Lot 2231

✉ AUSTRALIA. 1840 (Nov. 3). 1d. black, lettered DI, four huge margins and showing portions of adjoining stamps on three sides, used on 1840 outer letter sheet from SYDNEY (New South Wales) endorsed 'G.S.Evans' at left and addressed to the Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands in LONDON, further endorsed at top 'Sydney, Nov 3, 1840', tied by black Maltese Cross with straight line 'BISHOPSGATE WITHIN' Receiving House handstamp alongside in black. Reverse flaps endorsed 'per J. Ward Esq., Secretary to the New Zealand Company' and 'Nov. 9th, 1840' and London arrival datestamp (April 12, 1841) in red. On the inside of the cover manuscript 'Copy of an Official Return / Government Sales at Melbourne, Port Philip. Average Price (for) Country Land - per Acre £1.7s.6d / Town Land per acre £317.9s.0d.' with the full account reaching £312'700, 10s. and 7d. A truly remarkable Penny Black cover carried by hand from Sydney and mailed on arrival in London. Note: John Ward was Secretary of the contentious New Zealand Co. (1839-1850, dissolved 1858) which sold lands in the new Colonies and started the settlements of Wellington, Nelson, New Plymouth, Otago and Canterbury none of which immediately thrived; unfortunately for the NZC shareholders some of the lands sold in New Zealand were found not to belong to the Company and disputes with the Maori began almost immediately.