SOUTH AUSTRALIA, 1855, 2p Dull Carmine, Large Star Wmk. (2; SG 2). Full margins all around, tied by red oval grid cancel, matching "Paid Adelaide S.A. 1 Ja 1855 O" January 1, 1855, first day of issue circular datestamp, second strike at lower left on blue folded cover front with portions of original letter expertly restored (essentially a repaired folded letter), datelined "Goodwood, January 1st, 1855" and addressed to Adelaide where redirected to Glenelo, Very Fine appearance, one of the outstanding items of Australian philately and among the few first day covers of the British Empire classics, with 1992 B.P.A. certificate

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SOUTH AUSTRALIA, 1855, 6p Deep Blue, Large Star Wmk. (3; SG 3). Horizontal block of eighteen (2 x 9 across top), used with right sheet margin L-shaped strip of five (at upper right) and horizontal strip of nine (at bottom, originally attached to strip of five), generally large margins, corner stamps have faults, tied by oval grids, "Kapunda South-Australia Ap 7 1857" circular datestamp on large blue folded cover to Bristol Post Office in England, red Adelaide and blue Bristol backstamps, red London "Paid" tombstone transit datestamp on front, red ms. "15/10" credit, some cover folds and faults

A PHENOMENAL FRANKING, WHICH IS REPUTED TO BE THE HIGHEST-RATED PREPAID COVER EXTANT OF ANY BRITISH COLONY IN THIS EARLY CLASSIC PERIOD.

The "15/10" credit of 15 shillings 10 pence to England corresponds to a 38 x 6p rate (total 19 shillings with 3sh2p retained by colonial post office). The additional 3 shillings postage was presumably paid in currency, as there is no evidence of six additional stamps missing from this cover.

To the best of our knowledge, there is no other cover franked with classic imperforate stamps of any British colony that even approaches this extraordinary multiple rate.

Ex Griffiths. With 1991 B.P.A. certificate

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