POSTAL HISTORY OF
SCOTLAND, IRELAND and
WALES.
This is a section devoted to the Postal History of Scotland, Wales and Ireland
from pre-stamp to the end of
Victoria’s reign and includes stamped covers and stamps.
The selection
of items is a
representation only of our current stock so your Wants List is welcomed.
This Section contains a large range of stamps and covers from these three regions
so do scan down to the bottom.
A very rare Edinburgh date stamp.
152910.
Printed Mercantile and House Agency letter from Edinburgh to Thurso dated May 9th 1857.
Postage paid by a 1d star perf 14 and tied by an Edinburgh roller: the stamp has a vertical filing crease.
On the reverse is an exceptional proof-quality strike in RED for May 11th 1857 (May 10th 1857 was a Sunday)
of the First Single Circle name and date stamp used by the Capital and introduced in May 1857.
McKay notes that this first type had the name around the top and the year was hand engraved.
The stampers and duty code letter was separated by a hyphen.
It was struck in a colour other than the usual black, in this case RED,
possibly to show it was a totally new cancellation: this was done with the introduction of Dotted Circles in Edinburgh
which were struck initially in blue and later in black.
This is a rare cancellation and this example is believed to be the earliest known usage.
The proof strike for the Edinburgh duplex is May 14th 1857.
The earliest known date of usage is May 15th 1857.
Initially in blue and later in black, it largely replaced the roller cancellation in Edinburgh.
The example offered here at May 11th 1857 is on the cusp of these innovations and changes.
A superb and rare item.
Price: £125.00
NB: The scan does not do justice to the RED colour of the date stamp.
See Item numbers 152164 and 152165 directly below:
the earliest known dates
of the Edinburgh duplex in blue
May 1857
The first EDINBURGH duplex and the earliest from any Scottish location
152164.
1d SG29, very fine, tied to a clean wrapper to Dunse by a superb Edinburgh duplex in BLUE, May 15th 1857.
This is the first type of Edinburgh duplex.
Mackay notes in 'Scottish Numeral Postmarks' that there is a proof strike for May 14th 1857.
The item offered here at May 15th 1857 is believed to be the EARLIEST known used example extant.
It is the earliest duplex cancellation from any Scottish location.
Gibbons prices a blue duplex on cover at £850 QV volume 1.
On the reverse is a Dunse date stamp for May 16th 1857
and a superb strike of the Edinburgh fancy 'TOO LATE', Auckland ED150.
This is a considerable Scottish rarity showing the development of cancellations
as the volume of mail increased.
An important Exhibition item.
Price: £585.00
NB: as with the Edinburgh dotted circles and the Glasgow first type of duplex canceller,
BLUE ink was used in the first few months after their introduction before reverting to black.
One suggestion is that blue ink was used for a short time to make the new cancellation more noticeable.
We have seen this first type of Edinburgh duplex in BLACK used on July 17th 1857.
The scan does not do justice to the blue ink.
2d Plate 5 BLUE Edinburgh Duplex
152165.
A banking entire from Edinburgh to Callendar with a fine 2d SG34 Plate 5 'LF':
tied by the first Edinburgh duplex in BLUE.
On the reverse is a Stirling date stamp in black and a boxed Callender date stamp in green both for May 19th 1857.
It is offered with a fine 2d on piece with the Edinburgh first type of duplex struck in BLACK, August 7th 1857.
Mckay notes in 'Scottish Numeral Postmarks' that there is a proof strike for May 14th 1857
and the item offered here at May 18th 1857 is believed to be
the EARLIEST known used example cancelling a 2d blue.
We cannot trace an earlier usage from any Scottish location.
Gibbons prices a blue duplex on a 1d value on cover at £850 in QV volume 1.
A blue duplex on a 2d blue is not listed but a Gibbons price must be at least £2,000.
A significant Scottish rarity of Exhibition importance.
Price: £585.00
NB: as with the Edinburgh dotted circles and the Glasgow first type of duplex canceller,
BLUE ink was used in the first few months after their introduction before reverting to black.
One suggestion is that blue ink was used for a short time to make the new cancellation more noticeable.
We have seen only one other 2d blue, again Plate 5, on a cover to Perth, cancelled with this
blue duplex and that was dated July 8th 1857.
Some 10 years ago it was offered by another Specialist Dealer at £675.
We have seen this first type of Edinburgh duplex in BLACK used
on a 2d blue on piece dated July 23th 1857.
The scan does not do justice to the blue ink.
2d Plate 3: PERTH Distinctive Cross
152541.
2d Plate 3, 'TF'.
A fine three plus margins tied to a wrapper to Crieff by a lightly struck PERTH Cross.
Rockoff and Jackson, Volume 2, records the distinctive Type 2 Perth Cross
used exclusively between March 2nd 1841 and 30 January 1844,
including an example used on July 12th 1842.
At no time during this period was the common Perth cross used.
The example offered here is for July 26th 1842 and shows the thick outer lines.
Gibbons lists 2d Plate 3 cancelled by a number of distinctive crosses but NOT that of Perth.
Rockoff and Jackson lists 35 examples of the distinctive Perth Cross.
Only one example is recorded on the 1841 2d.
A piece with a pair used on February 23rd 1842:
it is in the BRITISH POSTAL MUSEUM.
From our researches we cannot trace another example of this cross on any 2d blue.
This is an extremely rare example and may be the only one,
or one of only a few, in private hands.
An Exhibition rarity.
Price: £900.00
NB: Gibbons does not list the 1840 2d blue plates on cover with a Perth Cross
but does list the 1d black at £9,000.
See the next item,15144, from the 1840 2d Blue Section.
It would make a very special and unique pairing
and a memorable Exhibition
display page.
Perth Distinctive Cross on 2d Blue Plate 2
15144:
2d deep blue, Plate 2, ‘BK’, SG Spec DS7:
An almost three margined example, crossed by a light filing crease, tied to a
wrapper, Perth to Dunkeld August 11th 1841, by a fine PERTH characteristic cross.
This cross is NOT listed by Gibbons on the1840 2d blue,
only on the 1d black as SG Spec A1um,
and priced by Gibbons at
£9,000 on cover.
Rockoff and Jackson has NO recorded example of this
Perth cross on an 1840 2d blue.
The example offered here is
possibly the only one in private hands.
A very rare and attractive
item.
Price: £880.00
NB: see the item above,152541, as it would make
a avery special and unique pairing
and a memorable Exhibition display page.
KIRKCUDBRIGHT Cross
152634.
1d, 'TF', Plate 21, fine 3-margined example, ragged margins at the bottom but clear.
Tied to a wrapper by a superb upright KIRKCUDBRIGHT cross to Edinburgh with a
very fine Kirkcudbright date stamp on reverse for November 9th 1842
and an Edinburgh receiver for the next day.
Rockoff and Jackson Volume 1, illustrate only three examples of this cross.
One is the 1842 example taken from Alcock and Holland, Figure 2696.
R&J comment that they were only able to indentify two others: both are for 1843.
The example here is not recorded by them and is
a finer strike than any of the others including that of A&H.
Hard to see how one could find a better strike extant.
A superb and rare item.
Price: £135.00
KIRKCALDY Cross
152636.
1d, 'CG' Plate 12: fine example with full margins slightly close at the left but clear.
Tied to an entire to Leslie, October 2nd 1841, by a fine KIRKALDY Cross.
Rockoff and Jackson Volume 1, illustrate a number of examples
but the one offered here, is not recorded by them.
It is the earliest usage on a 1d red with this cross.
1d Plate 12 is priced by Gibbons on cover at £200.
A scarce item.
Price: £95.00
CASTLE DOUGLAS Cross on black Plate X1
152637.
1d 'AJ', Plate X1, very fine with square margins.
On a wrapper from CASTLE DOUGLAS, boxed date stamp for September 18th 1841,
to Edinburgh and with a superb and complete Castle Douglas Cross.
Rockoff and Jackson Volume 1, note that this cross has variable and intermittent amounts of debris/dirt in the canceller.
Of the examples illustrated one, in 1843, suggests that
'the post office did occasionally clean their obliterator but generally they appear to have taken very poor care of it.'
Only three covers of the eight illustrated are recorded for 1841 and the one offered here is unrecorded.
This example shows some debris but is a very fine strike for this cross.
Gibbons prices a 1d red Plate X1 on cover at £350.
Castle Douglas in 1841 had a population of only 1,848 and one wonders how many of these could write.
A fine and rare item.
Price: £165.00
NB: the first example of this cross we have been able to offer.
1d Plate 10: unrecorded Double Lined Cross
152711.
1d red Plate 10, ‘ML’, fine with 3-plus margins on an entire,
dated inside July 28th 1841, from LOCHGILPHEAD to Inverary.
On the reverse is a boxed Lochgilphead error date stamp with an inverted ‘3’ instead of a ‘2’.
The letter is addressed to the Procurator Fiscal and is written and signed
by a Police Constable detailing his attempts to catch a number of men.
Although with m/s ‘OHMS’, the postal authorities applied a very fine handstruck ‘2’ and ‘to pay’ alongside.
The 1d red is tied by a very fine Lochgilphead Maltese cross which clearly shows it to be Double Lined.
Rockoff and Jackson do not list this cross.
Gibbons prices a 1d red Plate 10 on cover at £400.
A very fine and unusual item which would make a fine display page.
Price: £145.00
2d Plate 3 with a pre-proof Kirkcaldy date
152818.
2d SG14, Plate 3, ‘CK-CL’ and ‘BG’:
CK has full margins, with part of the stamp ‘DK’, but affected by a light vertical filing crease;
‘CL’ is into at the right but with a very large bottom margin and a portion of ‘DL’.
The stamps are cancelled by the ‘92’ of CUPAR, (Fife).
The wrapper is addressed to ‘Wemys Castle By Kirkaldy’.
On the reverse is a Cupar Fife date stamp for May 10th 1847 and
a Kirkcaldy unframed date stamp in blue for May 11th 1847.
Auckland lists this as FL428, a recut date stamp of Kirkcaldy with a Proof Strike taken on May 28th 1847.
He records its earliest date of usage as August 1847.
Hence the example offered here is earlier than the Proof Strike
and earlier than the recorded earliest usage.
Gibbons prices a single 2d Plate 3 on cover at £350.
A 6d rate on a relatively small wrapper for this which displays well.
Price: £57.00.
NB: The scan does not do justice to the blue Kirkcaldy date stamp.
In the Pre-stamp and Stampless Section is Item 152799,
a superb Kirkaldy Uniform Penny Post 1840 entire,
to the same
addressee at Wemys Castle, Weymss.
GLASGOW crosses: three single strikes on 2d Plate 3
152842.
2d Plate 3, SG14, three singles, ‘TI’, ‘SI’ and ‘RI’, none have full margins,
but are tied to a letter by GLASGOW Crosses. ‘SI’ has a partial double strike.
The MX on ‘RI’ has a constant mark near the inner diamond which gets fainter on the MX’s
from right to left as the inking of the cross decreases but is still visible.
On the reverse is a Glasgow hexagonal date stamp for June 27th 1843 and a faint Edinburgh receiver.
The letter, dated June 27th 1843, refers to enclosures hence the 6d rate.
Rockoff and Jackson records almost 50 examples of the Glasgow cross on cover,
two are on a Mulready and the rest are all on 1d values.
NONE are recorded with a 2d on cover.
Gibbons prices a single 2d Plate 3 on cover with a MX cancellation at £650.
This is a rare item.
Price: £175.00
NB: it is much rarer to find on cover three separate 2d’s than a strip of three
and especially so with Maltese crosses.
Cupar handstruck 1 in UPP period: Burmese War Money Prize
152882. Wrapper from CUPAR Fife to London.
No postal markings on the reverse: all the 'action' is on the front.
A boxed Cupar date stamp for May 14th 1840, barely a week after the 1d black was issued.
The 1d postage paid by a handstruck ‘1’ in the same colour as the Cupar date stamp.
This predates by 2 months the EKD by Auckland.
The Paid date stamp for May 14th 1840 is Auckland ED76 but is unrecorded in black,
red being the only colour noted in use up to 1849.
The Paid Tombstone for May 16th 1840 was applied in London.
On an inside flap is a statement ‘Robert Hagden to be paid Burmese Prize money’.
In view of this note, it is very likely the wrapper was addressed to
‘The Burmese Prize Agent’, East India House’, even though some spellings are incorrect.
On the internet are references to Prize Money awarded during the Burmese Wars.
A very attractive item which displays well with all the postal markings on the front:
neatly applied and spaced; not overlapping and all upright.
Price: £65.00
Cupar Cross
152893.
1d red ‘GK’, tied a clean wrapper from CUPAR, to Blairgowrie.
On the reverse is a very fine Cupar Angus boxed date stamp for September 8th 1843 and a
partial Blairgowrie same date stamp indicating the item was delivered on the same day it was posted.
The 1d red is not full margined but is neatly tied by a superb strike of the Cupar cross.
Rockoff and Jackson in Volume 1 illustrate seven examples of this cross on 1d red covers.
The example offered here is unrecorded by them and the quality of this strike
is arguably as fine, if not finer, than any recorded by them on a 1d red.
An attractive example of this very scarce cross.
Price: £68.00
Fort William cross on a Shipping Invoice
152853.
1d Plate 21, ‘GB’, fine with full margins,
on a printed and illustrated invoice to Inverness, for shipping slates from the Balachelish slate quarry.
The 1d red is tied by a FORT WILLIAM cross showing the typical debris filled MX from this location.
Rockoff and Jackson, Volume 1 p 113, note that Fort William is known to have applied its cross in a careless fashion
and often with much debris within it indicating it was seldom properly cleaned.
They list only four examples from December 1840 to July 1842:
one is on piece and only two are on 1d red covers.
They illustrate the July 21st 1842 example which has some debris but the example offered here,
September 21st 1842, has much more.
Hence during the two month period from July to September, the cross appears not to have been cleaned.
The printed invoice indicates the name of the sloop, MARY ANN, to carry the slates and riding at anchor in the Harbour of Balachelish.
The name of the ship’s Master is also mentioned. At the top of the invoice is a fine line engraving of a ship in full sail.
A superb and rare item that would repay further research and make a superb display page.
Price: £120.00
NB: the population of Fort William was only 1,891 in 1841.
On the reverse are partial strikes of a Fort William boxed date stamp for September 16th 1842
and an Inverness cds for the following day.
The image
of the invoice is partly blurred: entirely the fault of the scanner.
The Stirling Observer with Advert
152551.
1/2d SG48 fine Plate 5: tied by a STIRLING duplex for August 8th 1872
to an Advertising entire from The Stirling Observer to Blairgowrie.
It contains an actual advert dated August 1st 1872, for a Farm to be let.
An unusual and rare survivor in very fine condition.
Price: £57.50
NB: the brown near the stamp is fainter than in the scan
and does not affect the stamp.
2d Plate 12 from Edinburgh
152906.
2d blue, SG45, very fine Plate 12.
Tied to a clean commercial banking entire to Haddington by
a fine/very fine EDINBURGH duplex for July 12th 1869.
There is a Haddington date stamp on reverse for the same date.
Hence the letter was delivered the same day it was posted.
Plate 12 is by far the scarcer of these 2d plates ie plates 7-12,
and priced by Gibbons on cover in excess of £400.
This is before adding the Gibbons premium for such
a fine example so lightly cancelled.
A very scarce item which would display well.
Price: £140.00
Scots Local Type IV DUROR RUROR
152904.
1d perf 14, some light creasing and scuffing near the top.
Tied to an envelope to Glasgow by a typical partial strike of the
Scots local Type 1V of DUROR DUROR.
On the reverse is a BONAW cds for February 6th 1858: the parent Post Office.
In the Meredith Collection of Scots Locals, Robson Lowe Auction 1971, Lot 33
was an envelope with a clearer but similar partial strike and a piece with a damaged 1d.
It sold for the equivalent in modern money of approx £220.
A difficult cancellation to find.
Price: £70.00
Unrecorded usage of the 5d SG169 with a Dotted Circle.
152899.
A Front from DUNDEE to St John (Canada?).
The fine 5d SG169, is tied by a double strike, Contrary to PO Regulations,
of the Dundee Dotted Circle Type A5, for September 18th 1882.
Arundel records seven different code letters but not R.
He does note however that the Scottish Postmark Group mention Code R being used
but Arundel found no trace of it.
This is a scarce cancellation used infrequently during its lengthy time in service.
Arundel records only two months of usage in 1882 ie June and December hence the example offered here
is an unrecorded month of usage and, in fact, is the third earliest recorded month of use.
During its recorded period of use, from February 1881 to October 1888,
Arundel records only eight months in which it was used.
He notes its usage only the 1d lilac, 1/2d SG164 and the 1/2d SG197
but NOT on the 5d SG169.
No example of the 5d SG169 is recorded on any type of dotted circle from Edinburgh, Greenock or Dundee.
An item of Exhibition rarity.
Price: £95.00
NB: SG169 is priced by Gibbons on full cover at £325.
There are many more Dotted Circle items towards the end of this Section.
4d SG64: Glasgow Experimental Duplex
152903.
4d SG64, watermark medium garter: fine used, a pulled perf bottom left,
cancelled by the second type of Glasgow Experimental Duplex, the so called ‘Madeleine Smith’.
The first example of this cancellation we have been able offer on any of the 4d medium garter series.
Gibbons prices the basic SG64 at £500.
A rare combination of stamp and postmark.
Price: £85.00
9d SG87: Leith duplex and other cancellations.
152889.
9d SG87 ‘RL’, cancelled by a partial ‘221, and cds of LEITH.
There is also a small part of the blue Aus England transit date stamp
and portion of a red PD in oval?
There are a few short perfs at the bottom.
Gibbons prices this stamp at £475.
Unusual to have portions of so many different cancellations
and a rare item as such.
Price:
£95.00
Greenock Experimental duplex in BLUE
152877.
1d SG29: generally fine with some ragged perfs.
Tied to a piece by a very clear partial strike of the GREENOCK Experimental Duplex Type 2.
The strike is in deep blue and is the first example of this
experimental cancellation we have seen in a blue ink.
This Type is recorded from January 1857 to November 1859 hence the example here is from 1857.
The Scottish Postal History Group note that there are six bars
to the left of the office number ‘163’ and only five to the right:
the middle one of the five having sustained damage and is either missing or appears as a dot only.
The dot can be clearly seen in this example.
A rare item even as a piece.
Price: £80.00
The extremely rare KILMARNOCK Experimental Duplex
152875.
1d SG29: on an entire to Glasgow from KILMARNOCK.
The stamp, with a vertical filing crease, is tied by a partial strike of
the very rare Kilmarnock Experimental Duplex for April 15th 1856.
On the reverse is an unclear udc, possibly Ayr, and a Glasgow date stamp for the same date.
This Kilmarnock duplex is the RAREST of the 18 Types
identified by the Scottish Postal History Group in their publications.
It is recorded in use from January to May 1856.
The weakness of the letters across the centre on both sides can be clearly seen.
These problems were on the proof strike and it would seem
the canceller was faulty in construction and hence seldom used.
A very rare item as few examples appear to have survived on full cover.
Price: £95.00
NB: On a reverse bottom flap in a contemporary hand is written:
‘1d charged at both Portland Place and as a
redirection to Blair (?)’
GREENOCK CROSS on 2d Blue Plate 3
260.
1841 2d blue SG 14 plate 3:
tied
to entire by very fine
Not 4-margined but a rare usage of this cross
Priced by Gibbons at £2,000 on cover.
Very few examples are known with this cross on a 2d blue cover.
Price: £520.00
KIRRIEMUIR Cross on 2d Blue Re-entry
151364.
2d Plate 3, SG 15, DeepFull Blue, 'OD' and 'OG':
Tied to an entire, no enclosures, from Kirriemuir to Edinburgh,
superb Kirriemuir boxed date stamp in orange for August 26th 1843 on reverse top flap
which displays well when raised. 'OD' is a large full margined example, 'OG' with 3 plus margins.
Each tied by a black cross of KIRRIEMUIR, 'OG' with part of a third cross. Discussed by Rockoff and Jackson in
Volume 1 of 'The Maltese Cross Cancellations of GB and Ireland' and with
only four examples of dated covers which does not include the example offered here.
Population of Kirriemuir in 1841 was only 3,000.
Stamp 'OG' has the ONLY re-entry on Plate 3, Spec AS12b,
illustrated in QV Volume 1 p164, and grossly under-priced.
The MXs leave most of the re-entry marks visible especially in the top margin.
A non-variety single 2d with black cross on cover is priced by Gibbons at £650.
This is the only example we have seen of this rare re-entry on cover with a MX cancellation.
An Exhibition quality item.
Price: £420.00
The distinctive KELSO Cross
152861.
1d plate 23, ‘BB’, with full margins, tied to a wrapper by a fine strike of the distinctive KELSO cross,
SG Spec B1to, and priced by Gibbons at £3,250 on cover.
The stamp may have a very light vertical crease at the right from the wrapper
or may have been placed over an existing paper fold.
The fold at the top of the wrapper has come open.
On the reverse top flap is a very fine Kelso boxed date stamp for March 11th 1843.
On the front is a Dunse date stamp for March 12th 1843.
The 1d red had been affixed at the top left, contrary to Post Office regulations.
