Lot no. 1633

1683 (August 22), “D JARSEY” small handstamp on folded letter to St. Malo, the handstamp approximately 12 x 2mm, initialled at lower left, possibly by Postmaster, “6” in manuscript alongside, likely indicating a rate of 6 sols, vertical filing folds, a Channel Islands rarity, the latest of the two recorded examples of this marking.

Note: The origins of this handstamp, and the similar larger type, remain the subject of discussion. This letter, and the second recorded example, are discussed at length in “Les Isles Normandes” of the Channel Islands Specialist Society (Vol. 35, No. 4, December 2016, pages 9-19).  The provenance of this example is referenced therein, quoting an article from the September, 1959 Journal which reported “our congratulations to Leslie G. Tomlinson on acquiring the D’JARSEY handstruck mark on the 1683 cover from Jersey to St. Malo that was in the portion of the A.W.G. Hall collection sold at Robson Lowe’s Postal history auction on July 22nd."