1d BLACKS
New additions of very fine 1d blacks from various plates.
Several on cover including a SUNDAY MAY 1840,
one with Inverted Watermark and one with the EKD for a Leamington Cross.
There is a superb Plate 10 with a RED cross and other varieties,
and a 1d black Plate 6 with a certificated superb BLUE CROSS.
Most of the 1d blacks not on cover are in the bottom half of this Section;
do scroll down to view.
Plate 5: A new Earliest Known Date of usage
152881.
1d black PLATE 5, ‘TF’, very fine with 4 margins, tied by a very fine red MX to a fine printed invoice
from the Glasgow and Paisley Greenock Railway Company.
Letter dated Greenock 15th June 1840.
On the reverse top flap are date stamps for Greenock June 16th 1840 and a Glasgow boxed receiver also for June 16th 1840.
Gibbons in their 10th Edition of QV Volume 1, published in June 1992, note the EKD for this plate as June 17th 1840.
In their latest QV Specialised Edition (November 2020), June 17th 1840 is still noted as the EKD for Plate 5.
In the past 32 years no new date has been found.
The item offered here is a new Earliest Known Date of usage for this plate;
printed in intense black as expected for an early printing.
A very rare and superb item which would make a memorable Exhibition page.
Price: £3,750
NB: Rockoff and Jackson classify this MX as Greenock Type 1.
The example offered here is the second earliest they record:
the earliest, May 28th 1840, is in the
Phillips Collection, British Postal Museum.
Inverted Watermark
153862.
1d black Plate 1b, ‘MA’, very fine/superb full-margined example lightly cancelled by a red MX.
It is printed in the intense black shade and on THIN paper, SG Spec AS54m.
It also has an INVERTED Watermark, Spec AS54l.
This is the finest example of a 1d black with Inverted Watermark we have been able to offer
and cannot recall seeing a better example.
A superb Exhibition – quality item.
The combination of varieties gives this item an estimated Gibbons price of approx £5,000.
A rare stamp.
Price:
£1375.00
1d black Plate 1a on MAY 22nd 1840 letter from Hamilton to Edinburgh
153850.
1d black fine/very fine,Plate 1a,'LC': tied by a fine MX of Hamilton.
On the reverse is a boxed Hamilton date for MAY22nd 1840 and an Edinburgh receiver for the following day.
As expected for such an early printing of Plate 1a, it is in the Intense black shade.
In Rockoff and Jackson Volume 3 of 'The Maltese Cross Cancellations of Great Britain and Ireland', on page 430,
this cover is listed with a note on its provenance: 'SG(Germany), 10th October 1974, Lot 438' 'Brown'
We are not fully convinced this is a brown cross.
The Hamilton dated backstamp is in a shade closer to black ink.
The cross itself in our view has traces of red? in places underneath the black ink. and the 'brown' colour is not consistent throughout the cross.
This item is offered as a fine usage of Plate 1a in Intense black, SG SpecAS1, used on may 22nd 1840, SG Spec A1th.
Priced by Gibbons at £2,500 but allowing for the Intense shade and and being Plate 1a,
an Estimated Gibbons Price is in excess of £3,000.
It would make an interesting display item.
Price: £875.00
1d Black Plate 2: intense black shade
153656
1d Plate 2, 'FA', intense black shade, full margined, close at SE corner but clear; a very small rub in the NE corner
. Tied to an emvelope to Clapham Common by a lightly struck LONDON cross
leaving almost a clear profile and a fancy 'No 1' near the stamp.
On the reverse is a red seal and overlapped London date stamps for July 31st 1840.
Plate 2 priced by Gibbons on cover at £750 in the cheapest shade and £1,000 plus in intense black on cover.
An attractive item in finer condition than the scan suggests.
Price: £135.00 RESERVED
1d Black Plate 6: dated a Sunday
153271.
1d black plate 6, 'NI', full margins: tied to an entire dated Painswick Sunday September 27th1840.
The writer says he did not know what delayed the letter as it arrived 10 oclock that Sunday.
On the reverse a fine strike in red of the Painswick, mileage removed, County Cat GL645.
Stamp printed in a shade close to or at the scarcer Intense Black.
Priced by Gibbons at £775 on cover in a normal printed black shade.
Price: £180.00
1d Black Plate 6: a very scarce Sunday usage
153272.
