The Vivien Sussex Collection of Valuables by Post

Wednesday 6 March 2002

SALE 615

* = ONLY lots with their lot numbers prefixed by one star are subject to V.A.T. at 17…5%. ** = ONLY lots with their lot numbers prefixed by two stars are subject to V.A.T. at 5%. PLEASE NOTE: All lots in this auction are subject to the Buyers’ Premium of 15% (plus V.A.T. where appropriate) on their hammer prices. ALL BIDS WILL BE TAKEN AS EXCLUSIVE OF THIS PREMIUM

 

VERY EARLY "VALUABLES" BY POST, ETC. 1582-1598

 

1

 

FRANCE - PRECIOUS GINGER SENT BY POST WITH "RECOMMANDER" & "PAIEZ LE PORT" ENDORSEMENTS; Remarkable 1582 EL (small fault on back barely affects) from Rouen to London (to B. Corsini "In Londra") with the unusual manuscript endorsements below the address:- "Recomander a Mr. Bodley, Paiez le port" and "per q[est]a". Clearly this was an instruction that the letter was recommended to the safe care of Mr. Bodley, and an instruction to Corsini to "pay for the carriage" on arrival in London. The contents apparently mention that the letter contained a sample of ginger root, which was very expensive at that date, and richly deserved special care in transit. Attractive and rare thus. [Ex Corsini auction, 4/9/1984; lot 147.] 60 years earlier than anything in the Martin Willcocks Collection. PHOTO - see plate no.

£400

 

2

 

GERMAN STATES - LETTER REF. SMUGGLED MONEY; 5th Dec. 1585 fine EL (in Italian) to Corsini in London from "Augusta" (i.e. Augsburg) endorsed "la racc[oman]do. per il buon ricapito" - apparently sent along with a bale of cloth in which a useful sum of money had been hidden, and so asking for prompt acknowledgment of the safe arrival of both letter and money. Mentions a letter via Cologne and goods sent via Hamburg to beat the winter ice. Rare and attractive. [Ex Corsini auction, 11/6/86; lot 205.] PHOTO - see plate no.

£200

 

3

 

Similar 27th Feb. 1586 EL from the same correspondence from Augsburg to London endorsed "La racc[oman]do per il buon ricapito", again apparently with detail of money sent smuggled in bales of cloth and with news of a major warehouse fire in Venice in January. [Ex the same Corsini lot as the previous item.] PHOTO - see plate no.

£200

 

4

 

THE LOW COUNTRIES - ANTWERP; 24th Dec. 1598 EL (in Italian) from "Anversa" (= Antwerp) to Corsini in "Londra" endorsed "Rac[ommanda]ta al Mr. Batolotti de neve" below the address; the contents apparently ref. the fabric trade and mentioning that relations with France were amicable again. Rare thus. [Ex Corsini auction, 11/6/86; lot 322.] PHOTO - see plate no.

£200

G.B. - PRESTAMP INLAND MONEY LETTERS, ETC 1738-1839

 

5

 

BATH - EARLY COFFEE HOUSE LETTER REFERRING TO ENCLOSED HALF BANKNOTES; Remarkable 6th Dec., 1738 EL (minor faults) from "Bath" ("H" only of "BATH" mark remains by seal) addressed to "ye Pansilvania Coffee House in Birching Lane, London" (the first reference to this Coffee House on a letter that we can recall having seen) with the "8" (double 4d) rate changed to "1N" (triple rate) with a fine black handstruck London "Crown" Inspector's mark on the front. The contents commence; "Inclosed is the halves of thirteen bills & notes, valu £423-6s-0d..." Very early reference to cutting notes sent by post. Rare. PHOTO - see plate 8A

£100

 

6

 

EARLY POST OFFICE NOTICES REF. THE NEW MONEY LETTER OFFICE, CUTTING BANK NOTES, ETC.; Complete 8-page 1st May 1790 issue of the "London Gazette" newspaper (folded for display) with illustrated P.O. notice about how to cut banknotes to send them by post, Nov. 1792 newspaper cutting with the "MONEY LETTER OFFICE" notice, 1804 printed Francis Freeling circular ref. a lost Money Letter to Lymington and an 1820s P.O. "Form No.2" (unused; faults) with reference to "MONEY LETTERS". Scarce group. (4 items).

£150

 

7

 

HUNTINGDON - EARLY LETTER WITH "HALVES OF BANK NOTES"; 1795 EL to London with 95% very fine concave "HUNTINGDON" on the front, endorsed by addressee; "Inclosing halves of Bank notes, £175". Good example of this 18th century practice to avoid theft of money from the unprotected ordinary mail.

£65

 

8

 

SCOTLAND - VERY EARLY "MONEY LETTER" COVER; Rare 1805 EL to Edinburgh (contents ref. enclosed £64-5s-0d) endorsed "Money Letter" on the front with fine "LEVEN" and near fine red Edinburgh arrival c.d.s. on the front, charged "1s/6d" changed to "1/3" (triple 5d rate). Rare; few pre-1820 Money Letters have survived (the earliest in the Willcocks Collection was c.1826). PHOTO - see plate 8A

£100

 

9

 

IRELAND - UNIQUE (?) P.O. DELIVERY RECEIPT WITH "ROSCREA/59" MILEAGE MARK; Extraordinary 17th Aug. 1808 partly printed receipt (faults at right barely detract) for a letter "Delivered to Cap. Hutchinson, Roscrea Inf[antr]y" signed by the Roscrea "Postmr." with a very fine "ROSCREA/59" mileage mark alongside. From a special system devised within Ireland for Military payment letters; see next lot. The first of its kind that we have seen, dating from the period of the "Samuel Browning" Experimental Irish Registered Mail system, dating from some 70 years before the British AR system was started! [For the latter, see Cavendish's "Willcocks" cat., p.50.] Unique?! PHOTO - see plate no.

£300

 

10

 

MILITARY CIRCULAR LETTER REF. THE SPECIAL P.O. DELIVERY RECEIPT SYSTEM FOR MONEY SENT BY MAIL (See previous lot); 20th Nov. 1810 EL sent from Dublin to Roscrea charged "1/2" with a fair Dublin "Mermaid" d.s. on the back; the printed contents explain that £55-15s-8d was enclosed for paying the addressee’s Regiment, but that "Orders having been lately issue to the several Post Masters by the Post Masters General, desiring them to give a Docket of delivery with each of my letters to Commanding Officers of Yeomanry Corps, with a view of preventing fraud...", signed by "Richard Cane" inside and out. Unrecorded evidence for an early Experimental AR system in Ireland at this early date. Unique?!

