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KEVII Period picture postcards, many topographical views, all postally used. (approx 1,200). £100-150
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KGV Period picture postcards, many topographical views, all postally used. (approx 1,200). £100-150
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KEVII and KGV Period picture postcards (with a few later cards) in two albums with topographical views (278), comic cards (22) and Tucks oilette cards of soldiers (36), mainly fine. (336). £100-120
| G.B. POSTAL HISTORY | |
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1685-1922 Post Office or postal related letters or ephemera including Returned Letter wrappers (3, one with 1820 London Two-Penny Post regulations printed inside), 1894 21 page pamphlet "Express Delivery of Letters, Parcels, and other Postal Packets", 1897 Express Delivery Service printed notice, 1710 Act reorganising the Post Office in North America and the West Indies, 1788 entire letter from the G.P.O regarding an unpaid letter to Madeira, various Post Offices notices from 1685 in newspapers, etc. (13). £220-260
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1722-1893 Entire letters and covers from G.B to abroad with items to France, Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal and Scandinavia all written up on pages. (23). £100-120
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c.1723-1852 Prestamp and stampless entire letters and entires (also a few fronts), including Frees, Penny Posts, Okehampton 5th Clause Post, many Scottish letters, etc. (c.170). £200-300
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c.1820 "Market and Borough Towns in England and Wales, and their distances from London" (4 pages) and "A list of the principal post and sub-post towns with their receiving houses in England and Wales, with the price of postage, and the time of arrival from, and departure to, London" (12 pages), both printed by S. Gosnell of Little Queen Street. £80-100
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1821-1945 Small size envelopes all postally used, none of them more than 70mm high or 120mm wide and many much smaller than this, mainly 1870s or earlier. (30). £100-120
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1832-1977 Covers and cards including 1891 1/2d postal stationery card depicting the Eddystone Lighthouse at the Royal Naval Exhibition used with the special Exhibition cancellation, 1938 registration envelope franked 1/2d - 1/- stamps with Exhibition P.O Glasgow 3 datestamps, 1920s meter mark with Specimen handstamps (2), 1847 G.P.O Money Order Remittance advice forms posted from London to Canterbury (3), etc. Also a few stationery cut-outs including advertising rings. (40+). £100-120
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Envelopes and Seals. c.1840-1900 Covers including 1900 cover with a Union Jack printed on the reverse sent by a soldier in South Africa; c. 1840 unused pictorial envelope with an Indian pagoda and flowers printed on both sides in gold, red and green; covers with embossed flaps showing a red devil with "Who the (Devil) is this from?" or Christmas greetings; 1849 and 1852 covers with patent wafer seals incorporating metal fasteners; unused 1898 Imperial Penny Postage pictorial cover, etc. (10). £120-150
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QV-QEII Covers and cards including exhibition and special event cancels, military mail, postal stationery with KEVII 10d telegraph form used, official covers with KEVII 1/2d Army Official or 1d Admiralty Official stamps (a few faults), airgraphs, etc. (200+). £250-350
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1843-1929 Mainly QV covers and cards (55, also various pieces) including 1843 1d pink envelope cancelled by "3" in Maltese Cross with boxed "HORNSEY" alongside, undated circles, numeral and duplex cancels, etc. (55+). £60-80
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1855-74 Front or reverse pages of "The Illustrated London News" bearing Line Engraved stamps, one from London to Norwich franked 2d and redirected with a 1d pair added and tied by Norwich sideways duplex, one to Italy (address missing) franked 2d with boxed "VIA DI MAR", the others mostly sent within Norfolk franked 1870 1/2d (8) or by a 1d red. Also pieces (6) from similar newspapers with 1870 1/2d, one plate 9 (wing margin torn from left side), an unusual lot. (17). £280-320
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1855-84 Entire letters and covers addressed abroad, most bearing Surface Printed stamps, including 1856 6d to Jamaica, 1862-64 1/- to France, 1865-73 6d + 1/- on entire letter to Portugal, 1881 5d indigo to India, etc., a few faults. (14). £150-180
