A very pleasant aspect of our hobby is that it is not limited to strictly philatelic aspects, but it captures - when possible - also the traces of the social and historical events of the times and the activities of their protagonists.

Two letters that covers this mundane aspect of our hobby, enchanted by the charm of the famous addressee and the amusing postal fox hunting game in which the Baron Rothschild takes the role of the fox and Indian Post the part of the pursuers to reach him.

Baron Maurice de Rothschild, born in 1881, was the owner of all French possessions and French financial activities of the Rothschild family, including the famous Château Lafite. In addition to his activities as an international financier he was also an important art collector who undertook a tour of India in 1913.

Perceval Landon - the English writer, traveler and old friend of Rudyard Kipling, reports in his book "NEPAL (1928)" that the most distinguished French visitors to Nepal were the "Prince Antoine d'Orle'ans, 1911" and the "Baron and Baroness Maurice de Rothschild, 1913 ". Both were official guests of the British Resident in Nepal and enjoyed the warm hospitality of the Maharasha and the Nepalese Court.

* * *

The kaleidoscope of cancelations on the letters gives an idea of how much effort the Baron must have caused to the Indian Post to catch the fox in this postal hunting game.:

- - - - - - 

________________________________

Herbert Mailänder