DUBLIN HANDSTRUCK "4" (VERY LATE USAGE) + DUBLIN(?) H.S. "6d...

Estimate

£360 - £500

DUBLIN HANDSTRUCK "4" (VERY LATE USAGE) + DUBLIN(?) H.S. "6d" AS ACCOUNTANCY CLAIM-MARKS; 12 Jan. 1863 unpaid env. (minor wear) from "DUBLIN" (fine cds on front) to Toronto with no manuscript rates but having a very fine (slightly overstruck) large distinctive 'loopy' Irish Handstruck "4" (presumably of Dublin) on the front along with a very fine Quebec h.s. "25" (matching 4 Feb. arrival backstamp). Plus large unpaid 27 May 1875 env. (some wear; reduced at right) from "PERTH" (Scotland; cds on front) to Toronto with red "INSUFFICIENTLY/PREPAID" and a m/s-cancelled v. fine distinctively Irish-style Handstruck "6d" (presumably of Londonderry) on the front replaced by m/s "9d" and blue crayon "18[c]" arrival charge. Rare pair. Only a handful of these very late usages of the distinctive Uniform Fourpenny Postage (1839/40) Handstruck "4" marks have been recorded (all on covers like this), as British Accountancy Marks claiming 4d from the Canadian P.O. (the 1d British postage plus half the 6d fine). The 6d mark was for the double rate claim, but this was a triple-rate letter hence the change to 9d. Rare pair of Exhibition Quality. [Both illustrated in FTM, pp.71 & 135.]Cross Reference: UNIFORM 4d POSTAGE PERIOD, POSTAGE DUE MARKS, IRELAND PRE-1922 - POSTAL HISTORY, TRANSATLANTIC MAIL