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1869-71 Entires, the first sent unpaid to Norway with a Southampton 723 five bar duplex unusually with the number inverted, and a black handstruck "4" (representing 4d due from Norway to G.B); the other from London to Sweden franked 6d with the same handstruck "4" in red, representing the portion of the 6d postage retained by the British Post Office. A fine and unusual pair, the first with superb "SANDOSUND" ship T.P.O backstamp. (2). Photo on Page 170. £150-200
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Telegraphs. c.1872-1938 Post Office and private telegraph forms, many with Leicester postmarks, also some telegram delivery envelopes, 1929 notification that a telegram is awaiting collection in a P.O Box, and a few more recent telegrams. (60+). £80-100
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Alfred Smith & Co. 1875 Wholesale Price List of stamps; 1892-1902 postcards to or from the firm; and 1893-99 P.T.P.O postal stationery envelopes unused or used (5), four showing their premises in Bath with "Alfred Smith & Son / Foreign Stamp Importers" printed above and below the embossed stamps, the other two showing their later address in London. (9) £130-160
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1883 Report on "The Parcels Post", compiled by the Deputy Postmaster-General (24 pages), and 1911 "Departmental Committee on Stamps, minutes of evidence relating to the supply of stamps and stamp stationery" (63 pages), two interesting reports bound together in a single volume. £80-100 |
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1884 Printed prices current from Glasgow to Triest franked ½d blue, an Austrian 2kr newspaper tax applied and cancelled at Triest. Horizontal fold crosses the G.B stamp, otherwise fine and unusual. £80-100 |
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1893-1962 Covers (7), pieces (4) and a QV 10/- stamp all with Postmasters Office datestamps or cachets, including violet single oval cachets of Paddington or S.W.D.O tying QV 3d or 2/6 to pieces, double oval cachet of Vere St. tying QV 2d to piece or on an 1898 stampless cover, Brighton c.d.s on a QV 10/- and tying a 1d lilac to cover, octagonal cachet of Chichester on reverse of 1903 Official cover, oval cachet of Teignmouth on 1907 1d envelope, etc. Also 1881 covers with 1d lilacs cancelled "CAMBERWELL S.E / SORTING OFFICE" or "CLAPHAM BRANCH OFFICE S.W" c.d.s. An unusual lot. (14). £180-220
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Damaged Mail. 1940 (May 4) Censored cover from Rotterdam to England franked 13c, sent just a week before the German invasion of Holland, traces of fire damage to one corner, both sides handstamped "DAMAGED / BY FIRE IN / TRANSIT". £80-100
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Damaged Mail. 1934-88 Covers and cards including mail damaged in post box fires with explanatory labels or letters (7), snail damage (2), letters illegally detained by postmen (2), etc. (19). £120-150
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Damaged Mail - Bombs/IRA. 1973-79 Covers comprising 1973 fire damaged covers (2) both with explanatory letters "damaged by fire in Londonderry Sorting Office", believed to be due to a bomb; 1975 cover to Balcombe St. NW1 delayed by siege of IRA terrorists with "UNABLE TO DELIVER / POLICE EMERGENCY"; and 1979 fire damaged cover with label "Bomb damage" (IRA bomb in Birmingham Sorting Office). (4). £100-120
| Elizabethan Letters | |
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1558 (July 16) Entire letter from William Paulet, Marquis of Winchester and Lord Treasurer, to Lord North and the Sheriff and JPs of Cambridgeshire, addressed "To my vearye good L: the Lord Northe and to my lovynge ffrend the Shrefe & other Justyce of peace of the Countye of Camb". The letter concerns the raising of demilances, light horsemen and footmen to serve in the militia in Cambridgeshire and providing them with armour and weapons including swords and daggers. War was declared against France in 1557, as a result of which militias were strengthened in counties around London and on the coast to guard against the threat of invasion. Some staining to the lower left corner of the letter and address panel, otherwise a fine and interesting Elizabethan letter, signed on behalf of Winchester by the letter writer. Photo on Page 170. £500-600
