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Ship Letters. 1773-1861 Entire letters and covers with various Ship, India or Packet letter marks from London (5), Plymouth, Dover (2), Devonport, Gravesend, Penzance, Southampton, Liverpool (3), Portsmouth or Falmouth, includes London type S10 on an 1805 letter from France probably landed at another smaller port, red type S45 on an 1820 prepaid letter to India with boxed "POST FREE" applied upon arrival, etc, a few with faults. (17). £200-250
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Ireland - Derry. 1769 Entire from Philadelphia to London "via Londonderry" with light "L.DERRY" and "SHIP" handstamps, backstamped with Dublin and London Bishop Marks and "COUNTRY". £150-180
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Exmouth. 1838 (Jan 24) Entire letter from Macao to London "P. Sophia" backstamped with a fine "EXMOUTH / SHIP LETTER" (Rob S.1) and a London c.d.s, charged 3/2. Ex Robertson collection, very scarce. Photo on Page 155. £300-400
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Jersey - Mobile Box. 1869 (Oct 26) Entire letter from St. Malo to Guernsey bearing an uncancelled 1d red, with superb octagonal "JERSEY / FRANCE / M.B" datestamp and "8" charge mark, backstamped at Guernsey. An exceptional item, apparently intended to be posted as an inland letter but put into the Mobile Box to Jersey. Superb quality, the MB datestamp and "8" charge mark both exceptionally scarce. Photo on Page 155. £1,800-2,000
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London. 1858 Cover to Edinburgh bearing a 1d red cancelled by straight line "SHIP LETTER" in red (Rob S.35, a very late use), treated as an unpaid ship letter and charged 6d, though strangely backstamped with a red London Paid c.d.s, and upon arrival at Edinburgh. A remarkable use of a red Ship Letter mark as a cancellation on a stamp. Photo on Page 155. £2,800-3,200
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Plymouth - Packet Letter. 1814 (Jan 28) Entire letter written by Capt. Samuel Hext of the 83rd Regt. from Hasparren, France to Bodmin with red boxed "PACKET LETTER / PLYM : DOCK" (P1, only recorded 1813-14), charged 2/2, vertical fold, otherwise fine and scarce. £120-150
| Military Mail - See lots 263-275, 975, 1030-1035, 1237, 1258, 1320-1329, 1403 | Mulreadys(Also see lots 1186, 1201, 1214, 1221)
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1840 Mulready Proof of the second essay in black, without the value or imprints of Mulready and Thomson, some areas of the design unfinished, on white wove paper, cut down with the side and reverse panels removed, 135x90mm. Lightly endorsed in pencil "Early Proof from the John Thompson Collection" and signed on the reverse by Charles Nissen. Very scarce. Photo on Page 155. £2,000-2,500
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Complete Unused sheets of twelve of the 1d lettersheet forme 2, 1d envelope forme 4, 2d lettersheet and 2d envelope with substituted stereo a195 (for a204 - just one example of a195 recorded in the S.G. Specialised Catalogue). The lettersheet sheets with horizontal and vertical folds clear of the printed designs, otherwise largely fine, the 1d envelope sheet with three vertical folds and a few stain spots, the 2d envelope sheet with horizontal and vertical folds and a few small stains and minor edge faults. A remarkable group, all much finer than most of the few recorded examples and very scarce, the 2d envelope stereo a195 previously unrecorded in a sheet. S.G. £21,500 for the 1d and 2d lettersheet and 1d envelope sheets, the rare 2d envelope sheet unpriced by S.G. (4). Photo on Page 157. £6,000-7,500
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1840 (May 11) 1d Lettersheet stereo A23 with "Webb, L'pool." stationers imprint on the flap, posted from Liverpool to Sheffield (the address rather strangely written upside down), cancelled by an orange-red Maltese Cross with a matching Liverpool backstamp. A fine early use, scarce with the Webb imprint. (S.G. £1,200 as a May use). £300-350
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1842 2d Lettersheet stereo a105 sent from London to Eastmount, Ryde, Isle of Wight, the black Maltese Cross unusually applied in the upper right corner with Britannia left uncancelled, backstamped at London and Ryde. Light vertical fold, otherwise mainly fine, an attractive and unusual use of this 2d lettersheet. Photo on Page 155. £350-400
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1843 (May 9) 1d Lettersheet used from London to Leeds cancelled by a fine number 8 in Maltese Cross with a Leeds arrival datestamp on the front, backstamped in London. Light horizontal fold, otherwise very fine. S.G. £3,000. Photo on Page 159. £800-1,000
