Auction 321 - 332 Australian States & Commonwealth of Australia, New South Wales, St. Helena, Basutoland The ‘BESANÇON’ Collection - Day 2

1887: Provisional 5 c. overprint in violet on 10 c. black on yellow, horizontal pair, and 10 c. black on yellow, used on printed commercial envelope, from Panama to New York, dated 15 November 1888, endorsed "Per S.S. City of Para", tied by 'AGENCIA CORREOS NACIONAL / PANAMA' duplex in blue, New York Paid double-circle to reverse dated 24 November, vertical filing crease to left side well clear of the adhesives, otherwise fine and rare. One of two reported with the 5 c. Provisional violet overprint. rnNote: These provisional overprints, applied with a rubber stamp in violet ink, may have been a solution to a brief shortage of 20c and or 5c postage, performed by a district postmaster without official authorisation. A cover from the same correspondence franked with a 20c dated 16 October 1888 is the earliest known use of this value. This may suggest that this first delivery of 20c value to the post office in question was used up in its entirety between 16 October and 15 November 1888.rnProvenance: Ex Dr James Helme Collection; ex Dr Norman Hubbard; and ex José Luis Castillejo Collection.