in blue on reverse, rather knocked-about with some soiling & internal archival tape repairs but still presentable. Not recorded in Ben Palmer's Census, which lists only five items known to the UK (and two to NSW) from the Darling Downs/Drayton to the end of 1851. Drayton PO had opened on 1.1.1846 and all later letters bear Drayton markings. We expect, therefore, that this item was carried privately to Sydney, which would explain the 2½ month delay between the letter being written and it leaving Australia. A fascinating letter: John Gilmore states in part "We are filling the very humble occupation of Shepherds ... it is my fixed intention to repay all my creditors ... sheep will enable me to do it ... Regarding the Gold Field here, some get it plentifully others get little and are returning ... When our shearing time arrived ... there were nearly 20 Horsemen on valuable horses ... having their swag before them, wrapped some in scarlet lined opossum skin cloaks, the men in various costumes, all wearing the Cabbage Tree hat ... they have £-/7/- per day for shearing 45 sheep and are paid at that rate for what more they do, some of them from 50 to 80 in a day ...". Note that the letter is clearly dated 1850: it is remarkable that so late in the next year such an error would be made. The year is confirmed by the fact that the first gold discoveries in the Moreton Bay District were at Warwick in 1851.

Grade C (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

1852 (Aug 6) outer to "Belfast/Port Fairy/via Sydney" with Laureates 2d (close even margins) tied by a poor cancel, the reverse festooned with oval datestamps of 'DRAYTON/AU*6/1851/NEW S WALES', poor 'GAYNDAH/AU*8/1851/NEW S WALES', Sydney (cds of AU*25/1852), poor Melbourne and fine 'PORT FAIRY/SE*10/1852/VICTORIA' arrival, rather soiled but an excellent origin/destination item in this period. If the dates are all correct, and it seems highly unlikely that both Drayton & Gayndah would be out by a year - this item was apparently delayed at Gayndah for 13 months. Such a delay may be explained by the stains, that suggest the cover may have been discovered under a cabinet or in a filthy crevice. As such, the condition might be considered a positive.

Grade C (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

1855 (Mar 2?) part-entire endorsed "Immediate Pr overland mail" to a brewery in Sydney with Laureates 2d (good even margins, tonespots) just tied by BN '95' of Brisbane (poor backstamp), very fine 'SYDNEY/[crown]/MR*12/1855/NEW S WALES' arrival  backstamp. [The Kent Brewery was established in 1835, surviving several changes of ownership until swallowed-up by Carlton & United Breweries in 1983]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

1855 (Sep 21) part-entire from Tasmania to "Brisbane/M Bay" with Courier 4d (3 margins, just shaved at right) tied by BN '60', very fine Launceston diamond datestamp in red at left, Sydney transit & 'BRISBANE/OC*8/ 1855/NSW' arrival backstamps, very minor blemishes. An exceptional origin/destination item: the earliest recorded cover from Tasmania to Queensland. The letter is signed "JWCrookes", who arrived from England in 1832 and became a prominent Hobart merchant. A Methodist lay preacher and anti-transportation activist, he also served in the Tasmanian Parliament. Sold at our auction of 5.12.2009 for $1550.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,750

1856 outer (dated docketing) endsorsed "Registered" to Ipswich with Diadems 2d blue pair & 6d greenish grey very lightly cancelled, poor oval backstamp probably of Brisbane, ironed-out horizontal filing fold & minor blemishes.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

1857 front (dated on the reverse) endorsed "Registered", to Ipswich with rare franking of Diadems 2d blue strip of 4 with virtually full margins tied by poor to fair Barred Numeral '81' of Warwick. A rare multiple, even off-cover, let alone used in the Moreton Bay District. (Image1)

Estimate AU$600

1857 (July 1) outer from Sydney "Per Yarra Yarra" to the Bank of Australasia at Ipswich with Diadem 2d (margins at places) & (6d) 'REGISTERED' (almost full margins) tied by bars cancels and oval 'REGISTERED/SYDNEY NSW' datestamp in red at lower-left, unframed 'IPSWICH/JY6/1857/NSW' arrival cds on the reverse, stained at the base. Sold at our auction of 11.5.2012 for $530. The 'Yarra Yarra' was a coastal paddlesteamer. In 1877, it was wrecked off Newcastle with the loss of 18 lives.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1857 (July 30) outer to the Bank of Australasia at Ipswich with Diadem 1d x2 (margins at places) & (6d) 'REGISTERED' (almost full margins) tied by bars cancels with 'REGISTERED/SYDNEY NSW' oval datestamp in red at lower-left, fine part-strike of the unframed 'IPSWICH/NSW' arrival cds on the reverse, minor stains.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1857 (Sept 2) folded outer to Sydney with New South Wales Diadems 2d blue Error of Watermark '5' SG 112c (margins just touching to large with a fragment of the adjoining unit at left; Cat £100 x3+ on cover) and untidy Numeral-in-Rays '95' cancel, largely fine 'BRISBANE/=NSW=' and Sydney arrival backstamps, minor blemishes. With a photocopy of the Robson Lowe Certificate of Opinion (1979) as the then SG 108b.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

