Luton. 1961-68 Covers (3) and a postcard from or to Luton with vertical coding dots (1961), vertical coding dots and vertical red SPLSM operator marks (1961), or horizontal coding dots comprising short or long vertical bars. (4). £100-120
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Luton. 1961-68 Covers to or from Luton with vertical coding dots (7, 1961-63) or horizontal coding dots comprising short or long (2) vertical bars. (10). £200-250
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Southampton/Norwich. 1959-71 Covers from Southampton or Norwich (7), the 1959 Southampton cover with scarce sideways "4" SPLSM ident; the Norwich covers comprising red sideways "32" (1964) or violet sideways "19" (1959) SPLSM idents, large and small raised horizontal waxy dots (1966-67), and three 1959-71 dummy mail covers used to test the sorting machine, the cancels including undated Norwich handstamp and undated Leigh, Lancs machine. A scarce group. (8), £280-320
Maritime Mail(Also see lots 948, 953, 985-1007)
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1782 Entire letters from Jamaica to William Perrin in London both endorsed by the "Resource" with "2/DE" Bishop Mark, one charged 5d with straight line "SHIP LRE" (Rob. S34 without hyphen), the other charged 9d with scarce two line "SHIP/LRE" (Rob. S34a), an unusual pair. (2). £200-250
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1814 (Nov 23) Entire letter to Madeira prepaid 3/4 as a Post Paid Withdrawn Ship Letter, a fine strike of the "POST PAID WITHDRAWN SHIP LETTER / LONDON" c.d.s correctly applied across the flap, a second strike incorrectly placed on the address panel. Very unusual. Photo on Page 96. £280-320
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1815 (May 16) Entire letter from Danzig to Bordeaux, privately carried to London because of the war, endorsed on the reverse by the London forwarding agents Riemer Gebruder, prepaid 4d as a Post Paid Withdrawn Ship Letter and despatched by private ship. Handstamped "ANGLETERRE / PAR CALAIS" in red and charged 19 decimes, with "POST PAID WITHDRAWN SHIP LETTER / LONDON" c.d.s (June 3) across the flap. An unusual cross channel routing. £250-280
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Motherbank Disinfection. 1825 Entire letter from Port au Prince to London sent on the "Simon" via Havre, endorsed on the reverse by the Havre forwarding agents Martin Lafitte & Co. Handstamped "SHIP LETTER / SOUTHAMPTON" (Rob. S7), unusually disinfected at the Motherbank with vinegar staining and slits. £150-180
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Ireland. 1851 Entire letter to England from an army officer in Port Louis endorsed "Per Bell" with blue crowned "MAURITIUS / GPO" datestamp, circular framed "PAID" and "Ship Letter", prepaid the 8d ship latter rate. Landed in Ireland with fine "WATERFORD / SHIP LETTER" in blue (Rob. S2, the only recorded year of use in blue). Very scarce and exceptional quality. Photo on Page 96. £1,400-1,600
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1856 Stampless cover to Wurttemberg endorsed "Per Prussian closed mail via London & Ostende" with green "PAID" and "MAYSVILLE KY" c.d.s, red "NEW YORK / AM PKT" c.d.s and "U.S PKT" applied in London (Rob. P8), backstamped at London, Aachen and Stuttgart. An attractive transatlantic cover sent via London, endorsed by Closed Mail but sent in error by open bag to Britain. Photo on Page 100. £170-200
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Mailboat Cancels. 1862 Cover to Tunbridge Wells with 6d well tied by "A97" mailboat numeral, arrival backstamp (Feb 19), seal removed, otherwise very fine. Used on the Cunard "Europa" which left Halifax on Feb. 7th, arriving at Queenstown on Feb. 17th and Liverpool on Feb. 18th. Photo on Page 100. £750-850
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Jersey Mobile Box. 1869 Entire letter from St. Malo to Guernsey bearing a 1d red which has been left uncancelled, handstamped with "8" charge mark (composed of two separate circles) and octagonal framed "JERSEY / FRANCE / MB / OC 26 / 69" (Rob. MB1) with a Guernsey backstamp the following day. Exceptionally scarce and exhibition quality. Photo Inside Back Cover. £2,000-2,500
Greenock & Ardrishaig Packet |
