385. Auktion

1683 (August 22), “D JARSEY” small handstamp on folded letter to St. Malo, the handstamp approximately 12 x 2mm, initialled at lower left, possibly by Postmaster, “6” in manuscript alongside, likely indicating a rate of 6 sols, vertical filing folds, a Channel Islands rarity, the latest of the two recorded examples of this marking.

Note: The origins of this handstamp, and the similar larger type, remain the subject of discussion. This letter, and the second recorded example, are discussed at length in “Les Isles Normandes” of the Channel Islands Specialist Society (Vol. 35, No. 4, December 2016, pages 9-19).  The provenance of this example is referenced therein, quoting an article from the September, 1959 Journal which reported “our congratulations to Leslie G. Tomlinson on acquiring the D’JARSEY handstruck mark on the 1683 cover from Jersey to St. Malo that was in the portion of the A.W.G. Hall collection sold at Robson Lowe’s Postal history auction on July 22nd."

1772 (August 17), folded letter from London to “Nicholas Fiott, Merchant in the Island” Jersey, rated “1N” in manuscript and struck with neat Bishop Mark (5 / SE), endorsed in manuscript “to the care of Mr. C[lement] Highgrove”, fresh and fine.

Note: The recipient, Nicholas Fiott, before becoming a prominent merchant, was a privateer and captain of the “Charming Betty," which retook the “Adventure” from the French in 1758, and captured a Dutch ship upon their return voyage.

Southampton Ship Letters, group of five folded letters from Jersey, variously rated, comprising 1775 folded letter to London with fair strike of Bishop mark and faint two-line “SOUTHAMPTON / SHIP LRE”; 1819 to London with boxed “SOUTHAMPTON / SHIP LETTER” in red (S.G. Type 1830 folded letter to London with fair Crown oval “SHIP LETTER / SOUTHAMPTON”; 1830 to London with “SHIP LETTER / SOUTHAMPTON” (S.G. Type GA) ;and 1840 folded letter to Southampton with fine “SOUTHAMPTON / SHIP - LETTER” backstamp, filing folds, a fine group.

1786 (August 12), folded letter from London to Jersey, with manuscript rate markings on the front, struck on  back with fine Bishop Mark, sent via forwarding agent Thomas Durrell of Southampton, and endorsed “forwd by your hble servant Nichls Robinson for Mr. Thos. Durrel", quite fresh for such an early letter, and a scarce usage to Jersey.

1795 (December 12), folded entire from Jersey to London, struck with a choice concave JERSEY handstamp in black, reverse with an equally crisp circular London arrival datestamp (7 Jan [1796]), remarkably fresh and fine, one of the earliest recorded examples of this handstamp, the earliest known being from 1794.

1799 (June 18), folded letter written from St. Hélier to le Chevalier de Lapelouze, Infantry Colonel in the Service of the King of France in London, struck with a fine "JERSEY" concave handstamp in black, rated "9" pence in red manuscript, denoting the 7d Jersey to Weymouth single packet rate and UK inland rate, with partial red circular datestamp receiver (22 Jun) on the front, reverse with red oval "10 o'Clock / 99 F NOON" datestamp, a fine entire of lovely quality.

1814 (February 21), letter from Major General Sir Hugh Gordon, Governor of Jersey, copied to Postmaster General Sir Francis Freeling, regarding a pension for Captain Charles William le Geyt, the first Postmaster of Jersey, a fine letter of significance to the history of the Jersey Post Office. 

1814 (April 13), folded letter from Jersey to Spain, rated 2/7 in manuscript, denoting the route through London via France to the Spanish border, plus the reduced 5d. British inland rate, struck in black with fine JERSEY scroll (without stop) and ANGLETERRE straight-line, filing fold and small edge flaws, else fine.

1818/1831, Forwarding Agents, pair of folded letters, comprising 1831 letter from Jersey, delivered under cover to a Miss Robin in Guernsey, endorsed “passenger in the L. Beresford”, evidently posted upon her arrival in Southampton, rated “9” and “1/1" in manuscript, and 1818 letter written in French, from London to St. Helier, entrusted "to the care of Mr. Fuewestruck with “London Penny Post / Unpaid” in red, small faults, else a fine duo.

1820 (July 20), folded entire from Jersey to San Sebastien, Spain, carried privately to Granville and despatched by an unidentified agent, struck with red “P 48 P / GRANVILLE” mileage mark, 10 (decimes) postage paid in manuscript on reverse, handstamped with framed “P.P.P.P.” denoting conveyance via Paris ("Port Payé Passe Paris") with postage paid to the Spanish border, thereupon struck with “4Rs” Spanish due mark in red, filing folds, else fine and scarce.

1821 (December), folded letter from Lieutenant Governor Colin Halkett, datelined Government House, to the Constable of Grouville, requesting that the Constable “ascertain the number and character of all foreigners who are at present in this Island” and require them to present to the “Inspector of Strangers…for the purpose of being examined and registered,”  endorsed “OHMS” in manuscript, some discolouration and slight internal separation along folds, but a scarce official letter, with interesting historical content.

1823 (January 30), folded letter from Tarbes to Guernsey, privately carried to St. Malo, whereupon struck with boxed “SAINT MALO. 34 / 15 FEVRIER 1823” in black, rated “9” in black denoting the French rate to Dover, an additional 3d agent fee added for a total of 1sh, endorsed as such at upper right, the rate to Dover being the one used regardless of routing per French Circulaire No 6 of 1816, light filing folds, a fine and rare cover, this St. Malo datestamp recorded as used only for one month.

