SPECTACULAR & VERY RARE PRINTED PICTORIAL LETTER-SHEET DEPIC...

Hammer

£900

SPECTACULAR & VERY RARE PRINTED PICTORIAL LETTER-SHEET DEPICTING ABORIGINAL MEN TO G.B. WITH "Mis-directed/Bath" MARK; Very fine 15 Apr. 1857 EL (very slight wear does not detract) from "Melbourne" to "Marshfield, near Bath, England" and endorsed "Per [A.R.M.C.'s S.S.] Columbian" with Victoria 6d Orange Woodblock (tight to huge margins on 3 sides, but cut into along top) tied by a fair Melbourne "1" Numeral with mainly v. fine matching oval "MELBOURNE/VICTORIA" d.s. on the top flap along with GB arrival marks, but also having red London "PAID" Tombstone arrival d.s. (12 June) and a very fine rare blue h.s. "Mis-directed/Bath" mark on the front. The contents (family news) is headed with a superb printed pictorial engraving of "ABORIGINES OF VICTORIA. DRAWN BY M. CHEVALIER, FROM PHOTOGRAPHS BY H. HASELDEN. The above are Portraits of two well known ABORIGINES who have frequently visited Melbourne." with imprints of "F. GROSSE. SC.", "George Slater, Publisher, Melbourne" and "W.H. Williams, Printer". A very rare early pictorial item from Australia and a Spectacular Exhibition Item. Cross Reference: PICTORIAL ENVELOPES - PRINTED, MISSENT MAIL, SOMERSET