THE EARLIEST RECORDED LETTER FROM THE IONIAN ISLANDS - FROM CORFU TO THE DOGE OF VENICE; 22 Aug. 1428 EL (with large embossed wafer seal; one side-flap lost) from “Laurentius Venerio… Capit[anus de] Corph[u].” (with contents in Latin - full typed translation included - advising that letters had been duly forwarded to the Despot of Arta in Greece by Roman Galley) and clearly dated inside from “Corph[u].” to Venice (“Francisco Foschari”; the Doge of Venice from 1423 to 1457) with clear address in Latin and fortunately also with the recipient’s clear filing note on the address panel: “Corphoy…R[eceived] die xi Septembris 1428” (20 days in transit). Believed to be the earliest recorded Ionian Islands cover in private hands. [Zaphiriou recorded what was thought in 1987 to be a 1401 letter - his Fig.4, p.12 - but that is now known to date from 1501; see ‘Postal History’ Bulletin 277, Mar. 1996, pp.29/30.] Important and attractive Exhibition Item. [Ex Frank Staff, Messengers July 1995 auction lot 228; realised £360.] (Estimate 1500 GBP)
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