MADAGASCAR - RED "9d" PORT LOUIS MARK ON 1s-4d RATE COVER TO...

Hammer

£1,200

MADAGASCAR - RED "9d" PORT LOUIS MARK ON 1s-4d RATE COVER TO GB VIA MAURITIUS PREPAID EXTRA 6d TO MAURITIUS; [Aug.?] 1869 env. (minor wrinkling & torn flap) addressed to "Messrs S.W. Silver & Co." in London, franked for the 1s-4d rate, which was made up of 6d from Madagascar to Mauritius + the regular 10d rate to GB.; there is a contemporary note inside; "Rainilaiebivony, The Prime Minister of Madagascar. Its Capital is Antananarvo" (was he the sender?). [S.W. Silver was a significant figure within the British and Foreign Bible Society, and is known to have had London Missionary Society connections, as well as an interest in Madagascar.] The London Missionary Society maintained an account with the Mauritius P.O. so that their outgoing Madagascar letters could be stamped en route at Port Louis. This cover has a 4d Rose + 1/- Orange with fair "B53" numerals (one just tied by London "PAID" arrival cds) as well as a very fine 1st-type red Port Louis handstruck "9d" Accountancy Mark (5d for GB + 4d for France). It also has a v. fine blue "MAURITIUS/A" backstamp of 30 Oct., but the letter was probably written in about August (in Madagascar). Very rare Accountancy Marking cover from Madagascar. Cross Reference: ACCOUNTANCY MARKS, MADAGASCAR