BRITISH COMMONWEALTH Cayman Isl. - Gold Coast Cayman Islands
Sale No: 13
Lot No: 562
Symbol:
CAYMAN ISLANDS: 1803; Earliest Known Folded Letter from the Cayman Islands, Dateline "Aeolus" off the Caymans September 10, 1803, on a folded letter sheet addressed, and written by Captain Andrew F. Evans to Captain Grindall of the H.M. Ship "Prince", in Plymouth, England. Grindall rose to Rear Admiral after Trafalgar and served on the second voyage of Captain Cook. "3/6" ms rate crossed out and re-rated "3/-", faint New York oval transit postmark and Plymouth mileage handstamp on reverse. The outer part of the cover has some soiling and light staining plus edge faults, typical of letters of this period. The entire letter has been transcribed, and the letter has been placed in an archival skin for preservation.
The contents of the letter relates information about the death of Officer Lieutenant Thomas Livesely, who was under protégé of Captain Grindall. The almost three-page letter describes how the Lt. contracted an illness referred to as "fever of the West Indies", which today is believed to be yellow fever. The primary purpose of the letter is to distribute the prize money and wages due to the deceased. Ex Green, Maisel.
The "Aeolus" was built in 1783 at Åbenrå in Denmark as a West Indiaman. Captain Evans served briefly as the Captain from May 1803 to May 1804. The British Royal Navy captured the ship in 1807, and it was purchased by Buckle & Co. in 1808-9 she was a transport ship for convicts to Port Jackson, New South Wales. There was no regular postal service in the Cayman Islands prior to 1889. Very few stampless covers exist from this period. Of those that are known, most are in museums or similarly not available to collectors. There are believed to be seven or eight letters in the Methodist Society archives in London. The cover offered here is the earliest known from the Cayman Islands and is believed to be one of only two such pre-adhesive letters that still remain in private hands. A great rarity.
Sale No: 13
Lot No: 563
Symbol: S
Cat No: Collection
CAYMAN ISLANDS: 1902-13 Edward VII and George V with "Specimen" overprints from the De La Rue arch missing, plus the 1/4d brown farthing single, all being affixed to two large pieces of the archival pages, plus three individual pieces for the 10s, Edward VII and the 5s and 10s George V, various annotations and approval dates, etc. These "Specimens" were for the most part distributed in quantities ranging from 396 to 732 with one important exception, the 1/2d green and 1d carmine of 1907 having the rare type D9 overprint (15 x 2 mm) of which little is known but which most recorded examples are in the Royal Collection or the De La Rue archives. A few trivial faults affect the lower values but a unique and important exhibition piece in Cayman Island philately. Signed H. Block, ex Marston and Maisel. (SG 35 to 52b )
CAYMAN ISLANDS: 1907, King Edward VII ½d on 5s salmon & green and 1d on 5s salmon & green later corner copy, stamps n.h. very fine . B.P.A. Certs. (1948, 1983) (SG 18,19 Scott 18, 19 $655 as hinged)
CAYMAN ISLANDS: 1938-48 ½d and 1½ s King George VI Pictorial Photographic Essays of an unissued design ex De la Rue Archives, with unknown signature signature dated "15/11/81" in pencil very fine . .Ex Maisel.(SG 116, 118E )
FIJI: 1871, Times Express, 1d black on rose, laid bâtonné paper, very l.h. fullb frame lines, roulettes three sides, very fine . Ex H.J Hornsby.Royal Cert. (1976) (SG 5 1,100 Scott 6 $1,250 )
FIJI: 1871, Times Express, 3d black on rose, laid bâtonné paper, o.g. roulettes three sides, faint thin spot typical of the issue, rare with gumalmost very fine . (SG 6 1,800 Scott 7 $1,900 )
GAMBIA: 1909, King Edward VII, 4d black & red on yellow overprint SPECIMEN, “dented frame” variety, l.h. very fine . Very rare .Ex Maisel.(SG 76a S. ; Scott 49 var. )
Sale No: 13
Lot No: 575
Symbol: Cat No: Collection
GAMBIA:: 1902 to 1909 2d, 6d, 1d, 2½d, 4d, 10d King Edward VII “dented frame” variety selection of 6 stamps from 3 issues, l.h. fresh, fine to very fine Ex Maisel. (SG 47a, 51a, 58a, 60a, 76a, 80a £1,690 )
GIBRALTAR: 1886, Queen Victoria, 2½d blue, watermark inverted, Block of Four, never hinged, wrinkle through top left stamp, very fresh, very fine and scarce (SG 11w £1,600 as hinged)
GOLD COAST: 1879, Queen Victoria, 2d green, perf 14, bisected (1d) tied on piece by ADDAK negative cancel, used between 1881 and 1884, very fine and rare Sismondo Cert. (2022) (SG 6a £4.240 Scott 6a $4,250 on cover)
