​Public Stamp Auction #35

Spain 1638-1911 postal history. Commencing with King Philip IV 1638 handwritten entire to Don Luis Bravo de Acuña in Cadiz, with Philip's seal on rear. [In 1627 Luis Bravo de Acuña prepared an audit of all the buildings & defenses of Gibraltar for the Spanish Crown, which incl the oldest surviving accurate map of Gibraltar. Bravo de Acuña played a key role in defining improvements to the defenses of Gibraltar that would be undertaken by Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares during the reign of Philip IV of Spain. He concentrated on rebuilding the northern defenses, which were most vulnerable to a land attack. He also prepared works on the defenses of Cádiz, Tarifa and other places.] Total 126 items in 2 albums: 2 x 17th Century (1638 & 1677); 8 x 18th; & 73 x 19th (& 11 dateless) pre stamp entires/part entires/fronts; 20 x 19th & 2 x 20th Cent stamped covers with various cancellations annotated.