Auction 265th - 273rd - Day 1

1849: Entire letter from Quito (April 5) via Guayaquil British Post Office to Lima with fine circular "GUAYAQUIL / PAID" in red, prepaid at '1/-' in red manuscript with double arc "Guayaquil" cds on reverse (May 3) well struck in black. Peruvian charge of '2' reales due in inserted within "Guayaquil / Paid" handstamp in manuscript. Illustrated in Leo Harris 'Ecuador Postal History' on page 21. A fine cover that opens well for display - the earliest recorded usage, see Parmenter & Gordon page 3/26.