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1592 (Nov 25/Dec 13) Entire letter from Bartolomeo Corsini & Co. in London to Stefano Patti in Venice, written and addressed in Italian, concerning money owed by or to Corsini, shipments of wine and soap, and a lawsuit over a detained ship, the final paragraphs written personally by Filippo Corsini complaining about the slow and desultory manner in which Patti had paid Corsini's accounts. A fine and scarce letter from London, one of just eleven letters in the Corsini correspondence sent by Corsini in London to his cousin in Venice, with a full translation. £300-400
| Postal History & History of the Stuart Period & Jacobite Rebellions | |
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Earl of Essex. 1622 (Aug 10) Letter written and signed by Robert Devereux from Drayton Manor (located at Drayton Bassett near Tamworth in Staffordshire), addressed "To my honorable Cosin Sir Nathaniel Rich". The exceptionally well written letter concerns Essex's lands in Ireland and problems with the King's agent in Ireland trying to claim some of the land, or to buy it cheaply. Essex had his titles restored in 1604 after the execution of his father in 1601 for plotting against Queen Elizabeth. He was vice-Admiral of the Cadiz Expedition in 1625, voted against Charles I appeal to the House of Lords in 1640, became a Privy Councillor in 1641 and a General in the Parliamentary army in 1647. He commanded the army at Edgehill in 1642, and took Reading and relieved Gloucester in 1643. Sir Nathaniel Rich was a Merchant Adventurer and M.P. A fine early letter from an important figure during the Civil War. Photo on Page 167. £500-600
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Marriage of William of Orange. 1641 (May 24) Entire letter written by William Pryng, Captain of Deal Castle, to Dover Castle, addressed "To his noble friend Captaine Collins at Moates Bulworke", the letter including "The expectation of the Prince Orange in these parts has retarded my going to London .... the prince is expected tomorrow night, and by reason the Dutch ships are ready heere, wee imagine hee may imbarque here, on Sateday last the Prince of Tolmond took shipping heere bound for Holland ....". Prince William of Orange married Princess Mary, daughter of King Charles I and Henrietta Maria in London on May 2nd, but the nine year old bride did not join her husband in Holland until 1642. William died in 1650 shortly before Mary give birth to their only child, a son who was to become William III of England. An interesting historical letter sent shortly before the civil war. Photo on Page 170. £300-350
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King Charles I. 1641 (May 4) Draft letter in the handwriting of King Charles I, unsigned and with many alterations, written from "our court at Whitehall" and addressed "To our right trusty & right wellbeloved Cozen William Earle of Derby our Chamberlayne of the county palatine of Cheshire & Ld Lieutenant of ye county", and to other nobles in the county. Written by the King shortly before the conflict with Parliament turned into civil war. William Stanley, the 6th Earl of Derby died in 1642, his son raising an army for the King in Cheshire. A good examples of King Charles' handwriting, clearly a draft and never mailed, the reverse with contemporary filing endorsement "1641. Charles 1st". Photo on Page 168. £500-600
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Civil War. 1642 (June 10/20) Entire letter written in Dutch by Mattheus Belleroucx in London, addressed to Jean van der Bequen in Antwerp, the address panel marked "PP" with a "1sch" charge written upon arrival. The letter concerns bills and the payment of money. A fine merchants letter sent during the civil war. £180-220
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Civil War - "Haste Post Haste" Letter. 1645 (Aug 19) Entire letter written by Christopher Copley from "Wentworth Woodhouse at 4 of the clock Tuesday morning", addressed "For the Honble the Committee for the War at Yorke these present, Hast hast post hast". The letter reads "The intelligence as by the enclosed appearing, is that the King is upon his march this way, he kept his Guard at Blyth this night. We intend to retreat to Ferribridge if he advances, I have sent to desire the Not: Darby Southerne and Coll. Rosceter's forces to follow speedyly in the Reare or join with us and to know their resolutions. I beseech you let Coll. Werns and Coll. Lamberts men and the foot be ordered to be in readiness against we come, what we receive further shall be made knowne with all speed". An interesting letter from a Colonel in the Parliamentary army written during the King's first post-Naseby incursion into the Midlands; on the 18th the royal army advanced into Yorkshire but went no further than Doncaster before returning to Nottinghamshire. A little soiling and with a horizontal file fold which is professionally strengthened internally with archival tape. A very rare "Hast hast post hast" endorsement on a civil war period letter. Photo on Page 170. £900-1,200
