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Entire 1842 Westerleigh to Gloucester with part black MX cancel on front (stamp removed!), backstamped by Chippenham double rim CDS dated JY 30 1842, Gloucester double rim dated JY 31 1842 code B and undated Chipping Sodbury CDS (type 3/14 £20). Fascinating letter to the resident physician at a Lunatic Asylum, enquiring on behalf of the husband of a patient there.
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Entire 1843 Sherborne to Baltonsbury with 1d red imperf plate 32 letters RB 4 margin tied by crisp black Maltese Cross, also has a Sherborne CDS dated SE 20 1843 next to but not touching the stamp. Backstamped by Glastonbury CDS double rim dated SE 22 1843. Super quality stamp and super light maltese cross The contents are interesting too - a customer of Mr Whitehead, a cheese dealer, is complaining about the last batch of cheese they took delivery of - "If you have anything finer, I would be glad to receive them." They also instruct him to send his men to collect the cheese, or they will send them to Wells (a market town) for them to collect there
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Nice entire 1846 London local post with some fascinating markings. Front cover has "Chief Office 1d Paid 2 line in red, which is usually accompanied by the backstamp "PD JY 10 1846" code 12NN (Noon posting) in red, but has also been backstamped by "1 An 1 JY 10 1846" code C, which is usually used in conjunction with the oval number obliteration. As a final salute to this fabulous little cover, there is an intact wax seal that has a rooster in the centre and the poignant words "WHILE I LIVE I'LL CROW". Very nice cover
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Entire 1847 Edinburgh to Greenock with 1d red imperf letters MJ nice 4 margin example tied by 4-5-4 barred numeral handstamp 131 of Edinburgh, backstamped by double arc Greenock CDS dated AP-3-1847 in blue, and Edinburgh datestamp of same date. Nice item with interesting contents re payments for an estate.
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Entire 1848 Edinburgh to Alnwick with 1d red imperf on blued paper letters NK almost 4 margins (TR corner cut into), tied by barred numeral cancel 131 of Edinburgh, with twin arc CDS of Alnwick dated DE-31-1848 and Edinburgh datestamp of DE-30-1848. Also has a Mae West type "Too Late" handstamp, which according to records was the 2nd last day of use for this mark in Edinburgh. Great item, and late usage such as this is rare.
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Entire 1870 Edinburgh to Perth with 2d Blue pl13 letter SB tied by Edinburgh duplex stamp dated JU-6-1870, backstamped PERTH JU 7 70 with a quite superb and intact "Royal Bank of Scotland" wax seal with coat of arms. Contents are in relation to credits and debits due to the Perth branch of Royal Bank of Scotland, including a Bill from Union Bank of Australia dated Jun 3 1860 - if additional papers included in this letter, might explain why the extra postage was paid. SG47 used on cover cat £75.
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Entire 1871 Mourning letter Edinburgh to Ayr, with ½p Bantam pl8 tied by Edinburgh duplex mark 131 dated AP 6 71, an unusual duplex having san-serif letters for the town, but seriffed letters for the date. Backstamped by single arc AYR code A AP 7 71, and a large black wax seal. The letter is a beautifully written request for the recipient to attend the funeral of the senders uncle. Cat of the stamp alone is £120, twice that on cover. Letter has a fold in it, otherwise very fine and well preserved.
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Outer 1874 Liverpool to Oporto (1/- stamp removed!) with EXCHANGE LIVERPOOL duplex mark dated 24 JY 1874 code A 14, with FRANCA oval in black, and red PD in circle. Cover marked "Via France". Backstamped by Porto arrival mark in black dated 1 AUG 1874. Letter from a company called John Glynn, asking for the enclosed letter to be delivered to a Captain Johnson either at Porto or Vienna, depending on where he drops off his cargo of fish from Newfoundland!
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Entire 1850 Stirling to Falkirk with 1d red imperf blued paper letters RC 2 margins tied by 4-5-4 barred numeral 308 handstamp of Stirling. Backstamped by boxed Falkirk datestamp in blue, double arc Stirling CDS, plus Edinburgh transit stamp, all dated 6th Feb 1850. Contents is a tax notice for an amount of £1-2sh. Nice item
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A fascinating Free front sent from Wincanton to London, dated Aug 24th 1784 Addressed to Carbonell & Son, King Street, London (Carbonell & Son are wine merchants) Markings (Ref JT Whitney 7th Ed) – Noted “Not properly dated – put into Wincanton office”, surcharge “4” applied twice (Ref 2/34 p30? cat £35 each) The cover was originally signed “Westmorland”, but as it was not completed correctly to get free postage, it was turned in to Wincanton. It was subsequently crossed out due to above, then dated properly and signed “Greville” to enable delivery. A fascinating group of markings I have not seen before Westmorland – John Fane, 10th Earl of Westmorland (1759-1841) 1774-1841 – House of Lords, Earl of Westmorland 1798-1806, 1807-27 – Lord Privy Seal Greville – Charles Francis Greville (1749-1809). 1774-90 – MP for Warwick As a young man, Charles Greville courted Emma Hart, who would later become Lady Hamilton and Lord Nelson’s lover.