£200

 

11

 

SCOTLAND - "PER THE BALLINDALLOCH POST WITH 8/-" COVER; 1809 EL (light stain affects address) from "Inveraven" to Elgin with this extraordinary endorsement above the address; the contents start "I wrote the enclosed in a hurry to overtake the Post [boy], but before my servant reached Ballindalloch the Post was gone. The Post is to wait some time for the answer upon Monday morning." Rare example of a moon-lighting postboy carrying cash and evidence that mails could be delayed by influential people!PHOTO - see plate 8A

£100

 

12

 

ISLE OF SKYE - HEAVY LETTER WITH THE SOLE RECORDED EXAMPLE OF EDINBURGH's CROWN-IN-CIRCLE MARK; Attractive 1814 EL (contents ref. enclosed "£140 and a bill for £100") sent from "Glenbrittle" (the tiny hamlet on Skye) to Edinburgh with no Skye postmark apparent, but with the original "6/6‡" (1‡oz) rate changed to "2# Oz 11/11‡" on arrival in Edinburgh with a very fine strike of the very rare red Edinburgh "(Crown)/G·R" in circle (Auckland/Stables ED130a; sole example recorded with maximum rarity rating) struck on 12th Sept. 1814. The frame of this mark was removed after this date. Important Edinburgh item and an amazing prestamp postal rate from the Inner Hebrides. PHOTO - see plate 8A

£200

 

13

 

SWEDEN - PACKET LETTER TO SCOTLAND THAT ENCLOSED BANK ORDERS FOR £73; June 1818 EL from "Stockholm" to Edinburgh via London (dotted "FPO" transit c.d.s. on back), charged "2/7‡" (11‡d pre-1812 inland rate plus 1s-8d foreign rate from Sweden. The writer instructs his bankers to pay sums to two people and mentions "our common friend Sir Thomas Telford" (the famous road builder). Scarce thus; early mail from Sweden is not easy to find.

£75

 

14

 

P.O. NOTICES REF. CUTTING BANKNOTES IN HALF FOR SEPARATE POSTING; 1823 "GENERAL POST OFFICE" Circular (stained & slightly folded to fit album-page) with details of how to cut banknotes/drafts to send halves by separate posts for security - with illustration of Bank of England 1814 £10 note - and how to post Money Letters (containing coins or jewellery, etc.); plus fine 1837 printed letter (no wrapper) "TO POSTMASTERS" ref. cutting banknotes for paying internal P.O. accounts. Rare pair. (2 items).

£150

 

15

 

IRELAND - EARLY "MONEY LETTER" COVERS; 1826/8 pair of E's prepaid to Dublin and both endorsed "Money Letter". The first is of Exhibition quality with superb red boxed "POST PAID" matching a very fine red "N-T-ARDS/88" mileage, beside a light "GRAYABBY" straight-line, all on the front; the second with fair "RATHFRILAND" mileage marks. Scarce pair. (2 covers). PHOTO - see plate 8A

£100

 

16

 

IRELAND - RARE "FREE" LETTER WITH 1st-TYPE DUBLIN "REGISTER'D" DATESTAMP; Attractive Jan. 1829 E to Cork (P.O. had started to write "Try..." but then realised it was to Cork so inked that word in) franked from "Loughrea" with fine red "LOGHREA" mileage mark slightly overlapping a fine square Dublin crowned "FREE" d.s. with a superb red 1st-Type (23mm diameter) Dublin "REGISTER'D" c.d.s. alongside all on the front. Exhibition quality; one of only a handful of recorded Free Registered covers. PHOTO - see plate 8A

£300

 

17

 

IRELAND - DUBLIN's 2nd-TYPE "REGISTER'D" DATESTAMP ON "STIRLING/PENNY POST" COVER; Feb. 1829 EL to Bannockburn in Scotland with fair "FERMOY/112" mileage on the front (from "Fermoy Barracks" with good contents ref. the prices of Tartan uniforms) as well as a very fine red 2nd-Type (24mm diameter & showing decorations either side of "1829") "REGISTER'D" c.d.s. on the front, right beside a fine "STIRLING/PENNY POST" mark struck on arrival with "2/10" charge. Also with near fine crinkle-framed red Dublin "MIDDAY·MAIL" d.s. (creased & stained) on flap. Attractive example of an apparently unrecorded type of this scarce and early Registered Mail mark. PHOTO - see plate 8A

£200

 

18

 

IRELAND - RARE REDIRECTED DUBLIN 1st-TYPE "REGISTER'D" COVER WITH "E" CROWN & "T·OFF/POSTAGE TO DUBLIN/NOT PAID" MARKS; Dec. 1829 EL (some staining) from "GRAIG" (fair red mileage) to Dublin, redirected to Athboy with varied m/s rates, having fine red Dublin "E" in "Crown" Inspector's Mark, v. fine red Dublin "REGISTER'D" c.d.s. (23mm diameter) and mostly v. fine rare red octagon-framed Dublin "T·OFF/POSTAGE TO DUBLIN/NOT·PAID" mark (Willcocks E1679a - seldom seen) all on the front. Spectacular item. [Ex Martin Willcocks June 1999 auction; lot 1214, realised £460.]PHOTO - see plate 8B

£300

 

19

 

WALES - EARLY "MONEY LETTER...COIN ENCLOSED" COVER WITH RARE RED BOXED "Chirk" MARK; Attractive April 1832 EL (enclosing a £5 note) prepaid ("P 1s/11") from "Ruabon" to Cardiff endorsed "Double Postage Paid as coin enclosed" in black and "Money Letter" in red on the front, having a very fine red boxed "Chirk" (few known and a little-used design) nicely placed on the lower flap; Exhibition quality. Money Letters from Wales are seldom seen and were rarely prepaid. PHOTO - see plate 8A

£100

 

20

 

THE UNIQUE (?) PRESTAMP "REGISTERED LETTER" WHITE WRAPPER; c.1835 (wmk. "1834") unused but complete White "REGISTERED LETTER" Wrapper (minor faults and small closed tears) - but for an incoming Registered Letter from overseas - with similar partly printed address ("Postmaster of G.P.O./Edinburgh" address panel), having printed text inside:- "GENERAL POST-OFFICE, EDINBURGH,....OF.....183.. SIR, The enclosed Letter, directed to.....is Registered. You are requested to take great care in the delivery of it to the proper person, and to return his receipt to me immediately. I am, SIR, Your most obedient Servant, J. MOULE, Superintending President." Clearly this Wrapper was designed for incoming Registered Mail from Overseas; it is the only surviving example of this internal British White Wrapper for Overseas Mail of which we are aware. PHOTO - see plate no.

