CEYLON

**EARLY LETTERS AND HANDSTAMPS**
Lot	Symbol	CatNo.	Lot Description	CV or Estimate
1			1797 (31 May) double entire letter from Philip Rosenhagen, a clergyman and well-known socialite, at Colombo to his friend Colonel Aston at Madras, marked "Pt. Pd. 16 Fs. Colombo 1t. June (Double)". The contents cover a range of fascinating topics including his deteriorating health with an attack of gout and a veritable plague of boils; the circumstances of the islands garrison; the shortcomings of his colleagues and the dearth of European women on the island. The entire letter with strengthened filing crease and a few tiny stain spots. The earliest known mail item from Ceylon. (Image)	Est. $1,000-1,500 SOLD for $1,450.00 Will close during Public Auction
2			1798 (29 Aug.) entire letter ex the "Aston" correspondence from Colombo to "Madras or Elsewhere", marked "P P 8 Fan Colombo 29 August 1798". The contents tell of "a deep plot going on" against a colleague, and urges Aston to give certain helpful information to this colleague but curtails the letter "The post is going and I have barely time to subscribe myself". The entire letter with vertical filing crease and part of upper flap missing. (Image)	Est. $750-1,000 SOLD for $1,250.00 Will close during Public Auction
3	p		1809 front and one back flap from a soldier in the Royal Artillery to London, marked "A Soldiers Letter", countersigned by Commanding Officer, showing a very fine strike of "Colombo/Post Free" circular handstamp (Proud Type OPD 1) and "ship letter /Crown/ cape of good hope" double-lined handstamp with 28th March 1809 arrival c.d.s. on reverse. Extremely rare, one of two recorded examples. Note: This item is illustrated in Robson Lowe's Encyclopedia Vol. III, and on the front cover of "The Postal History of Ceylon 1795-1857" by G.F. Oxley (Image)	Est. $2,000-2,500 SOLD for $3,000.00 Will close during Public Auction
4			1815 (20 Aug.) entire with enclosure to an officer in the 73rd Regiment at Galle, franked "2½f", showing very fine straight-line "colombo" in red (Proud Type PS 1; earliest recorded date) and "post not paid" in black (Type UP 1). Two superb strikes and a splendid exhibition item. (Image)	Est. $1,500-2,000 SOLD for $1,350.00 Will close during Public Auction
5			1816 (8 Nov.) entire letter to Cornwall headed "Matura, Island off Ceylon", endorsed "Pr Alexander or Eclipse", rated "10/6" (deleted) and "13/6", and showing a superb strike of "ceylon/19no19/1816/packet-letter" oval datestamp (Proud Type SL1) with 9th April arrival c.d.s. on reverse. The entire letter a little worn and repaired. A very early date of use. provenance: R.G. Traill, January 1990 (Image)	Est. $2,000-2,500 SOLD for $1,350.00 Will close during Public Auction
6			1823 (14 June) entire (210x105mm.) to London, rated "1/-", showing a superb Crown framed "colombo/post paid" datestamp (Proud Type PD 4, latest recorded date; crossed by light filing crease), "madras/ship letter" oval d.s. and framed "india letter/portsmouth" in red (crossed by filing crease). Very scarce, this datestamp is only recorded in use for fourteen months. provenance: R.G. Traill, January 1990 E.A. Barnes, November 1999 (Image)	Est. $1,000-1,500 SOLD for $700.00 Will close during Public Auction
7			Early Letters and HandstampsColombo1839 (15 Oct.) entire to London, marked "pr. Overland Mail", rated "3/6" and showing a very fine strike of the extremely rare "ceylon/care of mr. waghorn, cairo" handstamp, Crowned "colombo/post paid" with, on reverse, framed "british/foreign" and London arrival d.s. A major rarity of which only three examples are recorded, and a wonderful exhibition item. (Image)	Est. $30,000-40,000 SOLD for $18,000.00 Will close during Public Auction
8			1821 (8 Sept.) entire from Trincomalee to London, marked "Via Madras", rated "1/-", showing fine straight-line "batticaloa" (Proud Type PS 1) and "post paid" (Type PD 1, earliest recorded date) handstamps in red, both partly overstruck by framed "india letter/deal", and fine "madras/ship letter" oval d.s. A very early date of use. provenance: G.F. Oxley R.C. Agabeg, May 1982 R.G. Traill, January 1990 (Image)	Est. $1,500-2,000 SOLD for $1,000.00 Will close during Public Auction
9			1828 (Aug.) entire to London, rated "1/-", showing generally fine strike of straight-line "caltura" (Proud Type PS 1) and poor to fair "post paid" handstamps with, on reverse, framed "india letter/margate" and red arrival c.d.s. (Image)	Est. $500-750 SOLD for $425.00 Will close during Public Auction
10			1833 (13 Dec.) entire to London, marked "Post paid via Madras", rated "1/3", showing good to fine strikes of straight-line "jaffna" (Type PS 1) and "post paid" (Type PD 1) handstamps in red and, on reverse, "out station/madras/ship letter" oval d.s., framed "india letter/plymouth" and red arrival c.d.s. A neat and attractive cover. (Image)	Est. $750-1,000 SOLD for $500.00 Will close during Public Auction
11			Undated large part entire to Colombo, rated "4½f", showing straight-line "mannar" in red and "post not paid" in black, both good to fine strikes though slightly over-inked and smudged. Extremely rare and thought to be the only example known. provenance: R.G. Traill, January 1990 (Image)	Est. $1,000-1,500 SOLD for $700.00 Will close during Public Auction
12			1814 (28 Nov.) entire letter from Edinburgh to Ceylon, marked "to be sent by the first Ship to any of the Presidencies", rated "3/10½", showing despatch c.d.s., London Paid (1.12) and "paid ship letter/london" c.d.s., all in red, very light straight-line "trincomalee" handstamp in red (Proud Type PS 1, the only date recorded) and "post not paid" h.s. in black (Type UP 1, the earliest recorded date) with manuscript "11f" alongside. provenance: E.A. Barnes, November 1999 (Image)	Est. $1,000-1,500 SOLD for $725.00 Will close during Public Auction

