| Descrizione |
1859, 1 1/2 r. rose red, the “La Grita” Provisional Stamp, being a diagonal half with manuscript overprint “1 1/2” representing a previously unissued denomination, in a delicate pastel shade with good even margins, on cover dated 15 December 1867 from La Grita to Maracaibo, with alongside “No hay Estampillas de a medio real” (no half Real denominations are available) manuscript mention by a postal authority or employee, thus justifying the provisional usage applied to pay the single weight letter rate up to half ounce corresponding to a third distance scale between 100 and 150 miles.
According to the research by expert and renowned collector Dr. Knut Heister, the explanation of this provisional usage instead of a combination of 1/2r and 1r values, was due to several factors: the rates paid in localities originating from the Andes region were mostly 1 and 1 1/2 real, and therefore remainders of the 2r denomination, as not being usually required, were available in this very late date; but of special significance was the unstable political situation which probably did not allow shipments of new adhesives from later issues to be consigned to localities in the interior, forcing this provisional to be used, despite the first issues not being longer permitted for postage since 31.10.1863. It is also significant to remark that a decree of 20.1.1865 did not allow the use of bisects, although this was not observed as it proved in the 1866 & 1869 issues.
Two small negligible slits to cover, of which one just impinges the vertical margin and not the design of the adhesive, of absolutely no importance. This “La Grita” provisional usage, which is considered a stamp, is the scarcest of Venezuelan philately. Only two usages are known which represented in two covers, this being by far the finer of the two in existence. This item possess an additional factor of rarity as the earliest recorded of the two usages of this stamp, as well as the penultimate date of usage known of any first issue value. One of the most important items of Venezuelan philately, as well as one of the most fascinating covers of South American philately, being offered for the first time in a public auction on this occasion. Cert. Moorhouse.
|