£500

 

21

 

GUERNSEY (CHANNEL ISLANDS) - VERY RARE "SUPPOSE MONEY LETTER" COVER TO SCOTLAND; Oct. 1837 E (minor wear) to Glasgow with a very fine "GUERNSEY" c.d.s. just across the flaps, charged "2/10" in black (double rate) and exceptionally endorsed in red on the front; "Suppose Money Letter". This was due to the sender not having declared it as a Money Letter as he should have done. Very rare Postage Due item from the Channel Isles. PHOTO - see plate 8A

£300

 

22

 

JERSEY (CHANNEL ISLANDS) - PREPAID "MONEY LETTER" TO EDINBURGH; Attractive 1838 EL ("I enclose a fee" - not specified), the matching item to the previous lot!, from "2 Clarence Terrace, St. Helier, Jersey" to Edinburgh with a fair "JERSEY" c.d.s. on the back, having a bold red "P3/- Money Letter" endorsement (double rate) on the front, beside the sender's own black "Money Letter - Post paid - single sheet" annotation. Very rare thus. One of the most recent additions to this Collection. [Ex Alan Moorcroft.] PHOTO - see plate 8B

£300

 

23

 

WALES - PREPAID "MONEY LETTER" WITH "CONWAY" UDC; Fine 1838 EL (enclosing "£12-10s-6d" in cash) prepaid from "Plas Ucha(?)" to Blackburn with a fine "CONWAY" UDC on the front, endorsed "Money letter" by the sender and rated "1º ozs Paid 4/2" by the P.O. in red. Rare thus.

£75

 

24

 

THE UNIQUE (?) POSTALLY USED PRESTAMP P.O. "MONEY LETTER" BLUE WRAPPER; c.1838 P.O. wrapper on pale blue paper (believed to indicate Cross-Post mail) with partly printed address; "MONEY LETTER. For [J. Goodhall, Attorney, Derby] To the Postmaster of [Derby.]", charged "2/-" changed to "1 Oz 2/8", being the 50-80 miles rate (4x 8d) from an unknown town. The contents (a receipt from the addressee to prove delivery) should have been completed and returned to the Derby P.O., but somehow this was overlooked and it seems that the wrapper remained in the solicitor's archives instead of going to the P.O. for subsequent destruction. The contents read; "RECEIVED of the Postmaster of......the Letter as directed on this Cover, and supposed to contain Money. 183... N.B. The Postmaster will keep this Receipt as a proof of the delivery of the Letter, and apply to the Secretary for a further supply of these Covers, when necessary." This is the sole recorded used example of any British prestamp Money Letter wrapper, and the fore-runner of the 1841 White "REGISTERED LETTER" Wrapper in the Willcocks Collection (lot1089; sold for £9,200). It is arguably much more significant than the 1841 White Wrapper or the few Green Wrappers of the 1840s/1850s that have survived. Very attractive and Important Exhibition item. [Ex John Guthrie & James Grimwood-Taylor.] PHOTO - see plate 8A

£1500

 

25

 

THE END OF THE MONEY LETTER SYSTEM; July 1840 Parliamentary Paper giving the text of the P.O. memorandum of 20th Dec. 1839 ref. the ending of the Money Letter system on 1st Jan. 1840 (emphasising the use of Money Orders for small sums); plus unusual large 1857 OHMS stampless env. from the "Mail Office" (GPO Inspector of mails flap/seal) to the "Great Northern Railway, Kings Cross" endorsed "Money Letter" with local London d.s. on the back. [Latter ex Willcocks.] (2 items).

£100

G.B. - PRESTAMP OVERSEAS REGISTERED MAIL 1817-1839

 

26

 

THE EARLIEST RECORDED BRITISH "REGISTERED" COVER; 6th/17th March 1817 EL (a family letter written in German) from "Stuttgart" to London with v. fine "STUTTGART" d.s., fine all-in-one "CHARGÉ/[grille]/STUTTGART" mark and mostly very fine bright red London Foreign Branch "REGISTERED/(Crown)" mark (Jay L1128; earliest known date, light crease - Martin Willcocks said of this cover; "I have seen no example used earlier than this letter"), as well as black "P.P." & "P.P. MERZ" marks all on the front. The letter was charged "1/8" on arrival in London. One of only a handful of surviving example of this rare 1st-Type hollow-based Crown F.B. "REGISTERED/(Crown)" mark. The Page One item for any British Registered Mail Collection. [Ex Martin Willcocks; lot 1008; £1,280.] PHOTO - see plate 8B

£1000

 

27

 

THE MATCHING INCOMING STUTTGART "CHARGÉ" COVER SENT BEYOND LONDON; 20th Jan./1st Feb. 1817 EL from the same correspondence as the previous lot but addressed to Chipping Norton (Oxon.) and charged "2/3", with similar German marks but no "REGISTERED/(Crown)" mark (which was only used on mail addressed to London; the overseas registration for this letter only applied as far as London). Rare and attractive; early registered mail to non-London addresses is much rarer than "REGISTERED/(Crown)" covers. [This is the matching cover to Willcocks lot 1007 which realised £368.] PHOTO - see plate 8B

£240

 

28

 

THE EARLIEST RECORDED 2nd-TYPE LONDON FOREIGN BRANCH "REGISTERED/(Crown)" MARK WITH RARE "5/- REGISTRY" ENDORSEMENT; Unusual 27th April/15th May 1819 fine EL from "Naples" to London with part fine boxed "ITALIE/P. LE PONT DE/BEAUVOISIN" on the front beside fine red "CHARGÉ" and almost very fine red London "REGISTERED/(Crown)" mark (Jay L1127; 1820-32 - this is 4 months earlier than the 1819 cover in the Willcocks Collection). On the front there is also a very unusual charge endorsement, specifying the 5/- registration fee (not usually noted on covers); "5/-Registery [sic]/ 1/11 - Postage/ 6/11 [total]". The only such endorsement of this kind that we have seen. PHOTO - see plate 8B

£300

 

29

 

Similar but larger April 1820 E (closed tear across address panel affects marks) from "FIRENZE" to London with spectacular combination of marks; v. fine red "CHARGŠ", v. fine black "T.S.", fine black boxed "ITALIE/P. LE PONT DE/BEAUVOISIN", v. fine red 2nd-Type London "REGISTERED/(Crown)" (closed tear) and v. fine London F.B. "Oz at 6s/8D per Oz" mark (closed tear), etc. Charged "13/4" and, in spite of faults, very desirable. PHOTO - see plate no.

