Autumn Auction

SIGNED ENVELOPE FROM THE FAMED EXPLORER H. M. STANLEY
1879 (Jun 1) Envelope written AND SIGNED by the explorer H. M. Stanley addressed to his bank in London Messrs Smith, Payne, & Smith. The cover bears the 5a single letter rate postage composed of 1865 1/2a pair and 1866-78 4a Indian adhesives and all tied with the first ten-bar canceller of Zanzibar along with accompanying date-stamp without the year date, some minor foxing around adhesives otherwise fine.
Stanley left Zanzibar on 25 May on the ship "Albion" en route to Boma on the mouth of the Congo River. It is surmised that Stanley left the cover with a forwarding agent for mailing, hence the reason for his signature.
One of the three key postal history items from Zanzibar.
Provenance: Yates (1939), Hinde (1957) and Sturton.