1910s/1950s selection of varying edition Post Office 'Returned Letter' covers, Sydney and Melbourne origins, a few faults, scarce material (6)
Lot 514
Estimate: $120
1929 (22 Mar) cover from Thursday Island to Cambridge, Massachusetts with very late use of 1d Kangaroo Die I tied by cds, underpaid and with handstruck '30/CTMS/T' and 'U.S. CHARGE/TO COLLECT/6 CENTS' with U.S. 1c and 5c postage affixed and cancelled in mss. Reverse with advisory handstamp 'This letter was posted insufficiently prepaid./Please advise your correspondent to enquire of/local postmaster cost of correct postage on/matter of future destination.' in purple
Lot 515
Estimate: $120
1930 (29 Feb) cover from Melbourne to Bristol involved in R.M.S. 'Comorin' fire at Colombo, handstamped 'DAMAGED BY FIRE/ON S.S. "COMORIN" ', fine strike applied lower left, Post Office explanatory label affixed to reverse and cancelled at Bristol. Condition consistent with coming in contact with water during fire-fighting (covers were dried on decks of vessel)
Lot 516
Estimate: $150
Thursday Island: 1957-64 unusual commercial group of covers comprising 1957-58 rates of 10d and 1/3½d to Port Kembla with 'THURSDAY ISLAND/2/QUEENSLAND' cds and 'PAQUEBOT' (in black or violet), and higher denomination airmail frankings to Brisbane of 2/8d, 3/2d and 4/2d, 'THURSDAY ISLAND/1/QLD-AUST' (2) or '3' cds, unusual (5)