A rare and neat example of this distinctive cross which displays well.
Price: £585.00.
The rare KILMARNOCK Cross
152859.
1d red, fine, full margins but very close to just clear NE corner.
Cancelled by the distinctive KILMARNOCK cross,
SG Spec B1tp, priced at £1,400.
On the reverse is a fine ivory head.
A rare item.
Price: £295.00
KILMARNOCK Cross
1019.
1841 1d red plate 21, ‘PE’:
3+ margined with a very fine and almost complete strike
of the rare and distinctive Kilmarnock cross, SG spec B1tj.
Seldom found with such a clear strike of this cross
and priced by Gibbons at £1,400.
Price: £390.00
The rare KILMARNOCK Cross
152860.
1d red, plate 38, ‘IF’, almost full margins, just touched NW square and possibly light scuffing in this same area.
Tied to a wrapper by a partial strike of the rare KILMARNOCK distinctive cross,
SG Spec B!tp and priced at £5,000.
This characteristic cross is recorded in use only between January 25th 1844 and June 20th 1844.
On the reverse is a Kilmarnock boxed date stamp in red for April 13th 1844
and an Edinburgh receiver for SUNDAY April 14th 1844.
A very collectable example of this rarity
offered at a small percentage of the Gibbons’ price.
Price: £520.00
DUMFRIES distinctive cross: the largest known multiple on cover.
15150.
1d reds Plates 34, ‘GE and 38,’TH-TL’ strip of five, on wrapper to Glasgow from DUMFRIES,
April 13th 1844. Most are 3-margined and ‘TJ’ with a filing crease, but each stamp cancelled
by the characteristic DUMFRIES CROSS.
Rockoff Volume 1, records only 16 examples of this distinctive cross on 1d red covers.
The only multiple usage recorded by him is on one cover with a pair of 1d reds.
Gibbons prices this cross on a single 1d red on cover at £1,100.
A unique multiple franking with two different 1d red plates
and SIX strikes of this distinctive cross.
An Exhibition item.
Price: £795.00
Inverary Cross: close to its end of usage
152831.
1d red Plate 41, ‘OB’: fine/very fine with exceptional margins all around.
There are portions of FOUR other stamps.
It is tied to a legal entire to Edinburgh by an INVERARY Maltese cross
the central area of which is clogged by debris.
On the reverse top flap are date stamps for Inverary, June 15th 1844 and
an Edinburgh receiver for Sunday June 16th 1844.
The Maltese cross cancellations in Scotland were replaced by numerals from around June 20th 1844
and hence the example here is close to the time when its use was discontinued.
We have not seen a later usage of the Inverary cross.
The cross being clogged with debris may be because the canceller
was within a few days of being taken out of service and not cleaned.
A superb and rare item that displays well.
Price: £275.00
NB: Plate 41 is
scarce with a Maltese cross.
The rare Edinburgh Type C7 Dotted Circle: only known example on a postcard
152821.
Superb halfpenny brown postcard, used locally within Edinburgh,
and cancelled by a very fine/superb strike of the rare Edinburgh dotted circle Type C7.
Arundel notes that it had little usage during its short time in service.
The earliest recorded date is September 14th 1880; the latest February 12th 1881.
He also notes that it is only known used on the 1d Venetian red, SG166
except for isolated strikes in 1884 and 1886, the latter on a halfpenny slate.
One example has been recorded on a Penny Pink envelope
and one on a Halfpenny Postcard.
The example offered here is a very early usage and is believed
to be the only example known on a halfpenny postcard: the one mentioned by Aurundel.
A superb and very rare item of Exhibition quality.
Price:
£285.00
NB: the duplex when struck ‘bounced’ slightly producing a ‘shadow’ effect
visible in the dater portion and faintly in the rest of the cancellation.
An unusual effect and one we have not seen on any other dotted circle from any location.
Edinburgh Dotted Circle Type A9
152732.
Edinburgh Dotted Circle Type A9:
very fine strike on a clean and uncreased Penny Pink envelope
to Exeter Exeter and Exmouth date stamps on the reverse.
Unrecorded month of usage in 1877 by Arundel.
Seldom found on this 1d Envelope and a very scarce item.
Price: £48.50 SOLD
Edinburgh Dotted Circle Type B2
142734.
Edinburgh Dotted Circle Type B2:
fine strike on a locally used envelope, March 9th 1870, and tieing a fine 1d plate 102.
A very scarce type and with an unrecorded month of usage.
Arundel comments that it was used intermittently.
Price: £47.50
Edinburg Dotted Circle Type C3
152730.
Edinburgh Dotted circle Type C3:
fine/very fine strike, on a Halfpenny brown Postcard, sent to a scarce destination ie Kirkwall.
Believed to be only the second recorded example: we sold the first some years ago.
A fine and rare item.
Price:
£65.00
Edinburgh Dotted Circle Type C5
152731.
Edinburgh Dotted Circle Type C5: a fairly common Type but as Arundel comments
very scarce used on the Halfpenny brown Postcard.
Used locally with a generally fine strike on a superb postcard
and an unrecorded usage in October 1879.
A fine item.
Price: £40.00
Edinburgh Dotted Circle Type A
152735.
Edinburgh Dotted Circle Type 8d SG156:
we have never previously seen this stamp cancelled by any type of dotted circle
and no example is recorded by Arundel for Edinburgh or Dundee.
On the reverse is what appears to be a pre-printing light crease not visible from the front.
There is some browning on a number of perfs.
SG156 is priced by Gibbons at £350.
A very rare item.
Price: £68.00
NB: SG156 issued in September 1876, hence the cancellation is A9, A10 or A11.
From the appearance of the dots it is more likely A10 or A11.
The browning on the reverse is far less than the scan suggests.
Belfast split numeral
152647.
1d red, ‘TH’, an exceptional full margined example,
very small surface scratch mark in margin below ‘H’ square,
parts of two other stamps and with a very clean back.
Cancelled by a fine strike of the ‘split 62’ numeral of BELFAST.
This variety was first seen in the 1850’s and may have been caused
by filing through the bars, McKay fig 62 and Alcock fig. 341.
We have not seen an explanation as to the reason for this distinctive and unique variety.
A superb item of Exhibition quality and very rare as such.
Price: £85.00
Belfast split numeral used within Ireland
152643.
1d, not full margined, tied to a small neat envelope, by a fine BELFAST ‘split 62’ numeral.
A fine strike for this unusual variety: Alcock fig 342 and McKay fig 62.
McKay comments that this variety was created by filing through the bars
but we have not seen an explanation as to why this was done.
On the reverse is a Belfast date stamp for December 12th 1850 and
a Newtownards date in blue for the following day.
Both Alcock and McKay comment that this unique variety appeared in the 1850’s.
The example offered here at December 12th 1850 is the earliest usage we have seen.
A very scarce cancellation and in our experience rarely found on a full cover.
Price:
£120.00
Exceptional Broxburn Pennypost
152711.
Entire to Edinburgh from BROXBURN, West Lothian.
The letter is dated inside April 13th 1839 and there is an Edinburgh receiver for this same date.
On the reverse is arguably the finest strike extant of the BROXBURN/ PENNYPOST, Auckland LW46.
Recorded in use from March 3rd 1839, this is a very early usage.
Broxburn only had two postal marks used at its Post Office,
opened in January 1839, the one offered here and a date stamp.
In 1841 the population was only 1400 and being a rural farming community,
one wonders how many people could write and how little mail went through its Post Office?
A superb and rare item of Exhibition quality.
Price: £95.00
Kircaldy: Uniform Penny Post
152799.
Entire from Kircaldy, (spelt inside with a ‘K’) and dated July 1st 1840, to Wemys Castle, Wemyss.
The well written letter refers to various costings for road works and other projects and
a detailed listing of various costs already incurred or proposed: the contents would benefit from more research.
No postal markings on the reverse but on the front, in the position where a 1d black could have paid the postage,
is a very fine/superb strike of the Kircaldy date stamp in red, Auckland FI 422, for July 1st 1840.
Alongside it is a superb strike of the handstruck Kircaldy ‘1’, of the UPP Period, in the same colour, Auckland FI 438d.
This cancellation is recorded in use from January 22nd 1840 to August 1st 1840 and rated very scarce.
A superb and rare item which could make an excellent display page.
Price: £115.00
NB: Gibbons recently were offering an example of these same strikes
on a letter but not as fine as the examples offered here.
They noted it was
from the Chadwick Collection and priced at £150.
The very rare Inverness Type 1 Experimental Duplex
152796.
1d perf 14, ‘PC’, some shortish perfs and crossed by a light horizontal filing crease.
However, it is tied to a clean envelope to Elgin by a fine/very fine strike
of the very rare INVERNESS Type 1 Experimental Duplex.
The Scottish Postal History Group, (SPHG), note this cancellation as the 17th rarest of the 18 types listed.
An article in the ‘Scottish Post’, the Journal of SPHG, note that the Proof Strike
for this rare cancellation is in the work book for March 4th 1856.
The EKD is noted as April 24th 1856: we do not know if this is on piece or cover.
The very early example offered here is for May 22nd 1856 and
is the earliest example we have been able to offer of this very rare type.
Price: £225.00
Leith Type 2 Experimental Duplex
152797.
1d perf 14, ‘FA’, generally fine, on a legal letter to London.
The 1d is tied by a very fine/fine strike of the LEITH Experimental Duplex Type 2, for January 21st 1856.
The Scottish Postal History Group note this as the 13th rarest out of 18 types: EKD for this is 29th October 1855.
The clarity of the strike is unusually fine making this an excellent example of this rare type.
Price: £185.00
NB: Code 'I' appears to be unrecorded.
Edinburgh Paid 1d Extra
152793.
A clean legal entire from Edinburgh to Falkirk, dated June 17th 1840.
On the front is a Paid at Edinburgh date stamp for this same date and a fine Paid 1d Extra
in a position where a 1d black could have been applied.
There is also a m/s '1' in red: none of these overlap.
On the reverse top flap is a boxed Falkirk date stamp in orange also for June 17th 1840.
Letters posted between 6 and 7pm ie after the Edinburgh Post Office had closed,
could be accepted for a late posting fee of 1d and cancelled Paid 1d Extra.
A fine early example: recorded in use from February 1840.
Price: £55.00 SOLD
Edinburgh Paid 1d Extra
152794.
A neat legal entire from Edinburgh to Falkirk, dated March 3rd 1846.
On the front is a Paid at Edinburgh March 5th 1846; a m/s '1' in red and a very fine Paid 1d Extra.
This latter strike indicates a fee paid for posting the letter after the Edinburgh Post Office had closed at 6pm.
This 1d fee was applicable to letters posted bewteen 6 and 7pm.
On the reverse top flap is a Falkirk double arc date stamp in dull red for March 5th 1846.
An attractive item and very hard to find with such a fine strike of this late fee charge.
Price: £68.00 SOLD
Edinburgh Paid 6d Extra
152795.
A wrapper, with inside the end of a letter, from Edinburgh to Glasgow.
On the front is a Paid at Edinburgh January 13th 1846; a m/s '1' in red and
a neatly applied EXCEPTIONAL strike of Paid 6d Extra.
After the Edinburgh Post Office closed at 6pm, letters could still be posted up to 7:20pm.
Between 6 and 7pm a late postage charge of 1d could be paid.
However, between 7 and 7:20pm, letters could be posted but were charged an extra 6d.
Very few letters were posted in this time period because of the high charge and
hence this strike is much rarer than the Paid 1d Extra.
Despite the wrapper having a vertical filing crease, the example offered here is not only
the finest strike we have been able to offer, but the finest example we can recall seeing.
Price: £110.00 SOLD
NB: on the reverse is a boxed Glasgow date for January 13th 1846 3:30pm.
Either this date slug should have been January 14th 1846 or
it is correct and the Edinburgh date slug should have been January 12th 1846.
Either way it is unusual.
Perhaps the effects of Hogmany had not yet worn off?
The unique GLASGOW Late Posting cancellations.
152791.
The FIRST item: 2d Plate 3, 'TI', 3 margins, tied to an entire to Liverpool, by the '159' numeral of GLASGOW leaving a clear profile.
Part of the letter is missing inside at the bottom, having been roughly opened at the right.
On the reverse is a Glasgow hexagonal date stamp for December 16th 1847 and on the front is a fine strike of the unique tiny Glasgow stamp.
It has a miniature single-arc with the name round the top and a letter ‘L’ above a date.
In this case the year slug, for 1847, is present however the month and day are missing.
McKay notes that often this was the case as the office date stamp was usually struck elsewhere on the item of mail: this is the case with this entire.
This unique cancellation was introduced in December
1844; the ‘L’ denoted a
late posting for which a fee of 1d was charged.
The SECOND item: a wrapper from Glasgow to London, October 6th 1853.
The unique Glasgow tiny cancellation has been applied with all the date plugs removed but with the ‘L’ still in place.
The postage and the late posting fee of 1d has been paid by two 3-plus margined 1d reds, 'BK' and 'NI', Plate 156?
On the reverse is a Glasgow 10 -
sided date stamp and a London receiver for the next
day.
The date and year plugs it is believed were removed before the end of 1847 and we have not seen an example later than Item 1.
It is possible that
Item 1 is the latest usage with the year date slug still in place.
In the case of Item 2: we have not seen a later usage with only the ‘L’ in place.
A very rare and attractive pairing: the first we have been able to offer.
They would make a fine Display/Exhibition page and also show the 2d total postage charge paid in different ways.
Price the
pair: £180.00
Earliest Known Usage of this rare Inverness Experimental Duplex
152749.
A very fine 1d perf 14 tied to a small piece by a fine strike of the INVERNESS Experimental Duplex for January 9th 1864.
Taylor in ‘The Scottish Post’, notes that this type of the Inverness duplex was proofed on December 1st 1862,
some 4 years after the Latest Known Date for type 2.
He records the Earliest Known Date as January 11th 1864 and the Latest Known Date as February 1st 1864.
On his website he illustrates the five known examples, an EKD of January 11th 1864 and a LKD of February 1st.
Three of these appear to be on piece ie January 11th, January 19th and February 1st 1864.
The January 11th strike is poorish with the ‘64’ year date to the left; the January 19th example has the ‘64’ in a central position,
as in the example offered here and in the February 1st example.
In the other two examples the year plugs are
positioned to the left.
The item offered here for January 9th 1864 is hence a NEW Earliest Known Date for this rare cancellation
which appears to have been used for only a few weeks.
A superb display item.
Price: £125.00
Edinburgh surcharge: a very scarce type
152750.
Envelope from DUNBAR to West Kirby franked by a 1d lilac with a Dunbar cds for May 20th 1886.
On the front is a superb strike of the very scarce and distinctive
Over 1 OZ 1d MORE TO PAY with the Edinburgh ‘131’ within the design.
MacKay in his publication of GB surcharges, illustrates this strike but with a gap between Over and OZ
so that the appropriate figure in manuscript could be added, Fig. 1262.
However, the example offered here has a ‘1’ which is part of the design and not inserted by hand.
There are initials of a Post Office official, 'DWP', just above it.
He illustrates the same type but with a ‘2’ which is part of the design, Figure 1261.
This is the first time we have been able to offer an example of either type of this surcharge.
The strike is of an Exhibition standard.
Price: £68.00. SOLD
NB: there are some brown marks around the top perfs and partly along the right perfs of the 1d lilac
but not as pronounced as the scan suggests.
Dundee Registered to Aachen
152753.
A fine twopence halfpenny stationery envelope from DUNDEE to Aachen.
Registered to Germany, the additional postage paid by a fine 2d ‘Jubilee’, SG200,
and tied by a fine, and scarce, Dundee Registered oval for December 18th 1893.
This mark is also neatly struck on the reverse and a superb Aachen receiving date stamp, December 21st 1893.
A very attractive item with none of the cancellations overlapping.
Price: £48.00
The Royal Route: a David MacBrayne envelope
152751.
A roughly opened envelope posted in Oban, August 28th 1901, to Melbourne, Australia:
received in Melbourne on September 30th 1901.
The postage paid by a two single 1d lilacs Die 2 and a 1/2d SG213.
The contents, not present, would more than likely have been written
on the Royal Mail paddle steamer ‘Columba’, using the illustrated envelope available on board.
The steamer carried mail on ‘The Royal Route’.
All 'Columba's' distinguished career was on the Tarbert and Ardrishaig route.
It was used by the cream of Victorian and Edwardian society
as part of the "Royal Route" to shoots and lodges in the Highlands.
It called at a number of locations including Oban.
This ship was possibly the most majestic paddle steamer of all time.
Over 300 feet in length, she had a curved bow and was magnificently fitted out.
'Columba' even had a barbers on board and this was unique in Clyde steamer history.
After fifty eight summers, she was sold to shipbreakers, Arnott & Young, and was scrapped at Dalmuir in March 1936.
Despite the faults it is a rare survivor and only the second example we have handled.
It is also the only one we have seen, or been able to offer, sent to Australia.
Price: £95.00
4d SG62: rare cancellation
152725.
4d SG62a, paper very slightly blued, very fine colour and several short perfs.
The stamp is cancelled by a superbly crisp strike of the
rare LEITH Experimental Duplex for November 9th 1855.
The SPHG record its earliest known date of usage as October 29th 1855.
It is also rated 13/18 in rarity of the 18 Types of Scottish Experimental duplexes.
Not only is it one of the earliest usages we have seen
but rarely is this Type found on any other value than the contemporary 1d.
For the example offered here to be on the first issue of the 4d surface printed stamp,
and with such an early usage, is remarkable and the only one we have seen.
The wing margin allows the year to be clearly visible.
An extremely rare item with, very likely, a unique combination of stamp and cancellation.
Price: £225.00
NB: Gibbons prices the basic stamp at £450.
1/- SG101: vertical pair with variety
152728.
1/- SG101, Plate 4, fine/very fine used vertical pair, ‘DI-EI’, and cancelled
by a DUNDEE duplex ‘114’ for May 16th 1867.
The top frame line of ‘DI’ is thinned with several breaks
and, as a pair, can be conveniently compared with ‘EI’.
On the front and reverse can be seen in the wing margin
the watermark sheet position lines.
An attractive multiple priced by Gibbons at £550 as two singles.
Price: £80.00
The next items are two of the four known examples of Irish Scroll Cancellations.
Only Cork, Waterford, Limerick and Londonderry used such cancellers.
Cork was the first which it used from early 1883.
McKay correctly comments that all are elusive.
In our
experience, Cork is the more frequently seen.
152727. Two pence halfpenny, SG157 Plate 22, ‘JL’:
very fine and cancelled by an almost complete WATERFORD scroll and rare as such.
Duty code C and stamper’s number 2.
A vertical watermark guide line is visible on the reverse.
A very scarce/rare cancellation especially on a surface printed issue.
Superb item.
Price:
£58.00
CLOSEBURN Scots Local: very rare
152721.
2d Plate 7, SG45, pair ‘EA-EB’: ‘EA’ has a small crease at top left corner and ‘EB’ a blunt NE corner.
They are cancelled by an indistinct ‘323’ of Thornhill.
On a small envelope to Paris from THORNHILL, Dumfrieshire, date stamp on the reverse for September 15th 1859.
Also on the reverse is a superb strike of CLOSEBURN, Scots Local Type V, in BLUE.
This is unrecorded by Alcock and by Auckland.
Closeburn was the only Receiving House of the Thornhill Penny Post.
In ‘The Scots Local Namestamps 1840- 1860’ by Stephens and Erskine, no example for Closeburn was recorded.
However, one example of Type V is now known, cancelled in Black, for May 1859.
From our researches the Blue example offered here is the only one known.
On receipt in Paris the letter was redirected, possibly twice,
and the latest date stamp added was for September 18th 1859 – a Sunday.
A remarkable Scottish rarity which would make a very fine display page.
Price: £185.00
NB: difficult to
see how a finer strike of the blue Closeburn
will be found.
St Petersburgh to Perth
152675
An usual and rare envelope from ST PETERSBURGH to Perth,
received in Perth on September 24th 1848.
All the date stamps are on the reverse which display well.
We cannot recall seeing an item of mail sent from St Petersburgh
to a Scottish destination during this period.
Price: £55.00
Dublin Special Cross with constant break
152672.
A very fine/fine 1d pink stationery envelope from DUBLIN to Liverpool, November 2nd 1843.
Cancelled by a superb Dublin Special Cross with the constant break in the outer arm of the cross.
Rockoff and Jackson illustrate in Volume 1, only five examples and none are on a stationery envelope.
Of the five they show, three are on 1d red covers and two are on 1d reds which are off cover.
A superb example of this rare variety and the
only example we have seen on a stationery envelope.
Price: £175.00
Posted Since 8:30 Last Night: a very rare usage
152671. 3d rose fine Plate 6, SG103, 'QE', a few short perfs at the bottom.
On a thin paper envelope, some staining, from Edinburgh to New York with a New York 'Paid All' for July 29th.
The stamp is tied by a very fine/superb 'Posted Since 8:30 Last Night Ednr' for July 17th 1871.
Arundel in his 'Posted Since Last Night Cancels' publication, presents the results of a study based on
the examination and collation of data from over 6,000 examples of these type of postmarks.
Mackay in 'Scottish Postmarks', notes that the 8:30 cancellation offered here
was used for mail posted late on Sunday nights.
