12c Black (17). Two horizontal pairs and single, used with 3c Dull Red, Type I (11) and 10c Green, Type II (14), margins vary and at least five stamps faulty, cancelled and tied together by red grids, matching "New Bedford Mass. Jan. 13" (1857) circular datestamp on yellow cover to Kema, Island of Celebes, East Indies, addressed to Captain James L. Smith of the whaling ship Newark, in care of the governor of Kema, sender's directive "pr. Overland Mail" and "via Singapore", prepaid 73c for the British Mail via Marseilles rate which was reduced to 61c in January 1856 and 39c in January 1857, "Boston Br. Pkt. 14 Jan." circular datestamp on back, red crayon "70" credit--carried on the Cunarder Niagara, departing Boston January 14, 1857, and arriving Liverpool January 26, then via Mauritius and Calcutta--manuscript "2" (possibly for British Colonial credit), backstamped "Packet Letter Mauritius MR 2 1857" double-oval and "Calcutta Steam Letter" framed datestamp with 1 rupee, 1 anna, 2 pies manuscript due notation (slightly over 51c)

FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE 1851-55 ISSUE COVER TO THE ISLAND OF CELEBES.

Ex Potter, "Sevenoaks", Giamporcaro, Hackmey and Gross. From the Magnolia collection. With 1999 P.F. certificate.

Image Magnifier / Download

Power Search for Comparables