Other countries continued... Egypt Early Letters Lot Symbol Lot Description CV or Estimate 3556 cover 1419: Entire letter written in Italian from Damiata to Alexandria, with manuscript '8' on reverse flap and seal with string still attached. A rare and extremely early internal entire (Image 1) (Image 2) (All Images) Currently...CHF 250.00 Closing..Nov-23, 11:59 PM 5001 cover The Genesis of the Waghorn Mails 1824 (August 6): Ship's Log Book for the Cutter "Matchless" compiled by Waghorn as Pilot for the craft in his own hand, some 30 pages, commencing on 6th August, 1824 with an account of a journey to Kedgeree and Chittagong and Diamond Harbour, through to late February 1825 and including weather reports, payments made to sailors and staff, passsengers taken aboard etc. A fascinating account of life in the service of the East India Company; also a May 1824 invoice for a Cutter "copper fastened, built with oak" for £200, signed on reverse by Thomas Waghorn as received. An historic and unique group. Provenance: Corinphila, Zurich, Sale 213, June 2017, lot 774 (Image 1) (Image 2) (All Images) Currently...CHF 750.00 Closing..Nov-22, 11:59 PM 5002 cover The Genesis of the Waghorn Mails 1827 (July 30): Note to Francis Freeling: "Thos. Waghorn, the gentleman who has come from the East Indies in the expectation of establishing a Mail Packet for dispatching letters etc, will feel himself particularly favoured by a few moments conversation with Francis Freeling Esq., Secretary to the General Post Office of Great Britain" dated at base and signed "Thomas Waghorn, Hoboro, nr. Rochester, Kent". Freeling's note to the Postmaster General (Aug 3) was: 'We can have nothing to do with the establishment of Steam vessels to India and consequently cannot "patronize" the undertaking of this gentleman. It appears to be a wild scheme...the question appears to be one exclusively for the East India Company". It appears that the East India Company also believed the scheme was not only wild but prohibitively expensive. Note: See "Overland Mail" by J.K. Sidebottom pages 18 and 19, where this initial offer from Waghorn is further discussed (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (All Images) Currently...CHF 150.00 Closing..Nov-22, 11:59 PM 5003 cover The Genesis of the Waghorn Mails 1828 (July 30): Printed broadsheet "To the Subscribers to the Steam Navigation Fund at Calcutta" with Waghorn's address made to the merchants of Madras with proposals for steam navigation via the Cape of Good Hope - carrying the Mails only in a time of just 70 days, with the idea both proposed and seconded by the board stating the idea was to be encouraged. Central folds, some splitting and staining but a rare survivor with the full speech and comments. Note: Waghorn's address is reprinted in full in "Overland Mail" by J. K. Sidebottom on pages 20-28 (Image 1) (Image 2) (All Images) Currently...CHF 150.00 Closing..Nov-22, 11:59 PM 5004 cover The Genesis of the Waghorn Mails 1829 (Sept 4): Letter from Thomas Waghorn to Francis Freeling, once again endeavouring to interest the General Post Office for support, stating that in October 1829 he planned to leave England to meet the "Enterprise" steamer expected to arrive at Suez from Bombay and asking to be entrusted for the Mails for India. Fresh, fine and very readable "I now voluntarily come forward to gain, from personal observations, the difficulties or otherwise that may attend the Red Sea communication"; this being an important switch from the Cape route to the via Suez route for Waghorn. Fully dated and signed at base "Thomas Waghorn of the Bengal Pilot Service, London, No. 22 Change Alley". Note: This letter from Waghorn is reprinted in full in "Overland Mail" by J. K. Sidebottom on page 35. Sidebottom states this letter was formerly in the GPO records. Provenance: Cavendish, Derby, 22 Sept 2004, lot 1006 (Image 1) (Image 2) (All Images) Currently...CHF 500.00 Closing..Nov-22, 11:59 PM 5005 cover The Genesis of the Overland Mail 1829 (Oct 27): In October 1829 aware that the "Enterprize" Steamer would be at Suez in December, Waghorn offered his services to take mails for Bombay but was refused out of hand by the Post Office. Autographed letter-sheet from one R.S. Jones at the India Board to Thomas Waghorn at 22 Change Alley, London stating that the Commissioners for the Affairs of India "are desirous of sending by you dispatches for Persia and India, they have applied to the Earl of Aberdeen for a Courrier Passport for you..." and that "no payment will be made to you either here or abroad...". An early example of the direction Waghorn's thoughts were taking. Some cracked creases but rare. Note 1: See "Overland Mail" by J.K. Sidebottom, pages 34-39 (Image 1) (Image 2) (All