Griqualand West: Very rare 1881 LANGFORD cover with Barred Oval Diamond cds. - see below

Barred Oval Diamond numeral defacers were introduced in 1873. These oblierators comprised 36 bars of varying lengths to form an oval enclosing a diamond-shaped centre, which contains a numeral measuring approximately 9 mm. The bars form a letter "V" at each of the four corners of the diamond. These defacers were used in conjunction with the Dated Town Oval handstamps of "Diamondfields" and "Du Toit's Pan", as well as with other circular dated handstamps.

Ten numerals from 1 to 11 were incorporated in the diamond (6 and 9 being interchangeable) of the obliterator. Number 7 has not been identified and numbers 2, 5 and 11 have not been seen used in Griqualand West. Number 2 has been seen on a cover from Port Elizabeth to England (14 July 1882), number 5 has been noted on a postcard and cover from Somerset West - both dated 1895, and number 11 was issued to Hoedjes Bay in the Western Cape where it was in use until as late as 1900.

The six obliterators found used in Griqualand West are:

1  -   "De BeersN.R." being De Beers New Rush, later KImberley.

3  -    "Junction R & M" being the Junction of the Riet & Modder Rivers

4  -  "Barkly" later to become Barkly West

6/9  -  "Du Toit's Pan" to become Beaconsfield in August 1883

8  -  "Langford" transferred to Douglas in August 1883

10 -  "Thornhill"

On offer is a very rare 1881 Proving Cover from Langford to Cape Town with 3d pale dull rose adhesive surcharged with "3" and tied by Barred Oval Diamond Canceller no. "8" with Langford double arc handstamp (SP 29 / 1881") alongside, and Cape Town backstamp ("OC 4 / 1881"). The enclosed letter was written by the well-known David Arnot from his farm at "Eskdale" ' P.O. Langford / Herbert / Griqualand West" on 19 SEptember 1881.

An exceptional cover of great postal history value. See scans.