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• Oct-14-26 10:02

Auction Highlight

From THE MIKE ROBERTS FRPSL COLLECTIONS - Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd. - November 4, 2026

Lot 80 - MONTEVIDEO/CHILE - SHIP'S BAG COVER WITH RARE RED LIVERPOOL "P.S. PACKET" DATESTAMP (POSSIBLY EX EXPLORATION SHIP H.M.S. CHALLENGER); Spectacular [Feb.] 1876 env. to Shrewsbury franked by no less than 12 GB 1d Reds (pl.143 inc. vertical strip of six & vertical pair; 3 wrapped over edges, some at odd angles to leave the address clear! - one with part lost but attached to an adjacent stamp) having all the stamps cancelled & tied by Liverpool "466" numerals along with an adjacent mainly very fine, very rare red "PAID/LIVERPOOL/P.S. PACKET" arrival cds (17 Mar.; code 3A). The envelope has a Chilean stationer's imprint ("E. GUY. VALPARAISO, SANTIAGO") and there is a matching cover (Cavendish G. Osborne 21/6/2007, lot 202 that realised £1,600+BP) with 3xGB 4d vermilions tied by this same "466" numeral and with the very same "PAID... P.S. PACKET" cds (same date & code) in the same position as on this cover! So it may in fact also have emanated from H.M.S. Challenger, during its famous 4-year voyage of exploration around the world. This Liverpool "P.S. PACKET" "PAID" mark was very little used (most mail was sent unpaid by this "P[acific]. S[team Nav. Co.]." route); it is Rob.P25a (23mm diameter); Howat only recorded 6 examples, all 1872-6. This letter was sent when the Challenger was off Montevideo and was certainly carried from that port by the PSNC S.S. Sorata, reaching Liverpool on 17 Mar. 1876. [The voyage of the Challenger led to the publication of a 15-volume report on their findings. Further research into the addressee and any connection she might have had with an Officer on HMS Challenger would be most helpful...!] Important Exhibition Item. [Illust. in PSNC, p.169.] Cross Reference: LANCASHIRE - LIVERPOOL, SHIP LETTERS, G.B. USED ABROAD STAMPS & COVERS, CHILE.... Currently GBP 500

Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd. A long-established auction house with an international reputation for serving collectors since 1952. We specialise in line-engraved and early GB stamps and our auctions always include a wide variety of British Empire & Commonwealth stamps, all world postal history, and postcards.