1879 (Aug 1) Cover from Clachan to Lossiemouth with 1d red cancelled by "GREENOCK & ARDRISHAIG PACKET / 163" duplex code "A" (outward sailing). Fine and very scarce, this first G.&A. duplex only used in July and August 1879. Photo on Page 100. £350-400
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1916 (May 16) Picture postcard with KGV 1/2d tied by narrow type "GK & ARDRISHAIG PACKET" c.d.s code "B" (inward sailing) with the ship's name removed from the datestamp, only used 1916-17, fine and scarce. Photo on Page 100. £180-220
Military and P.O.W Mail |
1793 (Mar 15) Entire letter from Marseilles to London with "P12P / MARSEILLES" handstamp, intercepted in Paris where it was opened, censored and returned to the writer. Endorsed below the dateline in French "letters do not pass to enemies of the Republic", turned and readdressed back to Marseille charged 13 sols, an oval censor handstamp containing a Republican figure applied over the seal and endorsed in French "Returned to Sender". An exceptional service suspended letter, posted six weeks after France declared war against Britain. Photo on Page 100. £800-1,000
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1797 (May 8) Entire letter from Glasgow to "Hector Currie, Soldier Dumbarton Fus. Regt, Guernsey" with Glasgow handstamp and London backstamp, charged the 1d soldiers rate upon arrival. An early and unusual soldiers letter to the Channel Islands, correctly posted unpaid (prior to the 1806 Act requiring prepayment of soldiers letters). The contents are to Lt. Col. Charles Maclean, clearly contravening the regulations for soldiers letters. £180-220
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1802 Entire letter with "ENNISKILLEN" handstamp in red, addressed "To William Chisholm, Private in the 72nd Regt of Foot, to the care of Mr Elliott Innkeeper No 29 Barrack Street, Dublin" posted unpaid, charged the 1d soldiers rate upon arrival. From the Captain & Adjutant of the 21st Royal North British Fusiliers, certifying that Chisholm served 24 years in the regiment, including service in America during the war and in the West Indies, and was an honest and deserving soldier. A fine early Irish soldiers letter. £170-200
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1804 Entire letters from a soldier in Windsor to Croydon, the first sent as an ordinary letter and charged 4d; the second prepaid at the soldiers 1d concession rate signed by a Major in the Horse Guards with red "To be / delivered / Free" handstamp. However this letter was found to contain an enclosure (explained within the letter by the note "I shall enclose you a two pound note") and is endorsed "More to pay 7d". An unusual pair. (2). £180-240
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1806 Entire letter from Henry Mackinnon serving in the British army in Germany, to his wife in England endorsed "via Cuxhaven". The letter refers to the recent Battle of Austerlitz, reports of the Prussians entering Wurtzburg, and says communication with England might be cut off due to the freezing of the Elbe. £160-200
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1811 Entire letter from London prepaid 2/- to "Lieut Kneller, 1st Foot Guards, Isla de Leon, Cadiz" redirected to "Orderly Room Horse Guards" with oval "SHIP / (crown) / LETTER" (rob. S11). £140-160
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1813 Entire letter from Capt. Young of the 52nd Regt to "James McCarty, formerly Private 52nd Regt, Chelsea" prepaid at the 1d soldiers rate, with "FOLKSTONE / 79" and red crowned "To be / delivered / Free". Young confirms that McCarty went voluntarily into action three or four times, displaying gallantry and courage, losing his hand in battle. An unusual example of the 1d rate to a former soldier in Chelsea Hospital. £180-220
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1821 Entire posted in London, to "Jas Scott, Corpl. Invd. Royal Artillery, Cadet Barracks, Woolwich Common" prepaid at the 1d concession rate, with red "To be / delivered / Free". £80-100
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1826 Entire letter to "Henry Douthart, Drummer 3 Battalion, Royal Artillery, Woolwich" prepaid at the 1d concession rate with red scroll "POST PAID" and boxed "BALLYMONEY / 118", red crowned "To be / delivered / Free" applied in London. An attractive soldiers rate letter from Ireland. £150-180
