NEWCASTLE: 1877 cover from New Zealand with First Sidefaces 2d rose tied by superb Rays '55' & 'NEWCASTLE/AU30/1877=NSW=' b/s plus Sydney arrival of the next day, endorsed "Loose Shipletter" & rated "3d" for an inwards shipletter, parts of the flap missing otherwise very fine. The only such manuscript endorsement we have seen. Ex Tony Rigo de Righi.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

SYDNEY: 1873 coastal cover with Queensland Chalons 1d pale orange-vermilion & 2d pale blue pairs cancelled with large 'NSW'-in-concentric-ovals and very fine oval 'LOOSE SHIP/LETTER' h/s (35x20mm & 'L' to 'L' =4½mm; Hosking unrecorded; White et al #SL15) alongside, unframed 'SHIP-LE[TTER]/ L / JY31/1873/=SYDNEY=' b/s (#SL11; used 1868-76), very fine 'WEST-MAITLAND/AU1/1873/=NSW=' transit & part 'WOLLOMBI' arrival b/s, the flap removed. The inter-colonial rate was 3d + shipletter fee of 3d. Ben Palmer's Census at p110. [Sold at our auction of 20.6.2002 for $1230]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

SYDNEY: 1875 coastal cover with Morehead & Co Stock & Station Agents (Brisbane) embossing in blue on the flap, Queensland Chalons 2d blue & 3d brown tied by vertical-duplex 'NSW/ K /OC14/1875/ 2 /SYDNEY' (White et al unrecorded; Tobin & Orchard #125) and superb oval 'LOOSE SHIP/LETTER' h/s (35x20mm & 'L' to 'L' = 4½mm; Hosking unrecorded; White et al #SL15) alongside, no backstamps & redirected to "Brs", a couple of very minor blemishes. From 1.1.1874, the inter-colonial rate was reduced from 3d to 2d + shipletter fee of 3d. Absent from Ben Palmer's Census.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

SYDNEY: 1875 cover with Tasmania Perf 12 6d tied by part-Sydney duplex & largely very fine oval 'LOOSE SHIP/LETTER' h/s (35x20mm & 'L' to 'L' =4½mm; Hosking unrecorded; White et al #SL15) alongside, 'SHIP LETTER/ A /JY30/1875/=SYDNEY=' b/s, roughly opened behind with repaired tears, overall soiling.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

SYDNEY: 1876 cover "via Sydney" by coastal ship with Queensland Chalons 3d brown & 1/- violet tied by very fine vertical-duplex 'NSW - / A /SP21/1876/SYDNEY' & largely very fine oval 'LOOSE SHIP/ . LETTER . ' h/s (35x21mm & 'L' to 'L' = 4mm; Hosking unrecorded; White et al #SL16 - ERD) alongside, 'LONDON-W/ F 11 /PAID/NO7/76' arrival cds in red on the face, minor stain. Carried trans-Pacific per 'Australia' ex Sydney 21.9.1876 & 'City of Sydney' ex Auckland 25.9.1876, arrived San Francisco 18.10.1876; by rail to New York; then 'City of Chester' ex New York 28.10.1876, arrived Queenstown 6.11.1876. [The rate was NSW inwards shipletter 3d + Empire rate 6d + late fee 6d = 1/3d. Absent from Ben Palmer's Census.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

SYDNEY: 1880 cover to Italy "per SS Zealandia/Via Brindisi" with New Zealand First Sidefaces 2d x12 tied by 'NSW/ C /OC23/1880/ 3 /SYDNEY' vertical-duplex & very fine oval 'LOOSE SHIP/ . LETTER . ' h/s (35x21mm & 'L' to 'L' = 4mm; Hosking unrecorded; White et al #SL16) at L/L, 'BRINDISI/5/DEC/80/(A)' transit & 'MODENA' arrival b/s, minor blemishes. A very scarce destination from New Zealand. Carried per 'Hydaspes' ex Sydney 23.10.1880 & Melbourne 29.10.1880; 'Nepaul' ex Galle 17.11.1880; and 'Tanjore' ex Alexandria 2.12.1880, arrived Brindisi 5.12.1880.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

SYDNEY: 1882 cover endorsed "via Melbourne/per SS Hydaspes/via Brindisi/or per first steamer" by coastal ship with scarce Two Issue franking of Queensland Chalons 3d brown & First Sidefaces 1d x5 tied by 'SYDNEY/ A /JU5/82/ 3 ' duplex & very fine oval 'LOOSE SHIP/ . LETTER . ' h/s (35x21mm & 'L' to 'L' = 4mm; Hosking unrecorded; White et al #SL16) alongside, three different London b/s all of JY24/82, minor blemishes. A very attractive cover. Ben Palmer's Cansus at p250.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

SYDNEY: 1887 cover to Victoria "Per Katoomba" with Queensland 2d blue tied by 'SYDNEY/ D /DE1/87/ 16 ' duplex & superb strike of the worn oval 'LOOSE SHIP/ . LETTER . ' h/s (35x21mm & 'L' to 'L' = 4mm; Hosking unrecorded; White et al #SL16 - LRD) at right, superb tax h/s '2D' of Sydney & '2D/TO PAY'-in-oval of Melbourne (b/s of DE2/87) & 'FITZROY NORTH' arrival b/s of the next day, a few repaired edge-tears & overall soiling/toning. Absent from Ben Palmer's Census. [The Sydney-Melbourne rail service opened in 1883, making one-day transits possible]

Grade C (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

SYDNEY: 1895 cover to GB with New Zealand 2½d blue x2 tied by 'SYDNEY/SP22/ U /95/ 9 ' duplex & large-part superb strike of the oval 'LOOSE SHIP/ . LETTER . ' h/s (34x21mm & 'L' to 'L' = 3½mm; Hosking #1499; White et al #SL17) alongside, 'SHEFFIELD/ E*P /OC26/95/ 13 ' arrival b/s, a couple of insignificant blemishes.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

SYDNEY: 1896 cover endorsed "Via Sydney Sanfrancisco/per SS Monowai", to New Brunswick with rounded-boxed 'PAQUEBOT' h/s (Hosking #1500; ERD by 7 years) at L/L and Victorian ½d 1d & 2d tied by 'SYDNEY/SP28/96/ 18 ' duplex, 'WINDSOR/OC27/96/ONT' transit b/s, light soiling & minor spotting.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

SYDNEY: 1901 commercial usage of German Samoa 10pf(+10pf) message-half of Reply Card to Sydney with message headed "Apia/Jan 5 01", cancelled on arrival with 'SYDNEY/JA18/01/ 19 ' cds, very fine large-part strike of the oval 'LOOSE SHIP/ + LETTER + ' h/s (35½x24½mm & 'L' to 'L' = 7½mm; Hosking #1501; White et al #SL18) below, faint soiling. An additional 10pf late fee should have been paid but the card wasn't taxed at either end.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

SYDNEY: 1901 USA 5c Envelope to Tattersalls in Hobart with remarkable combination of markings 'SHIP LETTER/AP24/01/SYDNEY - NSW' duplex (Hosking #1498; White et al #SL14) overstruck with cds No 4 plus very fine strike of the oval 'LOOSE SHIP/ + LETTER + ' h/s (35½x24½mm & 'L' to 'L' = 7½mm; Hosking #1501; White et al #SL18) & the rounded-boxed 'PAQUEBOT' h/s (Hosking #1500; White et al #SL19), Hobart arrival b/s of AP27/1901, characteristic filled spikeholes.

Grade (A-) (Image1)

Estimate AU$200