385th Auction

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some discolouration and slight internal separation along folds, but a scarce official letter, with interesting historical content.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.

1814 (July 20), folded letter from Jersey to Passages, Spain, conveyed by forwarding agents Winter, Nicolle & Co of Jersey and endorsed by them as received on August 6, the sender noting in his message “you will write to us via St. Malo to the care of Messers. L. Blaize and fils,” struck with “34 / ST MALO” mileage mark, denoted “7” (decimes) in manuscript on front,  light fold, a fine example of mail conveyed via multiple forwarding agents.

1817 (February 10), folded letter from Jersey to San Sebastián, Spain, forwarding agent's endorsement on reverse “Recu a 18 fevrier 1817 a St. Malo / et achemine le meme jour par V.S. [votre serviteur] / ob. [obedient] Ser. A. Lardonnieux”, struck on front with “P 34 P / ST MALO” postage paid handstamp, the '"9" manuscript notation on reverse denoting the rate of 9 (centimes) to the French border, bold red “4Rs” Spanish due marking on front, light filing fold, a most attractive letter.

1829 (May 11), folded letter from Jersey to Murcia, Spain, via Granville, posted as a French inland letter, struck with black “P48P / GRANVILLE”  and 19 May c.d.s. datestamp in black, reverse with manuscript “10” notation denoting payment of 10 (decimes) for the French rate to the Spanish border, handstamped with red double-framed “AV" ("Affranchisement Vérifié"), black “5” (reales) in manuscript Spanish due marking, a fine and remarkably fresh entire.

1846 (15 February), folded letter from St. Martin, Jersey, to the department of Eure, postmarked with “St. Sauveur S…” c.d.s. (18 Feb), bold “48 / Port Bail” two-line handstamp alongside, rated “5” (decimes) in manuscript, multiple partial c.d.s. transit backstamps, fine; with 2018 Roumet certificate.

1855 (January), Jersey to Falaise, disallowed prepayment of French postage, cover franked with two 1854 20c blue (Type I), one with good to large margins all around, the other into design at foot, cancelled with “1441” dotted lozenge of the Granville boite mobile, red “Iles C / Granville” c.d.s. at left, further struck with red boxed “PD”, prepayment of French postage on mail from Jersey via Granville being contrary to regulations, the stamps and “PD” mark were crossed-out in pen, with manuscript notation “timbres poste insuffisante” written at top and “7” due marking written on front, reverse with Caen and Falaise (27 Jan) c.d.s. backstamps, some edge creasing and spots of light staining, but a scarce usage; with 2015 Roumet certificate.

1857, Vannes to Jersey, folded letter via St. Malo, franked with 1854 20c blue (Type I), good to large margins all around, tied by 3484 dotted lozenge cancel, postmarked with corresponding Vannes c.d.s. (25 Mar), underpaid and noted in red manuscript “timbre insuffisant” and struck with boxed “Affranchisement / Insuffisant” and circular “MORE TO PAY” handstamps, the “6” (decimes) in manuscript indicating the amount due, endorsed “via St. Malo”, reverse with Nantes A Paris (25 Mar), Paris A Calais (26 Mar), London (27 Mar) and Jersey (28 Mar) backstamps, a most attractive and very fine cover; with 2015 Roumet certificate.

1870 (September 15), 3rd Army cover to Livarot, forwarded to Jersey, struck with fine “K.PR. ARMEE-POST-AMT / 3. / ARMEE / 15 9) c.d.s., reverse with intaglio handstamped seal of the 3rd Army, redirected to St. Helier, manuscript ”6" tax mark and “FR / 1F50c” accountancy handstamp, reverse with Livarnot (28 Sep) and Jersey c.d.s. arrival backstamp (1 Oct), with interesting contents in French, the sender noting “I have come to learn, and you will guess with what enthusiasm, that the Prussian post will not see that mail is delivered unless it is sent unsealed,” a fine and unusual entire; with 2019 Roumet certificate.

1870 (September 28), Ballon Monté “Les Etats Unis” to Jersey, folded letter franked with three 10c 1867 bistre, tied by “2” Paris Star cancel and postmarked with Paris / Rue St. Lazaire c.d.s., endorsed “via London” and struck on reverse with clear Jersey c.d.s. arrival backstamp (4 Oct), filing folds including through two adhesives, some wrinkling typical of this flimsy paper, else fine and scarce; with 2021 Roumet certificate.

1870 (October 18), Paris to Luc sur Mer, redirected to Jersey, carried via “le Lafeyette”, postal card franked with 1867 10c. bistre, cancelled with Paris “15” star, “Paris / Rue Bonaparte” c.d.s. alongside, struck with partial boxed red “Affranchissement Insuffisant” with manuscript “5” tax mark alongside, reverse with “Luc de Mer” (22 Oct) and Jersey (25 Oct) backstamps, tear from upper left margin, creased in places including adhesive, but a scarce forwarded ballon monté cover to Jersey; signed Calves, with 2022 Roumet certificate.

1870, two letters from St. Helier, and Beaumont, Jersey, to Paris, from the Barre correspondence of Lucie to brother Albert, one datelined St. Peters Valley, Beaumont, October 21, 1870, franked with Great Britain 1865 3p. rose and cancelled with same-day Jersey 409 duplex, red “PD” below and London split-ring backstamp (24 Oct), the second datelined St. Helier, November 7, 1870, carried privately to France and franked with 1867 20c. light blue, cancelled at Lille (22 Jan), both bright and fresh, a scarce duo of covers smuggled into Paris during the siege.