Lot 1460

1894 incoming mail from England 2½d...

Stamps and Postal History of the World | 5919

Auction: 6 October 2020 at 01:00 BST

£950

Description

1894 incoming mail from England 2½d light grey-blue stationery envelope (H&G 11a) addressed to “Messrs/W. McArthur& Co/Merchants/Tonga or Friendly Islands” cancelled by 'West Hartlepool JY 12 94' duplex, along side the very rare "NUKUALOFA DEAD LETTER OFFICE" ornate marking in violet, hand-numbered “153” in blue, the reverse with 'Auckland 16 AU' transit and 'Nukualofa 16 SP' arrival cds, only 3 recorded this being the earliest date known, RPS certificate (1991), also included a 1991 letter hand signed by Robson Lowe stating "...This is the first time I have seen a (Tonga) dead letter office handstamp and I shall be happy to write it up in the Philatelist." Ex Phillips auction (13/11/97), Ex Baxendale

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