1d black plate 6, 'DL', good margins but very close to just touching at the left.
Tied to an entire from CAMBRIDGE,by a red cross and dated January 31st 1841.
On the reverse to flap is a fine Cambridge date stamp for this same date which was a SUNDAY
and displays well when the flap is raised.
The stamp is printed in a shade of ink close to or at the scarcer intense black.
Gibbons prices Plate 6 on cover at £775 iprinted n the ordinary black shade of ink.
The penultimate Sunday before the introduction of black ink for the MX.
Price: £225.00
NB: the browning on the front and the reverse side is hardly visible
and very much fainter than in the scan
The last SUNDAY usage before black ink replaced red for cancelling the stamp.
153154.
1d black Plate 6, ‘OK’: fine 4-margined tied by a red cross to an entire from CAMBRIDGE to Wellingborough.
On reverse top flap is a Cambridge date stamp for February 7th 1841 which displays well when the flap is raised.
February 7th 1841 was a SUNDAY.
A scarce SUNDAY usage and the last Sunday before on February 10th 1841 black ink replaced red for the Maltese cross cancellation.
Gibbons prices Plate 6 on cover at £775.00.
A very scarce/rare combination of features.
Price: £295.00
NB: the browning on the front top left is hardly visible and very much fainter than in the scan
and no browning around the edges of the stamp except at the right.
The next three items are rare examples of the 1d black used with the characteristic Leamington Cross.
153064.
1d Plate 8, 'RH’, 3-plus margins, with a very small scuff in the bottom margin, on an entire from LEAMINGTON to London.
The stamp is tied by a very fine and upright characteristic Leamington Cross with a superb date stamp for March 21st 1841 alongside .
This is an extremely rare SUNDAY usage of this characteristic cross: see below.
Rockoff and Jackson (R and J) record the earliest date of usage of the characteristic cross as being on a 2d blue cover
for February 28th 1841, which was also a Sunday.
However, they note the earliest usage of a 1d black with the characteristic cross as March 15th 1841.
R and J record the second earliest usage on a 1d black as March 24th 1841.
The example offered here predates this by three days and is unrecorded by R and J.
R and J record 93 dated examples of the Leamington Cross from August 3rd 1840 to April 25th 1844.
In fact the example offered here is the ONLY Sunday usage on a 1d black of any type of the Leamington Cross recorded by R and J
in the entire Maltese Cross period ie May 6th 1840 to April 30th 1844.
The Leamington cross is unrecorded by Gibbons on the 1d black but is listed as SpecB1tq on the 1d red on cover and priced at £600.
Plate 8 on cover with an ordinary cross is priced by Gibbons at £1,000 before allowing for the Leamington Cross.
The letter is cross-written, even on the side flaps.
This was used occasionally by some writers to reduce the number of sheets and therefore its weight and avoid additional postage costs.
This is the first example of a cross-written 1d black letter we have been able to offer and have difficulty in recalling another such 1d black usage.
An extremely rare/unique Sunday usage of a 1d black with a characteristic cross, and on a cross-written letter.
An Exhibition item.
Price: £575.00
Of the 93 examples of the Leamington Cross recorded by R and J between August 1840 and April 1844,
only THIRTEEN examples are noted on the 1d black which includes two on piece.
Included in this figure are only SIX examples with the characteristic cross
and this includes the two pieces already mentioned.
Leamington Cross Plate 8
152045. 1d Plate 8, 'JG', 3-margined with parts of two other 1d blacks: tied to an entire from LEAMINGTON to Henley in Arden.
Letter opened at the top and stuck down at the sides with the top flap carefully removed leaving the wax seal almost totally intact.
Stamp tied by the characteristic Leamington Cross with a Leamington date stamp for March 24th 1841
and a partial strike on the reverse of a Straford on Avon date stamp for the following day.
Also on the front is a very fine strike of the Upper Parade Leamington, County Cat. WA212 in orange-red.
This is recorded from 1841-51 and therefore the example here is one of the, if not the, earliest known.
The Leamington cross is unrecorded by Gibbons on the 1d black but is listed as SpecB1tk on the 1d red on cover at £600.
Plate 8 on cover with an ordinary cross is priced by Gibbons at £1,000 before allowing for the Leamington Cross.
