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Auction: 21030 - The 'Greca' Collection of Southern African Postal History
Lot: 205

Rhodesia
Early Explorer and Traveller's Mail
1860 (5 Jan.) envelope (blue Admiralty "Foul Anchor" seal on flap), complete with letter from Admiral John Washington, London to "Dr. Livingstone, Zambezi Expedition, Cape of Good Hope", marked "by the first mail 6 Jany if possible" and bearing 1856 6d. (defective) cancelled with "W/21" duplex, the reverse with London, Devonport (7.12) and Cape of Good Hope datestamps; the contents commence "Accept my best wishes for many happy returns of the New Year. I am palified (sic) to be able to acquaint you that H.M.Government have sanctioned a sum of £5000 to build and dispatch to you a stemer suitable for exploring and for river purposes." This presumably refers to "The Pioneer" mentioned in a later letter from the same correspondence. Photo

Note: Dr. Livingstone explored South Central Africa almost continuously from 1849 to 1873; from January to November 1860 he explored the lower Zambesi.

provenance:
Richard Knight, March 2003

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Sold for
£3,800

Starting price
£2000