**1857 SIX PENCE ON BLUE PAPER**
Lot	Symbol	CatNo.	Lot Description	CV or Estimate
13	P		6d. in black, a rejoined block of twenty-one with margin at left comprising blocks of six [157-158/169-170/181-82] and fifteen [159-163/171-175/183-187], margins virtually all round ([175] cut-into); the bottom row with pressed horizontal creases though a scarce multiple. (Image)	Est. $1,500-2,000 SOLD for $800.00 Will close during Public Auction
14	P		6d. in black, a lower right corner block of twelve (4x3) with one showing re-entry, slightly creased otherwise very fine. provenance: Baron de Worms, June 1938 (Image)	Est. $1,500-2,000 SOLD for $1,400.00 Will close during Public Auction
15	P		State 1: 6d. purple-brown block of four [135-136/147-148] on unwatermarked paper, margins virtually all round, fine. (Image)	Est. $400-500 SOLD for $270.00 Will close during Public Auction
16	P		State II: 6d. purple-brown block of nine [135-137/147-149/159-161] on unwatermarked paper with margins in places. The block has been severed and rejoined between the second and third vertical rows. (Image)	Est. $750-1,000 SOLD for $400.00 Will close during Public Auction
17	P		State III: 6d. purple-brown on unwatermarked paper, an irregular and rejoined block of forty-nine with position numbers marked on the reverse of each, comprising blocks of twenty-four (horizontal crease), fifteen, four (2) and a vertical pair, margins virtually intact and four with printer's blue crayon correction marks. A spectacular multiple. (Image)	Est. $7,500-10,000 CLOSED Will close during Public Auction
18	P		State III: 6d. purple-brown on unwatermarked paper, a block of eight [7-10/19-22] with sheet margin at top, [19] with design cut-into on both sides. A fine multiple in the distinctive plate proof shade. (Image)	Est. $1,000-1,500 SOLD for $575.00 Will close during Public Auction
19			6d. purple-brown with large margins showing portion of adjoining stamp at top, fresh unused without gum and extremely fine. Very rare in this exceptional condition. P.F. (1967) and R.P.S. (1986) Certificates. Sc. 2; S.G. 1, £8000. provenance: A. Caspary, February 1958 (Image)	Est. $10,000-15,000 SOLD for $16,000.00 Will close during Public Auction
20	O		6d. purple-brown, two horizontal strips of three, joined to form a severed strip of six, all lightly cancelled, a little cut-into in places. The largest recorded multiple. Sc. 2; S.G. 1. provenance: Baron de Worms, June 1938 Sir Ernest de Silva, January 1959 R.C. Agabeg, May 1982 (Image)	Est. $3,000-4,000 SOLD for $4,500.00 Will close during Public Auction

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