NEWCASTLE: 1877 cover from New Zealand with First Sidefaces 2d rose tied by superb Rays '55' & 'NEWCASTLE/AU30/1877=NSW=' b/s plus Sydney arrival of the next day, endorsed "Loose Shipletter" & rated "3d" for an inwards shipletter, parts of the flap missing otherwise very fine. The only such manuscript endorsement we have seen. Ex Tony Rigo de Righi.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

SYDNEY: 1873 coastal cover with Queensland Chalons 1d pale orange-vermilion & 2d pale blue pairs cancelled with large 'NSW'-in-concentric-ovals and very fine oval 'LOOSE SHIP/LETTER' h/s (35x20mm & 'L' to 'L' =4½mm; Hosking unrecorded; White et al #SL15) alongside, unframed 'SHIP-LE[TTER]/ L / JY31/1873/=SYDNEY=' b/s (#SL11; used 1868-76), very fine 'WEST-MAITLAND/AU1/1873/=NSW=' transit & part 'WOLLOMBI' arrival b/s, the flap removed. The inter-colonial rate was 3d + shipletter fee of 3d. Ben Palmer's Census at p110. [Sold at our auction of 20.6.2002 for $1230]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

SYDNEY: 1875 coastal cover with Morehead & Co Stock & Station Agents (Brisbane) embossing in blue on the flap, Queensland Chalons 2d blue & 3d brown tied by vertical-duplex 'NSW/ K /OC14/1875/ 2 /SYDNEY' (White et al unrecorded; Tobin & Orchard #125) and superb oval 'LOOSE SHIP/LETTER' h/s (35x20mm & 'L' to 'L' = 4½mm; Hosking unrecorded; White et al #SL15) alongside, no backstamps & redirected to "Brs", a couple of very minor blemishes. From 1.1.1874, the inter-colonial rate was reduced from 3d to 2d + shipletter fee of 3d. Absent from Ben Palmer's Census.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

SYDNEY: 1875 cover with Tasmania Perf 12 6d tied by part-Sydney duplex & largely very fine oval 'LOOSE SHIP/LETTER' h/s (35x20mm & 'L' to 'L' =4½mm; Hosking unrecorded; White et al #SL15) alongside, 'SHIP LETTER/ A /JY30/1875/=SYDNEY=' b/s, roughly opened behind with repaired tears, overall soiling.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

SYDNEY: 1876 cover "via Sydney" by coastal ship with Queensland Chalons 3d brown & 1/- violet tied by very fine vertical-duplex 'NSW - / A /SP21/1876/SYDNEY' & largely very fine oval 'LOOSE SHIP/ . LETTER . ' h/s (35x21mm & 'L' to 'L' = 4mm; Hosking unrecorded; White et al #SL16 - ERD) alongside, 'LONDON-W/ F 11 /PAID/NO7/76' arrival cds in red on the face, minor stain. Carried trans-Pacific per 'Australia' ex Sydney 21.9.1876 & 'City of Sydney' ex Auckland 25.9.1876, arrived San Francisco 18.10.1876; by rail to New York; then 'City of Chester' ex New York 28.10.1876, arrived Queenstown 6.11.1876. [The rate was NSW inwards shipletter 3d + Empire rate 6d + late fee 6d = 1/3d. Absent from Ben Palmer's Census.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

SYDNEY: 1880 cover to Italy "per SS Zealandia/Via Brindisi" with New Zealand First Sidefaces 2d x12 tied by 'NSW/ C /OC23/1880/ 3 /SYDNEY' vertical-duplex & very fine oval 'LOOSE SHIP/ . LETTER . ' h/s (35x21mm & 'L' to 'L' = 4mm; Hosking unrecorded; White et al #SL16) at L/L, 'BRINDISI/5/DEC/80/(A)' transit & 'MODENA' arrival b/s, minor blemishes. A very scarce destination from New Zealand. Carried per 'Hydaspes' ex Sydney 23.10.1880 & Melbourne 29.10.1880; 'Nepaul' ex Galle 17.11.1880; and 'Tanjore' ex Alexandria 2.12.1880, arrived Brindisi 5.12.1880.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

