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Auction: 5026 - The Edward Gilbert Collection of Important British Empire
Lot: 227

xBermuda The Postmasters´ Stamps From 1818 postmasters were permitted to retain any postage paid at their respective offices on inland mail. When the post office was closed a slot was provided in the door for mail to be posted with the necessary postage. Monies received and the number of letters posted did not always tally. Being required to forward all the mail, and rather than penalize those who had been honest, some mail was sent free. This resulted in the postmaster being cheated of part of his income. It was to counter this fraud that in 1848 William Perot, postmaster at Hamilton, introduced his "stamps" by utilising datestamps impressions, with day and months slugs removed, struck on pieces of paper, and endorsing them "One Penny" and with his signature. In later years William Perot and James Thies, postmaster at St. Georges, used Crowned Circle General Post Office stamps in a similar manner 1848-56 Perot´s First Issue at Hamilton, 1d. black on bluish grey dated "1849", cut-to-shape whilst barely impinging on design. A beautiful example of this renowned classic stamp of which four examples are known struck in black. Of these, two are dated 1848, whilst this and one other are dated 1849. B.P.A. Certificate (1987). Sc. X1a; S.G. O2, £120,000. Photo Estimate £ 60,000-80,000 Note: This example is believed to have been discovered in 1904, and subsequently sold to Count von Ferrari provenance: Ferrai, 1922 Arthur Hind, 1934 Alfred Caspary, 1957 Claude Cartier, 1977

Sold for
£116,000