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Auction: SW1015 - The Philatelic Collector's Series
Lot: 17

1859, 10c. orange-buff, stone A, clear to mainly very large margins showing three complete dividing lines between transfers, on cover addressed to the Commissioner of War at Bogotá, originating from Guataquí and dispatched in the neighbouring locality of Ambalema, where the stamp was tied by superb "Ambalema/Franca" double oval in blue. Dated inside 31st July 1859, as per "visto bueno" (approved to be sent) and signed "Eduardo Céspedes" as representative by the district town hall at Guataquí, this being a small locality close to Ambalema and also located on the right shore of the Magdalena River. As a single weight letter for a distance not exceeding 150 km., 10 centavos were paid. According to the research by the renowned expert Dieter Bortfeldt, which is based on original documents, the first stamps of Colombian philately were dispatched on 27 July 1859 (original note published by Dieter Bortfeldt on page 1 of his "Colombia - 150 Años del Primer Sello Postal" handbook). The new adhesives, comprising the 2 1/2, 5, 10 and 20 centavos denominations were in principle to be placed on sale on 1st September 1859. In this case, on 31 July, this stamp was applied when the postage stamps had just arrived and probably rules or documents for its first date of usage were not known to postal employees. On the other hand, on 23 July 1859, the Secretary of the Treasury issued a decree in execution of the law of 27 April, in which it is defined the issue of postal adhesives. This decree, in its Art. 101, states: "It shall be the duty of the Central Postal Administration to furnish stamps, as soon as possible, to all the District Treasury offices, in sufficient quantities for the requirements of each office and the subordinate offices dependent upon it. It shall be the duty of each District Administrator to provide stamps as soon as possible and in sufficient quantities to all the subordinate post offices under his supervision". On 24 July the contract for the printing of the stamps was signed after having been granted to the printers Celestino and Jerónimo Martínez, and only three days later the first postage stamps had been already received by the government and also on that day dispatched. All these features demonstrate the urgency with which the government acted upon so that the postage stamps would be in service as soon as possible, and thus leading to believe that it was an urgent need of stamps which would have been used before 1st September. The earliest usage of Colombian philately, pre-dating by one month the 1st September 1859, previously believed to be the earliest item known. The immense significance of this item is also reinforced by the fact that franked items used in August have not so far survived. -A first day cover of Colombia, then known as September 1, 1859, was sold by Robert A. Siegel for US$ 160,000 in June 2008-. One of the greatest gems of Colombia. Certs. Bortfeldt and Moorhouse. Scott 4.

Estimate
€40,000