1848 missionary's lengthy entire letter headed "Ono Feejee June 17 1848" & signed "David Hazlewood", to his brother in Suffolk, British 'SHIP-LETTER' h/s, London transit b/s of 13AU13/1849 & 'BURY-ST-EDMUNDS' arrival b/s in blue across the flap, rated "8" for an incoming shipletter, rather decrepit & amateurishly "repaired" with glassine strips, which we expect could be greatly improved with some TLC. Ex Gerald Patterson. [Illustrated by David Alford at page 2. He records only six pre-1850 covers from Fiji, of which this is the latest. Ono is a small island in the Kadavu Group, south of Viti Levu. 14 months transit time from the Pacific Islands to England was not unusual in this period] David Hazlewood was a Methodist missionary who, in 1850, published the first 'Feejeean' Grammar and 'Feejeean'/English Dictionary: see Lot 298156.

Grade C (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1890 commercial cover to France - an unusual destination from Fiji - with rare franking of Altered Dies Perf 10 'Four Pence' 14mm Overprint on 2d dull purple SG 43 (Cat £140 x8+ on cover, as it has been for at least 12 years) & 6d rose SG 48 tied by 'LEVUKA' cds, Suva transit & '...LES LYON/RHONE' arrival b/s, a little truncated at right on opening. A rare 10d rate cover. Ex Gerald Patterson.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

1891 Bank of New Zealand cover to Victoria "Per SS Birksgate" with Altered Dies 6d dull rose (an enormous corner example from the U/L of the pane, unperforated at left), Melbourne arrival b/s, vertical fold. Ex Gerald Patterson.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

1903 (Dec) commercial double-rate cover to France originating at an outlying village or island with scarce franking of KEVII ½d 2d 2½d & 4d cancelled with ink lines, overstruck at Levuka where light boxed registration cachet applied, minor blemishes. Ex Gerald Patterson. [The rate was 2½d x2 + 4d registration = 9d]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$150

1903-07 PPCs with KEVII frankings all used with postmarks including 'PO LABASA' x3, 'PO LAUTOKA' x2, 'NAUSORI PO' & boxed 'PACKET BOAT' cancel of Auckland, five of the cards have Undivided Backs, condition variable. (Qty 10) (Image1)

Estimate AU$75

1905 cover with 'HEDEMANN, EVERS & CO/LEVUKA/FIJI' imprint on the flap to Switzerland with KEVII 4d & 5d tied by Levuka cds, boxed 'R___' h/s at U/L, London transit & Bern arrival b/s.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$150

1913 (Mar 17) Robbie & Co (Levuka) PPC 'BAU. The native Capital of Fiji', to "Beyrut/Syria" with KGV 1d tied to the viewside by partial 'PO RAKI RAKI' cds, Suva transit & very fine 'BEYROUT/AP24/13/BRITISH POST OFFICE' arrival cds, light corner bend. Excellent origin/destination item. [The sender gives her address as "Sea View Villa/Penang Fiji". Penang Sugar Mill was at Raki Raki]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$100

1917 OHMS 'RETURNED LETTER./Dead Letter Office, Fiji.' Envelope with 'RETURNED' & 'Dead' obliterated, 'FIJI/OFFICIAL/C.P./PAID' h/s at lower-left & 'G.P.O./[crown]/FIJI' impressed in wax on the flap, to Yorkshire with late usage of KGV 5d tied by 'SUVA FIJI/REGISTERED' cds & registration cachet at upper-left, London transit & 'BURSTWICK' arrival b/s, minor soiling. A most unusual emergency usage. Ex Gerald Patterson.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

1924 (Mar 25) fine but light strike of the 'VISIT THE FIJI COURT/British/Empire Exhibition/1924' cachet (LRD) in violet on OHMS cover to Tonga, GPO cds of 25MR/1924 & Lands Department cachet in rosine, 'NUKUALOFA' arrival b/s of 8AP24, roughly opened at right but folded to mask the defects. Illustrated by David Alford at page 179. Ex Gerald Patterson. [Almost 3 months later than Proud's LRD]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

1937 (June) commercial shipboard cover to London with scarce combination franking of Fiji 2d grey + New Zealand 1d Kiwi x2 tied by 'HONOLULU' duplex, very fine "Paquebot' h/s (HDM #1685) in purple. Ex Gerald Patterson.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

1944 (Sep 6) social usage of KGVI 2d+3d Registration Envelope size G to India uprated with 1/5d Coat of Arms pair tied by Suva cds, boxed registration cachet with fancy 'SUVA' in violet, scarce Fijian 'X / 114' cansor label tied in transit by 'GPO SYDNEY/ AIR /26SE44/...' cds where small '2' h/s in violet signified Not Opened by Censor, Perth transit of 28SEP44, Indian 'OPENED BY EXAMINER' label tied by British-pattern '[crown]/PASSED/DHC 29' cachet, minor blemishes. Ex Gerald Patterson. [The Empire airmail rate was 1/5d per ½oz so the letter was overpaid 2d for the postage incorporated in the printed stamp]

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

POSTMARKS: 'NADI AIRPORT/P.O. FIJI.' undated triple-circle rubber with separate date h/s of '16MAY1947', two superb strikes in violet on philatelic cover with typed endorsement re opening of the post office & signed by the postmaster. Rare; used for 18 days only. Ex Gerald Patterson. [Gordon Rodger's similar cover sold in 2007 for $483]

Grade A A1+ (Image1)

Estimate AU$350