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1836 Entire headed "From Private Geo. Wrightson 90th L. Infantry" and countersigned by an officer, prepaid to London at the 1d concession rate with green boxed "PAID / AT CORK" and red octagonal framed "To be / delivered / Free". An attractive Irish soldiers letter. £150-180
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Uniform 4d Post Period. 1840 (Jan 8) Entire letter to Wilson & Son in Bannockburn concerning an order of tartan, headed "From A. Hutchens, Q.M Sergt, 72nd Regt" and countersigned by Major Maclean, prepaid at the 1d concession rate. With red boxed "PAID AT / DUNDEE" and a Dundee c.d.s on reverse. A very scarce example of the soldiers concession rate during the Uniform 4d Post period, sent just two days before Penny Postage was introduced and soldiers ceased to have a special concessionary rate on inland letters. Photo on Page 100. £280-320
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Crimean War. 1854 (Nov 25) and 1855 (Feb 12) Long letters from "Camp before Sebastopol" written by Henry Kent of the 77th Regt., the first without any cover, the second to his father in Jamaica, presumably hand carried. The very long 1855 letter a little tatty and cross written so hard to read, but with a typed transcription, with fine detail of the British landing at Kalamita and the Battles of Alma and Inkerman; the 1854 letter without any typescript, and should repay reading in full. Also a typescript of a third letter (no longer present) from Kent. (2). £100-120
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Crimean War. 1855 Cover from Bath to "Lieut H.B. Monk, 11th Batallion, Royal Artillery, Balaklava, Crimea" bearing a 1d red strip of three (folded over flap) tied by Bath 53 sideways duplex, the flap finely embossed with "PEACE WITH HONOUR / OR WAR WITH VICTORY" and crossed British and French flags. The flap torn away and rejoined to the cover, a small piece missing. This cover illustrated on page 264 of "British Pictorial Envelopes of the 19th Century" by Bodily, Jarvis and Hahn. £120-150
Napoleonic War P.O.W Mail |
1809 Entire letter from a French officer on parole in Wincanton to St. Malo, with red manuscript "CP / L / P. Cartel", fine and a scarce endorsement, carried by cartel vessel. Photo on Page 100. £600-700
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1812 (Mar 2) Entire to Lieut.-Col. Williams in Verdun with a London datestamp and unusually fine oval "TRANSPORT-OFFICE / (crown) / G.R / PRISONERS OF WAR", charged 16 decimes. Williams died on April 10th, probably before the receipt of this letter, which is endorsed "mort le 10 avril". Photo on Page 103. £550-650
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1812-13 Entire letters written by Anne Fanshawe at Clermont, close to Verdun where her husband Commander Henry Fanshawe was being held as a Prisoner of War, both to her father Major General Jenkinson at the Board of Green Cloth in London. The first with London Ship Letter c.d.s (Rob. S18) charged 1/-, the second with scarce single oval "SHIP LETTER / (crown) / GRAVESEND" (Rob. S3, incomplete) charged 1/8. The 1812 letter includes "I thought when I came to Clermont no opportunity of sending letters would occur but I was mistaken - the communication between this and London is so constant - I have not a single line since the little packet which reached me as the Cartel was getting under way". (2). £350-400
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1813 Entire letter from a French P.O.W in Leek, to Quimper, endorsed and signed "Single, Charles Grey, Agent" and "Not Paid". The writer complains of a lack of letters from home, but is "certain it is not the fault of the English Government if correspondence of French prisoners is so poorly served". A fine P.O.W letter, most unusually endorsed by the parole agent Charles Grey, who would have sent it by coach from Leek to a cartel port. Photo on Page 103. £600-700
Mulreadys & Pictorial Envelopes |
Mulready Die Proof in black without value on India paper, a little reduced in size to 157x116mm leaving margins of 12-16mm on all sides. A few very minor tone spots as usual, otherwise an unusually fine example of this proof. S.G. £3,800. Photo on Page 103. £350-450
