Lot# 5803 - Auction 250-256
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Lot# : 5803 Great Britain
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Mail Boat Obliterations / Mediterranean Packets 1867: Great Britain 1864/79 1 d. red pl. 84 in a block of six, tied to cover to Henley on Thames by six bold strikes of the Mailboat "A81" obliterator ("handed to Mr. Douglas for use on board, 18th March 1859") with reverse of envelope showing Crest of "HMS Pearl" in grey blue and 'Henley on Thames' arrival cds (April 3) in black. Closed tear to envelope and small imperfections at top but a superb and rare franking.rnNote: HMS Pearl had a chquered career, taking part in the Taiping Rebellion and the bombardment of Kagoshima during the Anglo-Satsuma War. In May 1861 the Pearl was involved in an incident involving a British merchant ship named North Star and Chinese pirates. On 13 May, pirates in a junk attacked the North Star off the coast of Hong Kong Island. They killed or mortally wounded at least five members of the crew and stole over $4'000 worth of gold before abandoning the ship. Only two survivors remained on the ship and they hid from the pirates until they left the North Star and then they set sail for the port of Hong Kong. HMS Pearl was anchored off Green Island at the time and she eventually recovered both the merchantman and the survivors.rnProvenance: Collection E.E. Yates, RL, London, 21 Jan 1940, lot 192.Starting bid : 1,000 CHFHammer price : 1,000 CHF -