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1844 (Sep 19) 1d Lettersheet stereo A47 sent from London to Ashby de la Zouch backstamped at both towns, the address panel strangely uncancelled, fine and very unusual. With R.P.S Certificate (2003). £380-450
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1845 (Mar 24) 1d Lettersheet stereo A241 used from London to Derby, uprated with a 1d red (faults, two margins), the stamp and Mulready both cancelled by "2" numeral of London. S.G. £14,500. Photo on Page 159. £900-1,100
| Parliamentary & Royal Mail | |
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1859 Cover with a 1d red (faults) tied by "HP / 1" numeral, backstamped with a fine "HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT / S.W" c.d.s in red, scarce. £150-180
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1879 (Dec 25) Letter written from Sandringham by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), to his Surgeon in Ordinary Oscar Clayton in London, on pictorial notepaper printed by Harding of Piccadilly showing a bearded man with hair made of holly leaves riding on a large holly leaf, another leaf with "A Merry Christmas". The printed envelope, also by Harding, depicts a lady with a large hat and a fan, the 1d red applied to the hat and tied by Lynn 488 duplex. Addressed in the Prince's handwriting, backstamped at Sandringham and London. A superb and unique pictorial envelope and letter from the Prince of Wales. Photo on Page 159. £500-600
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1905-12 Pieces bearing KEVII 4d orange, 5d, 2d + 5d or 6d all tied by "BUCKINGHAM PALACE" datestamps, the 2d + 5d piece creased, unusual. (4). £80-100
| Pictorial Envelopes | (Also see lots 1015, 1492)
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1840 (Sep 21) Entire letter from George Cowell who worked at the Mile End Brewery, to his brother Joseph at Wells & Perrys Brewery in Chelmsford bearing a 1d black plate 2 (3 margins) tied by a red Maltese Cross. The letter describes his holiday at Calais and the sea voyage to and from Dover, and contains ten well executed pen and ink drawings including pictures of Dover, a rowing boat, women catching shrimps and Calais Pier, Calais Lighthouse, a paddle steamer entering Calais Harbour, a mail cart in the yard of the Maurice Hotel, passengers being sick at sea, etc. A fine and attractive illustrated letter, unusual used with a 1d black. Photo on Page 244. £1,000-1,200
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1885 Fold out Christmas card printed in the form of an imitation envelope with a "Christmas" imitation wax seal on the flap, containing a picture of geese, bells and holly, and a boy with a broom, posted within London franked ½d blue. An attractive and unusual item. £70-80
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1896 Advertising cover for Albert Hildesheimer, fine art publisher and colour printer, featuring an elegant lady in a black hat and yellow dress, standing on an artists palette and holding a large paint brush. Posted from London to Germany franked 1887 2½d, arrival backstamp of Nurnberg. Very well printed, fine and attractive. Photo on Page 159. £150-200
| Postage Due Mail | |
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Printed Matter. 1848 Unpaid newspaper wrappers from France to Scotland with differing "½" charge marks. (2). £90-120
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Official Mail. 1850 Stampless cover sent within London, addressed to The Treasury, with a "2" charge mark, crossed out and red "POSTAGE / ACCOUNTED FOR" applied. This scarce handstamp used on charged mail to Government departments where individual charges were not collected, the Post Office billing the departments based on the overall weight of all unpaid letters received by them. £180-220
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Printed Matter. 1855 Circular to Montreal with a 1d newspaper stamp printed on the front and a black "1d" charge mark, and a printed wrapper "Registered at the G.P.O for transmission abroad" sent to Hanover franked 1d, handstamped "INSUFFICIENTLY / PREPAID" and "2d". (2). £90-120
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1855-1904 Covers and cards with 1855 and 1870 redirected covers handstamped "FIRST POSTAGE / NOT PAID" or "REDIRECTED / POSTAGE UNPAID", 1901 ½d newspaper wrapper with circular "OVER OZ / 1d / MORE TO PAY" of Liverpool, and a 1904 triple length fold out postcard of Cape Colony franked 1d and charged 2d in London. (4). £120-150
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1868 Cover to Salvador franked 1/-, handstamped scarce unframed "RETURNED FOR POSTAGE / (1/-) / THE AMOUNT DEFICIENT" in red with a matching London c.d.s alongside, the cover apparently never reposted. Photo on Page 159. £240-280
