1853 (24 Oct) cover from Melbourne to Worksop, Nottinghamshire with fair strike of oval 'PAID/MELBOURNE' ds in red, reverse with London transit ds and Worksop arrival ds (27 JA 55). Prepaid '3(d)' as a private ship letter, with '8'(d) due on arrival from addressee. Minor peripheral faults and soiling
Lot 161
Estimate: $700
1855 (11 May) stampless entire to Mauritius written in French and without any despatch marks, endorsed 'pr "Reliance" ', with crowned 'MAURITIUS/GPO' ds (JY 9 1855' and scarce straight-line 'Late Received'. Very fine, and not listed in Ben Palmer's 'Pre-UPU Mail from Victoria'
Lot 162
Estimate: $2,200
1856 (30 Jan) entire from Melbourne to Edinburgh franked with 6d Orange Woodblocks (2, one just touched) tied BN 1, endorsed 'Per "Hellespont"/via Singapore' with London transit and Edinburgh arrival backstamps. With mss '6' in red representing the accountancy due to the Victorian P.O., on arrival the circular 'MORE/TO/PAY' was struck and mss '8' was due from the recipient. During a lack of shipping due to the Crimean War, the Victorian P.O. took advantage of the sailing of the 'Hellespont' to Singapore to despatch an English mail, which connected with the P.&O. service. However, the British P.O. considered the leg from Singapore to Galle constituted an extra 4d charge, hence the deficient postage charge (2 x 4d for a double weight letter). A fine example from this famous voyage
Lot 163
Estimate: $90T
1857 (11 Nov) incoming stampless outer from London (Paid cds in red) 'Via Southampton' to Geelong, readdressed to Queenscliff, and offloaded before ship arrived in Melbourne. Rated '6' in red, and reverse with good strike of scarce 'SHIP LETTER/FREE/GEELONG VICTORIA' cds in red (JA 8 1858) and with small Geelong crowned oval ds in black (JA 11 58). Vertical filing fold, otherwise fine
Lot 164
Estimate: $350
1860 (26 Jun) cover from Melbourne to London with 6d Orange Woodblock Imperf and 3d Deep Blue on Laid Beaded Oval tied by '1' numerals, and endorsed 'Via Marseilles'. With Melbourne despatch and London arrival backstamps. Some marks on reverse otherwise very fine, and a very late usage of the 6d Woodblock creating a unique combination of adhesives
Lot 165
Estimate: $3,000
Three covers to the U.K. endorsed 'via Marseilles' but franked only with the 1862 6d Adapted Design, thus underpaid and struck with boxed 'INSUFFICIENTLY PAID/VIA MARSEILLES', comprising 1863 (25 Nov) from Melbourne with handstamp in red, 1866 (24 Jan) from Hamilton with handstamp in black, and 1865 (25 Jul) from Melbourne with handstamp in blue. All fine, and a lovely trio (3 covers)
Lot 166
Estimate: $70
1864 (26 Jul) cover to London with 4d Laureate and 6d Adapted Design tied by Melbourne duplexes, endorsed 'Via Marseilles' and with London arrival cds in red. Minor peripheral creasing, an attractive 10d rate Marseilles franking
Lot 167
Estimate: $70
1865 (26 Oct) cover to Molong, N.S.W. franked 6d Black Adapted Design cancelled Melbourne duplex (peripheral toning), and 1866 (12 Apr) cover to Brisbane with 6d Blue Laureate tied by Melbourne duplex, with SHIP LETTER/QUEENSLAND' backstamp, small cover tear at top (2 covers)
Lot 168
Estimate: $450
1866 (28 Dec) entire from Melbourne to Bordeaux, France, endorsed 'Via Marseille', originally stamped and cancelled with Melbourne duplex, but stamp removed, and with Bordeaux arrival backstamp. As an unpaid letter, the boxed 'INSUFFICIENTLY/PAID' in red was struck, plus the diamond 'GB/1F62 4/10c' Anglo-French accountancy mark. Charged '10' (decimes) due from addressee. Very fine
Lot 169
Estimate: $550
1873 (3 Sep) cover from Daylesford to Locarno, Switzerland, with ½d on 1d Green (2) and 6d blue (3) Laureates cancelled '173' numerals. Endorsed 'via Brindisi' but with London transit cds and hence routed via Southampton, and with Locarno arrival backstamp. The via Brindisi rate to Switzerland was 1/3d, so this cover may have been overweight, hence rerouting (the double rate via Southampton was 1/4d). One ½d on 1d creased due to overlapping cover, tears in back flap, otherwise fine. The ½d on 1d Laureate is a very rare stamp on cover
Lot 170
Estimate: $1,500
1874 (7 Oct) Chief Secretary Frank handstruck in blue on Police Department legal size envelope to San Francisco cancelled Melbourne duplex, with London transit and San Francisco arrival cds. Undeliverable and with 'UNCLAIMED' and 'ADVERTISED' markings applied, also an unusual circular framed 'HAVE YOUR/LETTERS AND/PAPERS ADDRESSED/TO PO BOX OR TO/STREET AND NUMBER/WHEN THEY WILL BE/DELIVERED FREE/BY SENDER'. Eventually returned to sender, with 'D.L.B./VICTORIA' backstamp in green JN 26 75. Some creasing and peripheral faults, but an early and spectacular use of a frank to an overseas destination
Lot 171
Estimate: $850
1875 (24 Mar) 'COMMR OF CROWN LANDS & SURVEY' handstruck frank in blue on OHMS envelope to Edinburgh, tied by Melbourne duplex. Very fine, and a scarce early overseas use of a frank, which were accepted for the prepayment of a single ship letter rate
Lot 172
Estimate: $30
1888 (13 Aug) cover to Switzerland bearing 6d Pale Ultramarine (SG 318a) tied by '314' duplex of Lilydale, backstamps of Melbourne, Napoli, Locarno, Devio and straight-line arrival of Linescio, minor blemishes. Scarce village destination
