Postmarks

THE SMYTHE BROTHERS, HENRY & GEORGE, SURVEYORS IN VICTORIA

The cover is addressed to H.W.H. Smythe Esq. J.P., Commissioner of Crown Lands, Murray District, Broken River, Sidney Road and it was sent by Saml Watson, June 30/(18)46. There is a fine MELBOURNE/ [crown]/ JU 30/ 1846/ PORT PHILLIP postmark, a red manuscript 1/8 rating as well as red boxed PAID AT/ MELBOURNE. The reverse was not seen and the vendor supplied the following information: “The Broken River crosses the (present

Read More »

THE EARLY SETTLERS & HISTORY of CHARCOAL CREEK, UNANDERRA N.S.W.

I have been intrigued in the past 10 years by Australian postmarks, particularly those of my native State of New South Wales. In part this is due to the fact that I dropped Australian history and geography from my early studies in Sydney and I am now playing ‘Catch-Up’ by looking out for places that interest me. This common red 1d ‘Shield’ stamp of N.S.W. had the earliest postmark known

Read More »

TASMANIAN REVENUE STAMP COVER to HIRAM HILLER Jr., KAHOKA MISSOURI

This taxed Tasmanian cover has a 6d platypus revenue stamp which has the barred numeral ‘61′ of Latrobe as well as the unframed LATROBE/APR 25/ 83/ TASMANIA postmark. It was posted to Hiram Hiller Jr. Esq, Kahoka, Clark County, Missouri, United States America. There is a manuscript ‘Via Sanfrancisco and a black handstamp U.S. CHARGE/ TO COLLECT/ 5 CENTS, and there is a part US duty stamp folded over from the reverse

Read More »

ROBERT JAMIESON, BOLAC PLAINS, WARRNDOO, NEAR LAKE BOLAC

The blue cover has a pink ‘TWO PENCE’ embossed QV stamp of Victoria cancelled with a duplex BALLAARAT/ 7Y/ DE 19/ 72 with the barred numeral ‘5′, the fourth duplex which has a distinctive long top bar of the ‘5′, and the spelling with 3 ‘A’s’ in Ballarat. This is a late recorded date for Freeman & White state on p. 76 that this spelling was in place from the

Read More »

MILO CUDMORE of DUBLIN IRELAND COVER from CAMBOOYA, QLD via H & K PACT

This rather striking cover was sent from Queensland via Melbourne to Milo Cudmore Esq, 112 Leinster Road, Rathmines, Dublin, Ireland and the block of 5 blue ‘TWO PENCE’ stamps are cancelled with Rays ‘120′ with a confirming unframed CAMBOOYA/ MY 2/ 1881/ QUEENSLAND alongside (Figure 1). Unfortunately instead of the sender placing his own name and address on the reverse, the ms. ‘Via Melbourne’ and Milo Cudmore, with his full

Read More »

MELBOURNE MAIL to McALPINE FAMILY, NEW BRUNSWICK, B.N.A. 1864 -1924

Six covers from Victoria including one mourning cover were seen on philatelic auction sites, and a seventh was found in my own collection of mourning covers, all addressed to members of the McAlpine family of Queens County, New Brunswick, British North America over a period of 40 years. The first had 2 stamps of Victoria, the greenish blue rouletted One Shilling and the lilac Two Pence ‘Laureate’ postmarked with the

Read More »

INDIGO VICTORIA to JAMES BREWSTER, NEW BRUNSWICK, BRITISH NORTH AMERICA [CANADA]

This cover was addressed to James Brewster Esq., Harvey, Albert County, New Brunswick, British North America, and a manuscript ‘Per Overland Mail’ and the perf. 12 greenish-blue One Shilling stamp of Victoria was postmarked with an indistinct barred numeral ‘230′ (of Indigo). There was a red transit stamp of LONDON/ J(U?) 16/ 60/ PAID. In addition there was a manuscript rating mark which could not be determined, plus a manuscript ‘#

Read More »

THOMAS MITCHELL REGISTERED LETTER, BLACKALL QLD to STETTLER AB, CANADA

This is one of the many Royal Geographical Society of Australasia covers but there is added interest in that it was sent Air Mail and Registered to Canada as a First Day cover, and the reverse backstamping was quite a surprise. The postage adds up to 2 shillings and 9 pence, made up of the complete Thomas Mitchell set (plus and additional 1 shilling copy) and a single of the

Read More »

THE MELBOURNE EXHIBITION of 1880 – 1881

The cover was addressed to Syracuse, New York, United States and the blue 6d Laureate stamp of Victoria was canceled with the barred numeral MC/97 (Type 11A which was in use from 20.8.1880 until 30.6.1881) and the cover was also postmarked with an unframed EXHIBITION/ MY 17/ 81/ VICTORIA (Figure 1). The reverse was not seen but was backstamped with Melbourne, a red transit mark of San Francisco and a

Read More »