SYDNEY: 1882 cover endorsed "via Melbourne/per SS Hydaspes/via Brindisi/or per first steamer" by coastal ship with scarce Two Issue franking of Queensland Chalons 3d brown & First Sidefaces 1d x5 tied by 'SYDNEY/ A /JU5/82/ 3 ' duplex & very fine oval 'LOOSE SHIP/ . LETTER . ' h/s (35x21mm & 'L' to 'L' = 4mm; Hosking unrecorded; White et al #SL16) alongside, three different London b/s all of JY24/82, minor blemishes. A very attractive cover. Ben Palmer's Cansus at p250.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

SYDNEY: 1887 cover to Victoria "Per Katoomba" with Queensland 2d blue tied by 'SYDNEY/ D /DE1/87/ 16 ' duplex & superb strike of the worn oval 'LOOSE SHIP/ . LETTER . ' h/s (35x21mm & 'L' to 'L' = 4mm; Hosking unrecorded; White et al #SL16 - LRD) at right, superb tax h/s '2D' of Sydney & '2D/TO PAY'-in-oval of Melbourne (b/s of DE2/87) & 'FITZROY NORTH' arrival b/s of the next day, a few repaired edge-tears & overall soiling/toning. Absent from Ben Palmer's Census. [The Sydney-Melbourne rail service opened in 1883, making one-day transits possible]

Grade C (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

SYDNEY: 1895 cover to GB with New Zealand 2½d blue x2 tied by 'SYDNEY/SP22/ U /95/ 9 ' duplex & large-part superb strike of the oval 'LOOSE SHIP/ . LETTER . ' h/s (34x21mm & 'L' to 'L' = 3½mm; Hosking #1499; White et al #SL17) alongside, 'SHEFFIELD/ E*P /OC26/95/ 13 ' arrival b/s, a couple of insignificant blemishes.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

SYDNEY: 1896 cover endorsed "Via Sydney Sanfrancisco/per SS Monowai", to New Brunswick with rounded-boxed 'PAQUEBOT' h/s (Hosking #1500; ERD by 7 years) at L/L and Victorian ½d 1d & 2d tied by 'SYDNEY/SP28/96/ 18 ' duplex, 'WINDSOR/OC27/96/ONT' transit b/s, light soiling & minor spotting.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

SYDNEY: 1901 commercial usage of German Samoa 10pf(+10pf) message-half of Reply Card to Sydney with message headed "Apia/Jan 5 01", cancelled on arrival with 'SYDNEY/JA18/01/ 19 ' cds, very fine large-part strike of the oval 'LOOSE SHIP/ + LETTER + ' h/s (35½x24½mm & 'L' to 'L' = 7½mm; Hosking #1501; White et al #SL18) below, faint soiling. An additional 10pf late fee should have been paid but the card wasn't taxed at either end.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

SYDNEY: 1901 USA 5c Envelope to Tattersalls in Hobart with remarkable combination of markings 'SHIP LETTER/AP24/01/SYDNEY - NSW' duplex (Hosking #1498; White et al #SL14) overstruck with cds No 4 plus very fine strike of the oval 'LOOSE SHIP/ + LETTER + ' h/s (35½x24½mm & 'L' to 'L' = 7½mm; Hosking #1501; White et al #SL18) & the rounded-boxed 'PAQUEBOT' h/s (Hosking #1500; White et al #SL19), Hobart arrival b/s of AP27/1901, characteristic filled spikeholes.

Grade (A-) (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

PORT DARWIN: 1898 stampless cover to Sydney "On Meninui" (?) with very fine to superb strikes of the 'PT DARWIN/JA14/98/S-A' squared-circle, 'T'-in-circle h/s - and manuscript "5d" in blue - and the rare & idiosyncratic straight-line 'LOOSE SHIP LETTERS' handstamp (Hosking #1383), Sydney arrival b/s of JA27/98 with NSW Postage Due 1d & 4d tied by blue-pencil "X" markings, The deficiancy was 2d for an inter-colonial letter x2 + 1d late fee, insignificant blemishes. An outstanding Northern Territory cover: neither the 'T' h/s nor the Loose Ship Letters h/s was recorded by Ed Williams. Ex 'Zacchaeus' - sold at Gary Watson's auction of 5.3.1990 for $2900 - and Roger Hosking: sold in 2014 for £476. [This is the only Australian Loose Ship Letter marking to be pluralised]