£200

 

30

 

THE UNIQUE (?) GUINEA-RATE OUTGOING "REGISTERED/(Crown)" COVER FROM LONDON TO FRANCE; The famous "Willcocks Lot One" cover:- 12th March 1822 EL from London to Paris (originally enclosing bank orders for 11,549 francs) with a very fine black 1st-Type London Foreign Branch "REGISTERED/(Crown)" mark (Jay L1128a; earliest known example in black - light filing crease - unique on outgoing mail) on the front. This cover was sent during the pre-1836 period when ingoing registration fees were only (!) 5/-, but outgoing fees were One Guinea per letter!! This astronomically high rate may explain why this is the only recorded letter sent from GB to an overseas destination at this registered rate of one Guinea (=£1-1s-0d) plus the normal postage. [The reg. fee was reduced to 2s-6d from 20th July 1836]. It was prepaid "5/10" (five times the 1s-2d rate per ºoz to France) also being endorsed with a squiggle at top left; this latter marking has been interpreted as either "1 Gua." (for the prepaid Guinea fee) or "1Oz" as the weight. This was the first lot in Cavendish's Willcocks auction (lot 1001 - sold for £2,760) and was the only recorded example of an outgoing Prestamp Registered cover until the recent discovery of an 1836+ cover to France with the smaller later "REGISTERED/(Crown)" mark. It is still the earliest of only two known outgoing Prestamp examples and it is the Only Known Example of the Guinea Registered Rate. Exhibition quality.PHOTO -

£2000

 

31

 

THE VERY RARE LONDON FOREIGN BRANCH "DOTTED F.O" MARK ON COVER; Oct. 1827 E (overall toning - possibly disinfected? - and part addressee's name scratched through) from Vienna to Edinburgh via London with a superb strike of what is arguably the most desirable (and elusive!) of all London Foreign Branch marks - the large "F.O" in dotted circle (Jay L1049; few known) - nicely placed on the top flap beside a similarly clear London dotted "FPO" c.d.s. Charged "2/7"[‡]" on the front with fine bright red "CHARGÉ", black "L.A." and black "V.WIEN:RECOM." marks. This "F.O" mark is thought to have been used solely on overseas Registered mail passing through London to non-London British addresses. One of the most difficult of all British Prestamp marks to find; there was no example in the Martin Willcocks Collection! PHOTO -

£2000

 

32

 

LONDON's 2nd-TYPE "REGISTERED/(Crown)" MARK WITH BLUE "CHARGÉ" MARKS, ETC.; Colourful 1831 EL to London with near fine scarce black handstruck "Münchengratz", fine orange-red "AUTRICHE/PAR FORBACH" (crease), very fine blue "CHARGÉ" (2; one creased), fine boxed "L.A." and very fine claret-purple London "REGISTERED/(Crown)" (Jay L1127; natural paper wrinkle) all on the front, charged "3/4". Spectacular and rare thus. PHOTO - see plate 8B

£300

 

33

 

EARLY BLACK 1st-TYPE LONDON F.B. "REGISTERED/(Crown)" ON COVER EX PRAGUE; Jan. 1835 EL (in German) from Prague to London with fine "PRAG", 80% fine blue "CHARG[É]", fine boxed "L.A.", v, fine red "AUTRICHE/PAR FORBACH" and extremely fine black hollow-base crown mark (Jay L1128a; shaved by crease, but one can count the pearls on the crown) all on the front. Charged "5/-" on arrival. Unusual town of origin for Prestamp registered mail. PHOTO - see plate 8B

£240

 

34

 

COLOURFUL "REGISTERED/(Crown)" COVER FROM KESSELSTADT WITH VERY EARLY "PARITY" REG. FEE; 25th Nov. - 5th Dec. 1837 EL from "Kesselstadt" to London via "Calais" with fine "HANAU" datestamp, fine blue "CHARGÉ", very fine red boxed "ALLEMAGNE/PAR/FORBACH", v. fine red boxed "P.F.", fine black "PP" and very fine black 2nd-Type London "REGISTERED/(Crown)" (Jay L1127a) all on the front. The 5th Dec. 1837 London arrival date is close to the date when the new registration fee of a figure identical to the postage rate (but max. 2s-6d) was first introduced, and the rate is clear beside the address; "1.4/1.4/2/8". Spectacular! PHOTO - see plate 8B

£300

 

35

 

Similar April 1838 E from Munich to London (but with the Registration Fee reduced to the 2s-6d maximum) having near fine "MUNCHEN" d.s., fine red boxed "BAYERN/PAR/STRASBOURG", diamond-framed red "H/A.E./J.F." mark, black "CHARGÉ" and an almost very fine black 2nd-Type London F.B. "REGISTERED/(Crown)" mark (Jay L1127a) all on the front. The postage charge is written as "2-8/2-6/=5-2" which was 2s-8d postage, and only 2s-6d fee instead of 2s-8d because there was a 2s-6d maximum for the fee at this date. Rare thus. PHOTO - see plate 9A

£200

 

36

 

SMALL RED LONDON F.B. "(Crown)/REGISTERED" MARK ON FULLY PREPAID COVER TO CARLISLE WITH FRENCH T.P.O. WAX SEALS & STRING; July 1839 EL from "Mayence" to Carlisle with near fine "MAINZ" c.d.s., v. fine "CHARGÉ" marks, fine red curved frame "FOREIGN PAID" (rare on regd. mail) and light small red "(Crown)/REGISTERED" (Jay L1131a) all on the front. The letter was additionally sealed in transit on a French T.P.O. with red wax "ADMINISTRATION DES POSTES/DÉPART/ET/ARRIVÉEHOTO - see plate no. PHOTO - see plate 8B

£150

 

37

 

UNIFORM 4d POSTAGE PERIOD - INCOMING "REGISTERED/(Crown)" COVER EX AUSTRIA; 26th Nov. - 8th Dec. 1839 EL (faults) to London charged "1-4/1-4/=2-8" (there was no reduction on such Continental rates until 10th Jan. 1840) with v. fine "Trebitsch/26.NOV.", matching "RECOM:" & "FRANCO", fair blue "CHARGÉ", near fine red 2-ring "AUTRICHE/FORBACH" c.d.s. and v. fine black 2nd-Type London F.B. "REGISTERED/(Crown)" mark (Jay L1127a) struck on arrival on 8th Dec. 1839 (the 4th day of the 4d-Post Period). Rare thus. PHOTO - see plate 9A

