This cover was seen at auction for an amount that was surprisingly high, namely a reserve of AUD 600. In addition it was described as a commercial cover, but I found evidence that suggested that this was probably an incorrect surmise. The quality of the cover suggested that it was a philatelically inspired registered cover with 4 strikes of REGISTERED/ A/ MY 27/ 98/ SYDNEY, N.S.W, plus a large ‘R’
Two covers destined for Tattersalls came up on Ebay auctions, both addressed to S. Benjamin Esq. at Temple House, Hobart. Both showed the presence of a filing hole and one showed the tell-tale lilac label, usually applied by Tattersalls on receipt. The first showed two 2d Victoria stamps cancelled by two barred numerals ‘836′ of Whitfield, Victoria with an additional framed WHITFIELD/ OC 20/ 05/ VICTORIA, and there was a
The entire was franked with a blue 4d imperforate ‘Chalon’ Van Diemen’s Land stamp and there was a framed red GENERAL POST OFFICE/ HOBART TOWN/ [Crown]/ 10 FE 10/ VDL/ 1857 postmark. There was a ms. per ‘Tasmania’ and it was addressed to Moses Moss Esq., Sydney. The reverse was not seen, but the vendor stated that there was a ‘SHIP LETTER SYDNEY FE 19 1857′ arrival backstamp. The contents
The cover is addressed to Messrs E. Solomon & Co., Adelaide and has the pale red 2d South Australian stamp (S.G. 24a) cancelled with the diamond numeral ‘106′ of Woodchester, and there is a manuscript ‘Private’ at the lower left (Figure 1). The reverse has a transit mark of MOUNT BARKER/ ( )/ 1859/ S-A and a manuscript on the right side, written vertically, of ‘P.O./ Woodchester/ 28.5.59 plus a
Two postal items associated with Messrs S. Hoffnung, Sydney were found in the same week. The first was a cover addressed to an individual care of Mess S Hoffnung & Co, Sydney NSW, Australia, sent from New York via San Francisco and the pink pair of the 6 cent Lincoln stamp (Scott #186, issued 1879) was postmarked with a NEW YORK/ JUL 22/ PM/ 1881 postmark (Figures 1 &2). The reverse
The Commonwealth of Australia Letter Card had a black 1d KGV printed stamp and the postmark date and place from where it had been sent could not be read. It was addresses to Andrew Mather & Co., Liverpool St.,Hobart Tasmania (Figure 1). The illustrated side of the card showed a picture within an oval and it was labeled as Railway Sleepers, Queensland. The reverse message side of the card was
The printed green Tasmanian stamp cover was postmarked with a duplex HOBART/ S/ 20 JE/ 1899, with the barred obliterator TASMANIA, and it was addressed to Mess J Kronheimer & Co., Flinders Lane, Melbourne. The reverse was not seen but was backstamped Melbourne, June 20, 1899 (Figure 1). Several of the Australian Colonies’ newspapers published his obituary and The Mercury (Hobart) on Monday 20 July 1914 on page 5, was
This indistinct cover front only, introduces an early immigrant to Tasmania. It has a blue VDL imperforate ‘FOUR PENCE’ stamp cancelled by a manuscript three curved strokes and there is also a manuscript applied at the left border by the postmaster ‘Swansea/ 24/11/59′. It is addressed to Joseph Benson Mather, 98 Liverpool Street, Hobart Town (Figure 1). His obituary was published in The Mercury, 19th May 1890, his death having
This unpretentious cover is addressed to W. N. Jno. Baker, Culter (sic), 3 Hunter Street, Sydney, N.S. Wales. The correct spelling for his occupation should have been ‘Cutler’. The ‘Four Corners’ blue 2d Queensland stamp is cancelled with the illegible rays of ‘214′ or ‘626′, both used at Toowoomba. Cutler is one who makes, repairs, or sells knives or other cutting instruments (Figure 1). The reverse has a confirmatory postmark of
More than one year ago the first cover was seen addressed to B.H. Alston in Melbourne, and this was followed in short order by an interesting letter which Alston wrote to Dr. Max Nordau, totally irrelevant to this cover, dated 30 years later. Then further research was quite unrewarding and my occasional return to researching Alston produced no more information. The cover was put on the ‘back burner’ and a