1833, Rio de Janeiro to St. Malo, folded cover rated “9” in manuscript, denoting only the 6d. British rate and 3d. French inland rate, conveyed via the Jersey forwarding agents of Amiraux Le Breton & Co, with their endorsement at bottom, struck with black two-line GRANDE BRETAGNE / PAR ST MALO and St. Malo c.d.s. (6 Sep), light filing folds, fine and scarce.

1840, 1d. black, PL, fresh color, ample to good margins, tied by red cancel to folded letter from “JERSEY 30 OC 1840” to London, some minor imperfections, scarce

1841 (January 21), 1d black, lettered PH, clear to ample margins on three sides, touched at foot, tied to folded entire datelined Pentonville by red Maltese Cross, to a Lieutenant of the Royal Engineers in Jersey,  backstamped with Lombard Street Maltese Cross transit (21 Jan), light filing folds, but a  scarce Penny Black usage to Jersey, quite fine for such a letter.

1841 (August 9), 1d. red, lettered SI, margins large in two sides, good to into in places on other two, cancelled with bold strike of Maltese Cross in black, on folded cover to Glasgow, reverse with dual strikes of Jersey double-arc datestamp, London c.d.s. transit and framed Glasgow receiver (12 Aug) in black, vertical filing fold, but a fine strike of the Maltese Cross, difficult from Jersey.

1842, Folded letter from Theodore Fontaine, the French Postal Agent in Jersey from the 1820s until officially suppressed on June 1, 1843, endorsed “Service” in blue manuscript, addressed to “Monsieur le Directeur General des Postes” in Paris, requesting that, as the sender had to “dispatch express packets daily to the Postmasters of St. Malo and Granville”, that he be supplied with a stock of wrapping paper and “also some wax”, carried free of charge and struck with red “OUTRE-MER / ST. MALO” c.d.s. (4 May), with Paris c.d.s. arrival backstamp, the letter struck inside upon receipt with blue cachet “CABINET PARTICULIER (POSTES)” (6 May), a remarkable and significant letter from the French Postal Agent in Jersey, fresh and fine.

1847 (March 13), folded letter from Jersey to Cologne, multiple manuscript rate markings totalling “1/10” denoting the combined British, Belgian (via Thurn & Taxis), and Prussian rates plus 4d. Jersey postage, struck with red Jersey double-arc alongside London PAID and “C [Crown] A” transit c.d.s. (15 Mar), scarce oval “P” in red alongside, struck pursuant to the British/French Convention of 1843,  endorsed “per Ostend”, handstamped FRANCO in black, backstamped by commercial mark of the firm of Charles Hartung of St. Heliers, Cologne double-circle c.d.s. (17 Mar), filing fold along top, an unusual cover, and a fine example of this elusive “P” handstamp.

Note: This cover is illustrated and discussed in “Les Isles Normandes” of the Channel Islands Specialists' Society (June 2002, Vol. 21, No. 2, pages 20-22).

1870 (November 17), Gazette des Absents No. 8, folded letter to Jersey, carried via “le Général Ulrich”, franked with 1867 30c. brown, tied by Paris star cancel and postmarked with “Paris / Les Ternes” c.d.s., red framed “PD” struck in red, reverse with clear Jersey arrival backstamp (25 Nov), a few small pieces torn from back, light wrinkling, else fine.

1870 (23 November), folded letter from Albion Cottage, St. Helier, to Paris, franked with 20c. 1867 20c. blue, tied by neatly-struck Paris star cancel, with c.d.s. arrival backstamp (18 Jul, 1871), remarkably fresh and fine considering its arduous journey and the delicate nature of this flimsy paper, smuggled into Paris during the 1870/71 Siege.

1870 (December 1), Gazette des Absents No. 12, folded letter to Jersey, carried on “le Denis Papin”, franked with 1867 30c. brown, tied by Paris “4" star cancel, corresponding “Paris / Rue d'Enghein” c.d.s., red framed “PD” struck on front, reverse with bold Jersey c.d.s. receiver (13 Dec), fresh and fine; with 2021 Roumet certificate.

1870 (December 31), Occupied Alsace-Lorraine, feldpost cover to Jersey, franked with 1870 10c. orange-brown and 20c. ultramarine, tied by framed “K.PR. FELDPOST / RELAIS 41 / 31.12” datestamp, endorsed “voie de Belgique”, “1” (decimes) due marking in blue manuscript, reverse with “Prusse Est 1” (5 Jan, 1871) and Jersey (8 Jan) c.d.s. backstamps, 20c adhesive affixed over edge of cover, some light edge discoloration, else a fine and scarce cover to Jersey through Belgium then France, rather than via Great Britain.

1873 (July 25), Jersey / France / M.B. “Boite Mobile” datestamp, tying 25c Type Sage to Aubin correspondence cover to Jersey, choice free strike alongside, corner card of Gautier de Ste Croix of St. Malo & Granville, tear through back flap, a few light diagonal creases, else fine.

1877 (August 23), Jersey to St. Malo, registered folded letter, franked with two 1876 21/2p. claret (Plate 7) and single 1877 4p.t pale olive green (Plate 15), struck with choice REGISTERED Crown handstamp in red, same-day St. Malo c.d.s. receiver struck on front, one 21/2d. stamp faulty, otherwise fine and scarce.

1778/1837, Mail from Jersey via Granville, trio of folded letters, comprising 1776 (April 4) folded letter to Nantes, with manuscript “18” (sous) due notation, struck with neat GRANVILLE straight-line, 1781 (July 10) letter to Caen, rated “6” (sous) in manuscript and handstamped with GRANVILLE straight-line, and 1837 (April 28) folded letter to Caen, rated “10” (decimes) in black and struck with fine two-line “GRANDE BRETAGNE / PAR GRANVILLE” handstamp, the first two examples with small flaws, the third very fresh, a desirable group.