£300

 

38

 

RARE INCOMING "REGISTERED/(Crown)" COVER EX DENMARK DURING THE 1840-1 "NON-REGISTERED" PERIOD; 14th/17th Feb. 1840 E from the "Danish Govt." with part "ALTONA" c.d.s. on back, charged "3.4/2.6/= 5/10" on the front (? double 1s-8d Foreign rate plus the maximum 2s-6d reg. fee?), with very fine black 2nd-Type London Foreign Branch "REGISTERED/(Crown)" mark (Jay L1127a). This letter reached Britain during the year when there was no Inland Registered or Money Letter system at all. Rare 1840 Registered cover. PHOTO - see plate 9A

£240

G.B. - MONEY ORDERS & POSTAL ORDERS, ETC 1725-1931

 

39

 

BANK-BILL & CHEQUE SENT BY POST AS LETTERS, PLUS COUNTRY BANKNOTES, ETC.; 1725 EL (some wear) being a hand-written Bill for £50 sent by post from "Tempell Ewell" (near Dover, Kent) to London with m/s "3" charge and fine Bishop Mark, plus similar Feb. 1838 EL (some folds) being a partly printed "North & South Wales Bank" cheque for £14-19s-0d sent from "HOLYWELL" (fine c.d.s.) to Wrexham, prepaid 6d postage. Amazing (each unique?) pair. Plus an 1838 "Canterbury Union Bank" £10 note (cut in half & re-joined (presumably once sent by post in halves), similar complete 1814/1809 notes of Huddersfield & Leeds Banks and an 1808 (v. early) Richmond & Swaledale Bank cheque with embossed revenue stamp. Scarce lot. (6 items).

£150

 

40

 

EARLIEST RECORDED (?) "MONEY ORDER" - SENT BY POST FROM SUNDERLAND; Remarkable 20th May 1795 EL to Nottingham (written by a naval officer to his wife to enable her to buy a cloak and a coach-ticket to enable her to come to visit him!) with a v. fine "SUNDER/LAND" on the flap, endorsed "Money Order" on the front (unique thus?) and charged "6"(d) as a single letter. The contents include a manuscript Money Order advice at the end of the letter, thus; "Order for £3-3-0. Mary Roworth [the addressee] on the Rec[cei]pt of this you'l Draw from the Post Master in Nottingham the above Sum". The only item of its kind of which we are aware, dating from the early years of Money Orders which only started in 1792. Plus an Oct. 1792 newspaper cutting with the P.O. "Money Letter Office" notice ref. the start of the system. (2 items). PHOTO - see plate no.

£300

 

41

 

RARE "MONEY ORDER OFFICE/F. FREELING" FREE FRANKED COVER SENT FROM EDINBURGH WITH DETAILED "MONEY ORDER OFFICE" CIRCULAR; 16th May 1800 EL (minor wear) sent from Edinburgh (fine red Bishop Mark on the front - creased) to the "Postmaster [of Elgin]" with partly printed address signed by "Sam Matthew" for free postage; the contents are a long detailed circular to postmasters in Scotland from Mr. Matthew (also signed by him) ref. changing the accounting routing for drawn & paid Money Orders to London instead of to Edinburgh. Exceptionally early Money Order Office item and a rare internal Scottish official Free letter; the only one of its kind that we have seen. PHOTO - see plate 9A

£500

 

42

 

RARE SCOTTISH USAGE OF THE RED HANDSTRUCK "Money Order Office" & MATCHING "F. Freeling" MARKS; 2nd/5th Dec. 1809 EL from Money Order Office" (London) signed by "Stow & Co." unusually posted from Edinburgh 3 days later (with contents ref. slow Money Order accounting) addressed to the "Postmr. of Elgin N[orth]. B[ritain].", with mostly very fine strikes of these rare red handstruck "Money Order Office" and "F. Freeling" marks, beside the 5th Dec. Edinburgh c.d.s.; all on the front. These franking marks are very rare; the only other examples we have recorded were sold in Cavendish's "Hugh Feldman" auction (20th Oct. 2001) for £1,092 & £1,035 (lots 78/79). Rare internal Scottish official free letter. [Ex James Grimwood-Taylor.] PHOTO -

£750

 

43

 

IRELAND - RARE DUBLIN "MONEY ORDER OFFICE/G·P·O" MARK ON RECEIPT FOR TWO ISSUED MONEY ORDERS; Attractive June 1822 receipt for "2 B[ritis]h [Currency Money] Orders @ Par £10.6.8/Poundage--- 9.2/[Tax] Stamps--- 1.2/ =[total] £11.7.0", having a very fine strike of the large curved "MONEY ORDER OFFICE/G·P·O" marking (in the distinctive pale red ink of Dublin P.O.) at the top. The only example of this mark that we have seen and a very rare prestamp Money Order receipt. PHOTO - see plate 9A

£300

 

44

 

VERY RARE COMPLETE PRESTAMP MONEY ORDER ADVICE FORM EX CHATHAM WITH CROWNED "To be/delivered/Free" MARK, ETC.; Attractive 5th Dec. 1827 EL with printed "Money Order Advice" heading and "F. Freeling" printed at foot addressed to the Greenwich Postmaster having a very fine red "CHATHAM" c.d.s. on the flap and a very fine red London crowned "To be/delivered/Free" mark (Jay L715) on the front. The contents are just as rare as the address side; a complete "FROM [CHATHAM c.d.s.] POST OFFICE....ON THE Postmr. of [Greenwich]" Money Order Advice for 11s-4d. An exceptional survival; all such advices had to be returned to the Money Order Office at the time! Is this unique?! PHOTO - see plate 9A

£750

 

45

 

THE UNIQUE (?) ORIGINAL PRESTAMP 1d MONEY ORDER FROM TUNBRIDGE P.O.; Remarkable and fine (mostly printed in red) small (7‡x2 ins.) Money Order "No.1" for "£0-0s-1d" (!!), complete with coat-of-arms counterfoil at left, issued at "POST OFFICE [Tunbridge]" and signed by that P.O.'s Postmaster "W. Ralph"(?), destined to be payable (but never cashed to this day!) via the "Postmaster of Chelmsford". We are not aware of any other original prestamp Money Orders surviving in private hands. Perhaps this Money Order was kept as a souvenir of the first day that they could be issued from this P.O.? Important Exhibition item. Unique?! PHOTO -