Arundel confirms that from March 1864, the 'Posted Since 8:30 Last Night' duplex was used
ONLY on MONDAY MORNINGS to indicate any mail posted too late for the Sunday evening dispatch
and this applied to further replacements of this 'Posted Since 8:30 Last Night' duplex.
JULY 17th 1871 was a MONDAY.
The replacement here has the '131' flanked at the left by a '+' and a 'star' on the right.
Arundel lists this as RA19 and notes it used only on the 1d star C10 and the 1d Venetian red, SG166.
He notes that fewer than 20 examples, which includes some on piece, were recorded in his study:
1d C10 and 1d SG166 are both priced at £200 on cover and £100 on piece.
The Code 7 in the example here, and a usage in July 1871, are both unrecorded.
This item is likely to have a unique combination of features.
A significant rarity and one worthy of being Exhibited.
Price: £325.00 SOLD
NB:
The usage of any of the 'Posted Since Last Night' Types are rarely found on overseas mail.
This is the first example of any Type on overseas mail we have been able to offer.
6d S69 with CORK Spoon
152659.
6d SG69, fine used: the brown marks are a lot fainter than in the scan.
The stamp has the dater portion of the CORK, English Type a: the date of December 15th 1856
confirms this Type: the Irish Type was not introduced until March 1857.
The date is also an early usage of SG69.
This is a scarce spoon and not recorded by Arundel other than on the contemporary 1d.
It is not recorded used in December 1856.
He lists 80 Irish Spoons and Types and only SIX are recorded on a surface printed value
and they are on the 4d, SG62/66.
NONE of the 80 Types are recorded on a 6d value.
A very rare/unique item.
Price: £120.00
NB:
Gibbons prices this stamp at almost £400 allowing the premium for a date cancel
but before a premium for the Irish cancellation.
The watermark guide lines indicate a corner position on the Mill Sheet.
India Street Scots Local in Dull Green
152651.
1d SG29, fine, tied to a clean neat envelope from EDINBURGH to Drumlithie by the
Scots Local Type V11 of INDIA STREET struck in a dull GREEN ink.
No Edinburgh Type V11 has been recorded struck in other than black ink.
On the reverse is an Edinburgh date stamp for August 18th 1856;
a Stonehaven date stamp and an indistinct boxed name stamp in green.
This rarity is offered with a part entire, no side flaps, used locally in Edinburgh, with a
fine 1d SG29 tied by the INDIA STREET Type V11 struck in the usual black ink.
On the reverse is a superb strike of the very scarce Posted Since 7 Last Night Edin, June 11th 1858.
Gibbons prices a Scots Local in Green on cover, SG Spec C8yc, at £3,500.
An Exhibition item of significant rarity.
Price: £785.00
NB: the green ink does not show well in the scan.
The vertical line at the right of the envelope, and
the attached line at the bottom, are in green ink.
DUMFRIES Special Cross
152652.
1d, 'SC', Plate 38, very fine, square margins on a FRONT with Kirkcudbright, November 21st 1843, date stamp.
The 1d red is tied by a fine DUMFRIES Special cross, SG Spec B1tfa, priced by Gibbons at £1,100 on full cover.
Rockoff and Jackson record and illustrate examples from June 1843
but the example offered here is NOT listed by them: none are recorded for November 1843.
A very scarce cross and especially so on this plate.
Price: £225.00
The next five items show the range of coloured cancellations that
TULLAMOORE, Co. Offaly, used in the 1840's and 50's.
They are offered individually but should you be interested in all of them do get in touch.
This rare grouping was put together over a long period of time:
we know this because we found one of these items for our client
and that was a long time ago!
The TULLAMOORE Cross in BLUE
152628.
1d red, 'DB', fine 3-margined example, on a letter from the Caledonian Insurance Office in TULLAMOORE to Dublin.
The 1d is tied by a neat BLUE Cross of TULLAMOORE and below it a very fine Tullamoore date stamp
for May 15th 1843 in the same blue ink and on the reverse a Dublin receiver for the next day.
Gibbons prices a blue cross, Spec B1sc, at £1700.
Danzig notes the Tullamoore cross in use between March and October 1843.
A very scarce Irish item which displays well.
Price: £675.00
NB: the item is finer than in the scan and the latter does not do justice
to the colours of the MX and the date stamp.
The TULLAMOORE numeral in GREEN
152629.
1d, Plate 60, 'OH', 3-margined example, very close but clear at the bottom, part of the adjacent stamp at the right
and just crossed at the far left side by a vertical filing crease.
The 1d red on this wrapper to Dublin is tied by a double strike of the '438' of TULLAMOORE, in GREEN.
Alongside is a Tullamoore date stamp in the same GREEN as the numeral cancellations, for February 27th 1846.
Danzig note a green example for December 1845 and a green usage in 1848 but no date is given.
Gibbons prices a green numeral, Spec B1xc, on cover at £9,000.
The scan does not do justice to the green.
An extremely rare item that displays well.
Price: £1,185.00
NB: Neither the Lady Mairi Bury nor the Chartwell Collections had an example
of a green numeral cancellation on stamp or on cover from any location.
From our researches we have not found another example offered for sale.
The Tullamoore numeral in Deep Blue
152631.
1d red, 'IF', full margins to just clear/ barely touching the bottom corner of the 'I' letter square,
on a wrapper from TULLAMOORE to Ballinasloe.
The stamp is tied by a very fine '438' of Tullamoore in a deep blue.
On the reverse is a blue supporting Tullamoore date stamp for February 11th 1852.
Danzig notes a blue usage in 1852 but no date is given,
Priced by Gibbons as a blue numeral at £750 on cover without an allowance for an Irish location:
Danzig prices Irish blue numerals higher than those from England or Scotland.
A fine display item.
Price: £385.00
NB: there is a filing spike hole near the Ballinasloe date stamp on the front.
The Tullamoore numeral in Blue on 1d pink envelope
152632.
1d pink stationery envelope to Westminster from Tullamoore, cancelled by a BLUE numeral '438' of TULLAMOORE.
On the reverse is a Tullamoore date stamp, in the same shade of blue, for January 31st 1853;
a Dublin date stamp for the same day and a London receiver for February 1st 1853.
Danzig notes a blue usage of the '438' on the 1d red in 1852, no date given.
The example offered here extends the usage of this blue numeral into 1853.
Danzig prices Irish blue numerals higher than those from England or Scotland and
Gibbons prices a blue numeral on a 1d red at £750 without allowance for the scarcer Irish usage.
The envelope is in a finer condition than the scan suggests:
the apparent browning at the top left is a trick of the scanner.
A fine and very scarce item.
Price: £325.00
NB: In our experience, blue numeral cancellations are much scarcer on stationary envelopes
than on the 1d red on cover and seldom found with blue Irish numerals.
The Tullamoore numeral in Blue
152630.
1d red, 'EA-EB', Plate 69?, not full margins but in a deep rich shade
with some signs of plate wear especially on 'EB': the scan does not do justice to the shade.
The stamps are tied to an envelope to Dublin by lightly applied strikes of the '438' of TULLAMORE.
Alongside the 1d's is a Tullamore date stamp, in the same shade of BLUE as the numerals, for September 6th 1846.
On the reverse, in red, is a Dublin receiving date stamp for September 7th 1846.
On the inside flap of the envelope is an interesting message:
'I have been offered a seat in The Privy Councll but I have declined the offer. D.M.'
There is a complete wax seal that may provide clues as to the sender, 'D.M.
Danzig prices Irish blue numerals higher than those from England or Scotland and
Gibbons prices a blue numeral on a 1d red at £750 without allowance for the scarcer Irish usage.
An atractive and scarce item.
Price: £285.00
NB: the addressee was from a well known Irish family being himself a lawyer.
There is a lot of information on the website about the Corballis family
which could enhance the write up of this item.
GLASGOW Handstruck 4: Uniform 4d Post Period
152614.
Wrapper from GLASGOW to Pennycuick.
On the front is a very fine strike of the Glasgow handstruck '4' used during the Uniform 4d Post period.
On the reverse are fine/very fine date stamps of Glasgow, for December 18th 1839,
and an Edinbugh date stamp for the following day.
A fine example of the Glasgow Uniform 4d Post period.
Price: £145.00 SOLD
Late use of the EDINBURGH Handstruck 4: Uniform 4d Post Period
152613.
A clean entire from EDINBURGH to Montrose suggesting advertising for sale,
the effects of an individual in the local paper and also in Arbroath.
On the front is a fine strike of the Edinburgh handstruck '4' used during the Uniform 4d Post period.
On the reverse top flap is an Edinburgh date stamp for January 7th 1840:
ust a few days before the introduction of the Uniform Penny Post.
There is NOT an example of the Edinburgh handstruck '4' used on January 7th 1840
in the British Library's FLETCHER Collection.
An attractive and very scarce item with this late date.
Price: £175.00 SOLD
EDINBURGH Handstruck 4: Second Day of usage
in the Uniform 4d Post Period
S1.
Entire
with very fine/fine handstruck
'4' of
SECOND DAY of the Uniform Fourpenny Post.
Very scarce.
Price: £265.00
NB: perhaps the letter was held back to December 6th
to make sure of the reduced postage rate to 4d?
EDINBURGH Handstruck 4:
early usage in the Uniform 4d Post Period
152627.
A rather tired letter from 12, Charlotte Street, Edinburgh to writers in Melrose.
On the front is a fine strike of the Edinburgh handstruck '4'
and a very early usage during the short-lived Uniform 4d Post.
The letter, which could be displayed well, is dated December 7th 1839
and refers to financial matters including tenants of the DUKE of BUCCLEUCH.
No postal markings but with the top flap raised, as in the scan,
the date of December 7th 1839 displays well.
Price: £78.00
NB: the Duke of Buccleuch became famous when in 1946,
a mint block of 48 2d blues Plate 2, ie the bottom four rows of the sheet,
was discovered at his home: the press articles are on the internet.
The 2d blues would have been bought only a few months after this letter.
Portadown: late usage of 1d red
152611.
1d red, 'RB', Plate 167: fine/very fine, full margins, on a wrapper from PORTADOWN to Lurgan.
Stamp tied by a legible strike of the '375' of PORTADOWN.
On the reverse are very fine date strikes for Portadown, April 29th 1857 and
for Banbridge and Lurgan for the following day.
The 1d red imperf was replaced by 1d SG17 on March 12th 1854.
The example offered here is a rare Irish LATE USAGE of the 1d imperf issue.
Price: £87.50
Very Rare Leith Experimental Duplex
152607.
10d embossed, cut to shape, rub at the top, cancelled by a fine strike
of the LEITH Experimental duplex Type 1.
The EKD for this very rare type is July 18th 1855.
The Scottish Postal History Group (SPHG) Publication, notes that the first proof strike
in June 1855 shows a long break in the lower of the three bars below LEITH.
The proof strike for 2nd August 1855 shows this bar complete.
The example offered here is dated August 1855 with the bar complete.
The SPHG list this as the 16th rarest of the 18 types of Scottish Experimental Duplexes.
We have not previously seen this Type cancelling a 10d embossed.
A very rare/unique combination.
Price: £120.00 SOLD
One of the, if not the, earliest usage of any Railway Letter stamp
152609.
1d lilac Die 2, with a Railway Letter 2d stamp of the BELFAST AND NORTHERN/ COUNTIES RAILWAY:
each with a BELFAST duplex for February 3rd 1891, and pen cancellation, and tied to a large piece.
Capt. Jackson in 'The Railway and Airway Letter Stamps of the British Isles 1891-1971',
notes these railway stamps came into use in February 1891.
He lists the Belfast and Northern as received from the printers on January 27th 1891
and notes only one used example of this issue known at that time.
It was replaced by the next issue in April 1891.
One of the, if not the, earliest known example of any Railway Letter Stamp.
An item of Exhibition importance.
Price: £155.00
NB: The Railway Letter Service was the only real express letter service,
a service which the Post Office, in spite of its monopoly, could not provide.
Capt.Jackson's Book was the result of over 20 years study
of more than 80,000 of these stamps including 4,000 covers.
Trio of 2d Blue Plate 4 on letters from COLERAINE
152587.
A very rare/unique TRIO of banking letters from the same bank in COLERAINE
and each sent to the same bank, Belfast Bank, in Ballymoney.
The First: 2d SG 13 Plate 4, scarcer pale blue shade,
two fine singles 'NB', 'KK', tied by a SINGLE partial strike of the '149' numeral of COLERAINE.
'NB' has full margins to very close/touching in the NE corner; 'KK' has full margins.
Remarkably, both stamps have the listed variety SC Spec ES13e; 'Shifted transfers: upper shifts'.
On the reverse are date stamps for Coleraine February 7th 1852 and
a Ballymoney date stamp for SUNDAY February 8th 1852.
The Shaida Collection contained a long cover with a pair of 2d blues plate 4
cancelled by a single inverted '186' of Dublin.
A photocopy of the Shaida cover is provided with this item.
It appears that only four such examples are known.
The example offered here has two SINGLES, rarer to find on a 'normal' cover than a pair.
From our researches we cannot find an example of a pair on cover, except for the Shaida item,
cancelled by a single numeral from any location,
With TWO SINGLES cancelled by a single numeral, this example appears to be the ONLY ONE KNOWN.
In addition, with the varieties on the 2d blues, we are confident that this example will be UNIQUE.
The Second: 2d SG13 Plate 4, pale blue shade, a fine single with full margins, 'ND',
tied by a fine upright strike of the '149' numeral of Coleraine.
On the reverse are date stamps for Coleraine, June 17th 1852
and a partial strike of Ballymoney for the following day, a Friday.
This stamp lettered 'ND', in the same pale shade as those affixed to the first letter,
is only two stamps away on the sheet from the 2d 'NB' used on the first letter.
Although separated in date by some months, it is possible the bank had 2d's from the same sheet
already cut up into singles for ease of using.
This could explain why two singles were used in the first item and not a pair.
The Third: 2d SG19 Plate 4, 'CF', fine and missperfed, tied by an inverted '149' of Coleraine.
On the reverse is a date stamp of Coleraine for September 9th 1854 and
a SUNDAY Ballymoney date stamp for September 10th 1854.
A unique grouping that would make a memorable display.
Price: £975.00
NB: two of the three letters have SUNDAY receiving date stamps and
each shows a different orientation of the '149' numeral.
2d Plate 3 on an early Railway Letter 1842
152526.
2d SG14, fine/very fine Plate 3, 'JE', almost full margins, close but clear at left until just touching the NW square.
Lightly cancelled by an underinked Edinburgh Cross on an interesting entire to Irvine, October 7th 1842,
addressed to a Mr B H Blythe, Resident Engineer, Glasgow and Ayr Railway,
it contains references to the purchase of railway sleepers, railway lines and slate: a note on the rear top flap also refers to these.
The addressee was Benjamin Blythe who trained as a Railway Engineer with Grainger and Miller.
Wikipedia has a lot of detail about this man and his famous family members briefly:
in 1848 he established an engineering practice on the prestigious George Street (at no 124) in Edinburgh
where it would remain for the next 100 years.
In 1854, after his brother Edward Lawrence Ireland Blythe, finished his own apprenticeship with Grainger & Miller,
Benjamin took him into partnership of the renamed B & E Blyth.
On the front is a very fine strike of the Edinburgh 'Paid 1d Extra', McKay Fig 1150.
For an extra 1d, mail could be handed in late at the Edinburgh Post Office between 6pm and 7pm.
Hence the 2d stamp paid the 1d postage plus the 1d Late Fee.
We have seen few examples of the 2d used in this way.
A rare item which the internet information would enhance as a display page.
Price £375.00
NB: there is a great deal on information on the internet about the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway,
including drawings of the early rolling stock,and a print out from the internet is available with this item.
Edinburgh Balloon Cross used instead of the numeral '131'.
152592.
1d Plate 40, 'IK', almost full margins and a rub in the SE corner: not tied but clearly belongs.
Wrapper from EDINBURGH to Peebles, no side flaps.
The stamp is cancelled by a superb and virtually complete Edinburgh Type 6 Special, Balloon Cross.
On the reverse top flap is an interesting handwritten note referring to 'drain? at the Tollbars in the 2nd district'.
There is an Edinburgh date stamp for June 27th 1844 and a Peebles receiver for the same date.
Rockoff and Jackson, Volume 1, record the Last Day of Usage of the MX in Edinburgh at
June 24th 1844 and that was the Type 6 cross.
The example offered here was used 3 days later on June 27th 1844
by which time the '131' numeral should have been used.
An interesting and rare item that displays well with the rear flap raised.
Price: £85.00 SOLD
NB: the example Rockoff and Jackson illustrate for the June 24th 1844 is on
a 1d pink envelope and a less fine strike compared to the example here.
Plate 40 is a much scarcer plate with a MX than with a numeral and
is priced by Gibbons at £140 on a stamp with a MX not on a cover.
The browning on the front and rare flap is fainter than the scan suggests.
Superb example of the 'dot in centre' variety
152590.
1d Plate 28, 'CG', fine full margined, the filing crease at the right crosses below the 'G' square.
Tied to a wrapper to Paisley by a very fine/superb GLASGOW cross.
On reverse is a fine Glasgow date stamp for April 13th 1843 and
a Paisley receiving date stamp for the same day:
a better service than we have today, 177 years later!!
1d Plate 28 is priced on cover by Gibbons at £135.
The cross shows the variety 'dot in the centre' which is listed by Danzig.
It was caused by the nail holding the metal cross in place
to the handle of the canceller becoming 'proud' by usage.
An excellent example of this variety which is seldom found on cover.
Price £48.50
The following selection of Edinburgh DOTTED CIRCLES
is from an award-winning Collection.
4d SG80: INVERTED WATERMARK
Edinburgh dotted circle
152570.
4d SG80 fine used, with INVERTED WATERMARK and cancelled by a Edinburgh Type A Dotted Circle.
Arundel has NO 4d SG80 recorded with ANY dotted circle including Dundee and Greenock.
We can not recall seeing any type of dotted circle on any value with Inverted Watermark.
Gibbons prices SG80 with Inverted Watermark at £375.
A very rare item and possibly unique with this watermark variety.
Price: £138.00
2d Plate 9: Edinburgh Type A3
152571.
2d SG45 plate 9, good/fine used on a legal entire sent within Edinburgh
and tied by a fine Edinburgh Type A3 Dotted Circle.
Arundel records only Types A1 and A4 used with 2d Plate 8:
2d Plate 9 is UNRECORDED on any other type(s).
Dundee Type 1 is recorded on 2d SG45 but the plate number is not noted.
A rare item.
Price: £69.00
1d Plate 56: Edinburgh Type A4
152572.
1d SG40 Plate 56: tied to a clean envelope to Glasgow, part of top rear flap missing,
by a superb Type A4 Edinburgh dotted circle.
This is a very scarceType which Arundel notes was first used in early January 1861.
It had regular usage for the next five months and then only later in 1862 on two isolated occasions.
The example here is an early usage at February 13th 1861 and one of the finest examples of this Type
we have been able to offer or indeed have seen.
Price: £97.50 SOLD
1d Plate 101: Edinburgh Type A6
152573.
1d plate 101 tied to an unusually small neat envelope to Peebles by the
Edinburgh Type A6 dotted circle for July 11th 1866.
Arundel notes this is quite a rare Type which appears to have been lightly used until February 1867
and then a gap until a few examples are known for October and November 1867.
One example is known for 1868 and a handful for 1869.
The example offered here has an UNRECORDED code combination of '1W'.
A very attractive item.
Price: £60.00 SOLD
Mixed Plates: Edinburgh Type A9
152574.
1d Plates 146 and 185 and 1/2d SG48 Plate 14:
tied to a clean and neat envelope to LUCERNE, Switzerland
by two strikes of the Edinburgh Type A9 dotted circle for August 30th 1877.
This is a common Type usually found on the contemporary 1d Plate Numbers.
Arundel notes that on the 1/2d SG48 it is decidedly scarce.
Dotted Circles are seldom found on mail to overseas destinations and the
franking of mixed 1d plate numbers and this 1/2d makes it a rare/very rare example.
A very fine display item.
Price: £96.00 SOLD
1d Plate Number: Edinburgh Type A9 with Missing Year
152575.
1d Plate 120 tied to a clean envelope sent within Edinburgh, by a very fine strike of Type A9 Edinburgh dotted circle.
A9 is a common type but this example has the year plugs missing.
Not only have we never seen such an error for any Dotted Circle from any location,
but we are struggling to recall seeing any example on any QV stamp of the year missing.
A considerable rarity which may be unique.
A superb and memorable display item.
Price; £230.00 SOLD
NB: The name and address are much clearer than the scan suggests.
1d Plate 134: Edinburgh Type A11
152576.
1d Plate 134 tied to a clean printed envelope to Linlithgow by the Edinburgh Type A11 dotted circle for August 15th 1878.
Type A11 is common but the envelope was sent from the County Constabulary Office, Edinburgh,
initialled bottom left corner, and with printed at the top 'On Police Service'.
On the reverse is a very fine embossed/imprinted 'County Constabulary Edinburgh'
with a shield surrounded by a lion and a unicorn.
The scan does not do justice to the quality and clarity of the embossing.
The envelope has a very small filing? pin hole below the stamp and the stamp too
has a very small pin hole on a bottom bar below the '131'.
