1779-83, French Occupation Period; 1781, January folded letter addressed "to the care of Messrs. Wilkinson & Gordon, Merchants" in London to be forwarded to Madeira, rated "1/-" in manuscript for the single rate, arrival datestamp on reverse and docket of receipt as May 22, portion of paper loss in center at top, not detracting from this,the only cover recorded during the French Occupation of St. Vincent.As a result of the participation of France, as an American ally, in the American War of Independence from 1778, the French searched to take control of British West Indies territories. The French invasion of Saint Vincent occurred between June 16 and 18, 1779, when they occupied much of the British-controlled part of the island after having received local Carib assistance and barely opposition from the British in the island, which had been divided between white planters and local Black Carib population. St. Vincent was occupied by France until the end of the War, following the terms agreed in the 1783 Treaty of Paris, when it was restored to the British. (Image)

Est. $750-1,000

"St Vincent" 5mm. handstamp, applied on back of October 24, 1784 folded cover to Bath, showing various rate markings on front and arrival Bishop mark on reverse; the earliest cover recorded exhibiting this rare postmark. (Image)

Est. $750-1,000

1798, Sept. 1st packet folded letter to Edinburgh, rated "2/2", showing black transit of Falmouth (Oct. 23) on reverse, and red arrival of Edinburg on the 26th, some soiling and small edge tears in center, otherwise fine. (Image)

Est. $150-200

"St Vincents" Datestamp, struck on back of March 19, 1805 folded cover to London, initially rated "1/10" then crossed out and amended to "2/-" at left for the single sheet rate, a fine example for this scarce postmark, known to have been used in black from 1799 to 1805. (Image)

Est. $500-750

Fleuron datestamp, type Ia first state, a good strike on back of July 2, 1807 folded letter to London, denoting "2/-" manuscript single rate on face, additionally backstamped with c.d.s. on arrival, fine. (Image)

Est. $200-300

Incoming mail from Grenada with "St. Kitts" fleuron handstamp; folded letter dated July 23, 1807, rated "4d" in manuscript, fine and unusual. (Image)

Est. $100-150

Red Crown handstamp on 1807 folded letter to London, dated October 12, carried by Falmouth packet "Windsor Castle" from Tortola, rated "2/-" due, being cancelled by Crown marking and corrected "4/-" due at left to pay the double rate, backstamped on arrival. (Image)

Est. $150-200

1807 incoming mail from British Guiana via Barbados, October 25 folded letter bearing "Barbadoes" straight-line handstamp, fine and scarce. (Image)

Est. $200-300

1811 incoming mail addressed to the General Orde commanding St. Vincent, folded letter from London rate "2/-", small tear at base, interesting and rare.

Est. $100-200

1812, May 5 folded letter to London, with sender's directive "P. Ship Everthorpe/Captain McArthur/Via Glasgow q.D.C. (Quem Deus Conserveat) with a bundle News Papers" at lower left, endorsed at top left "2oz 1/4", rated "12/9", bearing "Port Glasgow/Ship Letter" and three-line datestamp on arrival, an interesting and infrequent usage; ex-Messenger. (Image)

Est. $200-300

Fleuron datestamp, type IIa first state, bold strike on back of May 12, 1813 folded letter to London with red arrival c.d.s. alongside, "6/6" on front, very fine, a scarce triple rate cover. (Image)

Est. $150-200

Crown "Ship Lre/St. Vincent" oval/framed handstamp, a superb strike applied on reverse of April 28, 1815 folded letter to London, showing Crown "Ship Letter/London" c.d.s. on face, rated "4" in manuscript, additionally struck with June 17 oval red datestamp on back, the finest of only four examples recorded by Pierce. ex-Bowlby, Sinton and Messenger. (Image)

Est. $2,500-3,000

Fleuron datestamp, type IIb second state, two July 1815 and February 1818 folded letters to Reading and London, bearing this handstamp on reverse, the former carried at unusual triple rate ("6/6"), the former at single rate, very fine. (Image)

Est. $250-300

Fleuron datestamp, type IIIc third state, a superb strike exhibited on back of April 16, 1822 single weight cover (side flaps missing) to London showing neat arrival c.d.s. in red alongside, extremely fine, ex-Glassco. (Image)

Est. $200-300

Fleuron datestamp, type Ib second state, second period of use, applied on back of two 1831-38 folded letters to London and Edinburgh, with red arrival c.d.s. alongside, the earlier also showing double-arc datestamp of Grenada struck in transit, fine-very fine. (Image)

Est. $150-200

Step-type Ship Letter handstamps on arrival on outgoing mail sent to London, two 1835-57 folded letters exhibiting this type at Bristol and Deal, rated "1/6" including 8d ship letter and 10d inland fees, and "2/8" quadruple rate, a fine duo.