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Civil War. 1646 (May 2) Entire letter from Dover to Antwerp, written in Dutch, concerning the arrival and despatch of goods and the agreement of Sr. Belleroucx with his creditors, the address panel rated "1 Sch". A fine merchants letter sent during the Civil War. £150-180
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Civil War. 1647 (Oct 30) Entire letter from Richard Washington written at Bank Hall, Chapel-en-le-Frith in Derbyshire, addressed "To the right well Lady Mary Moore att her house neare Charing Crosse in London". A social and gossipy letter in which Washington chides his wife for not having written, gives news of the war and the plague and refers to "some default in the postage". A fine letter written between the 1645 truce and the resumption of the civil war in 1648. Photo on Page 170. £250-300
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1648 (Dec 1) Indenture concerning a house and land, agreed between Samuel Bridger of Gloucester, gentleman, and Edward Harold, Carpenter, and his wife Margery, of Dursley. Although written after the capture of Charles I and just two months before his execution the document begins "in the twentie fourth years of the Rayne of our Soverayne Lord Charles by the grace of God King of England Scotland France & Ireland Defender of the fayth". £100-120
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1651 (Mar 12) "An Act for Impresting of Sea-men", five pages, printed by John Field, printer to the Parliament of England. A fine Commonwealth period act, passed to increase the number of seamen in the Commonwealth Navy, which was suffering from a lack of volunteers. £120-150
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1657 (Mar 20 - June 24) Entire letter from Aleppo concerning cloth and other goods received on the ship "Nathan" or sent to England, addressed "To Mr Thomas Pengelly, Mercht in London". A fine letter from an English merchant in Syria, sent to London during the Commonwealth Period. A scarce origin at this date. Photo on Page 170. £500-600
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1660 (Oct 23) Entire letter, apparently written at Norwich by Philip Prime, the reverse with a second letter written the following day by John Mundy, Sheriff of Derby, addressed "For his Esteemed friend Capt. Bourne". Both letters refer to a payment of £600, Mundy's letter also referring to the disbanding of the army. A good letter written shortly after the restitution of the monarchy; King Charles II wanted the army disbanded as soon as possible so people could see he would not be using the army against his father's enemies. £200-250
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1661 (May 8) "Act for Preventing of theft and rapine upon the northern borders of England", six pages, printed in 1662 by John Bill and Christopher Barker, printers to the King's most Excellent Majesty, a few small edge faults not affecting the printed text. The act allows J.Ps to raise a body of men, numbering up to thirty in Northumberland or twelve in Cumberland, to pursue and apprehend criminals and bring them to trial. £100-120
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Popish Plot. 1678 (Oct 11) Entire letter from Henry Kayes in Hopwell near Derby, addressed "For Mr Petter Barwicke, Do. of Phisicke att his House in the old Amebery in Westminster London, Post Pd 3d" with an "OC/16" Bishop Mark, a neat repair made with white tape to the base of the address panel. The letter includes an interesting reference to the "Popish Plot" supposedly uncovered by Titus Oates - "I am heartily sorry to learn that there is such base wicked men in the world as to plot such a base wicked hellish act against our King". The plot by Catholics to kill King Charles II was made up by Oates but was widely believed, and resulted in the arrest and execution of several Catholics, and the passing of an act forbidding Catholics to be M.Ps; the plot was shown to be fiction in 1681 and most of the convicted people declared to be innocent. £100-120
