385th Auction

1819 (24 March), Alderney to Nantes, folded letter datelined “Auregny, le 24 Mars, 1819”, struck with choice “COLONIES PAR / CHERBOURG” two-line handstamp in black, some light wear, else a fine entire from a rare point of origin in the Channel Islands; with 2018 Roumet certificate.

1795 (January 3), folded letter from Cette, France, to Guernsey, via St. Malo, struck with small CETTE straight-line in black and ornate BM (Boite Mobile, rural movable box), endorsed “au soin Mr. La Dure” ("the care of Mr. La Dure"), forwarding agents of St. Malo, rated “18” in manuscript on front denoting the rate from Cette to St. Malo, notations on reverse adding the 1d St. Malo local delivery and 3p agent fee, for a total of 22 pence, somewhat heavy vertical filing fold, but an otherwise fine and uncommon example of this BM strike, and believed to be the latest recorded example of mail handled by this forwarding agent.

Note: This cover is illustrated and discussed in “Les Isles Normandes” of the Channel Islands Specialists' Society (March 2010, Vol. 29, No. 1, page 33).

1820 (July 20), folded entire from Jersey to San Sebastien, Spain, carried privately to Granville and despatched by an unidentified agent, struck with red “P 48 P / GRANVILLE” mileage mark, 10 (decimes) postage paid in manuscript on reverse, handstamped with framed “P.P.P.P.” denoting conveyance via Paris ("Port Payé Passe Paris") with postage paid to the Spanish border, thereupon struck with “4Rs” Spanish due mark in red, filing folds, else fine and scarce.

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.

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.

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.

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.

1870 (November 9), Gazette des Absents No. 6, folded letter to Jersey, carried on “le Daguerre”, franked with 1867 30c. brown, tied by Paris “22” star cancel, “Paris / Rue Taitbout” c.d.s. alongside, faint framed “PD” handstamp in red, reverse with c.d.s. arrival backstamp (6 Dec), fresh and fine; with 2021 Roumet certificate.

1870 (November 21), Gazette des Absents No. 9, folded letter to Jersey, carried via “le Ville d'Orleans”, franked with 1867 30c. brown, tied by Paris “34” star cancel, corresponding “Paris / Avenue Josephine” c.d.s., red framed “PD” struck alongside, reverse with Jersey c.d.s. arrival backstamp (13 Dec), tear to reverse, else a fine and scarce ballon monté letter; with 2023 Roumet certificate.

1870 (December 1), Ballon Monté “Le Jules Favre No. 2", to Jersey, Gazette des Absents No. 12, affixed with 1867 30c. brown, tied by “2” star cancel and postmarked with Paris “Rue St. Lazare” c.d.s., with c.d.s. arrival backstamp (13 Dec), filing folds and some small flaws, but a rare Ballon Monté to the Channel Islands; signed Calves, with 2023 Roumet certificate.

1870 (December 8), folded letter to Jersey, carried via “Le Général Renault”, franked with 1870 10c. bistre and 20c. blue, tied by Paris “3” star cancel, “Paris / Place de la Madeleine” c.d.s. alongside, endorsed “Ballon monte” in manuscript at upper left, reverse with neatly-struck Jersey c.d.s. arrival backstamp (13 Dec), from the well-known Hardon correspondence with content of historical interest, a very fine letter, fresh and most attractive; with 2022 Roumet certificate.

1870 (December 10), Gazette des Absents #16 to Jersey, carried on “Le Parmentier”, franked with 1867 30c. brown, tied by Paris “35” star, corresponding “Paris / Ministere de Finances” c.d.s., endorsed “Angleterre” and struck on reverse with “Paris a Calais” transit (30 Dec) and  Jersey arrival duplex (1 Jan), a fresh and fine entire with choice strikes; with 2021 Roumet certificate.

1870 (December 15), folded letter from Paris to Jersey, carried via “Le Parmentier”, franked with 1867 30c. brown, tied by Paris star cancel and postmarked “Paris / Rue St. Lazaire” , red boxed “PD”, reverse with Jersey arrival duplex (1 Jan, 1871), light wrinkles, else fine and scarce; signed Calves with 2006 Brun & Fils certificate.

1870 (December 24), “Gazette des Absents No. 19” to Jersey, carried via “le Bayard”, franked with 1867 30c. brown, cancelled with Paris “1” star, Paris / Place de la Bourse c.d.s. alongside, reverse with “Paris A Calais” (3 Jan, 1871) and Jersey (5 Jan) c.d.s. backstamps, fine and scarce; with 2021 Roumet certificate.

1871 (January 15), folded letter from Paris to Jersey, carried via the ballon monté “Le Poste de Paris”, franked with 1870 10c bistre and 20c blue, tied by Paris “2” star cancel, Paris / Rue St. Lazaire c.d.s. alongside, reverse with neatly-struck Jersey arrival c.d.s. (24 Jan), a few small repairs mostly confined to back, filing fold, but a scarce usage to Jersey; with 2018 Roumet certificate.

1871 (January 23), 1870 20c blue, tied by Paris “8” star cancel to Gazette des Absents No. 30, printed “Par Ballon Monté” endorsement at upper left and carried by “Le Torricelli,” postmarked with Paris c.d.s. (23 Jan), addressed to Caen but insufficiently franked, redirected to Jersey via Granville, struck on front with “JERSEY / FRANCE / MB JANV 30 / 71” boite mobile datestamp and assessed postage due “4” in manuscript, reverse with Caen A Paris (28 Jan), Caen (29 Jan), Granville (30 Jan), some wrinkles and small flaws, an otherwise fine and exceptional Ballon Monté cover to Jersey; with 2022 Roumet certificate.

1871 (February 9), folded letter from Paris to Jersey, franked with 1870 20c. blue, tied by Paris “6” star cancel, “Paris / Senat" c.d.s. alongside, censored by the Prussian military and struck with framed blue “Versailles / Auswechselungs Stelle” handstamp, underpaid and handstamped with black boxed “Affranchisement / Insuffisant,” conveyed to London where struck with circular “More / To / Pay” and manuscript “4” notation added in black, reverse with Jersey c.d.s. arrival backstamp (16 Feb), some light wrinkles, but fine and extremely scarce example of censored mail sent shortly after Paris fell to the forces North German Confederation, effectively ending the Franco-Prussian War; with 2016 Roumet certificate. 

1782/1930(ca.), The Postal connection between Jersey and France, very interesting two volume collection, with many better and interesting items like round “D'A B” on letter from Guernsey to Nantes, 1823 folded entire from the “Bailly” Correspondence,  Incoming mail, different rates, ship mail including Carteret, many better early cancellations Granville with red two-line “COLONIES PAR GRANVILLE” on folded letter, “48 GRANVILLE” in black and red, several “GRANDE BETRAGNE PAR GRANVILLE”, via Forwarding Agent at Jersey, “GRANDE BRETAGNE PAR ST MALO”, “P.24.P ST MALO”, “crowned Registered” on cover from Jersey to Cognac, many better frankings, more than 180 cards and covers, all neatly written up