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

British Protectorate Oil Rivers 1892: Postal Stationery Card, 1 d. De La Rue Handpainted Essay, in red, pink and chinese white, dated 23 November 1892, fine and very attractive. Rare. One of four essays of similar design prepared by De La Rue in an unsuccessful bid to win the contract to produce cards for the Oil Rivers Protectorate. One example is in the National Postal Museum also dated '23 Nov. 92', the other two are dated 21 December 1892.
Reference: The Postal Services of The British Nigeria Region, by Jack Ince & John Sacher, illustrated plate XII; The Postal Stationery of Nigeria, by Peter Hørlyck, pg. 375 & illustrated on pg. 376.
Provenance: Removed from the De La Rue Miscellaneous Correspondence Books (8 March 1957) Vol. 1, pg. 59; De La Rue Collection; Robson Lowe, 21 December 1978, lot 1285.