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Lot# 6002 - Auction 227-233

  • Lot# : 6002 Cape of Good Hope

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    Second British Occupation 1806: Cover endorsed at top 'On His Majesty's Service' and, in faint red ink "Cape Pd. 5d.", addressed to 'Sir John Thomas Duckworth, Vice Admiral of the White' in London, with the front panel further annotated by the sender, Sir Edward Pellew. Struck on despatch with fine oval 'CROWN / POST OFFICE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE / GR'  (Goldblatt MLS 1) and, on arrival with oval 'SHIP / Crown / LETTER' in black (Robertson S10). London datestamp of receipt on reverse (Oct 28) in red where charged 2/9d. to pay in manuscript . A fine and rare cover, mailed just a few months after the second British occupation of the Cape.rnrnNote: 'Vice-Admiral of the White' - the Naval parlance of the time, indicating their place in the line of battle - white was the vanguard, red the centre and blue the rear. Duckworth (1748-1817) was Commander-in-Chief at Jamaica from 1803-1805 and promoted to Admiral in 1810, thereafter being C-in-C of Newfoundland until 1813. Sir Edward Pellew (1757-1833) was promoted to Rear Admiral in 1804 and C-in-C of the East Indies. He destroyed the Dutch fleet in the East Indies in 1807 and was to become famous for the bombardment of Algiers (1816) securing the release of 1'200 Christian slaves.
    Starting bid : 500 CHF
    Hammer price : 600 CHF