25 April 1839 Waghorn Sidebottom 7 Cover

25 April 1839

1839, "CARE OF MESSRS. WAGHORN & CO./LONDON. ALEXANDRIA." (Sidebottom 7; Smith 7). Three strikes of two-line handstamp on folded prices current and letter datelined London Apr. 25, 1839, addressed to Guthrie & Co, Singapore, sender's directive "Overland", to which "via Marseilles" was added by Waghorn's agent, London Apr. 25 despatch and light Marseilles transit datestamps, red "P-D" handstamp, Singapore Aug. 5 receipt docketing, cover affected by some ink erosion which has been sensibly silked in places VERY FINE. ONLY A FEW WAGHORN COVERS ARE KNOWN ON THE EASTBOUND SERVICE TO SINGAPORE. ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE WITH THE SCARCE TYPE 7 HANDSTAMP. The recipient, Guthrie & Co., was founded in Singapore by Alexander Guthrie in 1821 and was the first British trading company in Southeast Asia. His business focused on providing British made goods for the Asian market and supplying Asian spices, sugar, and other goods to the British market. He eventually retired in 1847 and returned to London, handing over responsibility for the firm to his nephew. The company today, after merging with three other companies, is now the world's largest plantation group. The Type 7 handstamp is quite scarce, with Smith recording 18 dated between Apr. 25, 1839, and Sep. 1841. This cover is particularly unusual with three strikes and without the normal George W. Wheatley initials (Waghorn's agent in London). Singapore is one of the rarest destinations for Waghorn mail on the eastbound journey. We located only three examples in our exhaustive survey of sale records Ex Glassco

"Magnolia" J. Grant Glassco