Images) Currently...CHF 200.00 Closing..Nov-22, 11:59 PM 5006 cover The Genesis of the Overland Mail 1831 (Sept 30): Autographed letter from 10 Downing Street, London to Waghorn from Viscount Goderich's secretary thanking him for his recent communication addressed to the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury respecting his proposal for Steam Navigation between Great Britain and India; addressed at base to Waghorn on H.M. Steam Vessel "African" at Woolwich (see "Overland Mail" by J.K. Sidebottom, page 50) and an 1832 (Sept 25) autographed letter from 10 Downing Street, London to Waghorn again from Viscount Goderich's secretary stating that the Office could not help with Waghorn's promotion to Lieutenant, with Waghorn's address at base on "HMS Firebrand" at Falmouth; and an 1833 letter from the Colonial Office in Downing Street turning down his appeal regarding Steam Vessels to India (see Sidebottom pages 55-58) stating they could not consider it until other Departments di so - the Post Office had flatly rejected the scheme. A rare trio. Provenance: Cavendish, Derby, 6 March 2013, lot 318 (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4) (Image 5) (Image 6) (All Images) Currently...CHF 300.00 Closing..Nov-22, 11:59 PM 5007 cover The Genesis of the Waghorn Mails 1833 (Feb 1): Entire letter from the Glasgow East India Association to Thomas Waghorn at 39 Cornhill, London, sent by hand from Glasgow and posted unpaid with framed "T.P. / Charing Cross" with handstruck "2" handstamp adjacent in black; with arrival (Feb 4) in red on reverse. Letter states "in substance your intention of doing all in your power towards promoting a general communication between England and India and that you intend to settle in Egypt with that object...". Closed tear to front panel which should be sensibly restored, but a rare early endorsement for the Overland Route - sold together with a letter sheet dated 17 March 1832 from Mr. Hyde Villiers to Thomas Waghorn asking him to please attend a meeting with the India Board on "the subject of Steam Communication with India". Provenance: Cavendish, Derby, 6 March 2013, lot 318 (Image 1) (Image 2) (All Images) Currently...CHF 200.00 Closing..Nov-22, 11:59 PM 5008 cover The Genesis of the Waghorn Mails 1835 (Sept 18): Entire letter from Thomas Waghorn at Snodland Island Cottage to P. Stewart of Smith Elder & Co. his Agents's in town at Cornhill, London detailing the alternative arrangements Waghorn will make in case the Admiralty will not allow their Steamers to carry his periodicals ("I will write to the Admiralty asking them to authorise one hundred pounds weight of periodicals to receive on board the Falmouth Packets") directed to himself in Egypt for the accomodation of the public in India - if refused he will trust to the leave of the Commanders of the Steamers themselves ("I am pretty certain of obtaining this through Lieut. Baldock at Falmouth"); the letter signed and dated at base. Struck with "Maidstone" cds in black (Sept 18) and prepaid "7d." in red manuscript with London "Paid" arrival in red (Sept 19). A fine and scarce entire. Provenance: Collection Kurt Wolfsbauer, DF, Geneva, 4 Dec 2002, lot 31787 (Image 1) (Image 2) (All Images) Get Market Data for [Egypt Collection] View Visual Pricing Guide Make Sample Census Currently...CHF 200.00 Closing..Nov-22, 11:59 PM 5009 cover The Genesis of the Waghorn Mails 1835 (Nov 2): Local entire letter, signed and dated from Thomas Waghorn staying at the "Bull & Mouth", Aldersgate St., London to William Haslam in Copthall Court, "¼ of an hour before leaving London", stating "May you be happy and prosperous is the sincere wish of one who if he ever returns to England may yet find hours of social pleasure in your good company...". A fine and appealing entire (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (All Images) Currently...CHF 200.00 Closing..Nov-22, 11:59 PM 5010 cover The Genesis of the Overland Mail 1836: Entire written by a scribe in copperplate, being the humble petition of Thomas Waghorn, a memorial stating his original ideas for the Overland Mail, and mentioning his employment by the Bengal Steam Committee, the approbation of Lord William Bentinck, and that the Red Sea route was wholly favourable for 8 months of the year whilst the unsatisfactory Captain Chesney Euphrates route had been subsidised to the tune of £20'000 even though numerous machines had to be used (especially at Bir in Iraq) to level the waters; and that the united prayer of England and India is for rapid Steam Communication and that he, Waghorn promises that the route from Falmouth via the Red Sea could be done regularly in 56 days. A superb epistle which was again turned down - but then no Government Committee, just like in the