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,500

PORT DARWIN: 1902 social usage of 'PROVINCIA DE MACAU E TIMOR' '5 avos' in Red on 30r Postal Card with message headed "Timor Oct 10", to NSW with very fine to superb strikes of the 'PT DARWIN/OC12/02/S-A' squared-circle and and the rare & idiosyncratic straight-line 'LOOSE SHIP LETTERS' handstamp (Hosking #1383), superlative 'NORTH SYDNEY/OC22/02/NSW' arrival b/s, small & inconsequential closed tear at U/R otherwise superb! An exceptional origin/destination item.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,500

PORT DARWIN: 1911 cover "Per SS Eastern" to a ship's passenger en route from Sydney to Shanghai per SS 'St Albans' at "Port Darwin" with Hong Kong KEVII 4c tied by partial 'DARWIN NT/29SE11/STH AUST' cds (plus a superior strike on the reverse), roughly opened along the flap. [Darwin was officially named Palmerston but was always called Port Darwin. With the transfer of the Northern Territory from South Australia to the Commonwealth in 1911, the town's name was officially changed to Darwin]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

1878 cover to London with Queensland Chalons 6d apple-green pair tied by Indian-pattern 'B/172' cancel & a second very fine strike at L/L obliterating a 'SINGAPORE/UNPAID' cds that was applied in error, rectified with 'SINGAPORE/ D /AP18/78/PAID' cds in red with a better strike on the reverse plus a superb '1'-in-circle h/s also in red, roughly opened at the base with a professionally repaired tear that intrudes on the address but is almost imperceptible from the face, light vertical stain. A wonderful cover, being the only recorded Queensland loose letter cancelled with a Bengal Circle numeral. Ben Palmer's Census at page 235. The enclosed 6pp octavo social letter is headed "Townsville/30 March 1878". Presumably the cover was posted shipside & carried per 'Bowen' ex Brisbane 28.3.1878, arrived Singapore 15.4.1878. Without a British arrival datestamp, it is uncertain if it was forwarded per 'Geelong', which departed Singapore 18.4.1878, or if it was held unril 11.5.1878 & carried per 'Nizam'. Ted Proud recorded three similar B/172 cancels. This is his type K6, with straight top serif on the '1'. He states that K6 was transferred to Penang by 1874. This cover suggests that to be an error, or that the numeral had been returned from Penang to Singapore. The '1'-in-circle h/s on the reverse is not recorded by Proud for Singapore or Penang: it's significance or purpose is not clear to us.

Grade (B) (Image1)

Estimate AU$5,000

BOWEN: 1894 cover to Brisbane with Lined Background 1d & 2d tied by badly worn 'QLD'-in-Rays cancels & straight-line 'LATE FEE' h/s with 'BOWEN/ A /AP30/94/QUEENSLAND' cds alongside, very fine strike of the 'LOOSE/SHIP/LETTER' h/s (not recorded by Hosking) & Brisbane arrival cds of MY3/94 all on the face, minor spotting. An interesting cover. Dale Forster believes this is the only recorded usage of a 19th century Loose Ship Letter marking at Bowen. However, the placement of the h/s close to the Brisbane cds suggests it may have been applied on arrival.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

BRISBANE: 1869 double-rate cover to America with Chalons 6d green strip of 3 tied by light but obvious strikes of the 'Brunswick Star' cancel of Brisbane & very fine strike of the chamfered-boxed 'LOOSE SHIP LETTER' h/s alongside & 'BRISBANE/ b /SP10/69/QUEENSLAND' b/s, London transit cds of 29NO69, New York arrival cds of DE/11 & '2/CENTS' h/s all in red. An important and beautiful cover, believed to be the earliest usage of a Queensland Loose Ship Letter marking. Ex Needham, Wise, Bernhard Forster and Hugh Campbell: sold at our auction of 14.9.2002 for $8120. Ben Palmer's Census at page 278. [The rate was 6d x2 + 6d late fee]

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$7,500

BRISBANE: 1871 cover with Bank of New South Wales (Maryborough) imprint on the flap, to Toowoomba per coastal steamer with very fine 'LOOSE/SHIP/LETTER'-in-oval h/s (Hosking #5802 with large circular 'O's; recorded 1872 only), Chalons 2d blue tied by poor 'QL'-in-Rays cancel & part-Brisbane cds of OC4/1871 alongside, very fine 'TOOWOOMBA/OC7/18(--)/=QUEENSLAND=' arrival b/s (year omitted), minor imperfections. Possibly the earliest recorded usage of this type. Ben Palmer's Census at page 72. [Hugh Campbell's listing is simplistic & incomplete. Similar markings were used at several different ports]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

