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Auction: 13050 - Postal History and Historical documents
Lot: 2012

(x) Historical Documents
1458 prepaid letter from London to Venice, with a merchant's symbol and prepaid marking on the address panel; long contents written in Italian. In good condition. From the Gerald E. Wellburn collection. Photo

To the merchants, communication was vital. The Merchant Post organised relays between cities across Europe and many parts of the Middle East. This was not a public service and was restricted to the merchants who paid for it. Most letters bear the distinctive Merchants' Marks drawn on the front. The designs of these marks vary but nearly all have a long vertical line with cross lines and, suspended at the foot, an oval or pear-shaped object with the monogram or other device.

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Sold for
£1,700