Revenue Documents - VOC Seals. 1679-1849 Revenue documents (19), the initial 1679 document without any revenue stamp, eight 1723-1821 documents with embossed "VOC" revenue stamps and five other documents bearing wax seals impressed with a ship and "CDGHOOP" (4) or the royal arms and "MAY BRITAIN FLOURISH". Also an 1802 document concerning a ship bound for the Cape with an embossed Dutch revenue stamp, 1830 document with embossed Cape 3d + 2/- stamps, 1803 documents signed by Earl Grey (2), 1821 "Bataviasche Courant" newspaper, and cut-out wax seals. An interesting lot with an 1808 licence to keep a retail shop, etc. (20+)

c.1760 Front with lower flap, which bears an impressed wax seal, addressed to "Monsieur Tulback Gouverneur et Commandant de la Colonie du Cap de Bonne Experance du Cap". Ryk Tulbagh was Governor from 1751 until 1771. Attractive and scarce.

c.1760-1840 Entires sent to (15) or from (5) the Orphan Chamber (Weeskamer), the post 1816 ingoing letters all prepaid or charged, the letters from the Orphan Chamber prepaid 2d, charged 7d to pay or allowed free as official mail (3), one 1799 entire strangely with a "2" charge. Handstamps include boxed "POST PAID", circular crown handstamps of Cape Town (2, both superb), Caledon, George, Uitenhagen, Clanwilliam and Zwellendam, oval Cape Town datestamps (4) and circular crowned Cape Town datestamps (3, all superb). Also 1841 entire letter from London and 1868-1903 entire or fronts (2) with Cape stamps to the Chamber, and a c.1890 cover with "General Estate and Orphan Chamber" printed heading franked 1d to the House of Assembly. An interesting lot, the Orphan Chamber officially abolished in 1834, though its business was clearly still being sorted out 70 years later. (25).

c.1780 Entire addressed in Dutch and endorsed "P. Expresse", fine and very unusual.

1784-1853 Entire letters (8) and entires (4) including 1784 entire "to a Burgher residing in the veldt", 1795 entire letter to the Consul General of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, entire letters to the Consul of France (2), Thomas Maclear at the Royal Observatory, or to "The Church Wardens of Clan William, If Mr Steinberg away any Church Warden be present, then Sexton Foster will please without delay bring this letter to the nearest Church Warden in order that he may answer it". One letter sent free to Beaufort has a superb double oval Cape Town crown handstamp, four others with crowned oval Cape Town datestamps. (12).

1793-1858 Entire letter and entires endorsed from Field-Cornets (3) or sent from the Landdrost of Clan William to a Field-Cornet at Onder Bokkeveld all sent as official free mail, one with Clanwilliam crown handstamp, the 1858 entire backstamped with oval Victoria datestamp. (4).

1818 Entire letter endorsed from the Secretary's Office in Stellenbosch, addressed to the Officer for the Enregisterment of Slaves in Cape Town endorsed "On Service", the reverse with red wax official seal of Stellenbosch, with superb circular crown handstamps of Stellenbosch and Cape Town, the first in red. Exceptional quality, the Stellenbosch handstamp rare in red ink. Photo on Page 204. (Image1)

c.1820-40 Entires (10, also one part entire) all to the Postmaster General in Cape Town, ten sent free as official mail (one charged 8d), four endorsed from the Post Office or Postmaster of Uitenhage, Caledon, Worcester or Graaff Reinet, the last with boxed "POST PAID" (but no rate indicated and marked "On Service"), the others all with circular crown handstamps of Simons Town (2), Grahams Town, Zwellendam, Cradock (2), Clanwilliam, Worcester, Caledon or Uitenhagen, one also with first type Cape Town "Free" crowned datestamp. (11).

c.1820-40 Entire letter and entires (7) all to Cape Town, addressed to the Sequestrator (4, two free as official mail, two charged 4d), H.M Fiscal (probably hand delivered) or the Registry Office (entire letter paid 3d from Stellenbosch), also an entire paid 4d from George to the Bank van Leening in Cape Town, and an entire to Uitenhagen with printed address panel "In Dienst, Bank van Leening" (no handstamp, possibly hand delivered). Six have circular crown handstamps of George, Uitenhagen, Beaufort, Port Elizabeth, Stellenbosch or Grahamstown, one with a Cape Town datestamp. (8).

c.1820-40 Entire letters (2) and entires (3) with circular crown handstamps of Simons Town (2), Port Elizabeth, Tulbagh, Grahamstown or Cape Town, two also with Cape Town datestamps, the Tulbagh entire apparently sent free, the Tulbagh and Grahamstown handstamps unusually fine strikes. (5).

c.1820-51 Entire letter (4) and entires (11) addressed to the Landdrost of Swellendam, Cradock, Albany or Beaufort, the Resident Magistrate of Stellenbosch, the Secretary of Stellenbosch or Worcester, the Commissioner of Cape Town, Civil Commissioner at Worcester (2), Beaufort or Briefontein, or the Distributor of Stamps at Simons Town, also two entires sent locally in Graaff Reinet endorsed from the "Town Office", seven sent as official letters free of charge, the others prepaid or charged upon arrival, two of these endorsed as official mail but disallowed as such. Handstamps include boxed "TO PAY" (2), "POST PAID" (2) and "PREPAID", circular crown handstamps of Beaufort, Bathurst and Grahamstown, and Cape Town datestamps comprising first oval type (2), crowned oval (3, all with date errors) and crowned circle. (15).

1828 O.H.M.S Entire to the Acting Secretary to Government in Cape Town with light crown handstamp of George and a fine second type crowned circle "Free" datestamp of Cape Town, scarce in this quality. Photo on Page 204. (Image1)

1834-42 Entires (2) from the Office of Compensation to the Notary Public at Stellenbosch, or to the Resident Magistrate of Worcester, both handstamped "John Bell / Secy to Govt" and scarce third type oval crowned "Free" datestamps of Cape Town. Also 1842 entire letter from the Stamp Office, Cape Town to the Clerks of the Peace in Graaff Reinet informing them that fifty £3.15 stamps have been forwarded to the Distributor of Stamps at Graaff Reinet, with official signature handstamp. Three fine official covers. (3). Photo on Page 204. (Image1)

Orange Free State. 1851 (Mar 3) Entire letter written by Maria Murray from Graaff Reinet, addressed to "The Revd A. Murray, Bloem Fontein" and endorsed "Paid", with manuscript "4PP" and octagonal framed "55" handstamp of Graaff Reinet. The interesting letter includes "The news from the Frontier was of the most exciting kind. On Wednesday Mr Hans Meintjes arrived from the Commando bringing the intelligence that our Burghers had had a most desperate engagement with the Rebels at Blink Water, one colored man from this place killed and two severely wounded, one was his brother in law Gut Nickerk who was shot through his face, the ball entering one cheek and coming out at the other. It seems they were surrounded by the Hottentot and when Mr N. was shot he was lying down so that the enemys shots might pass over him when lifting up his head to reload he received the shot which there seems much reason to expect will prove fatal. He has not spoken since nor could he take any nourishment - a wagon has left this place to fetch him if he should be alive and able to be removed ..... the other man who was wounded is one Reitz, but not dangerously. He travelled slowly and arrived yesterday. From the different accounts we have received it is marvellous so few were wounded when the balls were flying thick around them wounding their horses and passing close to their sides and yet their lives spared. One man from Sneuberg - Meinwehuysen was killed". A fine letter from the Cape to the O.F.S with the scarce "55" handstamp. Photo on Page 204. (Image1)