1816 PACKET LETTER: Folded entire letter addressed to Cornwall, redirected to Oxford and thence back to Cornwall. Bears a VF strike of the very rare CAPE PACKET LETTER oval datestamp of 8 DE 1816. "3/6" rating mark at right, the single Packet rate, crossed through and "4/6" rating at left, also crossed through. Myriad other marks for redirection etc, see scans. This is possibly THE most elusive of all Cape pre-stamp markings with few examples extant. Rare & exceptional, a key exhibition piece. Ex Trotter, Illustrated pg137 "Southern African Mails". See additional image.
