'NO VALUE' BRITANNIA 4d GREEN ON COVER TO ST. DENIS IN REUNION WITH BOXED "M&I" MARK ON REVERSE; 21 May 1859 env. (some scuffing clear of stamp slightly affecting address; toning at left) to "St. Denis, Ile de la Reunion franked by Britannia 'No Value' 4d Green (4 even margins; light corner crease at lower right) tied by two fair void barred oval, having fine 2-ring "GPO/MAURITIUS" cds on reverse beside faint "ST. DENIS/REUNION" cds and faint boxed "M&I" mark. Rare usage of this issue on mail to Reunion.Cross Reference: REUNION (Image)

'NO VALUE' BRITANNIA 9d DULL MAGENTA ON COVER TO GB "VIA MARSEILLE"; Fine and attractive 20 June 1859 env. from Port Louis (fine crowned "MAURITIUS/GPO" ds on reverse) to Dorset "Via Marseille" franked by the 'No Value' Britannia 9d Dull Magenta (shaved at top, almost clear on the other 3 sides) tied by a light 'target' cancel with red crayon "7" (credit to GB) Accountancy Marking alongside. Very difficult stamp to find on cover. (Image)

CRASH & WRECK MAIL - 6d BRITANNIA COVER TO FRANCE CARRIED ON S.S. 'NORTHAM' THAT RAN AGROUND OFF JEDDAH; 8 Aug. 1859 env. (minor creasing & light central vertical fold clear of stamp & marks) from Port Louis (2-ring "G P O/MAURITIUS" backstamp) to Bordeaux "Voie de Suez et Marseille" franked by Britannia 6d Blue (good margins all round, though close at lower right) tied by target cancels. This letter was carried on the P&O S.S. Northam from Sydney to Suez, but she struck a reef off Jeddah en route on 20 Aug., and was refloated 5 days later. Hoggarth & Gwynn record that covers to GB from this voyage have 13 Sept. London backstamps; this cover has a faint 12 Sept. red Marseilles "PAYS ETR. V. SUEZ/AMB. C[?]" cds on the front and TPO/Bordeaux cds's (13 & 14 Sept.) on the reverse. Important and Attractive Exhibition Item for both Mauritius, Saudi & Wreck Mail collectors. Cross Reference: FRANCE, CRASH/WRECK MAIL, SAUDI ARABIA (Image)

6d BRITANNIA COVER TO GB CARRIED ON P&O S.S. 'BOMBAY' & 'DELTA' "VIA SOUTHAMPTON"; Fine 8 Oct. 1859 env. from Port Louis (fine crowned "MAURITIUS/GPO" ds backstamp) to Hastings "Via Southampton" franked by Britannia 6d Blue (close to huge - at left - margins all round) tied by a fine void barred oval, having a red crayon "4" (credit to GB) Accountancy Marking alongside. Exhibition Quality. Cross Reference: ACCOUNTANCY MARKS (Image)

LAPIROT 2d VERTICAL PAIR ON COVER TO FRANCE WITH TARGET CANCELS; Fine 12 Oct. 1859 E from Port Louis (v. fine blue oval "CHARLES DANIEL & cie" sender's cachet on front) to Marseille franked by an unusual Vertical Pair of the 1859 Lapirot 2d Blue (positions 4 & 8; trimmed on all sides but with giant margin between) placed sideways and tied by two very fine target cancels (also tied by the top of the hs French "8" postage due mark) with a very fine crowned "MAURITIUS/GPO" Port Louis ds nicely placed on the lower flap. There is also a v. fine French hs "16" cancelled in manuscript on the front; struck in error for the correct single 8 decimes charge. Rare on-cover usage of this rare and famous issue. [Ex James Ruffle; Cavendish 21 Apr. 1995, lot 368, realised £360+BP]. Cross Reference: FRANCE (Image)

OVERLAPPED LAPIROT 2d's ON COVER TO FRANCE WITH VOID BARRED OVAL CANCELS; 10 Nov. 1859 env. from Port Louis to Paris "Overland via Aden & Marseilles" franked by two 1859 Lapirot 2d Blues (both with faults/closed tears - slightly over edge at top) tied by two very fine void barred oval cancels with a partly fine 2-ring "G P O/MAURITIUS" Port Louis cds on the flap. There is also a fine red 2-ring Marseilles "PAYS ETR. V. SUEZ/AMB. C" cds and a fine French hs "16" delivery charge mark on the front. Rare on-cover usage of this rare and famous issue. Cross Reference: FRANCE (Image)

RARE DARDENNE 2d BLUE (HEAVY RETOUCH) ON PART LOCAL COVER WITH BOXED "Mahebourg" DS; 3 Mar. 1860 part E (reduced at left, addressee's name erased with collector mark over; top & side-flaps removed) from Port Louis (fine 2-ring "G P O/MAURITIUS" ds on reverse) to "Mahebourg" and so charged the 2d Local rate and prepaid with a near 4 margin Dardenne 2d Blue (with the rare heavy retouch; SG44a) tied by a partly fine void barred oval with a mainly very fine scarce chamfered box "Mahebourg/5MR 1860" arrival ds Attractive - and very rare - in spite of faults. Stated by Dave Tarry to be the only recorded example of this retouch to have been recorded on cover or part cover. (Image)

RARE DARDENNE 2d BLUE 4-MARGIN PAIR ON COVER TO FRANCE "P. SALSETTE VIA SUEZ"; 8 Mar. 1860 EL from "Port Louis" to Marseille "Pr. [S.S.] Salsette Via Suez" with a 4-margin Pair of Dardenne 2d Blues (wide to huge margins all round except close at top right; slight stain marks in margin) tied by mainly fine void barred ovals with fair matching crowned "MAURITIUS/GPO" ds on flap. Exhibition Quality. Cross Reference: FRANCE (Image)

MIXED ISSUES COVER TO FRANCE - BRITANNIA 1/- VERMILION + PERF. 4d ROSE WITH "B53" CANCELS; 5 Oct. 1861 E (addressee's name and part address scratched away) from Port Louis ("MAURITIUS/C" cds on flap) to Bordeaux "P. Str. Nepaul" with Britannia 1/- Vermilion (good to huge margins; also tied by indentation) with 1860 perf. 4d Rose (no wmk.) tied or cancelled by very fine "B53" Numerals (early usage), having a very fine small red Port Louis "P.D." (Paid to Destination) mark - not recorded by Proud before April 1863 - alongside. The B53 numerals are struck at different angles suggesting that the 4d was spotted first and the 1/- in the wrong corner was noticed subsequently.Cross Reference: FRANCE (Image)

BRITANNIA 6d BLUE ON COVER TO GB WITH BOXED "Flacq" DS & RED HS "1½d" ACCOUNTANCY MARK; 5 Feb. 1862 env. (slight creasing; opened out for display) from Flacq - with mainly fine scarce chamfered box "Flacq/5 FE 1862" ds on flap - to Hastings "via Southampton" with Britannia 6d Blue (4 margin but corner fault at top left) tied by a fine "B53" numeral but also having a superb red Handstruck Port Louis "1½d" Accountancy Marking on the front. Overseas stamped mail from villages is rare at this early date. Cross Reference: ACCOUNTANCY MARKS (Image)