To me, among the most fascinating areas of postal history are the colonial campaigns of the European powers. While I have traditionally focused on the British (and German) colonies in East Africa, this particular find had me reading up on French colonial history.
The Spahis were light cavalry regiments of the French army, composed principally of native Algerians. They were active in the French rule of Algeria, the early days during which this cover was sent. Guillaume Stanislas Marey-Monge (1796-1863) – the likely “Monsieur Marey” to whom this letter is addressed – was a significant figure in the French conquest of Algeria. A senior military commander during the 1830s, he was named Officier de la Legion d’Honneur in 1835, and was appointed to the rank of Colonel in 1837. Though he returned to France shortly thereafter, he found himself once again in Algeria in 1841 to take command of the 2e Regiment de Chasseurs d’Afrique in the Second Algerian Campaign. A nice clean cover to an influential figure in French colonial history.
Stampless folded letter, without contents, rated with 11 script notation. Postmarked with CHANTILLY cds, addressed to MONSIEUR MAREY the COLONEL OF THE SPAHIS REGULARS (Colonel des Spahis Reguliers) in ALGER, with clear ALGER / POST / F AFR cds arrival backstamp.
SOLD