£1000

 

46

 

RARE COMPLETE SCOTTISH "MONEY ORDER ADVICE" FORM SENT TO DUBLIN & RETURNED AS UNNECESSARY; 6th/11th April 1840 EL with partly printed address under "MONEY ORDER ADVICE/O.H.M.S." heading, with "E.S.LEES" printed to authorise Official Paid rate, sent from the Dundee Postmaster to Dublin regarding a Money Order for £5-0s-0d, but returned from Dublin by post intact with the note inside; "When advising orders drawn on Dublin, one advice is sufficient."!! Very rare survivor.PHOTO - see plate 9A

£300

 

47

 

REDUCTION IN MONEY ORDER POUNDAGE - P.O. NOTICE & CONTEMPORARY LETTER WITH COMMENT; Nov. 1840 London G.P.O. large printed "NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC" (folded to fit album-page) ref. the reduction of poundage from 20th Nov. from 6d to 3d (up to £2 Orders) & from 1s-6d to 6d (on £2-£5 Orders); plus a 23rd Nov. 1840 EL from Leicester (1d postage paid in cash) asking for a £3 Money Order and adding "...have read...that Money Orders are reduced and then [he] will have to pay [only] 6d for the [£3] Order". Scarce items ref. the little-known 1840 reduction in Money Order costs. (2 items).

£100

 

48

 

ORIGINAL UNUSED "NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYNE" BLANK MONEY ORDER (UP TO £2) IN BLACK USED AS PRINTER's PROOF; c.1840 blank "CLASS A" Money Order showing an octagonal poundage stamp for "3d NOT EXCEEDING TWO POUNDS" at top left, endorsed "Form No.1" at left and with town crossed through (these were to be printed separately) and endorsed "N.B. Some alteration will be in the new Form about to be issued" on the reverse. Clearly this was the old style (c.Nov. 1840) Money Order about to be altered (see next lot) with new poundage frame and some new wording. Highly desirable early Money Order; we are only aware of one used Money Order of the 1840s in private hands. PHOTO - see plate no.

£500

 

49

 

THE MATCHING RED "NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE" PROOF OF AN UNUSED £2-£5 MONEY ORDER; c.1844 unused red Money Order with fancy-framed "6 PENCE/NOT EXCEEDING/FIVE POUNDS" device at top left, having wording already expanded from the earlier c.1840 Proof in the previous lot, but with detailed manuscript amendments for new printing changes (which are consistent with a Money Order known used in 1849, hence the probable c.1844 dating). There is new wording on the front and a note on the back; "The words underlined are to be printed in Capitals, the same as those used in the Note on the other side". Very rare thus. PHOTO - see plate 9A

£500

 

50

 

RECEIPT PART OF EARLY MONEY ORDER SENT BY POST; Printed "Receipt" part of a Money Order for "£2-7s-7d" that was sent by post (1d Red tied by "839" numeral of Wansford, Northants.) and retained by the addressee in London; even this part of an early Order is very rare. Plus a few 1846 newspaper cuttings about London's new "MONEY ORDER OFFICE" building. (1 cover + 6 cuttings).

£75

 

51

 

OFFICIAL PAID P.O. MAIL REF. MONEY ORDER ACCOUNTS, REMITTANCES, ETC.; 1845-82 group of OHMS EL's ref. P.O. payments for Money Order accounts (Scottish, London, Kent, Lincs., etc.) and ref. other "MONEY ORDER OFFICE" business (lost/damaged Money Orders, etc.). Useful study. (9 covers + 1 piece).

£150

 

52

 

P.O. CIRCULARS REF. MONEY ORDER OFFICES IN LONDON AT THE "PARIS EXHIBITION", ETC.; 1856 printed leaflet listing all London P.O.'s where Money Orders could be issued/cashed, small 1867 notice ref. the "British Money Order Office IN THE PARIS EXHIBITION", and first part of the 1880 Act paving the way for Postal Orders. (3 items).

£100

 

53

 

THE UNIQUE (?) FIRST DAY "POSTAL ORDER" NUMBER "000001" FOR 1/- ISSUED AT "ACCRINGTON" POST OFFICE; Remarkable 1st Jan. 1881 (First Day Usage) British Postal Order (slight staining and minor faults) printed in blue (‡d poundage stamp at top left) with "Accrington 000001" overprint at top right beside superb "ACCRINGTON/A/1 JA/1881" c.d.s.; signed by the Postmaster but never made out to a particular individual. A remarkable souvenir of the First British Postal Orders. The only First Day Postal Order of which we are aware. Important "Valuables By Post" Exhibition item. PHOTO -

£1500

 

54

 

RECEIPTED MONEY ORDERS IN VARIED COLOURS FOR OVERSEAS PAYMENTS; 1888-96 set of four paid "MONEY ORDERS" with the special labels ref. their being paid in Norway (2), Switzerland or India; printed in red (Irish Form; "CLARE STREET" c.d.s.), blue (Scottish Form; "STIRLING" c.d.s.), black (English Form; "BRIGHTON/M.O.O." c.d.s.) and in black on blue-green paper ("ORFORD" c.d.s.). Rare set. (4 items).

£150

 

55

 

MONEY ORDER ISSUED WITH THE 1890 JUBILEE EXHIBITION's SPECIAL "GUILDHALL" CANCELLATION; 19th May 1890 1d Money Order with a very fine blue-black star-shaped "V R/PENNY/POSTAGE JUBILEE/1840-1890/GUILDHALL" datestamp but never redeemed. Rare; few 1890 Jubilee Money Orders were issued and very few have survived. Exhibition item in every sense. PHOTO - see plate 9B

£150

 

56

 

LATER MONEY ORDER RECEIPTS, ETC.; 1897- 1931 lot inc. 1897 OHMS "Money Order Office" env. to France with QV Jubilee 2‡d cancelled by London c.d.s., 1897 Millwall P.O. "Receipt for amount paid for a Telegraph Money Order" (rare), 1902 pair of Money Order receipts, 1901/14 pair of stampless envs. to British Guyana/USA with v. fine boxed "LONDON/M.O.O." & "LONDON/M.O.D." datestamp, unused P.O. "International Trade Charge Money Order", 1931 stampless env. regd. with blue "R/ M.O.D." label and 1918 Money Order receipt. Scarce group. (9 items).

