Corinphila Auction 291-297 Day 4

1857/58: Covers (2) from Punta de Arenas to 'Neuveville Canton de Berne', Switzerland, both endorsed and mailed "via Panama", one cover struck with octagonal framed "PUNTA / DE / ARENAS" despatch in black mailed via British P.O. in Nicaragua with "GREYTOWN"  cds in black (Aug. 19) - earliest recorded usage by seven years (Parmenter, Gordon & Morton CDS 2, previous earliest recorded usage 16 Oct. 1865),- struck in transit in London with "GB / 1F60c." accountancy handstamp. Second cover with octagonal framed "PUNTA / DE / ARENAS" despatch struck in red, US '20' cents charge mark and thence by British ship to destination. Just three stamped covers from the first issue are recorded to Switzerland (see Frajola/Meyer page 134 for one, the others reside in the Todd collection, both bear the 2 reales), these covers believed to be the earliest recorded postmarked usages from Costa Rica to Switzerland. An extraordinary pair.