General Issues. 1856, "Diligencia" 60c blue, pos. 10, good margins, frame line just touched at left, of outstanding freshness, unused without gum, tiny thin at top, fine. (Image)

1858, 120c blue type 9, 180c green type 23, both o.g., 240c red unused without gum, the complete "Block Type" set showing good margins, very fresh and fine. (Image)

1859, Thin Numerals 60c grey lilac and 120c blue, both with good margins and cancelled by Montevideo oval ds in red, used during the first month of issue, very fine and rare. (Image)

1861, 60c slate brown, complete transfer reconstruction of the 12 types, being well margined and all showing blue oval hs of Paysandú, which may be a unique assembly with this cancellation (ex Hoffmann, some examples ex Castillo); very fine 4 June 1863 entire to Montevideo bearing single 60c tied by Paysandú oval in blue (ex Lee), additionally eight single used examples including one with Fray Bentos hs. (Image)

1859-66, group of six covers including Thin Numerals 60c single, Thick Numerals 60c+120c on mail to Buenos and 120c single, 1866 Numerals 5c single, and 5c (2, one with "cabeza blanca" variety and apparently not belonging)+10c, stampless letter with green framed "Franca" and Montevideo oval ds. (Image)

1860, Thick Figures 120c blue used on entire letter from Montevideo to Buenos Aires, tied by dispatch oval ds, showing "1p" (peso) charge in ms which was very rarely applied on arrival on franked mail from Uruguay in this period. (Image)

1860, 120c. blue, subtype 6A featuring sun without part of lower rays, cut slightly into at right, ample to large margins on other sides, on 26 March 1863 folded cover to Chiavenna, Italy, tied by Paysandú double oval in blue on dispatch, paying the internal postage to Montevideo, where it was embarked on the "Magdalena" to Southampton; stamp additionally tied by "GB/1F60c" Anglo-French accountancy marking, with French entry cds and "10" charge mark, struck on reverse with London, Paris and Italian transit cds's. One of only six transatlantic covers in all the "Sun" Issues, this being unique with the franking additionally tied by the accountancy marking and showing this prominent and charismatic subtype, a fascinating and unique postal-history usage. (Image)

1865, "Cifras" Issue, 20c, 15c, 10c and 5c photographic composite essay, first sample sent to London on August 1st, 1865 by the postmaster Alejandro Gutiérrez in Montevideo, with indicated below the colours required for each denomination "CARMIN. AMARILLO. VERDE. AZUL.", one of only two examples recorded; ex Lee. (Image)

1865, 10c orange, rejected Die Essay on wove paper, background shading removed, small thin spot, one of just two examples recorded, being unique with this trial cancellation. (Image)

1866, 1c black, block of 32 (8x4) from lower left corner of the sheet, "RKEY MILL/1865" wmk, unused without gum, scarce. (Image)

1866, 5c blue, large margins and tied by numeral barred oval with "MENSAGERIAS ORIENTALES/AGENCIA CENTRAL/MONTEVIDEO" stagecoach handstamp from a private company contracted to operate a postal service along stage coach lines; probably the finest example of less than five items recorded in the whole classic period of Uruguayan philately, a fascinating usage which was very rarely into force in Uruguay (contrary to the number and range of usages one finds in Argentina), an essential item in the advanced collection of Uruguayan postal history. (Image)

Postal History. 1839 (Aug 5). Entire letter from Montevideo to Lisbon, carried by the Royal Navy "Spider" and "Spey", Chas. Holland forwarding agent of London ms notation on back, framed "PAID AT/LIVERPOOL", "5/2" ms charge and '420' reis in blue on front, arrival bs. (Image)

