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Auction: 9016 - Important Stamps & Covers of the World
Lot: 48

French Colonies Guadeloupe 1876-79 Postage Due 25c. black on white horizontal strip of three from the lower-left corner of the sheet and 40c. black on blue (two examples, both from the top of the only sheet twenty-five printed), tied by Pointe a Pitre datestamps of 16 Dec. 1877 to legal papers wrapper from the small village of Lamentin on the northeast coast of Basse Terre addressed to Pointe a Pitre with Lamentin c.d.s. of 16 Dec. 1877 alongside; the adhesives with large margins on all sides (one 40c. with a small piece of the margin at left missing but well clear of the design), the envelope with some pinholes and pieces missing of little relevance to this incredible cover, fine. An amazing and famous cover, without doubt the most important item of Guadeloupe philately and long considered the ultimate Postage Due cover in world philately. Illustrated on page 113 of the 1958 handbook "La Guadeloupe" by Dubus, Marchand and Pannetier, signed Behr, Miro and several times by R. Calves. Scheller Certificate (2008). Yvert 1, 2 Estimate £ 70,000-90,000 provenance: John Boker Grabowski

Sold for
£65,000