** BRISTOL (STAPLETON) - PAIR OF LETTERS EX FRANCE TO P.O.W....

Estimate

£220 - £300

** BRISTOL (STAPLETON) - PAIR OF LETTERS EX FRANCE TO P.O.W. BUT HELD IN PARIS "CABINET NOIR"; Pair of fine 1 Dec. 1806 ELs (both with wafer seal; family news etc from the addressees' mother & wife) from "Bordeaux" or "La Rochelle" to; "M Jacques Lacave, voilier provenant du Navire L'Edouard, Prisonnier de Guerre a Stapleton pres Bristol" or to "M Pierre Filatre pris sur la Corvette Le Guise, Batiment de l'Etat, Prisonnier de Guerre au Depot de Stabletone" with very fine "P.32.P/BORDEAUX" or "P.16.P/LA ROCHELLE" on the front. The first without Paris marks but with "11" prepaid rate on reverse and the other with fine red Paris "P.P.P.P." on the front and prepaid "15c" rate on flap; both clearly never delivered - letters sent after Napoleon's suspension of Mail exchange from 21 Nov. 1806 are thought to have remained in the Paris P.O.'s Secret Office ("Cabinet Noir") - there is a hole cut (?by the censor) at top left of the contents of each. [Neither recorded in MFPWE.]Cross Reference: FRANCE, BRISTOL, MILITARY - P.O.W. MAIL