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Auction: 15USA - The William H. Gross Collection
Lot: 105

S.G. #37, 1859 2p Blue, Early Impression, ""Lapirot"" issue, position 12, used in combination with 1848-59 1p Red brown ""Post Paid"" on bluish paper, Worn Impression (S.G. #19; position 2) and 1858-62 (9p) Dull magenta Britannia (S.G. #29), all tied to an extraordinary 1859 folded letter from Port Louis to London by black mute oval postmarks, the cover was carried by P & O Packet to London and bears ""Packet Letter/Mauritius"" double oval on reverse, along with originating red business cachet ""Lestrange & Co./Port Louis"", manuscript ""Via Aden & Marseilles"" on front of cover, as is red ""London/Paid/Ju 5/59"" arrival c.d.s., all three stamps have deep rich colors and mostly ample to large margins, very fine overall.[cr][lf][cr][lf]An amazing and beautiful cover, as well as being the only known triple issue franking from Mauritius. This 1/- franking could only have occurred at a very short and fortuitous moment in time, beginning in May of 1859, when all three issues would have been available for use. That all three different issues were used at the same time, and so aesthetically placed on the cover, is a ""one-in-a-million"" occurrence. Besides being a unique triple issue franking, this cover also is an immensely rare usage of the Two Pence ""Lapirot"" Early Impression. It is believed that only seven such usages on cover exist and only three of these are in nice collectible quality - this being the most spectacular of the three.[cr][lf][cr][lf]One of the most important covers in Mauritius philately and one of the great classic imperforate covers of the British Empire. Signed Peter Holcombe and accompanied by a 1994 BPA certificate; e Estimate US$ 72,000-90,000

Sold for
$97,450