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Duke of Monmouth/Official Free Letter. 1674 (May 12) Entire letter signed by the Duke of Monmouth, addressed "For the honourable Sr Phillip Musgrave Knight, Governor of Carlisle, these" and endorsed "For his Maj. Speciall Service, Matthew Lock", the reverse with a wax seal impressed with the arms of Monmouth, a "MA/12" Bishop Mark and the very scarce "2/Off" (Jay 65, rarity "J"). The letter informs Musgrave that the established Forces of Foot are to be trained and exercised in the use of their arms in a new manner, and asks for one or two Officers from the garrison at Carlisle to come to London to see and learn the new training technique. Monmouth was the eldest illegitimate son of Charles II and his mistress Lucy Walter, served in the English fleet in the Second Anglo-Dutch War and commanded the British forces in the third Anglo-Dutch war. In 1674 he became Master of the Horse and effective Commander of the British army, and commanded the Anglo-Dutch Brigade fighting the French in 1678-79. After the death of King Charles in 1685 he led the Monmouth Rebellion to depose the Catholic King James and make himself King, but was captured and beheaded. A rare early official letter from an important figure in Stuart England. Photo on Page 170. £1,000-1,200
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Duke of Monmouth. 1683 (Dec 18) Entire letter from Thomas Booth in London, addressed "For Capt. Booth att his house, Tremlow in Cheshire, by Brereton bag" charged 3d, with a fine "DE/18" Bishop Mark. The interesting letter refers to the popular support for Monmouth, and includes "I wonder att the impudence and behaviour of the dam'd dissatisfied sort of people in Namptwch and Chester that goe under the name of Whiggs, but sure the D. of Monmouths being out of favour and forbidd the Court and Kings presence will putt a little dampe upon these forward youths, I doe much wonder att Chester that stood in the late Kings tyme so very loyall should turn catt in pan and bee soe disaffected to the King and Government but tis noe news for the Godly Town of Namptwch that was never loyall in the memory of man.......". The addressees and senders name of "Booth" bleached out, and two small holes to address panel, otherwise fine. £100-120
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1685 (May 19) James II black letter act condemning the Duke of Monmouth to death as a traitor convicted of high treason, two pages, printed in 1686 by Charles Bill, Henry Hills and Thomas Newcourts, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. £100-120
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William, Prince of Orange/Deposing of James II. 1688 Unsigned letters (4, Nov. 13, Nov. 17, Dec. 4 and Dec. 22) from London, all addressed "For Sr. John Lowther, Penreth, Cumberland", each with a Bishop Mark and charged 3d or 6d, and photocopies of four further letters, all sent to the Catholic Sir John by a fellow Catholic, providing news of events since the landing of the Protestant William of Orange in October 1688. The letters include (Nov. 13) "The King goes for Salisbury the Head Quarter .... The P of O and some few guards in Exeter, the rest near, few expresses from thence so that we know not who goes to him, those most spoke of are my Lord Colchester, Lord Lovelace, J. Wharton, Godfrey. The Dutch fleet lie abreast the Isle of Wight, ours abreast the Downs where the Centurion, a ship of 48 guns is stranded"; (Nov. 17) "Three regiments of horse now gone over to ye Prince of Orange ....."; (Dec. 4) "...went hence towards Reading where they expected to meet ye Trumpet sent to propose a treaty ... ye Dutch Fleet in Plymouth Haven and ours at Portsmouth. Their armie not nearer than Salisbury ...."; (Dec. 22) "The P of O has speech at St. James's on 21 Dec. 88. Lords present 61 - Bishops six - My Lords, I have desired you to meet here to advise the best manner how to pursue the ends of my declaration in calling for a free Parliament for the preservation of the Protestant Religion....". William and his wife Mary (the elder daughter of James II) were invited to undertake an armed expedition to England and landed at Brixham before marching to London; Parliament and the English army under Churchill sided with them, and they were crowned King and Queen in 1689, King James being allowed to flee to France. A fascinating series of letters conveying the day to day events during these turbulent two months, sent by a Catholic and therefore with no senders name or address in case they were intercepted and read. Lowther became a Privy councillor in 1689 and First Lord of the Treasury in 1690; his "Memoirs of the Reign of James II" were later privately published. £400-500
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Prince of Orange. 1688 (Nov 28) Four page printed pamphlet "The Prince of Orange. His Third Declaration, given at our Head Quarters at Sherburn Castle", an interesting piece of Protestant propaganda produced whilst the Prince of Orange was marching towards London and before King James fled to France. £120-150