BRISBANE: 1873 cover with illustrated advertising for S Hoffnung & Co Merchants (Sydney) in violet on the reverse, to Maryborough with NSW Diadems 3d yellow-green x2 tied by separate very fine strikes of the chamfered-boxed 'LOOSE SHIP LETTER' h/s, 'MARYBOROUGH/OC31/1873/QUEENSLAND' cds alongside, some mostly minor toning & the flap damaged. It is presumed that the cover originated from Sydney & it is expected that the Loose Ship Letter markings were applied at Brisbane. However, the absence of backstamps throws up the possibility that the handstamp was applied on arrival. That would suggest transfer of the h/s from Brisbane to Maryborough or, possibly, that this was a generic type issued to multiple ports. Sigmond Hoffnung, a Jewish merchant of Polish descent, arrived in Sydney in 1852 where he was active in Jewish community matters including the building of Sydney's Great Synagogue. In 1870, the firm moved into new premises (illustrated on the back of this cover) & in 1871, opened a branch in Brisbane. The addressee, Henry Walker, migrated from England in 1868 and became prominent in local affairs in Maryborough, including as a member of the Anglican Synod.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$4,000

BRISBANE: 1895 cover to Brisbane from an unknown port with largely very fine 'LOOSE/SHIP/ LETTER'-in-oval h/s (Hosking #5802 with large circular 'O's), 'LATE FEE' (40x8mm) & large '1D' h/s, Sidefaces with Lined Background 1d pair with badly worn 'GPO' cancels & 'BRISBANE/ K /MY31/95/QUEENSLAND' cds at L/L, some staining. [Hosking records #5802 in 1892 only: this is three years later. The Late Fee & Tax markings are both recorded by Hugh Campbell in 1895 only. We expect both were referring to this cover]

Grade C (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

BRISBANE: 1903 cover to Tasmania with large merchant's 'chop' in red & Hong Kong QV 10c blue x2 tied by largely very fine 'LOOSE/SHIP/LETTER'-in-oval h/s (Hosking #5802 with large circular 'O's), 'BRISBANE/ 1B /JE24/03/QUEENSLAND' cds at L/L, Launceston arrival b/s of JE29/1903, very minor soiling. Ex Ryohei Ishikawa [Even in the early 20th century, Tasmanian inwards mail from any source other than the Tatts hoard is very scarce. Hosking records #5802 in 1892 only: this is 11 years later]

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

BUNDABERG: 1884 cover to Sydney with First Sidefaces 2d blue tied by an indistinct numeral cancel, light but fine strikes of 'LOOSE/SHIP/LETTER'-in-oval (Hosking #1358) & 'BUNDABERG/NO20/84/QUEENSLAND' cds, Brisbane transit b/s of NO22/84 & faint Sydney arrival b/s, minor toning & opened a bit roughly. Ben Palmer's Census at page 115. [This and the next lot may be the only 19th century Loose Letters recorded from Bundaberg]

Grade C (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

BUNDABERG: 1891 (Feb 23) usage of 1d Postal Card with illustrated advertising for Smellie & Co (Brisbane) on the reverse, to Gympie with very fine strike of the 'LOOSE/SHIP/LETTER'-in-oval (Hosking #1358) & 'BUNDABERG/FE25/91/QUEENSLAND - 148' duplex, light stain at L/R. Ex Roger Hosking: sold for £190. Absent from Ben Palmer's Census. [This and the previous lot may be the only 19th century Loose Letters recorded from Bundaberg]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

CAIRNS: 1907 Douglas Shire Council cover advertising 'PORT DOUGLAS AND MOSSMAN/TRAMWAY' presumably posted shipside at Port Douglas, to Tattersalls in Hobart with largely very fine strike of the rare 'LOOSE/SHIP/LETTER'-in-Oval h/s (Hosking #1375; serifs on 'SHIP'), Four Corners 1d & 2d tied by Cairns cds of 11SE07, partial Townsville duplex transit & Hobart arrival b/s, characteritic filled spike-hole.

Grade (A-) (Image1)

Estimate AU$200