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Free front sent from Esher to London, dated Nov 21st 1805 Addressed to Mrs Macklin, 39 Fleet Street, London Markings Ref (JT Whitney 7th Ed) – Large Single Circle Free stamp in red dated NOV 22 1805 1A/9 p10 (cat £50), plus single line town mark with mileage in box 3/20 p32 (cat £30) Signed by “Fletcher” Sir Henry Fletcher, 1st Baronet of Clea Hall (1727-1807). 1768-1806 – MP for Cumberland The addressee, Mrs Hannah Macklin, was married to Thomas Macklin, author of the Poet’s Gallery, and the Folio Bible project
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Free front sent from Warwick to London, dated Jul 4th 1815 Addressed to Miss Carter, Mercers near Arundel St, Strand, London Markings Ref (JT Whitney 7th Ed) – “WARWICK Penny Post” 2 line in black, 3/23, p32 (cat £30) Signed by “Dartmouth” William LEGGE, 4th Earl of Dartmouth (1784-1853) Additional titles 1810 – MP for Milborne Port 1810 – Member of the House of Lords He had 16 children, 15 with his 2nd wife, Frances Barrington
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Free front sent from Guildford to London, dated Nov 25th 1822 Addressed to Reverend Hughes, Residentiary House, Amen Corner, St James, London Markings Ref (JT Whitney 7th Ed) – “TO PAY 1D ONLY” framed 1A/19 p14 (cat £30), plus GUILDFORD PENNY POST unframed in black 3/23 (Z), p41 (cat £30) Signed by “G Holme Sumner” George Holme Sumner (1760-1838). MP for Ilchester, Guildford and Surrey
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Free front sent from Northwich to Chorlton, dated Jan 20th 1833 Addressed to Thomas Tarleton Esq, Chorlton Lodge, near Malpas Markings Ref (JT Whitney 7th Ed) – “Chester Penny Post” Boxed 2 line in black, 3/25 (BB), p32 (cat £30) Signed by “Delamere” Hugh Cholmondeley, 2nd Baron Delamere (1811-1887) Additional titles 1840-41 – MP for Denbighshire 1841-47 – MP for Montgomery 1855-87 – Member of the House of Lords
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Free front sent from Ravenglass to London, dated Jul 27th 1834 Addressed to Sir W’m Cole & Co, Bankers, Old Bond St, London Markings Ref (JT Whitney 7th Ed) – “Ravenglass Penny Post” Boxed 2 line in red, 3/25, p32, (cat £50) “TO PAY 1D ONLY” framed 1A/19 p14 (cat £30) Signed by “E Stanley” Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby (1799-1869). Longest serving Tory leader, Prime Minister on 3 separate occasions – 1852, 1858-59, 1866-68 1822-26 – MP for Stockbridge 1830 – Chief Secretary for Ireland 1833 & 1841 – Secretary for the Colonies 1844-69 – Member of the House of Lords
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Free front sent from Meynooth to Dublin, dated Dec 31st 1839 Addressed to Miss Caroline Hamilton, 37 Dominick St, Dublin Markings Ref (Stanley Gibbons 9th Ed) - Irish Free Mark dated JA-1-1840 with "F" 1A/41, p7, value doubled as 1840 date (£100) Signed by "Leinster" Augustus Frederick FITZGERALD, 3rd Duke of Leinster (1791-1874) 1831-74 - Lord Lieutenant of Leinster 1804-74 - Duke of Leinster Augustus Fitzgerald was Grandmaster of the Grand Lodge of Ireland (Freemasons) from 1813 to 1874, and was also Lord High Constable of Ireland for the coronations of William IV and Queen Victoria Maynooth is the location of the Duke of Leinster's ancestral home
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Free front sent from Moreton-in-Marsh to London, dated Mar 17th 1839 Addressed to Mr Horace Rodd, No. 1 Great Newport St, Long Acre, London Markings Ref (JT Whitney 7th Ed) – “To Pay 1d Only” framed 1A/20 p14 (cat £75), plus “Moreton-in-Marsh Penny Post” unframed in black 3/26 (CC), p45 (cat £50) Signed by “Northwick” John Rushout, 2nd Baron Northwick (1770-1859). 1800-59 – House of Lords, Baron Northwick
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Free Front Carlow (Ireland) to W Lane, Sailor, No. 5 Barry St, London. With Single circle crown inside "Apple" style free mark dated JUL 1 1806, and Dublin Free Mark double circle with "DUB" dated JU-27-1806, and centre inverted! Signed John O'Neill, MP for County Antrim. Very rare marks, and with inverted centre added on. Min cat £325, super item for the specialist