We have not seen previously a dotted circle cancellation used on any Official Police Envelope.
The code combination of 12Y is unrecorded by Arundel.
An attractive and very scarce item.
Price: £58.50
Halfpenny Newspaper Wrapper: Edinburgh Type A11
152577.
Very fine/superb Halfpenny Green printed Newpaper Wrapper to Leuchard, Cupar, Fife
tied by a fine strike of the Edinburgh Type A11 dotted circle.
On the reverse is a fine strike of a LEUCHARS undated circle: we have not previously seen this cancellation.
Although covering an earlier period, no reference to any recorded cancellations of Leuchars is made by Auckland.
On the front of the wrapper are printed details of the sender a Adam T Pringle
and there is a listed reference to him on the internet.
Arundel notes that only TWO examples of Type 11 dotted circle have been recorded
on Halfpenny postal stationery newspaper wrappers.
A superb and rare item which displays well.
Price: £87.50 SOLD
NB: The apparent browning on the edges of the wrapper is NOT present; it is a trick of the scanner.
This is the first example of this wrapper we have been able to offer with a Dotted Circle cancellation.
1d Plate 218: Edinburgh Type C2
152578.
1d Plate 218, superb colour, one pulled perf SE corner, on a clean envelope
but there is some horizontal creasing to the envelope.
Sent to Peebles and tied by a fine Edinburgh Type C2 dotted circle, January 2nd 1880.
Arundel notes this as a rare Type in service for less than a year.
It is seen most often on the 1d venetian red.
This example has the recorded variety: 'Stampers Code 5 but no Duty Code'.
This is only the SECOND example with this unusual code combination we have handled or indeed seen.
A very scarce item.
Price: £60.00 SOLD
Dublin to Falmouth: a very rare back stamp
152568.
Wrapper from DUBLIN to Falmouth February 26th 1841.
On the reverse is a strike of the very rare Dublin: 'FROM 8 to 8.30 P.M' in diamond.
McKay, 'Irish Postmarks Since 1840', notes these very rare types, Fig 1071, are thought to indicate posting
after the normal hours of despatch, (the earlier time stated), but before the despatch of the mails, (the second time stated).
On payment of a late fee the letter could be sent forward that evening.
On the front is a boxed paid date stamp in red for February 26th 1841 and a red m/s '1' in red.
The latter was the late fee payment relating to the timed back stamp.
A rare item.
Price: £78.00
An eight-page letter written on the Cunarder SS PARTHIA from New York to Queenstown
152566.
An eight-page letter written, by a husband to his wife, on board the Cunarder SS PARTHIA
during a transatlantic crossing from New York to Queenstown.
The envelope does not have the peripheral browning suggested in the scan.
SS Parthia left New York on September 16th 1871 and the letter is a daily record of the voyage
from September 21st to arriving at Queenstown on September 28th 1871.
It has descriptons of life aboard including the rough seas, weather, meals and wine, passengers, the Captain etc.
A remarkable glimpse of the journey to Queenstown.
On the day of arrival in Queenstown the letter was posted to Charmouth, Dorset on September 28th but without a stamp.
Hence it was surcharged '2' which appears to have been applied in Queenstown.
On the front is a Queenstown cds for the same day as the ship's arrival and a Charmouth receiver for September 30th 1871.
The 'Parthia' was in service from December 1870 until 1883 and made 119 transatlantic crossings.
The sailing on which this rare letter was written was only its 7th crossing to Queenstown.
A rare item which would make a superb display page(s) with the description enhanced by information from the internet.
Price: £110.00 SOLD
NB: SS Parthia quickly became the best vessel in Cunard's fleet and one of the top ocean liners on the Atlantic.
The photo of SS Parthia is from the internet where there is a wealth of information and other photos of the ship
before and after 1883 when it was sold.
Under a number of different owners it sailed with the name SS Victoria and served up to 1952:
more than 80 years service!!
The envelope does NOT have the peripheral browning suggested in the scan.
STIRLING Roller Cancellation
152502.
1d Plate 100 Block of 9: cancelled by the scarce/very scarce '308' STIRLING Roller.
A block of nine, some perf faults and some perf strengthening with hinges.
Even as specialist dealers in Scottish Victorian cancellations,
this is the largest block we have seen with this roller cancellation and may be a unique survivor.
A rare/very rare item that Displays well.
Price: £95.00 SOLD
Edinburgh Roller Cancellation
152503.
A pair of 6d SG70, horizontal crease close to the bottom, and
a fine/very fine pair of 2d SG34 plate 5, 'DA-DB'.
The 2d 'DB', has the only major re-entry on this plate, SG Spec F6(d);
the cancellation allows the re-entry marks to be clearly seen in the NE corner star.
This variety is illustrated by Gibbons in QV Volume 1 and much underpriced at £200.
The stamps are cancelled and tied by the '131' Edinburgh roller, McKay fig 428,
recorded in use from March 1856 and the third type to be introduced ie with vertical division bars.
An attractive combined usage with both surface printed and line engraved issues:
a very rare/unique combination of features and a Display item.
Price: £118.00
Edinburgh Roller on 2d Plate 5
152504.
2d blue SG 34 Plate 5, 'MK' very fine, deep shade of blue:
tied to a banking entire to Cromarty, March 17th 1857, by a fine '131' EDINBURGH Roller, McKay Fig 427,
which was the Second Type to be introduced ie the '131' in bars separated by gaps.
2d SG34 priced on cove rby Gibbons at £200.
An attractive and scarce Display-quality item.
Price: £79.50
Edinburgh Roller on a Pair of 1d's
152505.
1d SG29/33, Pair 'FH-FI', 'FI' defect at bottom left, 'FH' very fine,
neatly tied to a wrapper to Glasgow by the '131' Edinburgh Roller, McKay Fig 428, January 6th 1857.
This is the third type to be introduced ie with vertical division bars.
An attractive and clean item.
Price: £36.50
A much travelled and rdirected item
152518.
1d lilac, Die 2, on an envelope originally from the USA and redirected a number of times within Scotland and London.
The date stamps etc include: a Hotel Office-Returned Unclaimed and Not Called For;
a Glagow Sorting Tender cds for July 3rd 1897, Wilson Figure 719/720:
he comments that this was sometimes struck by a sort of machine with a self-inking ribbon giving rise to
the so called' Cloth' stamps with the circle and letterings in fine lines instead of solid ink;
a Returned Letter Office London cds and various other Edinburgh and London date stamps.
It would when written up fully make a very interesting display page.
A very scarce/rare combination of features.
One hopes it did eventually reach the addressee.
Price: £75.00 SOLD
Lafayette Photographers: Dublin to Scotland 1891
152533.
Separated cardboard, front and back (enlarged image),
which originally would have contained photographs from LAFAYETTE, Artistic Photographers,
sent from DUBLIN to Glasgow, May 7th 1891.
There is a considerable amount of information about these photographers on the internet.
Briefly:
Lafayette Photography has one of the oldest histories of any photographic business in the world,
having been founded in Dublin in 1880 by James Stack Lauder, the eldest son of Edmund Lauder, a pioneering and successful
photographer who had opened a daguerreotype studio in Dublin in 1853.
In adopting the name 'Lafayette', James created a new image for the family business, seeking to prosper from the cachet of a French name
(Paris was then the centre of the art world and of avant-garde photography in particular).
By 1885 the firm was registering some of its best work for copyright, and had attracted the attention of the Royal family
with its best-selling portraits of Princess Alexandra, taken to mark the Royal visit to Ireland of that year.
In 1887 James Lafayette was invited to Windsor to photograph Queen Victoria and
was granted a Royal Warrant as 'Her Majesty's Photographer in Dublin'.
This Royal Warrant, which was subsequently renewed by King Edward VII and George V,
conferred enormous prestige and brought with it the title of 'Photographer Royal'.
This item could make a very interesting display when information about Lafayette was expanded and included.
A rare survivor and the first we have seen.
Price: £87.50
Possibly the earliest official Sunday usage of the black cross in Wales
W2. Front and top flap from Newtown to London with 1d black plate 4?
tied by two strikes of a black cross and Contrary to Post Office Regulations.
On the front are two strikes in black of a Newtown d/arc for February 21 1841 and
a London receiver for the following day which displays well when the flap is raised.
This represents a scarce SUNDAY usage.
With the official introduction of black ink replacing red from February 10 1841,
at February 21st 1841 this is the earliest we have seen for black ink used from a Welsh location.
In fact it is only the second Sunday after the introduction of black ink and possibly unique.
A rare item.
Price: £118.00 SOLD
NB: the address is interestingly to Doctors Common and the internet
has information about it that would enhance the description when fully written up.
2d Plate 3: Dublin Special Maltese Cross
152530v. 2d Plate 3, 'OE', fine three margined each with traces of an adjacent stamp.
On an envelope, some light creasing, from Dublin to Drogheda, April 13th 1843.
The stamp is tied by the distinctive Dublin Cross, SG Spec ES11ul, leaving a clear QV's profile.
Priced by Gibbons in the latest, 2011, QV Volume 1 at £2,000 on cover.
The 2d has been placed top left Contrary to Post Office Regulations
that stated the stamp should be affixed at the top right.
An attractive item that displays well.
Price: £335.00
NB: There is a reference on the internet to Alderman Thomas Ennis,
Westgate Ward, Drogheda, in an 1843 Handbook to Carlingford Bay.
Derry(Co.Derry) to New Jersey in the Retaliatory Period
152489.
A stampless envelope from DERRY(Co.Derry) to New Jersey, USA.
On the front is a m/s 1/- in red; a boxed Derry in red and a red Paid date stamp for October 27th 1848.
The latter was struck in Dublin, McKay figure 919, 'Irish Postmarks Since 1840' and recorded from 1849:
this example is for October 27th 1848 and therefore pre-dates.
On the reverse ia a Derry date stamp in blue for October 26th 1848 and a Liverpool date stamp,
of the type used on maritime mail, for October 28th.
This envelope would have been carried to America on the Cunarder 'America' leaving
Liverpool on October 28th 1848 and arriving in New York on November 28th 1848.
In New York, it was struck with a '29' (cents) this being the REPRISAL rate to be charged to the addressee on delivery
for up to 300 miles radius of New York during the period of postal conflict between GB and the USA.
Despite the peripheral faults and wear and tear to the envelope, this is a very rare example of mail
sent to the USA from IRELAND during this time of postal 'war' between these two countries.
This is the only such example we have seen.
A very rare item and one worthy of display.
Price: £170.00
New Year's Day Cancellations
152496.
1d lilac Die 2, tied by a Berwick on Tweed duplex, on an envelope to Reston with Eyemouth and Reston cds's both for December 29th 1882.
The item was delivered on December 30th with Eyemouth and Reston date stamps for this date.
It was then readdressed to Edinburgh and another 1d lilac die 2, corner fault. added but placed tete beche to the first 1d.
December 31st 1882 was a SUNDAY so the letter was held back at the Post Office until the following day, New Years Day.
It was then struck by a numeral '423' of Reston and a Reston cds applied to the front for January 1st 1883.
The number '1' in the day date was not placed correctly:
perhaps the postmaster/mistress was still recovering from the Hogmany celebrations of the previous evening!
On the front is a '363' numeral of Liberton: a suburb of Edinburgh.
The item was received in Edinburgh later the same day and a January 1st 1883 cds applied.
An extremely unusual item not least having TWO NEW YEARS DAY cds's:
New Year Day usages are rarely seen in Scotland for obvious reasons.
This is the first example we have seen of two different Scottish locations with a New Year date.
A superb and very rare item with unique features that would make a very interesting and attractive display page.
Price: £78.50 SOLD
1/- SG72 : pair with INVERTED Watermark.
152472.
1/-SG72 pair and 4d SG66 pair:
tied to entire to Canada by Edinburgh duplexes, April 13th 1859
with an additional strike clear of the stamps.
The right hand stamp of the 4d pair has a small fault at the right side
but the 1/- pair is very fine with one stamp having the Edinburgh cds.
The 1/- pair have INVERTED WATERMARK and this is the first example we have been able
offer of this 1/- with a cds and watermark inverted even on a stamp not on cover.
Gibbons price for a single 1/- with inverted watermark is £700 and the CDS single at £875.
Allowing for just these 1/-'s being on cover, Gibbons price increases to well in excess of £2,000.
An attractive and very rare Scottish entire.
An Exhibition item.
Price: £680.00
Letter describing a journey from Belfast to Edinburgh in 1845
152437.
1d 'QG', fine 4-margined, tied to a letter from Edinburgh to BELFAST, dated Sunday August 10th 1845, by the '131' of Edinburgh.
On the reverse is an Edinburgh date stamp for SUNDAY August 10th 1845 and a Belfast receiver for August 12th 1845.
In the three page letter, sent from the Albion Hotel, Edinburgh, the writer describes
first of all the rail journey from Glasgow to Edinburgh, a distance of 46 miles.
He comments that 'they arrived safely at Greenock after a very rough passage in about 8 hours having both wind and tide against us.
The most severe gale by far the Captain has encountered'
He desribes going onto the principal business street in Glasgow and the thousands of people in the thoroughfare
and from '9 to 10 all the shops being brilliantly lighted with gas'.
He comments that 'the crops look well but not much further forward than at home. I saw no wheat as good or heavy as ours'
Mentioned is made of the appearance of potatoes that they look well as they were conveyed by special train to Glasgow.
A fascinating letter giving a glimpse of the journey from Belfast via Glasgow to Edinburgh.
The letter would warrant a full transcipt in making an excellent display.
A rare item.
Price: £135.00
Dublin Special Cross: superb Type 1
15160. 2d blue, plate 3, ‘AK’:
very fine
square 4-margined example in the scarcer deep full blue shade and
with the catalogued variety ‘guideline in the NE
corner’.
Tied to a wrapper used internally within Ireland from DUBLIN to CORK,
April 16th 1844, by a
superb distinctive DUBLIN Type 1 cross, SG Spec E1ul and
priced on cover by SG in the latest, 2011, QV
Volume 1, at £2,000.
The MX leaves a largely clear profile; Cork receiving cds on reverse for
April 17th 1844.
This cross is seldom found on cover with a full
margined 2d blue.
A very scarce item.
Price: £695.00
Rare mixed Plates 6 and 8: Belfast to Armagh
15143:
1d black, TWO 4-margined examples, ‘TD’ Plate 8 and ‘AD’ Plate 6
tied to a wrapper from Belfast to Armagh, September 29th 1840.
The rear flap raises to show the dates.
Plate 8 is very fine used in an intense black shade and
Plate 6 is fine used,
a VERY RARE MIXED PLATE franking.
The EKD usage of Plate 8 is
September 5th 1840 and this item used, on September 29th 1840,
is believed to be the earliest
known mixed plate franking with plate 8 in Ireland.
A significant Irish rarity.
Price: £1,255.00
The last type of Perth Cross
152438. 1d 'EL' Plate 34: almost full margins, touching at the bottom right, on a wrapper from PERTH to Aberfeldy.
The stamp is tied by a superb strike of the Type 3, and the final variant, of the PERTH cross as detailed by Rockoff in Volume 2
leaving largely a clear profile and a large area of the Queen's head away from the MX.
Rockoff records only FIVE examples of the final Perth cross between March 29th 1844 and May 21st 1844.
The example offered here is used on MAY 20th 1844: the day before the last one recorded and is unrecorded by Rockoff.
The addressee is an interesting person and the internet has a large amount of information about
John Campbell, 2nd Marquess of Breadalbane including an image of him in highland dress.
This could clearly enhance the description of this rare item and make a fine display page.
Price: £58.00 SOLD
Two different Welsh Christmas Day Cancellations
152443. 1d perf 16, tied by a poor strike of the '241' of DENBIGH on a fine envelope to Bettus nr Abegele.
On the reverse are December 25th 1855, Christmas Day strikes, of DENBIGH in black and RHYL in green.
We have not seen previously two different Christmas Day cancellations on the same envelope.
A rare item and the date stamps display well.
Price: £48.00
NB: The Rhyl numeral of '973' is much bigger than that of the '241' of Denbigh hence the letter was sent from Denbigh.
Greenock Characteristic Cross: superb example
152384.
1d red Plate 15?, 'DB': fault at the top, tied to an interesting letter by
an exceptional/superb strike of the GREENOCK characteristic cross, SG SpecB1th.
On the reverse top flap a Greenock boxed date stamp in red for September 27th 1841.
The letter is from a man writing to ask for a job in the Customs House or in Excise.
He mentions that Lord James Stewart promised his father he would support his son in a job application.
Rockoff and Jackson record this cross with only four earlier usages,
of which the first two are on 1d blacks ie May 1st 1841 and May 15th 1841.
The other two are on 1d reds ie September 13th 1841 and September 23rd 1841.
They record, and illustrate, a 1d red cover example used on September 27th 1841,
the same date as the example ofered here, but it is not the same one.
Gibbons prices, in the latest Edition, 2011, of QV Volume 1 this cross at £500 on cover.
An very early, and interesting usage, of this distinctive cross on a 1d red.
Could make a fine display item when enhanced by the contents of the letter.
Price: £95.00
NB:
On the internet is a wealth of information re the Stewart Family going back to the 16th Century.
There appears to be an outline of a handstruck '1' in black on the front
which may have transferred from another item of mail.
The next two items are the only 'B' Types of Edinburgh Dotted Circles.
More examples of the different Dotted Circle Cancellations
can be found in this Section so please scroll down.
Edinburgh Dotted Circle Type B1
152432. 1d plate 78, 'TG', fine/very fine tied to a mourning envelope, some horizontal creasing,
by a fine/very fine Edinburgh dotted circle Type B1.
Sent on November 24th 1865 to Peebles, receiving date stamp on reverse.
A scarce type of cancellation and although in regular use for its 15 months of service,
it appears to have been lightly used being in concurrent service with Types A3 and A5.
It has an unrecorded combination, by Arundel, of Stamper and Duty Codes, '10F'.
Price: £48.50 SOLD
NB: The envelope is addressed to the British Linen Bank.
There is a wealth of information about this Bank on the internet
which could be added to form an interesting Display page.
Type B2 Edinburgh Dotted Circle
152431. 1d plate 105, 'PG', very fine on a clean envelope from Edinburgh to Neilston and tied
by a superb crisp strike of the Edinburgh dotted circle Type B1 for October 6th 1868.
As per the scan there is a portion of the rear side flap missing.
Arundel notes that this canceller was repaired in March 1868 which would account for the horizontal bars
not reaching the dotted circle dater and not being staggered as in Type B1 above.
The cds portion of the cancellation has also begun to twist out of alignment with the bars.
The Stamper and Duty Code combination, '12N', is unrecorded by Arundel as is its use in October 1868.
Although in use for approx three years, there are large gaps in its continuity of use
which appears to indicate an intermittent usage.
An attractive example of the repaired state and a very scarce combination of features..
Price: £53.50 SOLD
MISSENT TO KIRKALDY in BLUE
152429. Free front to Keith, Banffshire, with crowned 'FREE' date stamp for July 6th 1836.
Sent by mistake to KIRKALDY and cancelled by a superb boxed MISSENT TO KIRKALDY in BLUE.
Recorded by Auckland, FI425a: noted used in 1836 and 1837 and given a 'G' rarity grade.
This is the only Free Front we have seen with a handstruck Missent from any location in Britain.
This rare item is made even more unusual by being mounted on dated portions of TWO other Free Fronts
with different types of Crowned FREE date stamps for January 21st 1839 and 11th April 1839 to BUCKIE.
This is the only such usage of Free Fronts we have seen in 40 years of specialising in Scottish Postal History.
We cannot be certain, but this mounting was probably contemporarily created perhaps around 1839/40's.
A superb Exhibition item that would, we feel sure, create interest and comment.
Price: £85.00
KELSO Distinctive Cross
152150.
1d, 'TA', almost full margins, vertical crease, tied to a small piece
by the distinctive KELSO CROSS, SG Spec B1ti.
Priced by Gibbons on stamp at £800 in QV Volume 1, latest Edition 2011.
An opportunity to obtain a collectable example of this very scarce cross
at a small fraction of the Gibbons price.
Price: £72.50
Edinburgh Type C7 dotted circle
151637.
The rare Edinburgh dotted circle Type C7:
cut in bars below the 1 in '131' numeral.
Unrecorded usages by Arundel: on the bantam 1/2d;
in October 1880 and with this code combination.
Price: £69.50. SOLD
Scroll down for a selection of
Edinburgh, Dundee and Greenock
Dotted Circles
Largest Block of 1d Plates used in Ireland.
A
T
1d Plate 48: Dublin '186' on Block of 8 with Certificate
152406.
1841 1d red plate 48, ‘SA-TD’, block of 8: very fine/superb used block, Dublin ‘186’.
Touched or just in to at places but the central block of 4, ‘SB-TC’,
is fine 4-margined: very close but clear at NW corner of 'SB'.
The ‘T’ row all show a degree of double bottom as noted in QV Volume 1 page 100, SG spec BS27h.
Superb rich shade of red brown and with a German, H Richter, Certificate of Authenticity.
Gibbons prices a block of 4 at £320, in 2011 QV Volume 1, without the variety.
A very scarce Display-quality item.
