I first met Frank in the late 1970s when he had already embarked on the creation of what was to become THE definitive collection of the postal marks and postal usages of the British Franking System. In 'real life' he was a General Practioner in West Bromwich for many years, and also worked as the Medical Officer of that town's eponymous football team. He still follows his old club, but has decided that now is the time to call it a day with regard to his Free Franks collection. His displays to the Society of Postal Historians are legendary; he combined astonishing encyclopaedic historical knowledge with a light touch and a wicked sense of humour that have never been equalled.
Cavendish auctioned Frank's superb Irish Free Franks collection in Sept. 1998, when 48 lots were sold including the full range of Dublin marks (with a 1658 letter from Henry Cromwell, the very rare 1707 “Free” cover and a good range of the rare Irish 'Failed Free' marks - “COUNTERFEIT”, “TREBLE POSTAGE”, etc.). However, as free frank specialists will know, the English section of Frank's collection was even stronger, and he also kept back a few Irish treasures, which are now offered here alongside his English covers (165 lots in all). In addition, perhaps the strongest and most unusual section of Frank's collection - also offered here - are the franked covers sent to and from overseas countries. These are so rare that many collectors will never have seen a single example, but over 35 years or so, Frank succeeded in gathering a few dozen together.
Frank may have been the unintended cause of a number of collectors giving up the pursuit of free mails, simply because he was so dedicated to his subject; I, for one, gave up the fight in 1984, and the late Barrie Jay told me that he “could not be bothered with free franks” (partly because of London's huge range of different crowned datestamp types, but also because Frank had already got the best material in his collection!). So this auction now gives those who enjoy the vagaries (and autographs/stories) of free franks a rare chance to add some of the best items available to their collections. Gordon Harper had a good collection (see Cavendish's March 2009 auction), including 18 overseas free covers, but there are a very large number of beautiful covers here that Gordon would have loved to have had in his collection!
This remarkable collection is fully recorded in Frank's 195-page 1988 S.P.H. Presidential “Special Issue” of the S.P.H. 'Postscript' magazine - “The Franking System in the Post Office, 1652-1840” [referred to in the descriptions as FSPO] - which includes full-page illustrations of more than 200 items in his collection. It is a marvellous record of a great collection, but does not include the many historical notes that Frank tended to write on the back of his album pages (which are all included with the lots that follow). Frank had an intriguing method of writing up his pages; wherever possible he kept the captions of previous collectors (and even dealers/auctioneers) and glued these to his pages; needless to say he never exhibited his collection competitively - his pleasure lay in acquiring, studying and talking about his finds. [The other principal works cited in the descriptions are Barrie Jay's 2005 “London” volume of the County Catalogue and Jim Lovegrove's 1989 “Herewith My Frank…”.]
One of Frank's favourite studies, on which he and I occasionally collaborated, concerned the real meaning of the 'mysterious' “0”-code London crowned “FREE” datestamps. His collection includes the definitive evidence that shows that all examples of this fascinating mark were produced outwith the Post Office itself in the early 1840s, to enhance the autograph albums of free frank collectors. Frank was always of the opinion (as was his friend the late John Guthrie) that none of these “0”-code marks were postal, but it took a long time for him to be able to prove it. He also focussed on rare Official Free printed franks, the many characters of history, the varied revolutions of the 17th century, and the whole subject of “failed free franks”.
Apart from the “0-codes saga” lots, and the superb range of Overseas Free Franks (45 lots in all!), my personal favourites include the 1799 “Collar of V's” datestamp of London, the 1653 “Haste Post Haste” letter, the “Waterloo Subscription” study, the amazing 'twin' “PLYMOUTH/SHIP LETTER” cover, and the very rare Dublin “WRONG DATE”, “DATE ALTERED”, “NO PRIVILEGE” & “WEIGHT ABOVE PRIVILEGE” marks. Then there are the many famous names encountered along the way; Albemarle, Nelson, Wordsworth, Gladstone, Robert Peel, Walter Scott, Rowland Hill, Robert Wallace, and the Post Office's stalwart Francis Freeling, to name but a few; there are so many unique gems here for which we could all happily make space in our own collections!
James Grimwood-Taylor, 9th November, 2009.
The arrangement of the lots is as follows:-
English 17th century Free Mails, 1653-1696.
English early 18th century Free Mails, 1704-84.
The London “FREE” markings, etc., 1764-1840.
The “0”-Codes Saga & other 'Posthumous' Marks, 1839-40.
The Irish & Scottish Free markings, etc., 1678-1827.
Official (O.H.M.S.) Printed Free Franks, 1765-1839.
“Waterloo Subscription” free franks, etc., 1805-30.
Overseas Free Mails - to other countries, A-Z, 1719-1839.
Overseas Free Mails - from other countries, A-Z, 1756-1839.
'Failed Free Franks' & Inspectors' Marks, 1682-1839.
The British Postal Reforms and franking, 1801-40.
Autographs, the 'Freeling' letters, etc., 1797-1840.