New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1845 to 1846 (Lieut. A. J. Curtis, H.M.S. North Star) officially impressed naming, nearly extremely fine and rare £2,800-£3,400

Alfred John Curtis, the nephew of Sir William Curtis, Bart., entered the Navy on 25 April 1831; passed his examination 6 September 1837; and served for some time as Mate on board the Seringapatam 42, Captain John Leith, on the North America and West India station, and North Star 26, Captain Sir James Everard Home, under whom he appears to have shared in the latter part of the first China war (but with no medal entitlement). He acquired the rank of Lieutenant on 18 November 1842, continuing attached to the North Star on the East India station until paid off in the summer of 1846. Curtis was mentioned in despatches for his gallant conduct, when, after two days of bombardment on the pah by Naval guns, as part of the assault force advanced, ‘on the 11th, when our friendly natives having ascertained that the two breaches were practicable, [he] waved us on to advance; an assault was instantly made by the seamen under my [Captain George James Hay] command in conjunction with the land forces and natives; we were scarcely in the pah, when the enemy made a desperate attempt to regain it, and a severe action ensued, which lasted nearly four hours; they were finally repulsed in the most gallant manner, and retreated to the wood.´ (London Gazette January 1846 refers).
He was employed as First Lieutenant in Mutine 12, Captains Robert Tryon and John Jervis Palmer, in the Channel and Mediterranean from 19 December 1846, until she was wrecked in December 1848; and in the Encounter screw steamer 14, Captain George Thomas Gordon, on particular service, from 27 September 1849, until promoted to the rank of Commander on 7 May 1852. In July of the latter year he was appointed Admiralty Agent in the contract Mail Steam service; and in October 1854, to the command of the Brisk screw steamer of 16 guns and 250 hp. in the Pacific. In May 1855, the Brisk forming part of a squadron under the orders of Rear-Admiral Henry William Bruce, he assisted in destroying the fortifications of Petropaulovski, which place had been deserted by the Russians since the attack made upon it in the preceding August. He paid off the Brisk in the spring of 1857, and was advanced to the rank of Captain on 17 October in the same year. Captain Curtis was placed on the Retired List on 17 October 1867.