Price: £375.00
CAPPOQUIN cross in Deep Indigo-blue (Co Waterford)
152395. 1d red, 'GA', fine Plate 33, 3-plus margins, very fine colour, tied to a clean
and uncreased wrapper from CAPPOQUIN to Dungarvan.
The stamp is tied by a superb and upright strike of the rare Cappoquin cross in Deep Indigo-blue.
On the reverse is a fine date stamp of Cappoquin for May 30th 1843 in the same shade of ink as the Maltese cross
and a black Dungarvan date stamp for the following day which display well.
In Rockoff Volume 3, only two other examples of this cross, struck in this same shade, are recorded,
November 12th 1842 and January 20th 1843, both to Dungarvan.
The example of this cross offered here is arguably the finest extant
as it is hard to see how it could be bettered.
A very attractive item of Exhibition quality.
Price: £595.00 SOLD
NB: the scans do not do justice to the shade.
AIDRIE numeral in GREEN
152396.
1d SG29, fine, tied to an uncreased printed entire from the National Bank of Scotland
from AIDRIE to Kilmarnock, October 24th 1856.
Stamp cancelled by the '17' numeral of Aidrie in Bright Green ink, SG29uc.
Gibbons prices this colour of ink on cover at £1,500 in the latest Edition, 2011, of QV Volume1,
and note that this price is for green numerals in Ireland;
those of Scotland or England command a significant premium.
A superb and rare Exhibition quality item.
Price: £495.00
NB: the scan does not do justice to the bright green cancellation.
SLIGO Cross and Penny Post
152382.
1d 'EK', fine, 4-margined except just touching at 'E' square:
clean entire to Dublin requesting advice on applying for a post with Customs and Excise.
Stamp tied by a fine strike of the Type 2 SLIGO cross:
Rockoff and Jackson Volume 2, note that Moxter records
the Sligo cross on covers between July 1840 and February 1844.
However Rockoff and Jackson have been able to record only seven examples,
from October 1841 to February 1844, and they classify two types of cross.
Of these, only two examples December 1843 and February 1844, are of Type 2.
The example offered here is a later usage than recorded by either Moxter or Rockoff and Jackson.
On the front all struck in the same shade of blue are:
a Sligo March 26th 1844; a Sligo Penny Post; a No.1 and a TOO LATE.
The TOO LATE strike explains the Sligo March 27th 1844 on the reverse.
Also on the reverse is a fine red Dublin receiver for the following day.
An attractive and rare item which would make an interesting display.
The scan does not do justice to the blue of the cancellations.
Price: £330.00
NB: The address is interesting: below 'Dublin' the writer has added
'or else where'.
Does he mean Dublin or Ireland?
Would certainly be a challenge for the Postman!
1d Reserve Plate 50: SG42
152353. 1d SG42, 'SF', very fine tied to an envelope from KELSO to Glasgow, May 26th 1864.
The stamp is printed from Plate 50, experimental engraved letters on the plate rather than the usual hand punched ones.
The envelope has a part of the rear flap missing but is very fine otherwise.
Priced by Gibbons at £70 on cover which is undervalued in our experience.
Price: £45.00
NB: this item is from the Statham Collection.
The envelope is finer than the scan suggests.
For exampes of Reserve Plate 51 and Reserve Plates 16 and 17
see the 'Other Line Engraved' Section.
STIRLING Experimental Duplex
152365. 1d SG40, one pulled perf at top, tied to a clean envelope, horizontal filing crease away from the 1d and cancellation.
Superb STIRLING Experimental Duplex for September 10th 1858:
the cancellation shows the characteristic short '1' in the year plug and the break in the bar beneath the number '3'.
This is a scarce cancellation rated 10th rarest of 18 types by the Scottish Postal History Group.
Exhibition quality.
Price: £68.50
NB: the envelope is cleaner than the scan suggests.
Selkirk social history: an unusual item the like of which we have not previously seen
152336.
No postal markings and dated inside August 14th 1840.
It would prove to be a very interesting display page when fully written up
and should stimulate conversation!
We have never seen such an item in more than 40 years as specialist dealers in Scottish postal history.
Price: £85.00 SOLD
NB: I feel the originator of this type of printed response was ahead of his time
by wanting to reduce the effort spent on letter writing.
Earliest Recorded Usage of a numeral cancellation in IRELAND
152347.
1d red, 'KF', 3-plus margins just tied to a very clean mourning envelope by the '186' of DUBLIN.
On the reverse is a Dublin date stamp for JUNE 22 1844 and
a Six Mile Bridge date stamp for June 23rd 1844 - a SUNDAY.
This is the earliest recorded usage of a numeral cancellation in Ireland.
A superb Exhibition item.
Price: £395.00
Strip of 5 Dublin numerals cancelled Contrary to Regulations
152313. 1d red 'FF-FJ', a fine full margined strip of five.
'FF/FG' and 'FH/FI' are both cancelled contrary to Post Office regulations, by a SINGLE '186' numeral of DUBLIN.
There is a vertical fold in the margin between 'FH' and 'FI'.
A scarcer usage in Ireland and a rare item of Exhibition quality.
Price: £170.00 SOLD
2d Plate 4: Single ABERDEEN numeral Contrary to Regulations
152314. 2d SG14 Plate 4, 'BA-BB': a very fine 4-margined pair, close at the NW corner on 'BA' but just clear.
Cancelled contrary to Post Office regulations by a SINGLE number '1' of ABERDEEN.
The cancellation leaves both stamps with a clear QV profile.
The pair is printed on THIN PAPER, listed by Gibbons as ES14q and priced as a single at £225.
With SG's premium for a pair, their price increases to £700 without a premium for the single cancellation.
An attractive and very scarce item which would display well.
Price: £225.00
2d Plate 3 used in ABERDEEN
152315. 2d SG14, 'AD-AE', Plate 3, very fine with fresh colour:
A full margined pair lightly cancelled by Aberdeen numeral '1's.
The stamps show the characteristic letters 'A' and 'D' of plate 3.
Printed on THIN PAPER which is NOT listed by Gibbons
on this plate 3 but is for plate 4 - see item 152314.
Priced by Gibbons as a pair at £280.
A very fine and attractive item.
Price: £120.00
4d SG62: very rare internal usage in Scotland
152308. 4d SG62: very fine and tied to a wrapper by the '209' of KIRKCUDBRIGHT
with a date stamp for April 8th 1856 and a Dumfries receiver for the next day.
An internal UK usage of this 4d is very rare and it has been commented in philatelic publications
that such internal usage is almost as hard to find as examples of SG62 used on its day of issue.
This is the first example we have seen used within Scotland.
Gibbons prices this stamp on cover at £780.
A Scottish rarity.
Price: £475.00
NB: unusually the 4d has NO cracking of the highly glazed surface.
LIMERICK Cross: very rare usage on a Stationery Envelope.
152306. A fine/very fine 1d pink stationery envelope from LIMERICK to Woodbrook,
cancelled by a fine strike of the Limerick cross with a superb Limerick date stamp for March 26th 1844 on reverse.
In 'The Maltese Cross Cancellations of GB and Ireland', Volume 1 page 157,
the examples listed do NOT include one used on a stationery envelope and only one example, on a 1d red, is recorded for 1844.
Gibbons in the latest Edition, 2011, of QV Volume 1, prices this rare cross on a 1d red cover at £1,900.
Usage on a stationery envelope is significantly rarer.
An Exhibition item.
Price: £475.00
NB: we cannot recall seeing previously this cross used on a stationery envelope.
Envelope to TOBAGO: very rare usage of 1d red
152297.
1d red, 'NC', 3-plus margins, tied by a smudged numeral '159' of GLASGOW
to a very clean and uncreased envelope to TOBAGO (West Indies).
On the front is a good strike of the very scarce and miniature single-arc stamp
with a letter 'L', McKay figure 422 in 'The Postal History of Glasgow'.
This stamp was used to denote a late posting and as usual here it is used in conjunction with a late fee paid by a 1d red.
On the front are superb/very fine strikes of 'Insufficiently Stamped' and 'Part-Paid/More to Pay'
both in the same shade of red: these were applied in London.
The latter of the two strikes is very scarce and Johnson in 'Unpaid and Underpaid Mail' notes that
this strike is 'rare/important enough to be included in a collection of unpaid marks'.
A m/s '11d' in black on the front indicates an underpayment and the paper seal has the initials of a Company.
A very rare destination and extremely rare bearing a 1d red: the first we have seen to Tobago.
Also, we have not previously seen this unique type of Glasgow late fee, McKay figure 422,
used with a 1d red imperf going to an overseas destination.
A very rare and attractive Exhibition quality item.
Price: £850.00
NB: it is possible that the post office worker in the London Office,
who probably put on both underpayment strikes, initially applied the 'Insufficiently Stamped'
but then put on the 'Part-Paid/ More to Pay' because
he thought the 1d was paying part of the postage fee to Tobago,
not realising the significance of the tiny Glasgow late fee strike.
The colour of the strikes suggests the same ink pad was used for both.
Mixed perf types and shades
152295.
1d SG26 perf 14, 'NA', ragged perfs at the bottom, and a very fine 1d SG26 perf 16, 'OI',
both tied to a North of Scotland Banking Company Scottish letter by the '1' in bars of ABERDEEN.
The 1d SG26 perf 16 is in the scarcer very deep brown shade, SG Spec C5(2) and
the 1d SG26 in a shade close to, or at, the rare orange-brown, Spec C6(5)
There is an Aberdeen date stamp in green on the reverse top flap for January 2nd 1856:
just a few days before the introduction of the Experimental Aberdeen duplex on January 7th 1856,
and a Crieff receiving date stamp for the following day.
A rare and attractive item which would make a superb Exhibition pairing with Item 152296.
Price: £185.00 SOLD
NB: SG26 perf 16 priced by Gibbons on cover, in the cheapest shade, at £240 and the SG 26 perf 14 at £75.
As both date stamps are on the top flap, they display well when raised.
Mixed perfs and cancellation types on turned envelope
152296.
1d fine SG26 perf 16, 'GB',Spec C5(1) tied by a partial strike of the HAWICK '174' numeral, on an envelope to Hull, November 12th 1855.
Soon after the envelope was received on November 13th 1855, it was turned inside out and addressed to LIVERPOOL.
A fine 1d perf 14, 'OJ', Spec C6(1) added which was cancelled by a fine/very fine HULL spoon, Type D for November 14th 1855.
A very rare combination of perf types and cancellations.
Price: £128.00
NB: this item would make a superb Exhibition pairing with item 152295.
1d SG26 Spec C5 priced by Gibbons on cover at £240 and Spec C6 at £75 with a numeral cancellation.
Observance of the Lord's Day and the rare Edinburgh UPP 2d
152288.
This item is from a Display and the description was as follows:
The small selection of scanned pages give a flavour of the questions asked and the written replies to
Questions 1-12 from a total of 35.
The black marks are caused by the scanner and are not on the pages.
The description could be expanded to include: steamers, ferries, public houses, funerals etc etc.
A truly remarkable document that gives a deep insight to the demands and influence of the Church in Scotland in 1840.
This rare document is made rarer, possibly unique, by it being sent postage unpaid and receiving a fine strike of
the rare Edinburgh, Uniform Penny Post, Auckland ED262, for April 2nd 1840: this variety was in use for only a few months.
This would make a memorable display item which could be expanded in its description in so many ways.
Price: £380.00
NB: the brown marks on the front of the document are NOT present: a trick of the scanner.
More details of George Burns, Minister of Tweedsmuir, are available on the internet.
As is more information about, and photos of, CROOK INN: which claims to be the oldest inn in Scotland.
Welsh Social History 1844: Office for Stamps and Taxes
152284.
Superb window into passenger vehicle hire in 1844.
Price: £58.50
An 1822 Document sent in 1842 in Wales
152278.
A remarkable item: an official document, dated 1822 with another dated note inside for 1835, turned into a letter and
sent locally within CORWEN, Merioneth, on May 2nd 1842 and received the following day.
On the front is written 'Stamped Sunday Night': May 1st 1842 was a Sunday.
The postage fee has been paid by a 2d blue Plate 2, SG5, and two 1d red imperfs.
The 2d blue, NL', is just 4-margined has a large portion of the Queen's head clear though with faults.
One 1d red is almost full margined and the other is only a partial stamp.
The three stamps would all have been marginal and the margins have been folded on to the back of the letter to help to seal it.
The staining on and around the stamps and on the back of the letter, appear to be largely from the gum of the stamp margins.
The partial 1d stamp was damaged when the letter was opened.
A 4d rate with an 1840 2d blue used in conjunction with the 1d red
is a rare combination and especially so on a complete cover or letter.
The 'Daisy' Collection, The Dr Pichai Collection, The Chartwell Collection and the Lady Mairi Bury Collection:
none of these contained a 4d rate with this combination on cover or letter.
The 2d Plate 2 on cover is priced by Gibbons at £3,250.
A very rare Welsh usage.
A truly remarkable survivor which despite the faults would make a memorable Exhibition item.
Price: £690.00
STONEHAVEN: the none double-lined cross variety
152294. 1d 'SA', Plate 30:
a very fine/fine 4-margined example from this scarce plate tied to an entire from
STONEHAVEN to Montrose, July 22nd 1842 and delivered this same day.
The Stonehaven cross here shows no double-lined effect.
Rockoff and Jackson Volume 2, list and illustrate 18 examples of the double-lined cross,
but only 11 examples of the Stonehave cross with no double-lined effect.
Only one 1842 example is listed, that on a 1d pink envelope.
Stonehaven had a population in 1841 of only 3021 and
even the none double-lined cross on cover is very scarce.
Gibbons in the latest 2011 Edition Of QV Volume 1, prices a 1d plate 30 on cover at £250.
A rare combination of plate and cross.
Price: £125.00
6d SG147 Dotted Circle to New Zealand: rare combination
152292. 6d Plate 15 SG147: very fine/fine tied to a
flimsy envelope from Edinburgh to Mount Ida, NEW ZEALAND
by an Edinburgh Type A9 dotted circle, January 4th 1877, Codes 14Y.
The envelope has peripheral faults and a part missing of the front at the right.
However, Arundel does not record Edinburgh, Dundee or Greenock Type 1 with any dotted circle cancellation on a 6d value
and only Greenock Type 2 is recorded on a 6d SG147 and that on a letter to Portugal.
The superb handstruck deficient postage, with a fine and surcharge of 1/- ,is illustrated by
Johnson in 'Unpaid and Underpaid Mail of England and Wales', number H4.
This London mark he rates as rare or important enough to be in any serious collection of the subject.
A superb and rare Exhibition item with a likely unique combination of features.
Price: £220.00 SOLD
COLUMBA GK & ARDRISHAIG PACKET
152236. 1/2d SG 215:
fine/very fine example, very small wrinkle at right, tied by a superb strike of the
Columba steamer GK & Ardrishaig Packet, July 4th 1904 with the scarce Code A.
Postcard with a view of the Ruel River at Glendaruel.
The card is in excellent condition apart from a small corner crease and sent to West Cliffe on Sea, ESSEX.
Very attractive item.
Price: £57.50
COLUMBA GK & ARDRISHAIG PACKET
152237. 1d SG 219, very fine used:
tied to a postcard in exceptional condition by a fine/very fine strike of the
Columba steamer GK & Ardrishaig Packet for July 11th 1906, Code B.
The postcard was sent to the USA with a fine receiver date stamp for July 23rd 1906.
We have seen only a few postcards to the USA with this steamer cancellation.
Superb item.
Price: £60.00
NB: the Columba strike is better than in the scan.
The view on the p/card is of Derwentwater from Castle Hill.
Glasgow Experimental Duplex, 'Madeleine Smith', on Transatlantic Envelope
152239.
1/- SG71, DEEP GREEN, tied to a clean envelope from GLASGOW to New York by a fine strike of
the Glasgow EXPERIMENTAL DUPLEX, February 6th 1857:
there are no postal markings on reverse but an embossed ' The Queens Hotel Glasgow'.
In m/s red is 'over 1/2oz' with a red signature alongside and in black '38 cents' and '48' charges.
This item would have been carried on the Cunarder 'ASIA' which sailed from
Liverpool on February 7th 1857 arriving in New York on February 22nd.
Very unusual not to have postal marking in Liverpool and no cancellation on arrival.
The 1/- has some very short perf at the top right but is from the early printings of the much scarcer deep green shade.
This shade is priced by Gibbons on stamp alone at £550.
Examples of any Scottish Experimental Duplex on cover with other than the contemporary 1d values are rarely found.
An attractive and rare item.
Price: £145.00 SOLD
Greenock Experimental Duplex on Transatlantic Mail
152240.
1/- SG72, fine, tied to an ENTIRE to New York by the GREENOCK Type 2, EXPERIMENTAL DUPLEX for April 29th 1858.
At the top on the front in m/s is 'per packet of 1 May': this letter would have been carried on the Cunarder 'PERSIA'
which left Liverpool on May 1st 1858 and arrived in New York/Boston on May 11th 1858.
Examples of any Scottish Experimental Duplex on cover with other than the contemporary 1d values are rarely found.
The interesting family letter, rather fragile, is easy to read.
An attractive and rare item.
Price: £112.00 SOLD
OP-PC ERROR Used in Scotland
151253. SG53, three halfpence, Plate 1:
Error of Lettering, 'OP-OC' for 'CP-PC'.
Good used example of this popular rarity
tied to small piece by the '135' of ELIE, Fife.
Bluntish perf at bottom left but a very collectable example and
one of the few we have seen used in Scotland.
It is offered with a very fine Plate 3, SG51,
with the correct lettering 'CP-PC', lightly used.
The error is priced by Gibbons at £2,000.
An attractive pairing that would display well.
Price: £350.00
6d SG107: Dotted Circle Cancellation
152218. 6d SG107 plate 6: fine/very fine used
with an EDINBURGH Dotted Circle Type B2, January 20th 1868.
This cancellation unrecorded (Arundel) on any surface printed issue.
An attractive and rare item.
Price: £47.50 SOLD
4d SG154: Dotted Circle Cancellation
152220. 4d SG 154, plate 17:
cancelled by an EDINBURGH dotted circle, Type C, October 7th 1880.
Short perfs bottom left and a defect NW corner BUT
this stamp has not previously been recorded with ANY Dotted Circle from any location.
The watermark, large garter, has been shifted upwards and it has additional marginal watermark letters.
A remarkable item that deserves to be displayed.
Price: £88.50 SOLD
Madeleine Smith Cancel in GREEN
152197. 1d SG29, fine, 'GB':
tied to a small piece by a strike of the Glasgow Type 2 Experimental Duplex in GREEN.
Green ink is known used from May 5th 1856 to May 15th 1856: a period of only ELEVEN days.
The date, not a full strike, is MAY 5th 1856: the first day of this ink being used.
Priced by Gibbons in QV Volume 1, 2011 - latest Edition, at £550 on piece for an Irish duplex
with a note that green duplexes in England or Scotland command a significant premium.
It is very hard to find any example in green with such a short period of usage.
A very rare item.
Price: £220.00
Madeleine Smith in GREEN
152196. A pair of SG29, light horizontal crease:
tied to a piece by two fine strikes in GREEN of the Type 2 GLASGOW Experimental Duplex.
This cancellation in green is known in use for ELEVEN days only between MAY 5th 1856 and May 15th 1856.
The strikes on this piece are for MAY 6th 1856 - the second day of usage.
Priced by Gibbons in QV Volume 1, 2011, latest Edition, at £550 for a SINGLE strike on piece for an Irish duplex
with a note that green duplexes in England or Scotland command a significant premium.
It is very hard to find any example in green with such a short period of usage.
From our researches, the example offered here is the only known multiple usage of this rare colour.
On MAY 16th 1856 green ink was replaced by the usual black
as seen in the piece which is included with this item.
An extremely rare/unique pair of Exhibition importance.
Price: £445.00
NB: the scan does not do justice to the green colour.
Missent to Glasgow: a rare SUNDAY usage
152180.
1d red, corner crease on entire written in Edinburgh and sent to Stiirling.
1d red would have been cancelled in Edinburgh; Edinburgh type of cds on reverse for June 13th 1847.
On the front is a fine strike of the MISSENT TO GLASGOW, Aukland GW184, rated very rare.
On the reverse top flap is a fine Glasgow date stamp also for June 13th 1847
which displays well the flap is raised'
There is also a small part of a Stirling date stamp in blue for the 14th.
June 13th 1847 was a SUNDAY so this is a rare Sunday usage of a Missent mark
and the ONLY example we have seen of a Missent strike used on the Sabbath.
Attractive item with a rare combination of features.
Price: £85.00
1/2 Plate 8: a superb and rare block of 8
152160. 1/2d SG48, 'QC-TD', Plate 8:
a remarkable Block of Eight, cancelled by crisp Edinburgh 'steel' cds's for October 27th 1880.
There are a couple of shortish perfs, not surprising in a block of this size:
the colour is superb and as close to the shade when it was issued as is possible.
Of the fifteen 1/2d plates, Plate 8 is the second rarest with only Plate 9 the rarer.
A used block of 4 is priced by Gibbons at nine times the single price.
A single used Plate 8 is priced at £120 so a block of 4 at £1,080 before adding the premium for the cds and condition of 200%.
The Gibbons price for a used block of EIGHT, before the premium is added, is a minimum of £2,160.
