Cape of Good Hope 1863 1d Triangle Cape Town "Drop" Letter

1863 CAPE TOWN PENNY RATE LOCAL "DROP" LETTER:
Charming small format envelope posted locally within Cape Town (oval datestamp OC 1 1863 in red on reverse) to "Revd G Morgan / Somerset Road".
Franked 1d pale rose (SG 5a) triangular clear to full margins neatly tied by well-positioned triangular defacer.
F-VF for this period.
An elusive example of this local 1d franking (within the City ).
An extremely scarce local postage rate for a ½oz letter sent within the City, only a very small number of covers are known bearing the Perkins Bacon printing using this rate.
Somerset Road was directly off the centre,
Rev Morgan was Pastor of the St Andrews Curch one of the seminal Presbyterian Churches establiched in 1828.
Notation on reverse identifies the sender as "Rev Thomas, Simons Town, Oct 1863".
A rare piece for the postal history connoisseur.
Ex Dillaway. See additional image.
The term "Drop Letter" refers to those letters mailed within the municipal boundaries of a town providing the service/rate. It was effective in Cape Town from 15th September 1860 and from 1st May 1861 in Port Elizabeth, a requirement being that at least twice-daily services existed between the dispatch/receiving offices. PILLAR BOXES were provided in select locations, thus the term "Drop Letter". As postal services expanded the reduced rate came to apply to regional mailings, examples still uncommon, but not to be confused with true within-city-limits Drop Letters.

Ask a Question

CHF3650.00

Add to Cart:

Item 131/291