| Postal Reform | |
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1837 Two page circular "Queen Victoria and the Uniform Penny Postage; A scene at Windsor Castle", produced by the Mercantile Committee on Postage as part of their campaign for cheap uniform postage. The text comprises an imaginary conversation between the Queen and her Prime Minister Lord Melbourne, in which Her Majesty lays bare some of the fallacies of the arguments against postal reform. A few minor tone spots and a light fold, otherwise largely fine. £450-550
| Postal Stationery | (Also see lots 1136, 1159, 1199, 1211)
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QV-QEII Used and unused postal stationery written up in three albums including envelopes with a few compound dies and other PTPO types, postcards, reply cards and lettercards, also a few airgraphs (some pictorial), etc. (Approx 300). £100-120
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1890 (July 4) Uniform Penny Postage Jubilee 1d envelope bearing 1887 6d, registered from Lombard St. to Germany and redirected to Switzerland, the 6d stamp and 1d envelope stamp both unusually cancelled by the black oval framed "R" registration handstamp. Photo on Page 159. £140-160
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1918 1d PTPO Postcard stamp, die proof on paper, 86x126mm, fine and scarce. £100-120
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Postal Orders. c.1880 Essay proofs for unadopted postal order "poundage" stamps featuring a QV head within circular frame, the proofs with the value below of One Penny (3), Two Pence (2) or Three Pence (4), all in differing colour affixed to three pieces. Very attractive and probably unique. (9). Photo on Page 162. £2,400-2,600
The Peter Jennings Collection of Air LettersThis fine collection contains many rare proofs, essays, specimens and errors. Many of these are illustrated or described in "Aerogrammes" by Peter Jennings, published by Picton Publishing, 1973. | Airgraphs | |
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1944 Christmas 3d postal stationery airgraph forms overprinted "SPECIMEN" (type 13, light horizontal fold, very scarce), unused (stain) or used from Manchester, returned with "LEFT UNIT PRESENT ADDRESS UNKNOWN" cachet. Also two 1943 forms (one Christmas type) both used with 3d stamps affixed, one returned with enclosed note "No Airgraph Service to M.E.F". The used forms with folds but very scarce as they were usually destroyed. (5). £150-200
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Unused Airgraph forms (12, four pictorial), photographic messages (100+, twelve pictorial, two with photos, one from Montgomery) and similar U.S V-Mail messages (25, nearly all pictorial), most with envelopes. (c.150+). £100-150
| WW2 Forces & P.O.W Air Letters & Postcards | |
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1941-45 Used and unused formula type air letters with some printed Christmas Greetings types; first 6d air letter services to South Africa or East Africa; free Christmas Concession postings (10, one with "FREE XMAS LETTER" cachet), "NO AIRMAIL SERVICE AVAILABLE" (3) or "No air letter card service to / (MEF) / Forwarded by surface route" cachets, etc., also an ungummed unadopted essay proof. (151). £200-250
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1945 1½d "Forces Letter" overprinted "SPECIMEN" type 13 (very rare, no specimens recorded by Huggins in his 1970 handbook), unused (13, one scarce type APF6 with solid address lines) or used (6). (20). £100-120
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P.O.W Stationery. 2½d Air letter sheet type APF3, 3d postcard and 1½d postcard each overprinted "SPECIMEN" type 13, the 3d postcard with vertical fold, otherwise fine and rare. Huggins did not record specimens on any of these three items in his 1970 handbook. (3). Photo on Page 159. £200-250
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P.O.W Stationery. 2½d Air letter sheets type APF1 cancelled to order on the First Day of Issue (21 JY 41) and unused (2), type APF2 unused or used to Italy, type APF3 unused or used to Germany (2, one to a civilian at Biberach with "Returned by the Swiss Post Office" cachet), wrapper bands (2) and label from a bundle of 80 cards. Also 1½d (2) and 3d (2) postcards unused. (15). £100-120
| KGVI Air Letters | |
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1943-51 6d Air letters unused (26) or used (20), includes AP1b used and unused, AP2 with solid address lines used (2), redirected mail, 1951 Festival of Britain overprints, 1944 first air letter services to South Africa, New Zealand and Newfoundland, and AP4c overprinted "SCHOOL / SPECIMEN". Also 1957 P.T.P.O air letters with an embossed KGVI 6d stamp (5), all unused. (52). £150-180
