Auction 333-341 Europe & Overseas - Day 6

Early Mail from Smirna 1784 (March 3): Entire letter from Smirna to London endorsed at lower left "p. Hawke" under the command of one Captain John Phillips (with a consignment of 5 bales of brushed silk); after a journey time of some 110 days the entire reached the River Thames disinfection Station at Stangate Creek where the letter was vinegar splashed and thence via Queenborough to London. Charged "3d." initially in manuscript and altered to "6d." to pay with red Crown handstamp and struck with Bishop Mark "21/IV" in black (June 21). A rare entire.