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A "Briefkaart" that tells a fascinating story of stamps during the Boer War

A letter to a Swiss missionary provides some gems

By Zoutpansberger • 12 November 2024
A "Briefkaart" that tells a fascinating story of stamps during the Boer War

A rare postcard from 1901, featuring unique Anglo-Boer War stamps, offers a glimpse into a Swiss missionary's life and the wartime postal system, shedding light on the sender's identity and historical context.

A “Briefkaart”, or postal stationery card, sent to the Lovedale Park post office in Spelonken in March 1901 recently caused excitement among philatelists. It is a rare example of a postcard with stamps printed in then-Pietersburg during the last months of the Anglo-Boer War.

Dr Tim Harrison, editor of The Transvaal Philatelist, bought the card at a small UK auction house a few years ago. Although he is based in Britain, he has a keen interest in the history of the Zuid-Afrikaan...

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