Lot no. 1744

1881: Quetzal 5 c. red and green, used on mourning cover to Antigua, tied by "Diligencias/De/Vazquez-Ubico" company oval handstamp in black, being the Vazquez-Ubico Stagecoach service, backflap missing, some edge tears to the border, extremely rare cover with only two recorded, this being the better example.rnRemark: The Diligencias operated routes between towns in Guatemala as early as 1851. They carried mail as a Private Carrier and later under contract with the Post Office. In 1881 the Post Office decreed that the Diligencias Co. could no longer operate outside of the Post Office and that all mail would have postage applied, which were available at a 3 percent commission. Goodman suggests this must have continued for a very short period and only the 5 c. Quetzal is known with Diligencias cancels.

Provenance: Jose Castillejo (Spink, New York, 8 June 2016, lot 1113)

                  Cherrystone (New York, 12-13 June 2018, lot 533)