£100

G.B. - REGISTERED 1d BLACKS, MULREADY, ETC 18401842

 

57

 

RARE INCOMING SMALL BLACK "(Crown)/REGISTERED COVER EX DENMARK DURING THE 1840-1 "NON-REGISTERED" PERIOD; 25th/31st July 1840 E (part flap lost) from the "Danish Government" to London with "ALTONA" c.d.s. on back, having a very fine small black London Foreign Branch "(Crown)/REGISTERED" mark (Jay L1131; rare in black, only being known in 1836) on the front, beside the "3.4 [+] 2.6 [=] 5/10" arrival charge (3s-4d double Foreign rate plus maximum 2s-6d fee). Rare Registered cover sent during this year when there was no Inland Registered or Money Letter system at all. PHOTO - see plate 9B

£240

 

58

 

Similar cover FROM PRAGUE WITH SAME "(Crown)/REGISTERED MARK, BUT IN RED; 18th Nov. 1840 EL (reinforced creases & fault at foot of address panel) from "Prague" to London with near fine "PRAG/18 Nove" and matching fine "Recomandirk" on the front, as well as almost v. fine small red London "(Crown)/REGISTERED" (Jay L1131a; crease); charged "1.4 [+] 1.4 [=] 2/8" (1s-4d Foreign rate plus the parity reg. fee of the same amount). Rare registered item sent during the year when there was no Inland Registered or Money Letter system. PHOTO - see plate 9B

£120

 

59

 

THE RARE P.O. NOTICE ABOUT THE INTRODUCTION OF INLAND REGISTERED MAIL; Dec. 1840 printed P.O. Notice (8x13 ins. - "No.21, 1840"; some horiz. folds but can thereby be fitted to display on an album page) from Maberly at the London G.P.O., announcing that "a System of Registration" for Inland Mail would be introduced "ON and after the 6th January next" giving full details of rates (inc. overseas), the "Green Covers" to be used on every registered "Bye or Cross Road Letter", etc., etc. Few examples of this Important Notice are known; there was no example in the Willcocks Collection.

£150

 

60

 

6th JANUARY 1841 - FIRST DAY REGISTERED LETTER RECEIPT; Remarkable partly printed P.O. "REGISTERED LETTER" receipt (some faults and laid down on paper) twice dated 6th Jan. 1841 (the First Day of Inland Registered Mail in Britain) with v. fine "HASTINGS" c.d.s. and printed "No.1" at top left. The letter for which this receipt was given was addressed to "Mr. Robert Stone, Stone Merchant, Portland, Dorset" and was signed by "William Woods for Postmaster". The only known First Day Registered item as far as we are aware. Highly Important Exhibition item. PHOTO - see plate no.

£500

 

61

 

THE EARLIEST RECORDED BRITISH INLAND REGISTERED LETTER; 15th Jan. 1841 EL (ref. enclosed 7 "Bank Post Bills" totalling £919-2-5) from London ("PAID/L[ombard] S[treet]" d.s. on front) to Congleton endorsed "Registered & Post Prepaid" by the sender, with small P.O. "No.96" and bold red "1/2" (2d postage weighing over ‡oz & up to 1oz + 1.- reg. fee) endorsements. No earlier inland registered letter has been recorded by Vivien, Martin Willcocks or ourselves, and very few Jan. 1841 inland regd. letters are known at all. rare thus. PHOTO - see plate 9B

£200

 

62

 

THE UNIQUE REGISTERED 1d BLACK MULTIPLE FRANKING COVER WITH RED MALTESE CROSSES; 6th Feb. 1841 long EL (it originally enclosed an Insurance Policy but fits across an album page without difficulty) to "Ellesmere, Shropshire" FRANKED BY FOUR PLATE V 1d BLACKS (CC/EF/CA/BB; 3 to very 4 margins - CC creased) tied by light orange-red Maltese Crosses matching the very fine "LIVERPOOL" c.d.s. also on the front. The letter is endorsed "No.257 - Registered Letter" and "1/-" (1s-0d reg. fee paid separately in cash as per regulations) in purple ink by the P.O. and must have weighed over 1oz & up to 2oz to qualify for the 4d rate. The only recorded multiple franking of 1d Blacks on a Registered Letter, the earliest recorded stamped Registered Letter and one of only three (?) known with red Maltese Crosses (black cancellation ink was introduced on or around 10th Feb. 1841 in most P.O.'s). One of the Key Items in the whole Vivien Sussex Collection. The single franking Registered 1d Black cover in the Willcocks Collection sold for £3,910. [With B.P.A. Oct. 2001 Certificate of Genuineness.] PHOTO - see plate no.

£4000

 

63

 

IRELAND - THE EARLIEST RECORDED REGISTERED ITEM UNDER THE NEW RULES; 19th Feb. 1841 partly printed P.O. "REGISTERED LETTER" receipt with mostly very fine uniquely (?) undated Dublin "REGISTER'D" UDC in black and signed by the Postmaster "G. Lambert". This is the earliest recorded Irish Registered item (with the exception of the Prestamp covers that show this same mark but dated and in red, or the 1811 Experimental mark), and is the earliest Irish Registered item recorded under the post-1839 rules. Rare.PHOTO - see plate 9B

£200

 

64

 

SUFFOLK - REGISTERED 1d BLACK SINGLE FRANKING COVER WITH BLACK MALTESE CROSS; 26th March 1841 env. (minor wear) to Henley on Thames (fine arrival c.d.s. on front) from Lowestoft (Suffolk; fine old-spelling "LOWESTOFF" c.d.s. on back) franked by a Plate VI 1d Black (OH; good to wide margins all round except at lower left; ironed crease) neatly tied by a fine black Maltese Cross with unusual red "Registered Money Letter" endorsement alongside (the Money Letter system had ended in 1839!), matching the red m/s "1/-" (1s-0d reg. fee prepaid in cash as per regulations) also on the front. One of only a handful of recorded Registered 1d Black covers and very attractive. The similar Registered 1d Black cover in the Willcocks Collection sold for £3,910. [With B.P.A. Oct. 2001 Certificate of Genuineness.] PHOTO -

£1500

 

65

 

VERY RARE REGISTERED USAGE OF 2d BLUE MULREADY; 24th Dec. 1842 usage of a 2d Blue Mulready front (hinges and gum stains on back) from London (v. fine red "L[ombard] S[treet]" datestamp) to Wareham; Britannia is cancelled by a fine black Maltese Cross and "241 Registered 1/-" is written across the address in red. Very attractive and one of only two recorded examples of Registered 2d Mulready stationery to have been recorded. [The damaged 2d Mulready letter-sheet in the Willcocks Collection (the addressee's name had been removed) sold for £690.] Exhibition item. PHOTO - see plate 9B

