1859 Lapirot 2d. blue, position 12, an unused example displaying ample even margins all around, very fresh with the added attribute of possessing large part o.g., very fine and rare Provenance: Ferrary Expertise: Cert. BPA (1953) and Brandon (2006) (Image)

1859 Lapirot 2d. blue, position 6, unused without gum, close margins on four sides, fine and scarce (Image)

1859 Lapirot 2d. blue on bluish, partial plate reconstruction of 11 stamps (only position 5 missing), four examples exhibiting all margins , which are enormous in positions 3 & 6 (the former being sound), showing four cancellation types including oval bars, target, 'Paid' within circle and 'GPO' cds, most of the stamps are faulty and pos. 4 repaired in upper left corner with an erroneous ornament, a scarce group (Image)

1859 Lapirot 2d. blue, complete plate reconstruction, comprising positions 1 to 12, half of the examples showing good to very good margins, mainly cancelled by barred oval hs, except positions 5 ('Paid' within circle), 7 (target cancel), and 12 being additionally cancelled by indistinct cds, mostly fine, with some stamps affected by usual faults (Image)

1859 Lapirot 2d. blue, horizontal pair, positions 10-11, just touched at lower left, very good margins on other sides, tied on fragment by oval bars, a scarce pair (Image)

1859 Lapirot 2d. blue, strip of four, positions 5-8, ample and quite even margins all around, tied on fragment by oval bars, some slight toning, a rare multiple (Image)

1859 Lapirot 2d. blue, position 12, large balanced margins all around, tied by oval bars cancels to 5.10.1859 envelope from Souillac to 'Rivière Seche à la partie de Flacq', frontside with octagonal 'Souillac' postmark with inserted date in manuscript at lower left, displaying very fine strikes of 'GPO/MAURITIUS' and octagonal 'EASTERN SUBURB' ds on back, envelope with some soiling and creasing, not detracting from this extremely rare inland usage from one provincial town to another transiting Port Louis, extraordinarily exhibiting three postmarks of different Mauritius localities, a most desirable postal history item for the specialist Provenance: Hiroyuki Kanai, Vikram Chand Expertise: Certs. Holcombe (1993), Brandon (2007) (Image)

1859 Lapirot 2d. blue, position 3, good to outstandingly large margins, used on folded entire letter to Dinan, France, tied by barred oval hs with matching 'GPO/NO10 1859/MAURITIUS' cds on reverse, French red entry and '16' charge at Marseilles, backstamps of Paris and Dinan, cover front clean and with repairs, a very attractive single usage Expertise: Certs. Richter (1990), Brandon (2007) (Image)

1859 Lapirot 2d. blue, horizontal pair, positions 6-7, very fresh with clear to predominantly large margins being quite balanced, cleanly tied by oval bars cancels on 12.10.1859 folded cover from Port Louis to Genoa, Sardinia, endorsed 'via Suez & Marseille', red French entry cds, 'VIA DI NIZZA' straight line hs and '10' cent in manuscript due on arrival on front, displaying 'MAURITIUS/GPO' crown ds, Pizza and Genoa ds on reverse, pressed out horizontal crease passing through the franking but not described in the certificate, a fascinating and unique postal history usage to this destination Provenance: A. J. Stevens, Vikram Chand Expertise: Signed Emilio Diena, cert. Brandon (2007) (Image)

1859 Lapirot 2d. blue, horizontal pair, positions 1-2, margins ranging from clear to huge, tied by barred ovals on 12.10.1859 envelope from Port Louis to Bordeaux, endorsed 'pr. over-land', '8' décimes due marking and red French entry on front, crown ds on back, together with French transits including Paris and receiving cds's, some stains to cover, an attractive and scarce letter Provenance: Hind, Davy, Stevens, Chand Expertise: Certs. Holcombe 81995), Brandon (2007) (Image)

1859 Lapirot 2d. blue, position 5, very large margins all around, in combination with 1859-61 Britannia 6d. blue, mainly huge margins with portion of neighbouring stamp at right, each tied by oval bar cancel to folded cover from Port Louis to Calcutta, showing on back 'GPO/OC7 1859/MAURITIUS' cds and framed receiving maritime ds, probably the finest of three covers recorded exhibiting this combination with the worn impression Provenance: Vikram Chand Expertise: Cert. RPSL (1970) (Image)

1859 Lapirot 2d. blue, position 1, ample to large margins, in combination with a large margined 1859-61 Britannia 6d. blue, on folded entire letter from Port Louis to Bordeaux, tied by oval bars cancels with 'GPO/NO10 1859/MAURITIUS' dispatch and Bordeaux receiving cds's, front showing '8' red crayon, French '16' due marking crossed out and amended to '32' in manuscript, and faint strike of red entry cds in France, a very attractive usage for the specialist featuring a unique taxation with this issue, one of three such combination frankings in the worn impression Expertise: Cert. Fulpius (1951), Brandon (2007) (Image)

1859 Lapirot 2d. blue, position 11, all margins touched, in combination with 1859-61 Britannia 6d. blue strip of five, clear margins except for one stamp, all cancelled or tied by barred oval on envelope to Aden, paying the quadruple 8d. overseas rate, annotated 'Per Emue' and red crayon '1/4'(d) accountancy mark on front, struck with 'GPO/NO9 1859/MAURITIUS' and red Aden Steamer Point arrival bs, minor imperfections in strip and envelope (slightly reduced at left), not detracting from this extraordinary and unique franking Provenance: Dale-Lichtenstein (1969), Vikram Chand Expertise: Cert. BPA (1976), Brandon (2007) (Image)

1859 Lapirot 2d. intermediate and worn impressions, four examples, including one from the intermediate impression (pos. 7), the others from pos. 7 & 12 (2), with barred oval and target cancels, two repaired and two with thins which in one result in one tear in top margin (Image)