1840 (Nov 19). Entire letter from Montevideo to Bordeaux, conveyed by the "Fauvette", "9" décimes charge, Rennes, Nantes and Bordeaux cds's on back; strongly worded contents in French about a convention which was interrupting trade, the consequences on the commerce after the end of a blockade, interesting extract incl. a Commission of the French Navy which went to a port occupied by "our ex-ally" Lavalle (circa 6,000 men) to inform him that, according to the Art. 3 of the Convention, it was agreed an amnesty for all ranks below sergeant, the sender defining this fact to be equivalent to: "Mackau orders to cut the throat of your officers and to pass to the ranks of Rosas (...) you will not want to believe in this infamous, cruel truth". After two years of the French blockade to the River Plate imposed by France on the Argentine Confederation under Rosas' rule, France and Argentina signed the Mackau-Arana Treaty; during the war, Generals Rivera and Lavalle were elected by the French to attack the Rosas Government; with the signature of the Treaty, Gral. Lavalle lost the French support and was defeated in Argentina. The Rosas' treatment of the French in Buenos Aires led to many of them to migrate to Montevideo. (Image)

1845 (Dec 31). Entire letter from Montevideo to Paris, red "MONTEVo." red straight line, framed "COLONIES/& ART. 12" hs lately used, struck on reverse with "SHIP LETTER/PLYMOUTH" hs incorrectly applied as Uruguay had not a postal agreement with Great Britain, then amended with "PACKET LETTER" hs according to the Anglo-French Postal Convention, charged "15" on delivery, a very rare usage. (Image)

1846 (Oct) - 1847 (Oct). Two entire letters from Montevideo to Genoa, both with "VIA/DI MARE/(A)", "10" & "4" charges in manuscript, one with "VILLAFRANCA" straight-line and disinfection slits, a rare carriage during the Great War and the subsequent blockade in the River Plate, when most of the mail was carried by British and French warships.

1846 (Aug 27). Cover from Montevideo to Bilbao, Spain, with red "BUENOS./AYRES" two-line hs in transit, carried by private vessel since the British packet service from Buenos Aires to Rio did not sail during this time-frame, "10R" charge on delivery. (Image)

1855 (Sept 5). Cover (slightly reduced at left and side flaps missing) to Liege, Belgium, superb oval ds of Montevideo in green, carried by the "Tay", British rate 1/4 and Belgian accountancy mark including 1/4d owed to Great Britain, the "Taxe Reduite" converting this into 16 francs with additional 2 francs local delivery charge, London and Belgian cds's on back, a delightful cover. (Image)

1858 (Jan 5). Entire letter from Montevideo to San Francisco, red oval ds on dispatch, carried by the "Avon", "1/-" and boxed "Returned for 2/2 1/2 Postage" in red with rate inserted in ms crossed out and apparently applied in error, London bs. (Image)

1860 (June 19). Entire letter from Montevideo to Hannover, struck with dispatch oval ds and with two rate notations, reverse with London & "Seebrief" cds's, per England & Aachen, Hannover/Emden transits and boxed blue Papenburg ds on receipt, a scarce destination. (Image)

1870 (Sept 29). Letter from the "Commandant en Chef" of the Pacific Fleet of the French Navy, from the "La Flore" frigate, written in Montevideo and contained in an envelope to France franked by France 1868 20c & 10c (2), two stamps with faults, tied by anchor lozenges with "CORR.D.ARM./LIG. J. PAQ.F.N°2" cds, carried by the "Gironde", bs on arrival, a rare French military mail from Uruguay. (Image)

1874 (June 28). Printed circular from Montevideo to Bordeaux, Anglo-French "GB/2F PK" accountancy hs, scarce French "20c" instead of 15c due marking, one of less than five covers known emanating from Uruguay with this printed matter exchange marking. (Image)

1888 (Oct 26). Envelope from Salto to Lucca, Italy, with blue ''AGENZIA CONSOLARE D'ITALIA IN SALTO" cachet, repeated on back, black Salto and Montevideo cds's, framed Uruguayan tax marking, charged on arrival with 1870-74 dues 5c and 30c pair, Genoa and Lucca bs. (Image)

Maritime Mail balance collection. 1846-82, group of transatlantic 44 covers mail sent to Spain, Italy, Austria and France, correspondence during the Great War, four items with Italian postage dues incl. one scarce 3.80 lire franking, three franked covers from the French consular office at Montevideo bearing two different rates (one with Díaz Paulos cert.), 14 items franked by perf. or imperf. (1) "Numeral" 10c. single frankings, etc; mainly very fine, viewing essential. (Image)