Auction 333-341 Nigeria, Cameroon, Sudan & Worldwide Postal History - Day 4

"El Sol de Mayo" 1856 (Oct 1): Carrier 1 real vermilion, a very fine example of excellent vibrant colour, with margins on three sides and just shaved along outer frameline at top, used on famous 9 March 1858 entire letter from the Drabble Brothers in Buenos Aires to Juan Brown, Estancia de los Altos Perdido, Uruguay endorsed "pr. Diligencia" in manuscript; signed "C.J., Drabble, B.As. 9 March 1858" on back flap under company red wax seal. Carried from Montevideo via Santa Lucía and San José to Rosario by stagecoach, there delivered to agent Diego MacEntyre and cover endorsed "Para dejar en el puesto del Snr. Dn. Diego MacEntyre" thence by horse to Perdido. The entire, written in English concerning the unsatisfactory financial problems of all major businesses in Buenos Aires and the blistering hot weather "Cattle are only selling at $90 to $100 paper dollars as there is no grass.... Francis sustained immense loss, out of more than 7'000 he has only 3'500 left, he says every care was taken of them. They came from Mr. White at Carmelas, Mrs Wendeleaf on the contrary, although from the same Camp has very few lost worth mentioning, she drove them much further, then on a 24 hours journey on two steamers, the Subu and Asuncion...I had a letter from Colonia by way of Montevideo...". An exceedingly rare entire, one of just 5 recorded in the R.A. Siegel / Walter Britz census Scott = $ 11'000.

Provenance: Collection Banchs; collection "Concordia", Investphila, Lugano, 21-22 March 2009, lot 1968; collection "Tito", Investphila, Lugano, 16 March 2012, lot 1021; collection "Tito", Investphila, Lugano, 23 Oct 2012, lot 122.

Note: Many classic Uruguay covers are addressed from or to the Drabble Brothers who had offices in both Buenos Aires and Montevideo.