£380
NETHERLANDS/BELGIUM - DIPLOMATIC BAG MAIL LABEL SENT O.H.M.S. & SIGNED BY "[LORD] PALMERSTON]": 29th Sept. 1840 vellum parcel tag (presumably for a Diplomatic Bag) sent by post from the "Secretary of State's Office" in London (fair red "PAID" cds on the front) to (printed address) the British Envoy to the Netherlands with printed heading "On Her Britannic Majesty's Service" and personally countersigned by "[Lord] Palmerston" (Foreign Secretary, 1830-41 and Prime Minister 1855-65) with complex continental postal rates; "310. 50" in blue ms (50 decimes charge for 310 grams or 11 ounces) and black ms "650" (Dutch cents; 20c per Dutch lood). It also has a fine blue 2-ring "BRUXELLES" transit cds (1 Oct.) and matching mainly very fine boxed Brussels "APRES/LE/DEPART" (Too Late) mark. If sent by ordinary post the rate would have been £1-9s-4d! Exceptional item from the 1d Black Period, and of Exhibition Quality. [Acquired by our vendor in the Cavendish 9 May 1987 auction; lot 610, realised £180.] Cross Reference: BELGIUM, NETHERLANDS, POSTAL REFORMS, OFFICIAL MAIL
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