GREAT BRITAIN: 1875 Queen Victoria Surface Printed 3d Rose (Pl. 17, SG 143) Cover to Munich
Philatelic Overview
A beautifully preserved international postal cover sent from London to Munich, Germany, in June 1875. This piece showcases a classic Victorian-era surface-printed issue utilized for overseas transit, complete with exceptionally crisp routing backstamps and original markings.
Postal History & Routing
Origin: London, England (N.W. District)
Destination: Munich (München), Kingdom of Bavaria / German Empire
Dispatch Date: June 21, 1875
Arrival Date: June 23, 1875 (9:00 AM 10:00 AM arrival window)
Addressing: Addressed to Herrn Fitzsimon, Poste Restante, Munich, Bavaria, Germany. The "Poste Restante" (General Delivery) designation indicates the mail was held at the destination main post office for collection.
Technical & Stamp Specifications
Postage: Great Britain 3d Rose (Surface Printed Issue).
Plate Number: Plate 17.
Corner Letters: Large colored letters in corners.
Watermark: Spray of Rose.
Catalogue Reference: Stanley Gibbons # SG 143.
Postal Markings:
Obverse: Cancelled by a clean, distinct London dispatch duplex mark reading LONDON·N.W. / A X / JU 21 / 75, paired with the standard barred numeral killer obliterator.
Reverse: Features a highly detailed, clear Munich central mail station arrival backstamp dated 23 JUN with hour indices.
Condition Report
Cover: Clean, structurally sound, and intact cover displaying excellent paper quality for its age. Minor age-related toning appropriate for a commercial transatlantic cover of this period.
Stamp: Sound, well-centered for this issue, with clean perfs and light, non-face-obscuring cancellation ink.
Historical Context
This cover captures a fascinating transitional period in European history. Sent shortly after the 1871 unification of the German Empire, the sender carefully styled the address to "Bavaria, Germany," bridging the regional kingdom identity with the new imperial state. Representing the exact 3d international letter tariff of the mid-1870s, this item serves as a prime example of mid-Victorian trans-continental postal efficiency.
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