1857 Nova Scotia “House Cover” to England, Bearing 3d Blue Bisect & 6d Yellow-Green — Correct 7½d  Rate Cat $7200.

1857 folded letter to Newcastle-on-Tyne, franked with a bisected 1851–57 3d deep blue on bluish paper (SG 2a), used as 1½d, and a 6d yellow-green on bluish paper (SG 5), both imperforate. The stamps are cancelled by a framed oval grid in black. On the front, below the stamps, is a red ‘PKT. LETTER / PAID / LIVERPOOL’ tombstone datestamp dated 14.6.57. Backstamped with Nova Scotia and Newcastle-on-Tyne datestamps.

This franking represents the correct 7½d rate, the standard single-letter charge to the UK. As there was no 1½d adhesive available, the Postmaster General authorised the use of bisected 3d stamps on October 19, 1854. The 3d deep blue bisect is recorded in only three combinations for making up this transatlantic 7½d rate.

A visually appealing and scarce bisect usage, despite the reduced back, and an important addition to any serious collection of Nova Scotia postal history.

The term “House cover” in this context refers to a specific and well-known 1855 Nova Scotia cover sent by the firm Blackwood & House, a Halifax-based mercantile company. These covers were addressed to their partner office in England and are notable because several early bisect usages—especially of the 3d blue bisect + 6d green to pay 7½d—were sent by or to this firm.

So when philatelists say “House cover”, they’re referring to:

A genuine, commercial usage of bisected Nova Scotia stamps,

Usually mailed by Blackwood & House,

And often considered part of the earliest known examples of the authorised bisect practice after the 1854 PMG directive.

These covers are among the few documented and accepted uses of the bisect to make up the UK letter rate.

Because they originated from a known sender, they're used as benchmarks for authenticity and proper usage.

There are only a handful known - hence the high auction values and collector interest.

P.A. Expertising Limited.