1857 outer to Ipswich with Small Diadems Imperf 1d orange-vermilion SG 107 horizontal pair (margins good to large with a fragment of the adjoining unit at left), Rays '85' (rated RR) cancel & very fine 22mm 'DRAYTON/DE18/1857/=NSW=' backstamp, fine 22mm 'IPSWICH/=NSW=' arrival backstamp, minor blemishes & the lower section professionally cleaned. Ex 'Carrington' (Mark Dankin): sold at our auction of 22.2.2013 for $690. An unusually fine & attractive cover from this important & famous correspondence. [George Faircloth moved to Ipswich in 1853, where he opened the first northern branch of the Bank of Australasia. His home, Booval House, is the oldest two-storey house in Ipswich]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

1858 (Jan 31) outer to the Bank of Australasia at Ipswich with late usage of Laureates 1d x2 in different shades (each with three margins) tied by fine to very fine strikes of Rays '90' with Large '0' (rated RRRRR), the reverse with small unframed cds of 'GRAFTON', 'CASINO', poor 'BRSIBANE' & 'IPSWICH/FE8/1858/=NSW=' arrival, some blemishes but quite fine for this correspondence. 

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

1859 (Sep 5) entire with Diadems 2d (margins in places) tied by light strike of Rays '95', the reverse with very fine strike of the scarce 25mm 'BRISBANE/SP5/1859/=NSW=' cds & superb 'SYDNEY/SP10/1859/ A /NSW/ B ' cds, forwarded to "Birregurra/Ripple Vale/Geelong/Victoria", ironed-out filing folds one of which impacts the stamp. The addressee, (Sir) Charles Sladen, arrived in the Port Phillip District from England in 1842. He pactised law at Geelong, had a farm at Winchelsea and played cricket for Victoria in 1851-52. He served on several occasions in the Colony's Legislative Council and to this day is Victoria's only Premier from the Upper House, but his ministry lasted only two months. A Geelong suburb & small post office was named after him.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

1859 (Oct 4) entire to Victoria with Diadems 6d grey (margins just clear to large) tied by fine strike of Rays '95', the reverse with very fine large-part strike of the scarce 25mm 'BRISBANE/OC4/1859/=NSW=' cds & superb 'SYDNEY/OC8/1859/ C /NSW/ B ' cds, faint Geelong cds in red & fair ovoid 'BIRREGURRA' arrival, ironed-out filing folds one of which impacts the stamp. [See also the previous lot]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

1860 large-part outer to "The Colonial Secretary/Brisbane" & endorsed "Nanango Police Office" at lower-left, Diadems Imperf 1d x2 (faults) with illegible cancels, the reverse with fine 'GOODES-INN/JA13/1860/=NSW=' backstamp (after the name-change to Nanango), similar type 'DRAYTON' transit & 'BRISBANE' arrival, a couple of neat repairs. Goode's Inn PO opened 3.1.1852; renamed Nanango 1.7.1859. Sold at our auction of 22.2.2013 for $530.

Grade (B) (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

BRISBANE: Barred Numeral '95' bold strike on Laureates 6d grey-brown/bluish SG 76 (margins close to good), Cat £275. 

Grade A B1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

BRISBANE: Barred Numeral '95' very fine strike on Laureates 8d yellow-orange SG 80 (margins just touched - at top - to good), Cat £750. A marvellous item for any numerals or Moreton Bay District collection.

Grade A- A2 (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

BRISBANE: Rays '95' very fine strikes on Diadems 6d grey SG 94 (margins just touching to close) and 2d with Error of Watermark '5' SG 112c horizontal strip of 3 (largely complete margins; Cat £300+, for singles). The strip sold at our auction of 12.6.2010 for $333. (2 items) 

Grade A-/B A1 (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

CALLANDOON: Rays '74' on Diadems 1d orange-vermilion SG 107 (three margins). Rated RRR.

Grade B B2 (Image1)

Estimate AU$100