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Unused 1d and 2d envelopes; used 1d and 2d fronts, the latter headed "Bradford June Twenty Nine 1840" and signed in the lower left corner by Lord Darlington, who clearly could not get out of the habit of heading items as free franks; 1894 Whitakers Almanac Mulready reproduction posted with a 1d lilac; Deraedemaeker reproductions of various caricatures and other envelopes (9), later forgeries and reproductions, etc. (29). £250-300
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1840-42 1d Mulreadys used comprising lettersheet stereo A54 used within London on May 9th 1840 with red Maltese Cross alongside Britannia, vertical and horizontal folds but an early use; envelope stereo A156 used within London cancelled by red Maltese Cross and "T.P / Highgate"; and lettersheet used in 1842 from London to Chippenham, a little minor staining. (3). £200-250
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1841 (May 20) 1d Envelope stereo A165 sent from Driffield to Bridlington, cancelled by a black Maltese Cross, with despatch and arrival datestamps both unusually applied on the front, most attractive and extremely fine. Photo on Page 103. £150-180
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1840 Mulready caricature envelope published by Menzies of Edinburgh, state 1 with 45mm imprint, a few minor tone spots mainly on reverse, otherwise fine unused. Also a Deraedemaeker reprint of the envelope. (2). Photo on Page 103. £250-300
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1840 Spooner caricature envelope no. 1 without the Spooner imprint unused, possibly a proof, a couple of small thins not affecting the printed design and a little minor soiling. Also the issued envelope with imprint unused, ink address and light horizontal crease. (2). £100-120
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Fores Civic Envelope unused, mainly fine. Also Deraedemaeker reprints of the Civic, Hunting and Christmas envelopes, and two examples of the Dancing Envelope without the Fores imprint and simply headed "Dancing Envelope", possibly forgeries, both well handcoloured. (6). £120-150
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Unused propaganda envelopes comprising Valentine's Universal Brotherhood (state 1), Ocean Penny Postage type 1 (state 1) and type 2 and Anti-slavery (state 1) envelopes, all fine unused. Also Deraedemaeker reprints of ten differing envelopes. (14). £200-250
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c.1877-1905 Covers (2), fronts (2) and a postcard with 1877 and c.1905 hand illustrated fronts postally used franked 1d; an unused envelope hand illustrated with various comic scenes in colour; and an 1898 postcard posted from Bridgewater to London superbly hand drawn with two frogs, sending Christmas and New Year greetings. Also an unused envelope with a printed picture of two mail coaches. (5). £120-150
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1904 Picture postcard from Jersey to the Isle of Wight, the reverse with a fine oil painting of a shipwreck in the moonlight, signed L.A. Miraldi. Also a c.1870 sheet of paper addressed to Manchester with a watercolour illustration of a man in an evening suit outside a stage door, horizontal fold, presumably sent within another envelope. (2). £160-200
Pictorial Lettersheets and Valentines |
1807 Hand coloured printed cartoons (both approx 350x250mm) posted from London to Mr McCleary's print shop in Dublin, one by the famous political cartoonist James Gilroy entitled "Patriots deciding a point of honour" depicting a duel between Little-Paul the Taylor & Francis Goose (the Duke of York and Duke of Wellington); the other by "F.Ck" and printed by Fores of Piccadilly entitled "The Protestant St. George too much for all the Tallons, or the Beast with seven heads" depicting a protestant King George fighting a seven headed Catholic beast with the Duke of Wellington holding his Army Gold Cross and praying. Two unusual postally used political cartoons. (2). £380-450
The following three letters are from George Cowell working at the Albion Brewery in Mile End to his brother Joseph at Wells & Barrys Brewery in Chelmsford. They include various well executed and amusing pen and ink drawings, illustrating various anecdotes included within the letters.