The earliest known date of usage of Plate 8 is October 13th 1870 so this block is a very late usage.
We cannot recall seeing neither a later multiple usage of this plate nor a larger one.
A rare item of Exhibition quality.
Price: £545.00 RESERVED
Perth Experimental Duplex: very rare New Years Day usage
152158.
1d SG29, fine used, tied to a part wrapper, no side flaps, from PERTH to Kirriemuir by
the Perth Experimental Duplex for JANUARY 1st 1857.
Of the 18 types of Scottish Experimental Duplexes, this is the ONLY example of any type
we have seen used on New Years Day.
On the reverse is a fair strike of the South Metheven Street Receiving House struck in green.
This strike is recorded in black from 1846 to 1857 and in green in 1857 and 1858.
Hence its usage on January 1st 1857 is the earliest recorded in this ink and may well be a First Day usage in this shade.
Also on the reverse is a Kirriemuir cds for January 2nd 1857 also in green.
On the inside is a printed heading: Edinburgh Perth & Dundee and Scottish Central Railways
Superintendent's Department Perth. More info on the internet about this early Railway Company.
A rare/very rare item.
Price: £95.00
NB: one wonders if the slightly blurred impressions of the Perth duplex and the Receiving House
could be a consequence of the postmaster/mistress recovering from the Hogmanay celebrations!
Scroll down for more examples of Experimental Duplexes including some of the rarest varieties.
Arbroath Cross on 1d Plate 8
152124.
1d red Black Plate 8, 'OG', 3 plus margins but defective at the right, tied to an entire from ARBROATH to Irvine:
very fine strike of the Arbroath Cross with an Arbroath date stamp for July 4th 1842 on the top flap which displays well when raised.
Rockoff and Jackson record this cross in Volume 1 but not the example offered here.
Only five examples with an earlier date are recorded by them.
Although this cross is unlisted by Gibbons, in our experience it is rarer than Greenock, Perth and Stirling which
together with Dundee are the 'Post Road Crosses' and difficult to distinguish from each other unless on cover.
Gibbons prices the Greenock cross on cover with a 1d red from a black plate at £1,500 and the Perth cross at £3,000.
This is only the second example we have been able to offer and the first for some years.
Price: £130.00
PERTH CROSS: a letter from and to interesting individuals
152131.
1d red, a very fine 4-margined example, plate 21, 'IG': tied to an entire by a fine/very fine PERTH CROSS, SG Spec B1tt.
On the top flap is a superb Perth boxed date stamp for November 29th 1842 and a similar Dundee receiver for the same day.
The letter is from a Rev Kerr Johnston, wax seal with his intitial 'J', to a Dr Thomas Dick of Broughty Ferry Nr Dundee.
The Rev Johnston is asking Dr Dick if he could stand in for him on the next Sunday and give the sermon.
He mentions that the STEAMER sails on Saturday from Dundee at 1 0'Clock so he could have a comfortable seat and cabin.
An engraved picture of Dr Thomas Dick is in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery and his picture, and a detailed biopic, is on the internet.
Briefly: he was a scientist and a natural philosopher who in his writings assured readers of the compatibility of science with religion.
Also on the net is a portrait of the Rev Kerr Johnston of Perth and a detailed biopic of him too.
The PERTH CROSS on cover is priced by Gibbons at £1,000 in the most recent Edition, 2011, QV Volume 1.
A superb and rare item that would, when written up fully, make an interesting Exhibition page.
Price: £325.00
Distinctive PERTH Cross on Banking Entire
152125.
1d red, 3-margined, clear profile, tied to a clean Perth Bank letter to Edinburgh
by a very fine/superb strike of the PERTH characteristic cross, SG Spec B1tt.
Perth date stamp on the top flap for March 5th 1842: this example is unrecorded by Rockoff and Jackson.
Priced by Gibbons at £1,000 in the latest, 2011 Edition, QV Volume 1.
An attractive example of this cross.
Price: £125.00
Envelope from Abergavenny to Prussia
The 6d ship letter rate to Prussia has been paid by three imperf plate 4, 2d blues,
AJ, AK-AL in a single and a pair with consequetive letterings.
Stamp ‘AJ’ has 4-margins and shows plate corrosion marks in both ‘Postage’ and ‘Twopence’ areas.
The 1d imperf, plate 172, almost 4-margined, and was probably added as a late fee.
Aus England Per Aachen in orange on the front. Stamps tied by the numeral ‘1’ in oval of bars for Abergavenny.
On the reverse are overlapping date and transit markings including one for Abergavenny, January 28 1854.
The first such item, with the imperf 1d or 2d sent overseas
from a location other than from Cardiff, we have been able to offer.
A rare Welsh item to an overseas destination.
Price: £335.00
NB: envelope in finer condition than the scan.
Osbourne Buildings on 1d Red Imperf
152055. 1d red plate 165, 'IJ': cancelled by a partial strike of OSBOURNE BUILDINGS, Scots Local Type XV1.
This cancellation is recorded in use from 1855-58 and hence not expected to occur on the imperf 1d.
This is the first example we have seen on a 1d red imperf.
Not full margined but a rare/very rare item.
Price: £39.00 SOLD
The Extremely Rare Edinburgh Experimental Type of Duplex
152056.
The Extremely Rare Edinburgh ‘Monocycle’ Experimental Duplex on cover:
sent within Edinburgh, May 31st 1856 entire, from 1 Heriot Row, to Niddry Street.
A very fine 1d red brown from Plate 33, SG Spec C8(1),
tied by a fine strike for this of a unique type of Edinburgh duplex: ‘131/M/May 31/1856/M’.
This is the RAREST of all Scottish Experimental type of duplexes with ONLY ONE OTHER KNOWN ON COVER.
and that on a locally used Edinburgh cover for June 2nd 1856 – June 1st 1856 was a Sunday.
In 1989 it sold for £1,700.
An item of Exhibition importance for any Collection of Scottish and line engraved cancellations.
Offered with a clean RPS Certificate.
An opportunity to acquire one of the rarest of all Scottish cancellations.
SOLD
Hanover Street Scots Local: rare usage on stampless overseas letter
1520044.
HANOVER STREET: Scots Local cancellation Type V11, a fine strike on an October 6th 1856 stampless commercial entire from Edinburgh to CALCUTTA.
Within the bill is a postal and stamp charge of 1/1d and on the reverse a boxed Calcutta Steam Letter strike.
The single rate to India was 6d for 1/2oz via Southampton in 1856.
In the Robson Lowe Meredith Sale of 'Scots Local Cancellations', there was NO example of any Scots Local cancellation used on a stampless letter or cover.
A rare usage and to a scarce destination with such a cancellation.
Price: £112.00 SOLD
Duke Street Leith Scots Local: two stampless entires to same addressee in France
152043.
Duke Street Leith: Scots Local cancellation Type V11, very fine strikes on two fine stampless commercial entires to the same addressee in France.
The first sent on April 19th 1858, the last year of usage recorded by Alcock, and the second on June 21st 1859 with an Edinburgh duplex next to it.
The first has a handstamped '8' and the second a m/s '8' ,both in black, as they were sent unpaid and charged the double rate.
In the Robson Lowe Meredith Sale of 'Scots Local Cancellations', there was NO example of any Scots Local cancellation used on a stampless letter or cover.
A rare and attractive pair of Exhibition quality.
Price: £155.00
Uniform 4d Post: a rare FIRST SUNDAY usage
152041. Uniform Penny Post Period: a Scottish Widows Fund and Life Assurance Office printed request for
a statement of health on the Revd James Porteous, Parish Minister of RICCARTON, Ayrshire.
Also printed inside are details of the 18th Annual AGM, 1832, listing of the Court of Directors and the value of insurance policies.
The letter is hand dated inside December 4th 1839, AYR - the day before the introduction of the Uniform 4d Post.
However the letter was posted to Edinburgh on DECEMBER 8th 1839:
the FIRST SUNDAY of this short lived uniform 4d post period, a m/s '4' in black on the front.
There are only five Sunday date usages possible in this perod which ended on January 9th 1840.
On the top flap is a fair but legible boxed date of AYR, December 8th 1839, and an Edinburgh cds for the next day.
The letter was possibly held back until after the 5th December to take advantage of the reduced postage charge.
This the first example we have been able to offer of this rare first Sunday usage and can not recall seeing another one.
A Scottish item with an extremely rare combination of dates:
the day before the U 4d Post period was introduced and a First Sunday usage in its period.
A first Sunday usage is considerably rarer than a first day December 5th 1839 usage.
An Exhibition item.
Price: £490.00
Uniform 4d Post: very rare First Sunday 8d rate usage on a letter re sheep stealing
152042.
Uniform 4d Post Period: a detailed and long letter to the Procurator Fiscal in Inverary from DUMBARTON re SHEEP STEALING.
The letter is dated inside December 8th 1839 and on the reverse top flap is a fine boxed date stamp of Dumbarton also for DECEMBER 8th 1839:
the FIRST SUNDAY in the short lived Uniform 4d Post Period.
There are only five Sunday date usages possible in this perod which ended on January 9th 1840.
This already rare item is made extremely rare as on the front is a m/s '8' indicating a double rate charge.
The sender had written OHMS and as the letter is under 1/2oz but charged 8d,
the OHMS was not accepted as going post free and it was charged a double rate.
This is the ONLY example of this rate used on the first Sunday of the uniform 4d post we have seen and
may well be unique especially as a surcharge on a single rate letter on this date.
We have not seen a letter surcharged in this way in the Uniform 4d Post period.
A first Sunday usage is considerably rarer than a first day December 5th 1839 usage.
A remarkable item of Exhibition quality and importance.
Price: £640.00
NB: this item and Item 152041 would make a remarkarkable and unique pairing
and with both used withiin Scotland.
1d Plate 1b: INVERTED and Upright Watermark in Matched Pairing
152039. 1d Plate 1b, 'FI', double letter 'F', SG Spec A55f: two very fine 4-margined examples
both with this variety and each with a vertical guide line in the NE corner square.
The first is on a wrapper from Paisley to Edinburgh, September 7th 1840, and tied by a fine/very fine PAISLEY cross.
There is a vertical filing crease close to, but clear of, the stamp at the left.
The stamp has been affixed over a pre-existing light horizontal crease in the wrapper near the top.
The stamp has an INVERTED watermark, SG Spec AS55l.
The margin at the bottom shows part of 'GI': stamp 'GI' is also one of only EIGHT double letters listed on this plate.
The second is on a front with the top flap from Edinburgh to Prestonpans, December 18th 1840,
sent from the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway; the stamp tied by a lightly struck Edinburgh cross and Its watermark is UPRIGHT.
Plate 1b with inverted watermark is priced by Gibbons in this plate at £2,500 for a stamp not on cover.
Allowing for being on cover and with the double letter variety, an estimated Gibbons price is £5,700.
This is the first example we have seen with inverted watermark on cover.
An Exhibition quality pair both used within Scotland.
Price: £1,890.00
NB: Rockoff, in Volume 2 of 'The Maltese Cross Cancellations of GB and Ireland', the earliest listed example of the
Paisley cross is for March 16th 1841, all the examples illustrated are on1d red covers and are poor debris-filled strikes.
The Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway was opened to passengers in 1842.
1d SG 40 pair: Single Scots Local Contrary to Regulations
152040. 1d SG40, very fine vertical pair on a wrapper from GLASGOW to PAISLEY, March 8th 1857.
Cancelled Contrary to PO Regulations by a fine/very fine single Scots Local of Queens Street, Type XV111.
Recorded in use from 1854-57 so this the last year of usage.
An attractive and very scarce item.
Price: £76.50
NB: seldom find vertical pairs on cover.
Rare combination with a Scots Local Cancellation.
15005.
1/- SG55, Die 2, full margined, very slight buckling, priced by Gibbons at £1,100:
used in combination with a fine 4d SG63, priced by SG at £575.
Tied to piece by a fine strike of Scots local SAUCHIHALL, Type X111 with a hand written 1856 date.
Very rare to find this cancellation on either of these two stamps
and possibly unique in combination.
Price: £425.00
d SG62: Queen Street Scots Local
151309. 4d small garter, SG62:
a fine pair tied to piece by the Queen Street (Glasgow) Scots Local Type XV111.
The Meredith Sale of Scots Locals had no examples of any type on the 4d SG62.
Gibbons only prices Scots Locals on the contemporary 1d value but
their price for two single SG62's is £900.
A very rare item.
Price: £230.00
Envelope from Llangefni to Germany 1845: two strikes of the Penny Post
152006. Envelope, top flap stuck down for display purposes, sent from Llangefni on the Isle of Anglesey, to Wurtemberg, Germany.
Rarely found on both the front and the rear top flap, are very fine/superb strikes of the very scarce Llangefni Penny Post, C Cat. W1417.
There is a Bangor date stamp for September 6th 1845 and a London tombstone in red for September 8th 1845.
Various other transit markings including handstruck ones in Germany.
The letter appears to have been redirected in Wurtemberg.
A fair description would be to say the item is 'full of character' and one which could be very fine display page.
A very scarce early item from Anglesey with a rare double strike of a Penny Post.
Price: £110.00 SOLD
NB: the population of Llangefni in 1845 was approx 1,700: one wonders how many of these could write at that time?
The central black area is from the hawid on which it is resting and the gap from the removed seal.
Paid 6d Extra 1847
1512001. 1d red Plate 70, 'DI', fine 4-margined, possibly a very light scuff,
tied to a clean envelope from Edinburgh to Aberdeen, April 12th 1847.
On the front is a fine strike of the rare Edinburgh 'Paid 6d Extra'.
This late fee charge of 6d was applied for mail posted at
the Post Office between 7pm and 7.20 pm - just before it closed.
Full wax seal on reverse.
This late fee strike is considerably rarer than the 'Paid 1d Extra' variety.
Price: £130.00 SOLD
Rare early usage of 1d lilac die 2 on an interesting envelope.
151947. Linen envelope, with original letter, posted in RATHMINES, a suburb of Dublin, December 22nd 1881,
addressed to a Post Office in New York.
Registered Dublin hexagonal date stamp for December 23rd 1881 on reverse.
The postage and registration fee paid by a vertical pair of 2 1/2d plate 22, SG 157 and a vertical pair of 1d lilac die 2.
Letter received in New York January 7th 1882.
The letter mentions that it contains TWENTY POUNDS: at least £1,000, if not more, in today's money.
The letter was not well written and the envelope addressed to an individual,
and then 'Post Office to be called for, State of New York'.
The letter, it would seem, was never collected during 1882 and there are two strikes of the USA Dead Letter Office
triangular date stamps for December 5th 1882, eleven months after the letter was received at the New York Post Office.
No return address on the reverse so presumably the Postal Authorities opened the letter by removing the central seals.
The name and address in the letter are not very clear so one hopes the money was returned safely to the sender.
A very interesting and rare item made even rarer as the 1d lilac die 2 was issued
on December 13th 1881 and this pair used on December 22nd 1881.
This is the earliest we have seen on a cover and it is likely to be the earliest known usage of die 2 on a registered envelope.
The 1d lilac is from the first printing and in a shade close to or at the scarce bluish lilac, SG172a.
A remarkable item, full of character, that would make a memorable and fascinating display page.
Price: £295.00
NB: the scan does not show the 1d lilac shade at all well.
2d Plate 4: late usage 1856
151923.
2d SG14 Plate 4 'DK-DL':
pair cancelled by the DUNDEE Experimental Duplex for April 19th 1856
with a break at the bottom of the outer circle.
The SPHG reported that this break appeared between April and June 1856
in the lower arc of the date circle due to damage.
This at April 19th 1856, is believed to be the earliest example of this damage
and the only one known on the imperf 2d blue.
Very few examples are known of any of the Scottish Experimental Duplexes
used on the 1841 2d blue and this is the first one we have been able to offer.
A very rare/unique item.
Price: £185.00
SG141 Plate 9 on printed embossed envelope from Ireland to USA
151907. SG141 two pence hafpenny Plate 9: from LETTERKENNY to the USA.
Stamp tied by a superb '302' of Letterkenny but the date portion of the duplex unclear.
A very considerate sub postmaster/mistress may have deliberately lightly impressed
this portion of the duplex to avoid spoiling the embossed design on the envelope.
A date of '26' is visible and as it was received in New York on January 6th,
the letter was more than likely sent on December 26th.
The front of this delicately and attractively embossed/embroidered envelope
is in a remarkable and very fine condition except for a very small portion of the top right flower.
A very rare, and superb example, and especially so emanating from Ireland.
Exhibition quality.
Price: £155.00
NB: SG141 plate 9 was put to press on September 14th 1877.
Envelope in cleaner condition than the scan suggests.
DUMFRIES distinctive cross
151903.
1d red 'LH', on entire from TERREGLES, a small village near DUMFRIES, sent to DUMFRIES
with on the reverse a lightly struck but legible Dumfries boxed date stamp in red for August 17th 1843.
The 1d red, good margins on three sides but in to at the top, tied by a fine strike of the
distinctive DUMFRIES CROSS, listed by Gibbons as Spec B1tfa, and unpriced in the latest, 2011, QV Volume 1.
The letter refers to rent arrears for the past NINE YEARS totalling £5.13.3:
barely the price of a gallon of petrol in today's money!!
This example is NOT listed by Rockoff in Volume 1, and only four earlier examples are noted - the EKD is June 17th 1843.
None of the examples listed by Rockoff are used locally in Dumfries.
An attractive example of this small cross on an interesting local entire.
Price: £290.00
NB: the vertical filing crease at the right does not cross the 1d red.
DUBLIN ADDITIONAL 1/2d's
The next three items are examples of the very rare DUBLIN Additional 1/2d tax.
May 1834 Dublin to Edinburgh
151846. Long letter from one brother to another describing largely his lengthy journey from Scotland to Dublin,
the weather conditions, his sleeping arrangements and the number of people affected with sickness because of the rough seas.
He was not one of them!
On the front a superb strike of the very rare DUBLIN Additional 1/2 with on the reverse
a Dublin date stamp for May 30th 1834 and a complete wax seal.
This Additional 1/2 strike is in the first of the three periods of usage.
In the recent publication, April 2017, of the Additional Mail Tax by Baker et al,
the Dublin Additional 1/2 is priced at up to £175 on cover.
The latest date they record for this first period of usage is May 27th 1834
so the example offered here extends it by 3 days!
A very rare item.
Price: £135.00
January 1837 Dublin to Edinburgh
151847. Printed request from an Insurance Company asking for an opinion as to the health of a named person.
On the front is a very fine strike of the DUBLIN Additional 1/2 and on the reverse top flap and
a Dublin date stamp for January 19th 1837 which displays well when raised.
This is the third and final period of usage of this very rare 1/2 strike.
In the recent publication, April 2017, of the Additional Mail Tax by Baker et al,
the Dublin Additional 1/2 is priced at up to £175 on cover.
A rare item.
Price: £118.00
July 1837 Dublin to Edinburgh
151848. Entire from Dublin to Edinburgh with on the front a fine strike of the very rare DUBLIN Additional 1/2
and on the reverse a Dubil date stamp for July 27th 1837 and an
Edinburgh receiver for July 29th 1837 and a m/s charge of 2/8.
This is the third and final period of usage of this Additional 1/2.
In the recent publication, April 2017, of the Additional Mail Tax by Baker et al,
the Dublin Additional 1/2 is priced at up to £175 on cover.
A rare item.
Price: £105.00
Experimental Duplex cancellations on the contemporary 1d values.
One day after the earliest known date of usage
and the earliest recorded multiple franking.
Price: £110.00
The RARE Glasgow Type 1 Experimental Duplex
151249.
Glasgow Type 1 Experimental duplex:
fine 1d SG21, clear profile, tied to a wrapper to Manchester by this RARE,
and sporadically used cancellation for November 28th 1855; Manchester receiver on the reverse.
This cancellation is usually smudged and this example is a fine strike for it.
Price: £390.00
151250.
Glasgow Type 1 Experimental duplex:
fine 1d perf 14, tied to a letter, large part missing on reverse,
by an EXCEPTIONAL strike of this RARE cancellation, for February 1st 1856
and one of the finest examples we have seen.
There is a similar quality of strike, for the same date,
in the Dendy Marshall Colection now housed in the National Postal Museum.
The last day of recorded usage is February 4th 1856.
This cancellation is made even rarer by the Code 'H' being to the left:
very few examples on cover are known.
Without doubt, one of the, if not the, finest examples in private hands.
Price: £525.00
Very Rare Inverness Experimental Duplex
151841.
2d SG34: two singles, 'HD' and 'ID' tied to a small envelope to France
by a very fine INVERNESS Experimental Duplex Type 1, for September 29th 1856.
Of the 18 experimental duplexes recorded by the Scottish Postal History Group,
the Inverness Type 1 is the 17th rarest and only Kilmarnock is rated rarer.
It is rarely found on a value other than the contemporary 1d.
A very rare strike but especially so used on an item of mail going abroad.
The only example we have seen of this cancellation on overseas mail.
A very rare item.
Price: £360.00
Rare Greenock Type 1 Experimental Duplex
151842.
1d perf 14, SG 29, on envelope to Burntisland, tied by a fine strike of
the rare GREENOCK Experimental Duplex Type 1 for December 2nd 1856.
