UNIQUE(?) USAGE OF RARE BOXED "FREE." ON INGOING COVER FROM ...

Hammer

£800

UNIQUE(?) USAGE OF RARE BOXED "FREE." ON INGOING COVER FROM GB REDIRECTED LOCALLY; 29 Oct. 1857 E (some creasing and toning) from London to a "Hotel Keeper, Souillac, District of Savaine, Mauritius" franked with a cut-square Embossed 6d Lilac (margins on 3 sides; cut into at top) cancelled by a London diamond numeral (with faint General Office cds on the flap). There is a mainly fine double-oval "PACKET LETTER/MAURITIUS" ds 11 Jan. 1857) just across the join on the reverse, but the letter was endorsed "Returned" on the front, so presumably the addressee could not be found in Souillac and the letter was returned to Port Louis. There is also a mainly fine rare small boxed "FREE" mark of Port Louis (Proud OPD 29) on the top flap endorsed "Local" which matches the handwriting of the redirection on the front to "Ville Bague". It seems that there was a rule that redirected letters from overseas were not to be charged local postage. Very few covers have been recorded with this FREE mark, and this is thought to be the only known example on ingoing mail. Fascinating and probably Unique cover. Cross Reference: OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS, FREES, EMBOSSED ISSUES