1853 (Feb 10) Cover addressed to "His Serene Highness The La...

Hammer

£360

1853 (Feb 10) Cover addressed to "His Serene Highness The Landgrave Charles Augustus of Hesse, Augustenau, Electoral-Hesse, Germany", initialled "FWH", with an enclosed letter written in German by Prince Frederick William Hesse from "H.M.S CLEOPATRA, Hong Kong", which includes references to Nanking, Peking and Shanghai. The cover posted unpaid with boxed "BEARING", seven backstamps from London, Aachen, Deutz-Minden T.P.O, Hamm-Padeborg T.P.O, Cassel and Eisenach, various rates. Prince Frederick Hesse was third in line to the Danish throne and became Elector of Hesse in 1875; in 1849 he joined H.M.S "Cleopatra" to train as a midshipman, sailing to India, Burma, and the Far East (see lots 954, 1071). An unusual destination, the Bearing handstamp possibly applied in Hong Kong. Photo on Page 128.