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1949 Essay or Proof on ungummed white paper, format AF2 with the edges uncut, the 6d stamp in the issued colour, the first example we have seen, possibly unique. Photo on Page 166. £200-250
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1949 Proofs, all format AF2 on blue paper, one without a stamp (AP4c), the others with 6d stamp in the issued colour, both without the dotted line around the flaps or at the left edge, these two ungummed. One has the dotted lines drawn in ink and the stamp crossed through, this essay proof with a few pinholes, also a few creases but very scarce. (3). £200-250
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1949 6d Air letters, format AF2, one overprinted "CANCELLED" (12x2mm) and addressed in ink to the P.O Supplies Dept, endorsed "Fountain Pen" and "unblotted"; the other overprinted "SPECIMEN" type 13, the reverse with a handstamp completed in manuscript "Air Letter Form with increased width of flaps approved as standard specimen referred to in clause 8 of conditions of contract commenced 14th July 1949, J. Carr, Chief Executive Officer 19th July 1951, H.E Meacham, Contractor 24th July 1951". Also a piece of air letter notepaper inscribed "This specimen sheet of Air Mail letter paper taken from the first consignment before printing was commenced, is accepted as representing the standard and quality of paper to be used for the production of Air-letter forms, during the currency of the present contract", signed by Carr and Meacham on 6th December 1949. Three unique items; Huggins did not record any Specimen or Cancelled overprints on this issue. (3). Photo on Page 166. £350-450
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1943 6d Stamp Die Proof in red on white paper, 63x94mm, numbered "4", fine and rare. Photo on Page 162. £200-240
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1943 6d Stamp Die Proof in pink on white gummed paper, 79x84mm, numbered "2", light horizontal crease, otherwise fine and rare. Photo on Page 162. £200-240
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1946 6d Stamp Die Proof in red on blue paper, 74x69mm, numbered "1" and endorsed "L/C Red", fine and rare. Photo on Page 162. £200-240
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1946 6d Stamp Die Proof in pink on blue paper, 75x92mm, endorsed "Gambia + lote pink", fine and rare. Photo on Page 164. £200-240
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1946 6d Stamp Die Proof in deep purple on blue paper, 75x91mm, endorsed "Too dark", fine and rare. Photo on Page 164. £200-240
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1946 6d Stamp Die Proof in the issued colour on blue paper, 75x92mm, numbered "1" and endorsed "MH 8422", fine and rare. Photo on Page 166. £200-240
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1946 6d Stamp Die Proofs in red, pink, deep purple and the issued purple colour, each on blue paper, 115x115mm, the pink proof numbered "2", a few pinholes well away from the proofs, a fine and rare group. (4). £600-700
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1949 6d Air letter proof in the issued design (format AF2) on blue paper, the 6d stamp in an unissued pink colour, numbered "1", a little light creasing, otherwise fine and rare, unfolded between the front and lower flap. Also a similar format proof without any stamp, both with wide flaps (As AP4c). (2). Photo on Page 166. £200-250
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1949 6d Air letter proof in the issued design (format AF2) on blue paper, the 6d stamp in an unissued deep purple colour, folded along the flaps (wide flaps as AP4c), a little light creasing, otherwise fine and rare. Photo on Page 166. £180-220
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1948 Olympics 6d Air letter, file copy of the contract letter, an uncut proof (a little creased but scarce), unused (8, at least one in analine ink, one signed by Olympic medallist Tommy Godwin) and used (4, one a first day use, one posted at the Olympics). (14). £100-120
| 1953 Coronation Air Letters | |
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1953 Coronation air letter vignette, original artists drawing of the adopted design in black and Chinese white, initialled "SR" by Stuart Rose, the applied wording "PAR AVION / AIR LETTER / AEROGRAMME" cut from a proof, paper surround with details of the height and separation of the design into two blocks. Also the issued air letter with curved edge to the flaps signed by Stuart Rose, who was later design adviser to the Post Office. A superb and unique essay on card, 197x254mm. (2). £200-250
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