SHIP LETTER/INDIA LETTER COLLECTION; Range on leaves inc. 1820/27 EL's to Edinburgh or London ex Bombay or Madras with framed "INDIA LETTER/PLYMOUTH" or "INDIA LETTER/FALMOUTH" h.s. on front, 1823 E to London with "CADIZ" and framed "PLYM.DOCK/SHIP LETTER" h.s. on front, 1836 reduced EL to London with Quebec d.s. and framed "PORTSMOUTH/SHIP LETTER" h.s. on front and other related examples. (19 items) Cross Reference: INDIA, BRAZIL, SPAIN, CANADA (Image)

LONDONDERRY COLONIAL PACKETS & SOUTHAMPTON SHIP LETTERS: Mourning env. (1863, poor condition) to the U.S.A. with a pair of 6d stamps and a v. fine "PAID DERRY/FE 13 63/COL. PACKET/D" cds (Rob. P 1), a not so clear further "...PKT./MAR 1/PAID" & a US "21 CENTS" all in red, plus 2 PPCs with mainly fine "LONDONDERRY COLONIAL PKT" cds in red (both Rob. P 3.). Also, unpaid Jan. 1857 EL (some toning) from Oporto to London "Per Bacchante Steamer" charged "1/4" with a v. fine blue-green "SOUTHAMPTON/SHIP LETTER" (Rob. S13; rare colour and late use - filing crease) on the front, with an 1865 EL to Paris via Southampton & Calais with a Rob. P2 "SOUTHAMPTON/PACKET-LETTER" plus a "GB/1F60c" accountancy mark. (5 cards/covers) Cross Reference: FRANCE, DERRY (Image)

RARE GREEN FALMOUTH 'JAMAICA/F' MARK ON 1822 COVER TO GREENOCK - datelined 'Spanishtown, Jamaica October 20th 1822' EL to Greenock charged '2/6' and with good rare green 'JAMAICA/F' ds applied in Falmouth plus ½d wheel tax mark on the front and GLASGOW cds on the flap. Cross Reference: SCOTLAND, CORNWALL, JAMAICA (Image)

1825-50 LONDON SHIP LETTERS - 1825 printed prices current to Schiedam with oval "POST PAID SHIP LR/[CROWN]/(DATE)" hs, 1826 EL to London from "AMSTERDAM" hs on face with "SHIP LETTER/[CROWN]/(DATE)", 1841 EL to Amsterdam with oval "PAID SHIP LETTER/(DATE)/LONDON" hs on face, 1849/50 E's to London from Antwerp with "SHIP-LETTER/CROWN/(DATE)" hs. (5) Cross Reference: NETHERLANDS (Image)

GRAVESEND/LONDON - UNIQUE "SHIP-LETTER MAIL-BAG" FOR A SINGLE LETTER SENT O.H.M.S. TO PORTUGAL; Remarkable 5 June 1872 large wrapper (slight toning, minor faults) with printed heading to the address; "O.H.M.S. Ship Mail per the [Maria Pia] Captain [Contents] from [Gravesend]", and with partly printed address; "To the Postmaster of [Oporto]" and endorsed as containing "[1] Letter", having two very fine red "SHIP-LETTER/LONDON" c.d.s.'s; this type of wrapper - of which this is the only example that we have recorded - was used for all outgoing Ship Letters that were sent by the P.O. to protect the Ship letters they enclosed from the prying eyes of the ships' Captains to whom Ship letters were entrusted. Very important exhibition item. Illustrated in Ship Letters (1997) by John Hendry Cross Reference: OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS, KENT, LONDON POSTAL HISTORY, OFFICIAL MAIL (Image)