£500

 

66

 

THE UNIQUE (?) "MONEY LETTER" GREEN WRAPPER WITH 1840s TEXT REF. "REGISTERED LETTERS"; c.Jan. 1841 unused complete Green Wrapper (reinforced crease barely detracts) with printed "MONEY LETTER" heading on the front above space for the address above "To the Postmaster of...." (compare with the c.1838 "MONEY LETTER" Blue Wrapper offered above, in the Prestamp section), but with text inside relating to the enclosure of "a Registered Letter", suggesting that this was a transitional (Emergency?) Green Wrapper printed in early 1841 on an old pre-1840 "MONEY LETTER" wrapper with blank inside. Was this a printer's Proof? The internal text concludes "N.B. - The Postmaster will keep this Receipt as a proof of delivery of the Letter, and apply to the Secretary for a further supply of these Covers, which are only to be used for Registered Letters sent by the Cross Posts." Remarkable item, and as far as we are aware the only recorded Combination "Money"/"Registered" Letter wrapper. Very rare. PHOTO - see plate 9B

£500

G.B. - EARLY Q.V. PERIOD INLAND REGISTERED MAIL 1841-1853

 

67

 

STAFFS./LEICS. - MATCHED PAIR OF 1d RED COVERS WITH 1/- & 6d CASH-PAID REGD. FEES; 1st Oct. 1841 E with 2‡m 1d Red tied by very fine black Maltese Cross with v. fine scarce handstruck "Shirleywich" alongside and bold red "Registered Letter 1s-0d" alongside; plus 1848 1d Red (4m) on E ex Leicester with red m/s "Registered 6". Good pair. (2 covers).PHOTO - see plate 9B

£100

 

68

 

WARWICKS. - THE DISTINCTIVE HANDSTRUCK "REGISTERED" MARK OF LEAMINGTON; 1st April 1842 E to Edinburgh with 4m 1d Red (crease) tied by v. fine M.C. with v. fine "LEAMINGTON" c.d.s. and matching black "REGISTERED" mark alongside. Rare and attractive.PHOTO - see plate 9B

£100

 

69

 

IRELAND - SPECTACULAR 1d RED COVER WITH CURVED "REGISTER'D/No./DUBLIN" MARK; Attractive uncreased 7th May 1842 EL (ref. enclosed £145-7s-4d) to Stourbridge franked by a fine 4-margin 1d Red just tied by a very fine black Maltese Cross with a very fine "REGISTER'D/No.[209]/DUBLIN" mark alongside, plus a red m/s "1/-" note as well as very fine red boxed Dublin "PAID" datestamp. Superb item. [Ex Willcocks Collection; lot 1218, £920.] PHOTO - see plate 9B

£500

 

70

 

KENT - P.O. RED WAX BAG SEAL IMPRESSION USED ON EARLY REGISTERED LETTER RECEIPT; Fine 5th June 1842 P.O. "REGISTERED LETTER" receipt issued by Tenterden P.O. with a very fine red wax "(Crown)/TENTERDEN" Post Office Bag Seal impression (instead of a handstamp) beside a pencil note "Post[ag]e [paid] 1s/8d". A note on the back shows that the letter contained a Will, so it must have weighed over 3oz & up to 4oz, for 8d postage plus the 1/- reg. fee. The only such wax Bag Seal on a Regd. receipt that we have recorded. Exhibition quality. PHOTO -

£150

 

71

 

MATCHED PAIR OF LETTERS THAT SENT DIFFERENT HALVES OF A BANKNOTE ON CONSECUTIVE DAYS; 8th/9th July 1842 pair of fine EL's from London to Norwich (both with fine red cash-paid postage "Thames St/1D…PAID" marks) with contents ref. enclosed first and second halves of a £30 banknote; this old system remained in use for people who preferred to send two 1d letters to one Regd. letter at 1s-1d! Plus a 1792 newspaper cutting showing how to cut a banknote. (3 items).

£85

 

72

 

LANCS. - PRESTON SKELETON D.S. ON REGD. RECEIPT & COVER; 15th Oct. 1844 P.O. Regd. Letter receipt with v. fine "PRESTON/+" skeleton d.s.; plus 19th Oct. 1844 1d Red EL to Preston with fine strike of the same skeleton d.s. on reverse. Rare matched pair. (2 items).

£50

 

73

 

CHESHIRE - THE DISTINCTIVE HANDSTRUCK "Registered Letter" MARK OF CHESTER; 1845 EL to Manchester with fine strike of this rare black mark on the front matching a fine "CHESTER" c.d.s. alongside, with red m/s "P 1/2" (2d postage + 1/- fee). Few known and attractive thus. PHOTO - see plate 9B

£100

 

74

 

IRELAND - EARLY REGISTERED RECEIPT WITH CURVED "REGISTER'D/No./DUBLIN" MARK; 1846 P.O. printed "REGISTERED LETTER" receipt with almost very fine black "REGISTER'D/No.[133]/DUBLIN" mark. Rare thus.

£75

 

75

 

UNRECORDED DE LA RUE REGISTERED (?) WRAPPER ESSAY(?) OF UNKNOWN STATUS; Unusual small wrapper with gummed flap having embossed "801/REGISTERED/AUG. 1846/DE LA RUE & Co." device; there is a piece of blue ribbon carefully attached through two slits, suggesting an idea to secure the contents in some way. What is it? [Ex Angus Parker.] PHOTO -

£100

 

76

 

NORFOLK/LANCS. - HIGH CASH-PAID REGISTERED LETTER RATES PLUS P.O. NOTICE REF. NEW 6d RATE; 1846/7 pair of EL's (originally containing legal papers and paper money) from Norwich and Southport, each with red m/s "Registered Letter", prepaid in cash "2/6" (over 8oz up to 9oz postage + 1/- fee) and "1/1" (1d postage + 1/- fee) respectively. The 2s-6d rate is the highest inland pre-1848 registered rate that we have seen. Also large March 1848 P.O. Notice ref. the reduction of the 1/- fee to 6d from 28th March 1848. (2 covers & 1 notice).

£75

 

77

 

SCOTLAND - THE EARLY EDINBURGH "REGISTERED" MARKS; March 1848 E to London with almost 4m pair of 1d Reds tied by "131" numerals having very fine "Regis