INGOING CONSIGNEE's RATE COVER EX FRANCE WITH RARE RED DOTTED LE HAVRE "1495" NUMERALS; 8/9 Aug. 1854 EL from Le Havre to a Peruvian import firm in “Lima”; it concerned a consignment of 5,428 bottles of French wine which was to be carried on the same ship that carried this letter – the “Bogota”. It was prepaid with the 1853 10c Bistre and the 1854 20c Blue (both with 4 clear margins) both exceptionally tied by very light RED dotted diamond “1495” Le Havre Numerals, with the matching red 2-ring “BUREAU MARITIME” cds and boxed “PD” (Paid to Destination) nearby. This form of RED cancellation is only recorded in Le Havre on overseas mail for 4 months (July to October 1854); the cds then remained in red while the dotted “1495” was in black (Salles 223). There is a blue “CALLAO” transit c.d.s. (18 Dec.) on the reverse, and it was sent at the very cheap 30c rate because it was a Consignee’s Letter (the full rate via London and Panama was four times as much). Rare thus. [Ex Peter Maybury.]Cross Reference: FRANCE, MARITIME MAIL (Image)