present day, likes to be proved wrong. A wonderful letter. Provenance: Cavendish, Derby, 6 March 2013, lot 322 (Image 1) (Image 2) (All Images) Currently...CHF 750.00 Closing..Nov-22, 11:59 PM 5011 cover The Genesis of the Waghorn Mails 1829/35: Letters from Lieutenant Thomas Waghorn with 1829 (May 1) letter to Mr. Godwin at the Library, Milsom Street, stating that copies of Waghorn's speech at the Assembly Rooms are available "gratis" to anyone interested about India; a signed and dated 1835 (Sept 15) letter to Sir John Phillipart, editor of the Naval & Military Gazette concerning his promotion to Lieutenant in the Navy; a signed and dated 1835 (Oct 6) letter from an indignant Thomas Waghorn concerning a missed advertisement in the "Chronicle" (with notation on reverse to say that despite Waghorn's claims the advert had indeed been printed). A scarce group (4 items) (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4) (Image 5) (All Images) Get Market Data for [Egypt Collection] View Visual Pricing Guide Make Sample Census Currently...CHF 400.00 Closing..Nov-22, 11:59 PM 5012 cover The Genesis of the Waghorn Mails 1834/35: Five letters all addressed to Thomas Waghorn, including an important 1834 entire from India House written and signed by "Hugh Lindsay" who gave his name to probably the most famous of the pioneer Red Sea Steamers, mailed to Waghorn in Rochester, Kent; further letters from the India Board, the Liverpool East India Association and another from Lord Palmerston's secretary denying him a promotion to Lieutenant (this mailed to Waghorn in Falmouth whilst with the Mediterranean fleet). A fascinating insight into the problems even a remarkably good idea can face due to Government intransigence: "plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose..". A rare group. Provenance: Corinphila, Zurich, sale 213, June 2017, lot 775 (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4) (All Images) Currently...CHF 2,500.00 Closing..Nov-22, 11:59 PM 5013 cover The Waghorn Organisation 1835 (Nov 2-3): Prepaid entire letter signed by Waghorn but written by a secretary from Falmouth to Waghorn's London Agents, Smith Elder & Co. of Cornhill, London endorsed "Single sheet only" and struck with FALMOUTH cds of despatch in red (Nov 4). The letter stating in part "Whenever passengers apply to you, write referring them to Mr. G. W. Wheatley for all conveniences he can offer them at Falmouth....a travelling canteen is the only requisite they will require as Mr. Waghorn will furnish them to travel through Egypt....Caution all passengers not to take a single or any letter to India, ask them even to pay Mr. Waghorn on those letters which even they carry concerning themselves, because Mr. W. anxiously desires to receive all the amount of postages he can in order to make his establishment in Egypt well supported - do not mince this matter but state it so directly as to prevent my profits being interfered with...". Also a letter from the following day (Nov 4) written and signed by Waghorn at Falmouth, again to his Agents in London. A wonderful and very scarce pair of entires with superb and most interesting content. Note: Mailed from Falmouth prior to the Steamer HMS Firefly leaving port (Image 1) (Image 2) (All Images) Currently...CHF 300.00 Closing..Nov-22, 11:59 PM 5014 cover The Waghorn Organisation 1835 (Nov 14): Entire letter from Thomas Waghorn written on board HMS Firefly from Gibraltar to his Agent in London, P. Stewart of Smith, Elder & Co in Cornhill, sent back to Falmouth and endorsed on reverse "Forwarded by your most obedient servant / Geo. W. Wheatley / Falmouth 23 Nov, 1835", sent as a double letter with "2/-" to pay in manuscript with "Falmouth" cds in red of transit (Nov 23) and London arrival. Fine letter from Waghorn "Messrs. Longlands Cowell & Co. are my Agents here. Send Wheatley down some prostectus's by the next Packet...The Tartarus (Lt. James) arrived here this morning, the Steamer from Egypt had not arrived at Malta....if there was a Mail from India it was left behind. Mr. Waghorn's prospectus just printed here for India will in future remedy this..." (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (All Images) Currently...CHF 250.00 Closing..Nov-22, 11:59 PM 5015 cover The Waghorn Organisation 1835 (Nov 28): Entire letter from Thomas Waghorn written from Alexandria, Egypt upon his arrival on board "HMS Alban" from Malta, to his Agent P. Stewart of Smith Elder in Cornhill, London and endorsed "Single Sheet". Carried from Alexandria on "HMS Confiance" to Malta where disinfected against Cholera and reverse with near complete strike of red wax seal "OPENED & RESEALED / ♚ GR / LAZARETTO OF MALTA", thence struck with concave "MALTA" handstamp in black and carried on "HMS Firefly" via Falmouth with London arrival (Dec 28) and charged "3/2d." due to pay in manuscript. Note: Wonderful content (full transcript with the lot): "The "Hugh Lindsay" has not arrived (at Suez), some say she will be there, some not. If she does not come to Suez by the time I get there I shall send on the Mail to Mocha (Yemen) according to what I laid down, if she should come I shall send the letters by her...Messrs. Hunter & Ross are my Agents at Malta....Write to Willis and tell them to send all letters to me and not to Briggs...." (Image 1) (Image 2) (All Images) Currently...CHF 200.00 Closing..Nov-22, 11:59 PM 5016 cover The Waghorn Organisation 1836 (April 9): Entire letter from Thomas Waghorn written from Cairo, Egypt to his Agent P. Stewart of Smith, Elder & Co. in Cornhill, London and endorsed "Per Packet from Malta, 24 April" and "Single" in manuscript, mailed via British Packet to Malta where opened and disinfected against Cholera with remains of red Lazaretto wax seal on reverse; concave "MALTA" handstamp in black (April 24) and thence on the sailing packet "HMS Eclipse" to Falmouth and charged "3/2d." due to pay in manuscript upon arrival (May 30). A scarce entire with full transcript. Note: Waghorn was still hoping to be appointed Agent for the Post Office mails and had offered to send them with his own whether he was paid for his services of not - see "Overland Mail" by J.K. Sidebottom, page 67 (Image 1) (Image 2) (All Images) Currently...CHF 150.00 Closing..Nov-22, 11:59 PM 5017 cover The Waghorn Organisation 1836 (July 26): Entire letter from Thomas Waghorn written from Cairo, Egypt to his Agent P. Stewart of Smith, Elder & Co. in Cornhill, London, mailed via Alexandria on the "Tartarus" to Malta (Aug 23), carried at double rate with concave "MALTA" handstamp in black and thence on the "HMS Spitfire" to Falmouth, reverse with London arrival cds (Sept 8) in black. Charged "6/4d." due to pay in manuscript upon arrival. Note: Waghorn was still hoping to be appointed Agent for the Post Office mails and had offered to send them with his own, whether he was paid for his services of not - see "Overland Mail" by J.K. Sidebottom, page 67 (Image 1) (Image 2) (All Images) Currently...CHF 200.00 Closing..Nov-22, 11:59 PM 5018 cover The Waghorn Organisation 1836 (Nov 25): Entire letter from Thomas Waghorn written from Alexandria, Egypt to his Agent P. Stewart of Smith, Elder & Co. in Cornhill, London, endorsed at lower left "Thos. Waghorn, Egypt" and "Read this first", mailed via Malta, carried at single rate with concave "MALTA" handstamp in black, thence on the "HMS Tartarus" to Falmouth and reverse with London arrival cds (Feb 6, 1837) in black. Disinfected with part red wax seal of the Lazaretto and charged "3/2d." due to pay in manuscript upon arrival. A fine cover. Note: The contents of this letter are quoted in "The Philatelist" (Dec 1967, page 84). Partial transcript with the lot containing much information on the Eastbound mails in 1836: "April 5th from Falmouth (mails) were put on board the "Hugh Lindsay" at Suez (May 5) who delivered them at Bombay 31st May in 57 days from Falmouth. June 3rd from Falmouth where put on the Vessel of War "Clive" at Suez on June 29th., which vessel arrived at Mocha (July 7) from which place the Captain wrote to me that in 10 days more he would be in Bombay... he accomplished the quickest passage on record to India, viz 46 days...". Transcript attached with the lot (Image 1) (Image 2) (All Images) Currently...CHF 250.00 Closing..Nov-22, 11:59 PM 5019 cover The Waghorn Organisation 1836 (Nov 25): Entire letter from Thomas Waghorn written from Alexandria, Egypt to his Agent P. Stewart of Smith, Elder & Co. in Cornhill, London, endorsed at lower left "Single" and "Second Letter", mailed via Malta, carried at single rate with concave "MALTA" handstamp in black and thence on the "HMS Tartarus" to Falmouth, reverse with London arrival cds (Feb 6, 1837) in black and disinfected with part red wax seal of the Lazaretto and charged "3/2d." due to pay in manuscript upon arrival. A fine cover. Note: Mailed on the same day as the previous lot. The contents of this letter are also quoted in "The Philatelist" (Dec 1967, page 84) and a partial transcript accompanies the lot: "I have arranged with the house of Galloway Tibaldi & Co. to be my Agents in this country (Egypt), of which you will please take due notice...I am entirely dissatisfied with Mr. Easthope's 3 guineas per letter. I have now written to him saying so...all goes well, I take this mail from here to Cairo" (Image 1) (Image 2) (All Images) Currently...CHF 250.00 Closing..Nov-22, 11:59 PM Previous Page, Next Page or Return to Table of Contents

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