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1690 (Aug 5) Entire letter from Paris to St. Malo written from one English merchant to another, largely concerning business but including "I thank you for your news from Ireland, we are still in an uncertainty about the Prince of Orange's death, there is no news as yet of a second battle in Flanders, but it is thought there will soon be one, both armies being in view of one another...". Britain was fighting Catholic armies in Ireland and France; the reports of the Prince of Wales death were "much exaggerated". £80-100
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War of the Grand Alliance. 1690 (June 9) Admiralty warrant to Capt. George Bing of H.M.S "Hope" for a gentleman John Aston to join his ship as a volunteer, signed by Earl Carbery (previously Governor of Jamaica) and Viscount Lowther (First Lord of the Treasury). John Aston went on to become an Admiral during the reign of George I. £100-120
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1695 (May 31) Entire letter written and signed by the sixth Baron Paget, Ambassador to the Sublime Port at Adrianople, privately carried to England. An interesting letter concerning trade disputes with the Dutch and asking for His Majestys orders. He makes interesting observations on the sorry state of the Ottoman Empire, "A.G Sigr Young hot, inconsiderably insolent, inconspicuous in business, A.G Vizir ye weakest and most unfit person to despatch affairs I have yet seen in office, ye Empire without soldiers or order, ye soldiers are without officers or conduct.". £100-120
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The Old Pretender. 1703 Entire letter from James "the Old Pretender", son of King James II of England (James VI of Scotland) who claimed both English and Scottish crowns after his father's death in 1701. Written from St Germain en Laye, the French city to which he was exiled in 1701 after being accused of treason in England, signed "Jacques R" and addressed to "Mon Cousin Le Cardinal Colloredi". A fine and historic letter. Photo on Page 175. £700-900
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Jacobite Plot. 1715 (July 22) Letter from Thomas Horsley in Conway telling of Samuel Webber, a Government messenger for Her Late Majesty who frequently delivered despatches to the English Ambassador in France, and upon his return from France declared to the Privy Council that there was a plot forming against Her Majesty and the nation in general by bringing in the Pretender; he claims to have evidence against the Earl of Oxford who has been plotting a Jacobite rebellion. Weber has changed his name to Aston, and is disguised as a wool comber on the Island of Anglesey. Robert Harley, Earl of Oxford was impeached in 1717 on charges of making the peace and secretly favouring James Edward, the Old Pretender. An intriguing letter, privately carried. £120-150
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Jacobite Rebellion. 1715 (Nov 3) Entire letter from Patrick McClellan in London to his brother in Edinburgh, charged 6d, with a poor Bishop Mark. The letter includes "we have no neous but what we have from you excepting a talk of the Duke of Ormonds landing in the west of England where it is fear'd great numbers would join him"; and a 1716 (Feb 28) entire letter from Edinburgh "To the Right Honble The Earle of Loudoun att London" endorsed "Free" with red Edinburgh "FE/29" and "5/MR" London Bishop Marks, the letter including "the last letter from the north bears that Huntlie & Seaforth are fled to the hills. Mr Carstairs was this day sent prisoner to our castle. Argile goes from this Thursday next, General Cadogan is expected here tomorrow". In 1715 the Earl of Mar began a Jacobite rebellion in Scotland and other risings broke out in the North of England; the Duke of Ormonde then made a landing in Devon but finding no support returned to St. Malo. Meanwhile the Pretender landed at Peterhead and made a public entry into Dundee, but was pushed back by the English army led by Argyle; the rebel army gradually dispersed and the Pretender embarked for France. Two interesting contemporary references to different aspects of the 1715 Rebellion; the Earl Loudoun fought with the English army at the Battle of Sheriffmuir. (2). £250-300
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Jacobite Rebellion/Bonnie Prince Charlie. 1745-46 Newspapers all with tax stamps comprising 1745 (Dec 26) London Gazette reporting the recapture of Carlisle by royalists; and 1746 Newcastle Courant for April 5 reporting on the progress of the army in Scotland, or August 16 reporting the escape of Bonnie Prince Charlie from South Uist to the Isle of Skye dressed as a lady's maid. (3). £100-120
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