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1840 (Mar 2) Entire letter prepaid 1d from Fenchurch St. to Chelmsford, with seven large drawings (and several smaller ones), including Mr Manns house at Leyton, George shaving, Jos working at the brewery, reading the gospel on Saturday night, their nephew with his nurse, etc. The letter refers to receiving a letter by the London Parcel Delivery Co., which cost 4d to send, but was unsigned so they do not know who sent it. Unusual and attractive. £250-300
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1840 (Mar 8) Entire letter prepaid 1d from London to Chelmsford, includes over a dozen pictures, with drawings of the Chelmsford and Mile End breweries, George posting his letter at Cullum Street, Joseph reading in bed after his recovery from small pox, etc. Photo on Page 105. £250-300
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1840 (Apr 13) Entire letter to Chelmsford, privately delivered, containing eight illustrations including "buoys (boys) at sea", the Albion brewery at Mile End, a lighthouse, etc. Unusual and attractive. £150-200
Valentines |
c.1825-43 Valentine lettersheets comprising c.1825 lettersheet with central picture of a cupid within an embossed "Dobbs" border (an overlain cobweb device probably removed) posted within Scotland; 1839 printed comic lettersheet showing a gentleman in tattered clothing, enclosed within another sheet and posted within London; 1843 printed lettersheet showing cupids in a garden, posted from Gateshead (stamp removed); and a printed lettersheet of a man with a gun and love letter, hand delivered. (4). £240-300
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1836-37 Handpainted lettersheets depicting a finely dressed woman or cupids holding up crossed hearts both enclosed within separate sheets containing verses or a letter and posted to Miss Janet Reid in Cumbusbarron. Also another lettersheet containing handwritten valentine verses, hand delivered to James Reid. (3). £260-320
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1857-62 Embossed Valentine envelopes postally used with 1d reds, all containing their original valentine cards, two fine embossed and pierced cards by "Windsor" or "Kershaw" with paper flowers or butterflies applied, the other a pierced and embossed envelope type card with a central verse on a red background bearing the makers name, J.T Wood of Holywell. (3 cards + 3 envelopes). £280-350
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1849 (Feb 13) Small valentine card "Wanted A Sweet" surrounded by a fine heart shaped embossed border with the makers name "Meek" of London, a handwritten verse inside, enclosed within an envelope posted at Exmouth, attractively addressed in rhyme, "Postman I give you directions plain, This letter to Bristol convey, Leave it at no. 2 Post Office Lane, There lives Mr Tuckett they say". Unusual and attractive. (Card + envelope). £130-160
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1848-65 Valentine cards all posted within separate envelopes bearing 1d reds, four cards having fine pierced and embossed borders (three with the makers name "Dobbs Kidd & Co", "Mansell" or "Kershaw"), two having handpainted or printed and handcoloured pictures in the centre, the others with imitation flowers attached onto silk or an envelope hung from a ribbon. The fifth card published by Dean & Son of London with a printed handpainted picture of a boy and dog on steps in front of a fine house, a handpainted girl holding a doll then applied over this, a paper tag allowing one to walk the girl down the street. An attractive group, the mechanical valentine card very unusual, one cover charged 2d postage due. (5 cards + 5 envelopes). £400-500
Postal Reform |
1839 (Jan 3) Printed circular advising that postage shall in future be calculated according to the distance by the nearest travelled carriage road, completed by the Postmaster of Gatehouse with details of postages already altered or proposed to be altered. The address panel with printed heading "Postage Return" and address "C.F Reeves, Esq., Glasgow", sent free of charge, endorsed "from Gatehouse" and backstamped with straight line "GATEHOUSE" and a boxed Glasgow datestamp. Very scarce and unusual. Photo on Page 103. £400-500
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