Est. $200-250

St. Vincent double-arc datestamp, 1844-51 four covers showing this handstamp on reverse, including a better example addressed to Martinique, fine-very fine; also 1845 folded letter to Scotland carried privately to Grenada, and 1845 letter cover endorsed "Saml. Cockburn, esq. Grenada W. Indies", entering the mails with Grenada double-arc datestamp (March11) on reverse, rated "1/- Paid" in manuscript.

Est. $200-300

S.G. #CC1, "Paid/At/St. Vincent" crowned-circle handstamp, a good strike on July 23, 1857 folded letter to Bermuda, showing "8" red crayon paying the inter-islands rate, some discoloration to the letter, nevertheless a very fine strike of this postmark, being scarce on mail sent to this destination; 1986 R.P.S. certificate (S.G. £950). (Image)

Est. $400-500

S.G. #CC1, "Paid/At/St. Vincent" crowned-circle handstamp, neatly applied on July 8, 1862 folded letter to London, showing small black St. Vincent and red London c.d.s.'s alongside; an interesting example during the second "provisional" period, when the handstamp was brought in emergency use, to denote payment of covers without adhesives during the shortage of 6d stamps; an outstandingly fine example of this postmark, which is usually exhibited with blurred strikes (S.G. £950); ex-Messenger. (Image)

Est. $750-1,000

S.G. #Z1, Great Britain 1858 1d Rose-red Pl. 59, a horizontal pair, IH-II, each clearly cancelled by "A10" barred oval, some short perforations not detracting from the freshness and rarity of this pair; 1979 R.P.S. certificate (S.G. £1,400+; Scott #A2, $1,450.00+). (Image)

Est. $300-500

S.G. #Z3, Great Britain 1855 4d Rose, a remarkably fresh example, trimmed perforations on two sides, slightly reduced in part of the left margin, paying the inter-islands rate and tied by "A10" obliterator to cover (side flaps missing) to St. Lucia, showing on reverse double-arc datestamps on dispatch and arrival, fine; 1970 R.P.S. certificate (Scott #A4). (Image)

Est. $500-750

S.G. #Z4, Great Britain 1856 4d Lilac, a horizontal marginal pair from the left of the sheet, used on piece with "A10" barred ovals, vertical crease at right and in margin at upper left, in addition single, defective at base, tied by "A10" obliterator to large piece showing complete matching double-arc datestamp alongside; pair accompanied by 1983 R.P.S. certificate (S.G. £975+; Scott #A5, $975.00+). (Image)

Est. $200-300

S.G. #Z1, Z4, Great Britain 1856-57 1d Rose-red and 6d Lilac, both used on August 10, 1858 folded cover to Paris, Polignac correspondence, redirected to Moisselles, each lightly cancelled by "A10" barred oval, additionally tied by "Paid/At/St. Vincent" crowned circle in black being mainly exhibited on the 1d denomination, additionally struck on front by "Paid" London transit c.d.s., "PD" circle, also in red, and French entry at Calais, with double-arc datestamp on reverse, in conjunction with French transits and arrival; the 1d with partial pre-printing horizontal fold resulting in a small tear; illustrated on page 17 of the St. Vincent handbook by Pierce-Messenger-Lowe; a considerably significant cover featuring a rare franking, with its most important characteristic being the usage, thought to be unique in black, of the crowned circle (Scott #A2, A5); ex-Messenger.Some of the rates on the few covers which have survived from this period are difficult to explain, due to some financial irregularities by the postmaster Dalzell. The single rate to France before April 30, 1860 was 7d.; consequently this cover was, apparently, correctly franked. For fully unpaid covers with adhesives, the balance paid in cash was denoted by the application of the crowned circle in red; in this instance, the crowned circle device would not have been required and it might have been erroneously struck although in black on one adhesive, when it could have been confused with the barred oval handstamp by the postal clerk. (Image)

Est. $3,000-4,000

1861, plate proofs, 1d Black in pair on thick unwatermarked paper; fine. (Image)

Est. $150-200

S.G. #1, #2, 1861 1d Rose-red and 6d Deep yellow-green, strip of four and vertical pair, all tied by "A10" barred ovals on 8 February 1862 double weight cover to Paris, De Polignac correspondence, red crayon "1/2" rate, "St-Vincent", London and Calais c.d.s.'s alongside, struck with arrival datestamp on back; illustrated on page 27 in the St. Vincent handbook by Pierce-Messenger-Lowe; covers exhibiting the two first-issue denominations are very rare, this being one of two examples recorded bearing this franking; ex-Gilbert-Lodge and Messenger. (Image)

Est. $2,000-3,000