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Auction: 25014 - British Solomon Islands - The Simon Greenwood Collection
Lot: 5

British Solomon Islands
Early Outgoing Mail
The only overseas communication was with Sydney, New South Wales. During this period the Resident Commissioner maintained a private stock of New South Wales stamps and used them on outgoing mail. When the letters arrived at Sydney Post Office, the adhesives were cancelled and the mail forwarded to its destination. Subsequently the General Post Office, and the Postal Department of Sydney arranged to forward all letters to the Solomon Islands in a sealed bag in care of the Resident Commissioner. He, on his part, made up a similar bag containing the letters and the necessary cash to pay the postage fees. On arrival in Sydney the post office undertook the stamping of the letters, applying the postmark, then forwarding them to their destination.
1898 (4 Feb.) "on her britannic majesty's service" (deleted) envelope with "western pacific high commission" imprint at lower left, addressed to Port Moresby, showing blue crayon "2d, CW" (Charles Woodford) with New South Wales 1897 applied alongside and tied by Sydney duplex dated 15 February and, on reverse, Brisbane (17.2), Cooktown (25.2) and arrival (13.3) datestamps; minor peripheral faults at right and a trifle soiled. Rare. Photo

provenance:
Ray Baldwin, February 1972
F.B. Howard-White, October 1985

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Sold for
£500