Lot No. 463
1737, entire from London to Bolzano (Bozen), Tyrol in Austria, sent to the merchants Menz and Mansrieders, showing THE RARE ”FRANCHE” TRANSIT HANDSTAMP OF THE FOREIGN BRANCH LONDON POST OFFICE WHICH WAS INTRODUCED IN 1684 ! Here a very late usage of the postmark, 53 years after its introduction. This marking was used by the Foreign Office, as explained by Thomas Gardiner: ”There is a stamp applied to the part of the letter where the post is expressed to have been paid, to obscure it from the foreign Postmasters abroad”. Spink has only offered two single lots with versions of this postmark in over 600,000 lots. VERY LATE USAGE OF THIS POSTMARK AND NONE RECORDED SENT TO AUSTRIA.
Status
Price
400 EUR
Result
Unsold