1855 Full-Faced Queens - Part Three

Definitives Tour.  

Forward to 1973 Newspaper Stamp.

Links:- Full-Faced Queens.
          1855 Full-Faced Queens - Part One.
                    A basic introduction to the Full Faced Queens issues. 
          1855 Full-Faced Queens - Part Two.
                    Looking at factors effecting the condition and value of Classic Stamps. 
          1855 Full-Faced Queens - Part Three.
                    A collection of covers from before and using Full Faced Queen stamps. 
          1855 Full-Faced Queens - Part Four.
                    Modern use of the Full Faced Queen design.

   

       In the third part of the Full-Faced Queens we continue our look at New Zealand's first issue of postage stamps by looking at some of the covers used during this period.

       Before New Zealand issued pre-paid postage stamps letters were hand stamped to show payment had been made for postage. These hand strikes would show words such as "Paid At Auckland" or "Paid At Nelson" and often how much had been paid would be written in pencil of crayon. 

        In many cases, when we study covers from this period we find these hand strike post marks are almost impossible to read. This is because either the original strike was poorly executed or the mark has faded over time. 

        In these post we are going to look at a few pre-postage covers and then we will look at some covers from the Full-Faced Queen period. The quality of many of these covers were not good to start with and the process of up-loading them has made them worse but I still believe you will get some idea of what these early covers were like.


       You may have noticed that I refer to these as covers and not envelopes as that is the correct term for an envelop which has been used and carries stamps, post marks and hand strikes.

Pre-Postage Stamp Covers.



        1847 outer wrapper from Auckland to London, with very fine 'PAID AT AUCKLAND' crowned circle in red, rated '4' and '8' in manual script, with London 'SHIP LETTER' Hand stamped on face.

          1849 outer wrapper from Auckland to London, very fine 'PAID AT AUCKLAND' crowned circle in red, rated '8' and '1/4' in manual script on face (indicating double rate letter by private ship).

        The letter is from Lt-Col R. H. Wynward, who had been one of the five regimental commanders during the 1845-47 first Maori war, and in 1854 became Acting Governor of New Zealand. An important cover from such an important officer

        1859 cover from Auckland to Devon, with very fine 'PAID AT AUCKLAND' crowned circle in apparently blackish ink (? oxidised), with bold '6' rate mark in red M/S at left. Carried from Sydney by P & O contract steamers via Suez.

1855 cover from Nelson to London, endorsed 'Paid' and with fine inverted strike of 'PAID AT NELSON' crowned circle in brown-red, showing red crayon '2' and (Liverpool) '6d'due hand stamp on face.

         1857 A cover sent from Nelson to Isle of Wight, endorsed 'Paid' and with very fine part strike of 'PAID AT NELSON' crowned circle in brown-red, showing red crayon '6' and part red London transit cancels (NO 19) alongside. Despatch and arrival back stamps.

Full-Faced Queen Covers.

          The first cover is from 1867 from New Zealand to England. The cover has a 6d brown Full-Faced Queen show postage was paid Then there is a hand strike from London which is a transit mark showing the letter did arrive in England. It is the red hand strike which shows "London Paid."

       Another 1867 cover, this time sent from Dunedin. The stamps, all Full-faced Queens, are two 1d Orange, one 2d Blue and one 6d Brown. Unfortunately the hand-written address is unreadable so I am unsure where this was sent. Since the other covers in this set were sent to England my guess it this would be the same.

          Now we have this 1867 cover which was posted in Hokitika  to England. It was paid for by a strip of three 2d Blue Full-Faced Queens joined vertically.

         Another letter from New Zealand to England. Notice that this one went via San Francesco. Also of interest on this cover are the stamps there is a 1d Full-Faced Queen and a 3d from the First Side-Faced Issue of 1874 so we would have to place this cover as being send around that time which both issues of stamps were still in use.

          Finally a domestic letter from Auckland to Onehunga (which is now a inner suburb of Auckland). The letter cost 2d to send using a 2d Blue Full-Faced Queen. There are two hand strikes on the cover as well. The first is used to cancel the stamp covering the Queen's face at the same time. The second hand strike shows the date and where the letter was posted.