Of the 18 experimental duplexes recorded by the Scottish Postal History Group,
only four other types are rarer than the Greenock Type 1.
This example is very close to the latest known recorded date.
The 1d SG29, is in the period, October 1856 to March 1857.
Known as the transitional period, the printers were gradually trying to remove the blueing of the paper.
The example here shows some blueing.
A rare item.
Price: £135.00
Aberdeen Experimental Duplex
151843.
2d SG34, 'TI', LC perf 14: very fine example with an almost clear profile, tied to a wrapper to Edinburgh
by a superb ABERDEEN Experimental duplex Type 1b ie larger letters and longer side bars.
March 3rd 1857 Code E with an Edinburgh receiver on reverse for the following day.
Opened roughly where the seal would have been; 2d SG34 priced by Gibbons at £200 on cover.
Very scarce usage of this experimental duplex on a value other than the contemporary 1d.
Price: £85.00
Aberdeen Experimental Duplex
151844. 1d SG29, corner fault and crossed by a very light folding crease,
tied to an envelope to Kintore by a very fine/fine Aberdeen Experimental Duplex Type 1b.
October 31st 1860 code H with a superb boxed KINTORE date stamp for the following day.
The envelope could not be delivered and marked 'Removed gone no address' in red .
Aberdeen cds in blue next to the duplex for November 7th 1860.
The envelope has its original contents - a demand for 4d to be sent to the School-house in Kintore!
Attractive item.
Price: £45.00
Edinburgh Cross: Last Day of Usage
151845.
1d plate 38, strip of 4, 'GA-GD', 'GB' affected by a filing crease, on a wrapper from EDINBURGH to Brechin.
Stamps tied by the Edinburgh Special Type 6 (Balloon) cross.
This was the last type of cross used in Edinburgh before replaced by the 131 numeral canceller.
Rockoff and Jackson note the last day of usage to be June 24th 1844
and only record it used on a 1d pink envelope with this date.
The example offered here has a very fine Edinburgh date stamp for JUNE 24th 1844 on the top flap
and a Brechin date stamp for the following day.
This is the only example of which we are aware of the 1d red used on this last day, and this item
with a strip of four 1d reds, is very likely to be a unique mulitiple usage of this cross on its last day.
A Scottish rarity.
Price: £385.00
Uniform 4d Post Period: rare Free Front Sunday Usage
151792. Very fine front, mounted on card, from Haddington, SUNDAY December 15th 1839,
to Lady (Elizabeth) Grosvenor, Eaton Hall, Chester: signed TWEEDDALE, George Hay, 8th Marquess of Tweeddale.
On the front is a Haddington P.P.Pay One Penny, Auckland EL 78a, for December 15th 1839, struck in Blue.
Auckland only records this cancellation struck in black and red.
As it was not struck in red to denote 'paid' one wonders if the recipient was surcharged.
December 15th 1839 was the SECOND SUNDAY of the Uniform 4d Post Period which began on December 5th 1839.
There were only FIVE Sundays in the short lived Uniform 4d Post period, which ended on January 9th 1840.
The painting, image available on the internet, is of Lady Elizabeth just before she married, in 1819,
Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster: he became Earl Grosvenor in 1831 and they had 10 children.
A very rare and fine item.
Price: £95.00
NB: see item 151793 in the Stampless Section.
Waterford Cross on 1d Plate 5
151780.
1d red, Plate 5, 'LH', very fine 4-margined example on a clean wrapper from WATERFORD to Dublin.
Stamp tied by a superb strike of the Waterford cross
with a superb Waterford date stamp on the top flap for May 13th 1841.
Rockoff records only three earlier examples of this cross.
Plate 5 priced by Gibbons on cover at £400.
Very fine item and scarce as such.
Price: £210.00
Kirkwall Type VI Scots Local
151325. 4d SG66, fine/very fine, tied to a small piece by a superb strike
of the unique Kirkwall Scots Local Type V1.
This type is illustrated by Alcock, on a 1d star, in 'Scots Local Cancellations Illustrated'
but the strike is a poorish one in comparison with that offered here.
In the 1971 Meridith sale of Scots Local Cancellations, Lot 200, a 2d perf and an example of
this 4d with this cancellation, on two separate small pieces realised, in modern money, approx £600.
This is the first example we have been able to offer for some considerable time
and the first on a value other than the contemporary 1d.
An attractive and rare item.
Price: £145.00 SOLD
1d Plate 21: NEWTON-LIMAVADY cross
151749. 1d red plate 21, 'EF', fine 4-margined, close at 'F' square but clear:
tied to a clean banking entire from NEWTON-LIMAVADY to Ballymoney.
On the reverse is a blue cds of Newton-Limavady for March 6th 1843
and a superb COMPLETE red wax seal 'Belfast Bank Branch N.Limavady'.
Rockoff in Volume 2 page 210, 'The Maltese Cross Cancellations of GB and Ireland',
illustrates only six examples on cover of this cross.
A late strike, May 30th 1844, shows a cross with an empty centre.
The authors speculate as to whether this is a weakened centre or a result of inking.
This example, March 6th 1843, shows a similar empty centre.
The later examples in 1843, August and December, are complete strikes with the usual diamond in the centre.
Hence the example offered here confirms the emty centres are a consequence of inking.
An attractive and very scarce item.
Price: £85.00
1d SG29 used locally in Stranraer
151739. 1d SG29, 'NK', on a printed Land and Tax Assessment demand from the Inland Revenue in Stranraer,
dated New Years Day January 1st 1857; on the reverse is a Stranraer date stamp for January 2nd.
Tied by a partial strike of the '312' of Stranraer and
sent locally in Stranraer to a George GUTHRIE from a David GUTHRIE!
The cancellation leaves the Gothik K on 'NK' clearly visible: SG Spec C8j, Plates 23-31.
The 1d is very badly miss-perfed and as such scarce on cover.
A rare combination of features.
SOLD
PAID 6d EXTRA of Edinburgh
151736.
1d red, 'AD', very fine 4-margined, Plate 49:
tied to a clean wrapper to Hamilton by the '131' of Edinburgh
with an Edinburgh cds on the reverse for August 15th 1845.
Next to the 1d red is a good strike of the
Edinburgh boxed: ' PAID 6d EXTRA', Auckland ED184.
This is a rare strike and was applied as a Late Fee
which for the high price of 6d, a letter could be handed in between 7 and 7.20pm
before the Post Office closed for the day and would be processed that evening.
Considerably rarer than the 'PAID 1d EXTRA' variety.
Price: £90.00
Paisley Cross: 1d red Plate 9 repaired state
151735.
1d red Plate 9, 'EC-ED': fine full margined partially severed pair,
prepared by the postmaster/postmistress for ease of separation.
Both stamps are from the 2nd repair printing, 'no 'O' flaw', SG Spec AS61.
Tied to a cross written entire by three strikes of the PAISLEY cross with a boxed
Paisley date stamp on the reverse for September 2nd 1841.
The stamps placed at the bottm left side contrary to Post office Regulations.
Rockoff in 'The Maltese cross Cancellations of GB and Ireland', Volume 2 page 219, illustrates and describes this cross.
Its appearance is similar to the so-called 'Post Road' crosses of Arbroath, Dundee, Perth and Stirling.
Of the 10 examples he lists and illustrates, this is the third earliest at September 2nd 1841.
He comments that from September 1841, the cross was poorly struck with evidence
of varying amounts of debris in the obliterator: the cross does not appear to have been regularly cleaned.
The 1d red Plate 9 without 'O' flaw is priced as a single stamp by Gibbons
in the latest, 2011, Edition of QV Volume 1, at £325.
A pair in this repaired state would be priced at £850 and on cover at £1,450.
A very rare item.
Price: £320.00
NB: the condition of the letter is much finer than the scan suggests and there is NO browning.
INDIA STREET Scots Local: 2d Blue Plate 4
151698. 2d blue SG14, Plate 4, 'QJ-QK', very fine/fine square 4-margined:
partially separated between by the postmaster/mistress in preparation for issue.
Tied to a neat piece by two partial strikes of the Scots Local, Type V11, of INDIA STREET.
Few examples are known of the imperf 2d blue
with any type of Scots Local cancellation on piece or cover.
A very rare item.
Price: £425.00 SOLD
Plate 55: 306 of Lisnaskea
151678. 1d Plate 55, SG40, 'FL-GL':
overall a fine used block of 4, cancelled, Contrary to Regulations,
by only two '306' numerals of LISNASKEA.
Gibbons, in the latest Edition, 2011, of QV Volume 1,
prices a block of four in this plate at £150.
Unusually, there is a plate sratch on 'GL' to the left of QV's head.
A misalignment of the stamps is also visible.
A very scarce/rare Irish usage.
Price: £85.00
Plate 55: 302 of Letterkenny
151679. 1d Plate 55, SG40, 'GC-HD':
some light wrinkling, short/pulled perfs on 'HD' and a brownish reverse,
but cancelled by the '302' of Letterkenny.
Gibbons, in the latest Edition, 2011, of QV Volume 1,
prices a block of four in this plate at £150.
Scarce Irish usage.
Price: £45.00
Plate 59: 28 of Ballaghaderin
151681. 1d Plate 59, SG40, 'DJ-EK':
short perf 'E' square of 'EK' otherwise fine/very fine block.
Cancelled by inverted '28' numerals of BALLAGHADERIN.
Gibbons, in the latest Edition, 2011, of QV Volume 1,
prices a block of four in this plate at £150.
Very scarce Irish usage.
Price: £55.00
Plate 60: 272 of Killarney
151682. 1d Plate 60, SG40, 'GI-HJ':
some light wrinkling on 'HJ' otherwise a fine block of 4.
Incomplete numeral cancellations but appear to be '272' of KILLARNEY.
Two stamps with clear profile.
Plate 60 is a scarce plate and Gibbons, in the latest Edition, 2011, of QV Volume 1,
prices a block of four in this plate at £250.
A very scarce Irish usage.
Price £82.50
Plate 60: 141 of Ballygawley
151683. 1d Plate 60, SG40, 'NH-NK':
strip of 4 cancelled by superb strikes of the '141' of BALLYGAWLEY.
Each of 'NI-NK' cancelled by an inverted, numeral single type of '41' but
'NH' by the upright numeral portion of the '41' Ballygawley duplex.
'NI-NK' are very fine used, 'NH' has a light vertical crease.
A most unusual combination of the types of numeral '41' used on a scarcer plate.
Gibbons, in the latest Edition, 2011, of QV Volume 1, four singles are priced at £120.
A rare and possibly unique usage of the '41' numeral:
we cannot recall seeing any similar combination.
An attractive and very rare item.
Price: £75.00
Plate 62 SG40
151686. 1d SG40, 'AL-BK':
very fine used block, very faintly and indistinctly cancelled leaving virtually each stamp with clear profile .
'BL' has a small piece of black hair 'impressed' into the surface - perhaps as a love token from the sender?
Gibbons, in the latest Edition, 2011, of QV Volume 1, prices a block of four in this plate at £150
before the 125% premium is added for so light a cancellation.
Unusual and scarce.
Price: £68.00
Dublin to London to Whitby 1866
151627. 1d Plates 74 and 79 on an envelope, one side flap missing, from DUBLIN to London.
1d plate 74 cancelled in Dublin but another full duplex applied at the front for August 17th 1866: Contrary to Regulations.
In London it received a N W Miss-sorted strike and a 1d plate 79 affixed for the redirection to Whitby,
N W London duplex for August 20th 1866.
An attractive and very scarce combination of usage and cancellations.
Price: £56.50 SOLD
Registered wrapper from Edinburgh to Glasgow
151665. Two single 1d reds, one defective, tied to a wrapper by a
SINGLE '131' of Edinburgh and Contrary to Regulations as such.
Addressed to 'The Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway Office'.
This Railway Company opened on August 13th 1846 and was taken over on 28th October 1850.
Edinburgh December 30th 1846 cds on reverse and a receiving Glasgow date stamp for New Years' Eve 1846.
M/s 1/- in red for the Registration Fee and a partially handstruck, also in red,
Registered Edinburgh, McKay figure 1150, 'Scottish Postmarks' and rated RARE.
Despite the faults, two single 1d reds are much scacer than a pair especially cancelled by a single numeral.
Filing creases but overall the wrapper is in fine condition.
A very scarce/rare combination of features.
Price: £67.50. SOLD
2d Plate 3: full margined strip from GLASGOW with Double Letter variety
151666.
2d Plate 3, 'SB-SD': a fine full margined strip of three, tied to an
entire from GLASGOW to Birmingham, September 28th 1850, by '159' numerals.
This plate has only FIVE double letter listed varieties and 'SD' is one of them, Spec ES11h.
On reverse is a partial boxed Queen Street and other transit date stamps.
A pair of 2d blues in this plate priced by Gibbons on cover
at £550 in the latest Edition, 2011, QV Volume 1.
Very scarce item.
Price: £335.00
2d Plate 4 strip of 4 on envelope from CATRINE to SIDNEY
151655. 2d Plate 4, strip 'MB-ME':
full margins except 'ME' which has faults, on a small, uncreased, envelope to SIDNEY, New South Wales, Australia.
'MD' has a paper wrinkle/crease around the NE corner but is cancelled by the
Ship-Letter London date stamp, May 14th 1852, in RED and extremely rare as such.
Sent from CATRINE with a MAUCHLINE boxed date stamp for May 13th 1852
and a red London Ship letter date stamp for May 14th 1852.
On receipt in Australia, various transit marks applied on reverse,
and on the front is a handstruck '3' and a m/s '5' both in black.
Also there is a boxed ADVERTISED UNCLAIMED applied in Sidney.
A remarkable item and especially rare with a 2d blue cancelled
by the red London Ship Letter date stamp: the only example we have seen and quite likely unique.
Gibbons prices this 2d blue with a RED 1844 numeral cancellation,
Spec E1wc, at £28,000 on a stamp OFF COVER
and unpriced on cover in the latest Edition, 2011, of QV Volume 1.
A superb line engraved rarity.
Price: £1,375.00
NB: the envelope is in better condition than the scan suggests especially on the reverse.
Unique usage: Day Before the U4d Post; Last Day of the Additional 1/2d tax and First Day of the U4d Post
151601. Entire, Edinburgh to Coldstream, addressed to a General Sir Martin Hunter, a former Governor of Stirling Castle and various biopics are available on line.
Letter dated inside December 4th 1839 and with a superb Edinburgh cds on the reverse top flap for December 4th 1839 - the DAY BEFORE the introduction of the Uniform 4d Post.
On the front is: a scarce Coldtream Penny Post, (Auckland BK 68b), recorded previously to November 1st 1839; a m/s '7' and a fair but legible strike of the Edinburgh Additional Half,
Sedgwick Fig 21 - the LAST DAY of this tax. Only one other location is known with an Additional Half used on this last day and that is Glasgow.
On receipt, the letter was turned inside out, a reply written and dated inside December 5th 1839, and posted back to Edinburgh.
On the reverse is a fine boxed date stamp of Coldstream for December 5th 1839 and a m/s '4' on the front: the FIRST DAY of the UNIFORM 4d POST.
Edinburgh receiver for December 6th 1839 on the reverse. The cost of the letter almost halved in usage from December 4th to December 5th and
presumably the original sender was unaware of the imminent postal rare change.
A remarkable letter which has a usage on:
the DAY BEFORE the Uniforn 4d Post; the LAST DAY of the Additional 1/2d tax and the FIRST DAY of the Uniform 4d Post.
An exceptional item of Scottish Postal History illustrating the important rate changes all on one item.
A superb, unique and important, Exhibition-quality item.
Price: SOLD
1d plate 55 cancelled INDIA STREET Scots Local
151636. 1d SG40, Plate 55, 'MA-NC':
fine/very fine used block of six, a few short perfs, cancelled Contrary to Regulations
by three strikes only of the India Street Type V11 Scots Local.
A rare usage, in this manner, of this cancellation.
A used block of 4 of SG40, priced by Gibbons at £150
in this plate with an 'ordinary' cancellation.
Rare and attractive item.
Price: £95.00 SOLD
Important recent IRISH additions to our stock.
Dublin to Port Philip Australia
151656. 2d blue Plate 3, 'block of 4', split into two pairs, 'FH-GI':
on an envelope from DUBLIN to a very scarce destination, PORT PHILIP, Australia.
Dublin date stamp on reverse for April 1st 1852 and a Ship-Letter London date stamp for the following day on the front.
Top left corner of letter with 'p First Ship Direct'.
M/s '3' in black applied on receipt and a Melbourne Ship letter mark on the reverse for July 1852.
The two pairs of the 2d are each cancelled Contrary to PO Regulations, at that time, by a SINGLE strike
of the DUBLIN '186' numeral applied upside down.
Although this was again Contrary to PO Regulations perhaps appropriate as it was sent 'down under'!
The envelope has an embossed crest of The Royal Dublin Society 1731.
This Society was founded on June 14th 1731 by 14 men who met in Trinity College: the 'Royal' prefix was added in 1821.
It was formed to promote 'husbandry, manufacturers and other useful arts and sciences'.
Further information available on the internet.
A very rare item.
Price: £785.00
NB: in 1999, a long/large envelope, not to Australia,
was offered with an untied pair of 2d blues, cancelled by an upside down '186' of Dublin.
It was described as ex Shaida and that only four such examples were known.
We have seen only one other item, (in 2004), addressed to Port Philip (1852), with a
strip of four 2d blues: it was sent from Sheffield.
1d red Plate 9: February 20th 1841
151579. 1d red Plate 9, 'SE': large square margined example, crossed by a filing crease,
tied by a very fine MX to a financial entire, dated February 20th 1841, from BALLINLEA to BALLYMONEY, Co Antrim.
Superb Ballymoney date stamp on reverse for February 21st 1841 - a SUNDAY.
The 1d red was issued on February 10th 1841and the earliest known usage of the 1d red Plate 9 on cover
was in the Pichai Collection: a 3 plus margin on a cover used locally within London on February 19th 1841.
The example offered here is the earliest known example used in Ireland.
In fact, it is believed to be the earliest known Irish usage of a 1d red from any plate.
It is also one of the earliest known Irish usages of the BLACK cross:
black ink officially replaced red ink on February 10th 1841.
The letter is in a cleaner condition than the scan suggests.
An Irish rarity.
Price: £1,100.00
NB: the Pichai cover was last seen in 2005 in a London Sale: the cover torn, creased and rather dirty.
In 2009, a 1d red Plate 9, with only 2 plus margins, on a wrapper from DUBLIN to WEXFORD,
February 25th 1841, was offered for sale by a specialist London dealer at £2,250.
1d black Plate 2 from Glasgow
151581. 1d black Plate 2, 'FK': very fine/fine 4-margined
tied by a light red MX to an entire from Glasgow to Dorset, September 16th 1840.
On the reverse a wafer seal with the inscription: 'Please Do It'.
The well written letter is from a young man thanking his uncle for acting as a Cautioner in connection with a loan.
Filing crease and a light wrinkle on the front but the stamp printed in the scarcer Intense black shade, Spec AS14
and priced by Gibbons on cover in this shade in excess of £1,100.
Price: £435.00
4d SG153: variety 'large 5' in the plate number
151569. Very fine Registered Envelope from Leith to Prussia, September 3rd 1879.
Leith duplex on the reverse cancelling the embossed ' Registered Two Pence' die.
The unusual franking is made up of a bantam 1/2d and a 4d SG153, Plate 15, lettered 'AA'.
The very fine 4d sage green - superb colour - shows the listed variety, Spec J64d: Stamp 'AA', 'Large '5' in '15'.
The cancellation leaves both plate numbers almost totally clear.
This variety priced by Gibbons in the latest, 2011, Edition of QV Volume 1 at £800 on a stamp not on cover.
The estimated Gibbons price on cover is £1,500 plus.
Although we have handled several examples of this variety, this is the ONLY example we have ever seen used on a cover.
A very rare Exhibition quality item and likely to be a unique survivor with this variety on a registered envelope.
Price: £850.00
NB: the browning around the stamps and on the front of the envelope is NOT present
and neither is it present on the reverse side: tricks of the scanner.
Plate 1b: INTENSE SHADE
151373. 1d plate 1b, 'HJ', INTENSE black shade, SG Spec AS4:
very fine square margined example, affixed over a light bump in the paper before posting.
Tied to a wrapper from Edinburgh to Galashiels by an orange cross which leaves QV's profile virtually clear.
Priced by Gibbons in this scarcer shade at £1,100 on cover.
Edinburgh cds on reverse top flap for January 6th 1841.
Attractive item.
Price: £380.00
Superb 1d black plate 4 from HUNTLY.
S3. 1d black plate 4, 'MA':
superb 4-margined tied to a
clean and uncreased wrapper to
by an orange cross leaving a clear profile.
No date markings but with a single line ‘HUNTLY’ in black on the reverse.
This plate priced by Gibbons at £775 on cover.
Superb item.
Price: £495.00 SOLD
NB: the cover is in a cleaner condition than the scan suggests.
5d SG169 from Glasgow to the US
151560. 5d Indigo, SG169:
fine/very fine example on envelope to Chicago from Glasgow, May 17th 1884.
Chicago cds on the reverse for May 27th 1884.
Gibbons prices this 5d on cover at £325.
