Description:

1870 (Nov 4) wrapper endorsed "Law Papers only/..." at upper-left, to Surrey with Diadems 6d purple tied by Sydney duplex paying 3d printed matter rate via Marseilles x2, at London a largely very fine strike of the very rare boxed 'INSUFFICIENTLY PAID/FOR BRINDISI ROUTE/DEFICIENT POSTAGE - 1d' boxed handstamp applied but amended to "2" in blue because it was a double-rate article, 'WEYBRIDGE-STATION/DE26/70' b/s, minor soiling & a couple of "sticky tape" stains still a very desirable non-letter rate article. Possibly unique. Illustrated by White et al at page 273.

Mail received in London after the closure in late-September 1870 of the via Marseilles route was charged at the higher via Brindisi rates, even though notice of the change had not been received in the Colonies. Because of the huge numbers of newspapers arriving underpaid, three similar 1d handstamps were introduced, this with large serif on '1' being the last of them, proofed on 28/11/1870. However, the survival rate of wrappers is always very low and this is believed to be the only article, from any of the Australasian Colonies, recorded with any of the three 1d handstamps.