Price: £69.50
151507. Wrapper to ARDMADDY, near Oban, m/s ‘Meteorological Instruments’, on the front.
Inverness and Oban date stamps on reverse both for April 30th 1857.
The 1d perf 14, defective at the bottom, tied by an exceptional strike of DALMALLY, Scots Local Type 111.
In the 1971 Meridith Sale of Scots Local Cancellations, there was one example,
illustrated, on a soiled part-entire, it realised £22.00: a very good weekly wage at that time!
The example offered here is a finer strike.
A rare item with such a superb strike.
Price: £245.00
'First Day' of new rate to India.
uperb used example: SG137
15183. £5 Orange, SG137:
cancelled
with a finely struck 1896 Edinburgh cds and leaving a clear Queen’s profile.
One of the finest we have seen for some time and the scan does not do it justice.
Gibbons priced at £4,750 plus 75% for superb used.
NB: there is NOT a crease under the cancellation as
the scan may be suggesting: it is the watermark.
15121. 1899: Envelope sent to New York City,
vertical strip of four, one with defect, and a single SG197,
paying the 2 1/2d rate to the
USA with FOUR strikes of the scarce Columba Steamer Greenock duplex afternoon service Code B,
August 3rd 1899 and on the reverse the David MacBrayne and The Royal Route motif. This
item is rare sent to an overseas
destination when posted on board the Columba Steamer.
Information available on the internet about The Royal Route and the MacBrayne Company
including a photograph of ‘Columba’ herself. This ship was possibly the most majestic paddle steamer
of all time.
Over 300 feet in length, she had a curved bow and was magnificently fitted out.
Columba had a barbers and a post office on board
and this was unique in Clyde steamer
history. Whilst the post office was closed in the Great War it was later re instated.
All
Columba's distinguished career was on the Tarbert and Ardrishaig route, which was used by the cream
of Victorian and
Edwardian society as part of the "Royal Route" to shoots and lodges in the
Highlands. After fifty eight summers, she was sold to shipbreakers,
Arnott & Young and was
scrapped at Dalmuir in March 1936. Superb and rare item posted on board this memorable R.M.
Paddle Steamer to an overseas destination.
SOLD
A new collection of Dotted Circles added to our stock.
References in the descriptions are to Arundel’s publication: ‘Dotted Circle Cancels’.
Your Wants List is welcomed
15061. Edinburgh A1:
piece with fine 1d star perf 14, tied by a
very fine A1, April 29th 1857, in BLUE.
Arundel notes that this new type of cancellation was
initially struck in blue then, a short time later, in black.
He also notes that examples in
blue, or in black, prior to May 1857
are decidedly rare and we agree with this from our considerable
experience.
Gibbons in QV Volume 1 latest Edition 2011, prices an ordinary blue duplex on piece at
£400.
Superb and rare item.
Price: £120.00
15062. Edinburgh A1: 1d
pink stationery envelope locally used.
Superb strike of this type in BLUE for May 13th 1857
with an Edinburgh cds on reverse for this same date in the same shade of ink.
Arundel notes that
blue ink for this duplex was replaced
with black after a few weeks from the EKD of usage, March 6th
1857,
although isolated examples are known until the end of June.
No examples of this type were
recorded by him on this prepaid envelope.
The image suggests browning around the dater part of
the duplex
but this is not present and the crease is not as pronounced as the scan shows.
Priced by Gibbons by on a 1d red on cover with an ordinary
blue duplex at £1,000 and this type is far
rarer used on items other than the contemporary 1d.
Superb and rare item.
Price:
£290.00 SOLD
15063. Edinburgh A9:
Very fine entire to Havre, France, October 4th 1872.
Superb strike on fine 3d rose plate 8, SG102.
Unrecorded usage by
Arundel on any surface printed example.
Rare and attractive item.
Price: £130.00
15064. Edinburgh A9:
Fine envelope, locally used, 1d plate 164
placed bottom left with partial double strike but with
a complete superb strike top right where the
1d should have been affixed.
Rare to find such a Contrary to P O Regulations usage with a
complete strike away from the adhesive.
Price: £38.50
15065. Edinburgh A11:
superb original issue 1/2d lilac postcard to Rotterdam, December 28th 1875 cancelled by superb
strike of this type.
Very scarce usage to an overseas destination – message asks for an order
to be shipped on a named vessel.
Examples used in the period November 75 to November 76 are
very scarce
as this canceller saw infrequent usage at that time.
Rare combination of features.
Price: £62.50
SOLD
15066. Edinburgh A12: superb strike of
this rare type for March 16th 1879. Arundel records only about 12 known examples
including only
three after October 1875, two of these in 1878 and one in July 1879. This 1879 cancel is on a very
fine un-creased
halfpenny brown postcard and is unrecorded by Arundel on any stationery card. There
is an interesting printed message and written
response on the reverse side as per the scan. This
item is made even rarer as March 16th 1879 is a SUNDAY usage.
We know of only one other Sunday
usage on any variety of dotted circle and we sold that a number of years ago.
Exceptional condition
and features.
SOLD
15067. Edinburgh A13:
superb strike, March 12th 1879, of this very scarce/rare type
showing damage to the outer ring of the dater
which appears to have occurred in September 1878.
Halfpenny brown postcard in very fine/superb condition except for a peripheral nibble at the top.
Same printed addressee as in item 15066, with a similar printed
message, and showing two different types of
dotted circle used within a few days of each other.
SOLD
15068.
Edinburgh B1:
printed letter to Glasgow, 1d plate tied by fine/very fine strike of the scarce B1, September 14th 1865.
Arundel suggests this canceller was a reserve put in to service at peak times
with A3 and A5 used to cancel the bulk of the mail.
Not an easy type to get so
clearly struck.
Price: £46.50
15069. Edinburgh C1:
superb strike of this scarce type, March 11th 1879, on equally superb 1/2d brown postcard.
Interesting printed message on scan of reverse.
Unrecorded code and very scarce/rare on
this postcard and in this condition.
See the A12 and A13 examples to the same addressee.
SOLD
15070. Edinburgh C2:
very fine strike of this rare type on fine 1/2d brown postcard, January 22nd 1880.
Unrecorded
stamper and time code and unrecorded usage on a 1/2d postcard.
Printed plumbing message on reverse – scan.
Price: £85.00
15071. Edinburgh C2: superb strike of this rare type tying two
pence halfpenny plate 16, SG 141, on clean envelope to Ontario,
January 7th 1880, Per Canadian Mail
Packet.
Cleaner than the scan suggests and an unrecorded usage on any surface printed issue.
Rare combination of features.
SOLD
15072. Edinburgh C2:
very fine strike with an unrecorded usage on 1/2d brown postcard
and with printed plumbing service message on reverse.
Unrecorded code combination and at November 18th 1879
an early usage of this rare type.
£95.00
15073. Edinburgh C3:
superb strike on equally superb 1/2d brown postcard,
June 1st 1881 with hand written message on reverse.
Unrecorded usage on any
postcard.
Price: £65.00
SOLD
15074. Edinburgh C3:
fine strike on wrapper tying creased 1/2d SG197, February 22nd 1889, locally used in Edinburgh.
Arundel records a latest known usage as September 17th 1881 but the Scottish Postal History Group
records isolated strikes in 1887 and 1890.
Probably Arundel was unable to find any trace of
these later dates and so did not report them.
A rare example of this late usage with an
unrecorded code combination.
SOLD
15075. Edinburgh C3:
fine strike overall on 1d pink stationery envelope to Belfast, July 6th 1881.
Very scarce/rare
usage.
Price: £40.00
15076: Edinburgh C4:
superb strike on envelope to Glasgow, roughly opened at the top right, and tying a 1d venetian red,
SG166.
A very scarce type infrequently used in its two years of service.
SOLD
15077: Edinburgh C5:
superb strike on UPU 1d brown
postcard July 22nd 1879 to Strasburg.
The EKD for this cancellation is July 21st
1879
so this is very probably the first day of usage to an overseas destination.
Unrecorded variety on this type of postcard as is the code combination.
Rare
item in superb condition and likely to have a unique combination of features.
Price: £80.00
SOLD
15078. Edinburgh C6: very fine strike tying fine 1d plate 212
to an envelope, light horizontal creasing, used locally.
The date circle shows the constant
missing cut at the left side and it appears that the date circle is that previously used in Type A13.
This defective cut is evident throughout the whole period of use.
SOLD
Edinburgh Type C7 dotted circle
151637. The rare Edinburgh dotted circle Type C7:
cut in bars below the 1 in '131' numeral.
Unrecorded usages by Arundel on the bantam 1/2d,
in October 1880 and with this code combination.
Price: £69.50. SOLD
15079. Edinburgh C7: the rarest of the C Types.
1d lilac die 2, issued December 12th 1881,
tied to piece by a very fine strike, December 23rd 1881, Codes 22 ‘O’.
Arundel does not record this rare cancellation on the 1d lilac and the code combination is also
unrecorded.
He notes the latest date of usage as February 12th 1881.
However the Scottish
Postmark Group reported isolated examples for 1884 and 1886.
This at December 23rd 1881
is a
new isolated example.
The top horizontal bar shows a small break which appears to be
wear.
Rare item.
Price:
£85.00 SOLD
15080. Edinburgh C7:
Envelope, via Brindisi, to an addressee on board a P and O Steamer at Point De Galle,
Ceylon – map
available on the internet - then redirected to a Poste Restante in Calcutta. The 5d postage
paid by a pair of two pence halfpenny blue, plate 19,
SG 141. The left hand stamp defective
and the other with a couple of trimmed perfs at the top. However, the stamps are tied by two
fine strikes of this rare Type,
October 8th 1880 and an unrecorded combination of codes, ‘4
M’. The envelope has peripheral wear and a tear at the top.
On the reverse is a
reference to a Captain Atkinson – see scan. Despite the wear of the envelope as seen in the
scans,
this is a RARE survivor and the only multiple strike of this rare cancellation we
have seen. It is also the first example, of which we are aware,
used on any surface printed
stamp and to an overseas destination.
A much travelled and full of character item and one of considerable rarity.
SOLD
15081. Greenock Type 2:
Clean entire to Portugal, superb strike, April 26th 1866, tying fine 6d plate 5, ‘KC’, SG97.
Codes ‘DG’ with the unusual serif letter ‘G’ as noted by Arundel.
Recorded usage by Arundel on this
stamp but the first example we have seen on full cover.
Very scarce particularly so fine.
SOLD
15082. Greenock Type 2:
Clean entire to an address in Portugal, superb strike, June 8th 1868,
tying fine (light wrinkle)
6d plate 6, ‘KC’, SG105.
Unrecorded usage by Arundel of this stamp.
Very fine item with a rare usage.
Price: £145.00
15083. Dundee A1: Very
fine strike, April 6th 1863, tying 1d star perf 14 to a clean envelope, opened roughly at the right,
to London with a receiving cds on the reverse for April 7th 1863. The first Type of
Dundee dotted circle and which Arundel records in use from April 20th 1863.
This at April 6th
1863 is a new EARLIEST RECORDED date just four days after the Proof Book Entry of April 2nd 1863 for
this cancellation.
Arundel records only one other April 1863 date, ie 20th April, and no other 1863
date recorded at the time of his publication.
A scarce usage on the 1d star issue as it
is more usually found on the 1d plate numbers.
Rare item.
SOLD
15084. Dundee A2:
Superb strike on an equally superb 1/2d lilac
postcard to RBS in Perth from the Dundee Branch,October 27th 1875.
A scarce Type which Arundel notes was infrequently used in its five year of service.
He notes no recorded examples used in 1875 and 1876
and all examples seen were used on 1d plate numbers with an isolated example on the
1/2d plate 6.
Hence this 1875 date is very scarce and
an unrecorded usage on any postcard variety.
A superb and rare item.
Price:
£75.00 SOLD
15085. Dundee A5:
Double strikes of this scarce Type, August 20th 1888,
on a 1/2d brown postcard to Gosport with a
handwritten message.
Arundel notes its rather infrequent use albeit over a seven year period.
Unrecorded usage on any type of postcard and Code ‘H’ is also not recorded.
Scarce item.
SOLD
15086: Dundee A7:
Fine/very fine strike on a very fine 1d
red UPU postcard, August 5th 1893,
to Holland with a hand written message re vegetable supplies.
An unrecorded usage by Arundel on any postcard type and
in fact
no Dundee dotted circle has been
recorded used on this UPU card.
Very rare item in excellent condition.
Price:
£140.00
S21. Edinburgh type C1 – an exceptional strike of this very scarce cancel for March 8 1878
on a superbly clean and uncreased halfpenny purple post card used locally in Edinburgh.
Exceptional quality and with the cancellation showing an unusual circle in the upper bars
of the numeral section of the duplex which we have not seen previously on any dotted circle.
SOLD
S22. Edinburgh type C7 – a very rare type little used.
This is a superb strike for September 14 1880 on a clean and uncreased 1d pink stationery envelope.
This cancellation is usually found on the 1d Venetian red SG166 and Arundel notes
one recorded usage on the 1d pink envelope and this is that example.
The EARLIEST recorded usage of this rare cancellation is September 14 1880 and this is that usage.
A remarkable and almost certainly unique combination of usages.
SOLD
SS1. 1707 Nov 20:
Letter written in the year of Unification when the Act of Union
united the Parliaments of
Scotland and
Addressed to Coupar and in very fine condition.
Very scarce.
Fine two page
letter to
Postal charge of ‘2’ on front for a letter carried up to 50 miles.
On
the reverse a very fine strike of ‘
Aukland records the earliest known date for this first type
of
so this example pre-dates by 6 months.
Scarce entire.
Price: £125.00
SS4. 1840 1d black plate 2: ‘TA-TB’, very fine 4-margined pair, very small scissor cut at top between them but clear of design, tied to entire from Jedbergh to Selkirk by BLACK crosses. Jedbergh boxed date stamp on reverse for October 7 1842 and similar of Selkirk on the front for the following day. Plate 2 is very scarce on cover with a black cross, Spec AS15m – catalogued at £550 on stamp alone. The stamps ‘TA’ and ‘TB’ are both in the 2nd State: First Repair, Spec AS17. Only eight stamps identified in this State: SD, TA, TB, TC, TE, TF, TG and TH. Hence for this pair of ‘TA-TB’ to be two of these eight and on cover with black crosses is remarkable and a very rare if not a unique usage. A considerable Scottish rarity! SOLD
SS5. 1850 March 20: Fine 4-margined
1d red imperf tied to REGISTERED wrapper from
SS6. 1851 June 18:
Entire from Leith to Edinburgh with a VERTICAL PAIR of 1d red imperfs
from the RARE PLATE 107, ‘LJ-MJ’. MJ is large margined and LJ has 3 plus
margins. Superb colour and this rare
item is made even rarer by the stamps cancelled contrary to regulations by a
superb SINGLE strike of the ‘221’ of
SS7. 1841 2d blue plate 3 SG14:
exceptional strip of three, ‘TA-TC’, cancelled by
Huge to very large margins and printed on un-catalogued thin paper.
Thin paper is catalogued for 2d plate 4 but not as yet on plate 3.
Exhibition quality and rare item so fine.
Two 1d blacks, plate 4 ‘CK’ and ‘CB’, former with large to clear margins, orange Maltese crosses and boxed ‘Paid 1d Extra’.
This late fee probably paid by the second 1d black for posting between 6 and 7 pm.
Rare to find this combination of late fee strike and multiple 1d black franking.
Inside the letter reads in part: ‘If you establish a steamer perhaps you might be able to give the Post Office
the use of it once a week for crossing the Mail between Long Isle and Glasgow or Ardrossan
whence there is a Railway communication with Glasgow – such a Packet once a week
would be infinitely preferable to the present nominally more frequent one’.
Superb item already mounted and written up for display.
2d Plate 3: full margined strip with Double Letter variety
151666. 2d Plate 3, 'SB-SD': a fine full margined strip of three, tied to an
entire from GLASGOW to Birmingham, September 28th 1850, by '159' numerals.
This plate has only FIVE double letter listed varieties and 'SD' is one of them, Spec ES11h.
On reverse is a partial boxed Queen Street and other transit date stamps.
A pair of 2d blues in this plate priced by Gibbons on cover
at £550 in the latest Edition, 2011, QV Volume 1.
Very scarce item.
Price: £350.00
October 1 1863 with 1/- SG71 - the scarcer deep green shade.
Superb and neatly tied leaving at least 90% of the Queen’s head and profile clear.
Gibbons price, £1500 plus allowing the SG premium for such a light cancellation.
Price: £320.00
Dublin Special Cross: superb Type 2 on entire
151549. 1d red, 'TA', Plate 36: superb 4-margined on a financial letter from Dublin to Bagshot,
August 16th 1843, Dublin date stamp on reverse and a Bagshot large date stamp for August 19th 1843.
The stamp is tied by an exceptional strike of the Dublin Special Cross, Type 2, SG Spec B1tf.
'TA' is missing from the Imprimatur sheet for this plate.
The cross is priced by Gibbons in the latest, 2011 Edition, of QV Volume 1
at £300 on cover and illustrated on page 43.
Hard to see how a better strike on such a superb 1d red on cover could be found.
SOLD
NB: the browning from the MX around the top of the cross is very faint and not as pronounced as the scan.
This also applies to the browning on the
file crease which is not present - a shadow effect of the scan.
Plate 1b on redirected
Irish wrapper.
15161. 1d black plate 1b, ‘IJ’, 3-plus margins:
wrapper from CAVAN to Hastings, January 21st 1841 received in Hastings January 24th 1841.
The 1d black was affixed top left over the boxed ‘Paid at Cavan’, the letter re-addressed to
Mincing Lane,
London and received in London on January 25th.
A very scarce Irish item.
Price: £350.00
Belfast to Holland
15158. 1d red, ‘ML’, 3-plus margined example tied by a BELFAST ‘62’ numeral on a wrapper to
ROTTERDAM.
On
reverse two Belfast EVg for November 8th 1850 Blue single arc cds’s
and other transit date stamps
with a Rotterdam receiver for November 11th.
A rare usage of the 1d red from Ireland to
Holland.
Price: £195.00
15135: 1d Mulready Envelope, A141 Forme 1,
very fine/fine, used within IRELAND, Dublin to Ballymena, Co Antrim July 23rd 1840.
Cancelled by a superb orange first type Dublin cross.Very scarce early Irish usage.
SOLD
Rare mixed Plates 6 and 8: Belfast to Armagh
15143:
1d black, TWO 4-margined examples, ‘TD’ Plate 8 and ‘AD’ Plate 6
ied to a wrapper from Belfast to Armagh, September 29th 1840.
he rear flap raises to show the dates.
Plate 8 is very fine used in an intense black shade and
Plate 6 is fine used,
a VERY RARE MIXED PLATE franking.
The EKD usage of Plate 8 is
September 5th 1840 and this item used on September 29th 1840
is believed to be the earliest
known mixed plate franking with plate 8 in Ireland.
An Irish rarity.
Price: £1255.00
1735
Dublin Letter
15108: 1735, Letter from DUBLIN, February
10th 1735, to Bristol which would have been carried on the Dublin to
Holyhead Packet and
then via London to Bristol.
The small straight line ‘Dublin’ (26 x4 mm) is on the reverse top
flap and a
London Bishopmark for February 18th, both struck in black.
The original m/s ‘6’ inscribed at Dublin, covered the normal Dublin to London ‘All-in’ rate of 6d.
On
arrival in London, this was crossed out and replaced by ‘In all 10’.
This 10d charge covered
the previous 6d plus
a further 4d for the 122 miles from London to Bristol, the English rate for
distances over 80 miles.
A rare early Irish item supplied with a full write up used in
a display
with a map showing the route the letter would have taken.
Price: £225.00
SOLD
Limerick to Calcutta 1834
15109: 1834, Entire
from LIMERICK addressed to a Captain in Calcutta, April 12th 1834.
Inside is a long letter to the parents and a further letter, on the end page,
to an Aunt and other relatives ending ‘God
Bless you all here and there’.
On the front a fine boxed ‘Paid at Limerick’, a London
Ship letter in red
and on the reverse, a Limerick cds for April 12th 1834 and
Indian GPO and
postal rate markings.
Fine item.
Price: £110.00
Dublin Distinctive
Cross
15118. 1843: 1d pink envelope cancelled by a
superb characteristic DUBLIN cross, October 16th 1843,
and rarely found so fine on a
stationery envelope.
The envelope was then written across referring to the return of books
and enclosed with the books.
Very unusual but economical with paper!
Price:
£65.00
15112. 1854: Front,
mounted, to CASTLETOWN- DELVIN
within County West Meath, Ireland February 22nd 1854.
A
pen and ink drawing of a drummer with children.
Struck largely away from the drawing are red cds’s
of KILLUCAN and CASTLE DELVIN.
Very early example of a hand drawn item used internally
within Ireland.
A charming, amusing and very scarce item.
Price: £75.00
WELSH ITEMS
W1. Clean and uncreased wrapper with superb strike of the Uniform Penny Post distinctive ‘Paid 1d’ in red of Aberystwith and a cds of Aberystwith for January 26 1848 also on the front of the wrapper. Attractive and scarce so fine. SOLD
K & C Philatelics
Tel: 01245-223120;
E-mail: kcphil@usa.net