Rockoff and Jackson (R and J), records the EKD on a 1d black for the characteristic cross as March 15th 1841.
The example offered here at March 24th 1841,
matches the second earliest such usage on a 1d black recorded by them.
A rare and attractive item.
Price: £575.00
NB: The earliest recorded usage by Rockoff of the Upper Parade Leamington strike
is on a 1d Mulready for April 20th 1841 hence this example predates.
Of the 93 examples of the Leamington Cross recorded by R and J between August 1840 and April 1844,
only THIRTEEN examples are noted on the 1d black which includes two on piece.
In this figure only SIX are noted on a 1d black with the characteristic cross
and this includes the two pieces mentioned.
Plate 8: Leamington Cross.
1106. 1841 1d black plate 8 (AJ):
a very fine large square margined example, tied to an entire from
Leamington to Rugeley by a
Un-priced as yet by Gibbons on a 1d black and only on the 1d red imperf
Plate 8 is priced by Gibbons at £1,000 with an 'ordinary' cross.
A very rare item: see the note below.
£725.00
NB:
Of the 93 examples of the Leamington Cross recorded by R and J between August 1840 and April 1844,
only THIRTEEN examples are noted on the 1d black which includes two on piece.
In this figure only SIX are noted on a 1d black with the characteristic cross
and this includes the two pieces mentioned.
CHELMSFORD Cross Plate 7
153043.
1d black Plate 7, ‘SL’, fine/very fine 4-margined,
tied to a wrapper, no side flaps, to Witham, Essex, by a CHELMSFORD Cross.
On the reverse is a Chelmsford date stamp for September 17th 1840.
Rockoff and Jackson, Volume 1, illustrate only two examples of the Chelmsford cross.
The first on a Mulready for July 1840 and a single long pointed example for 1842 on a 1d red.
In Volume 3 they note the Chelmsford cross on a 1d black used on August 1840 in a pinkish-red
and another example on a 1d black for September 15th 1840 in a bright salmon- pink.
This latter example was used only two days before the example offered here.
The colour of the cross for the September 17th 1840 example has a slight pinkish tinge in places.
Perhaps the correct ink pad was being used and the contamination had reduced
over the two days since the 15th September?
Gibbons prices Plate 7 on cover at £825.
This is the first Chelmsford Cross on a 1d black we have been able to offer.
A very scarce/rare item.
Price: £495.00
Plate 10: Brighton Cross SUNDAY usage
152966.
1d black Plate 10, ‘PE’:
large margins three sides and a rough margin at the right but in to above the ‘E’ square,
on an entire, see details below, from BRIGHTON to London.
The 1d is tied by a Brighton Cross.
Rockoff and Jackson Volume 1 illustrate some 25 examples of the Brighton Cross
and all but a few are poorly struck.
On the reverse top flap is a superbly struck Brighton date stamp for SUNDAY March 7th 1841.
From this date the Brighton Cross on the example offered here is likely to be the Brighton Special:
the EKD for this type Rockoff records is March 31st 1841.
Gibbons prices Plate 10 on cover at £3,500.
A Sunday usage of this plate is very rare and this is
only the second example we have seen on cover.
A very rare
item. Price: £695.00
NB: The letter, addressed to The North Eastern Railway, is a complaint that
a flood has caused a problem with the road to his house which is now hardly passable.
He also mentions an arch being partly blown up which is adding to the problem.
There is the reply of the surveyer who feels it would be better to do the work.
The history of
this Railway Company is available
on the internet.
Aberdeen RUBY Cross on Plate 6
152932.
1d black, ‘CL’, Plate 6, almost full margins but shaved at area of NE corner:
tied to a part/trimmed invoice by the RUBY cross of ABERDEEN.
The stamp is further tied by some numerals from the date of the invoice
and name of the sender in the top margin: William Whyte.
The invoice was sent to Smith & Horn, Merchants, Rhynie, (a small village in Aberdeenshire).
There is a superb and almost upright Aberdeen boxed date stamp for December 4th 1840.
Gibbons lists the Ruby Cross of Aberdeen as Spec A1ve
and prices this cross at £800 on stamp and £2,500 on cover.
An item that displays well.
Price: £290.00
NB:
William Whyte was a supplier of various foods and general groceries but also
beers, wines and spirits including Foreign Liquors, Jamaica Rum and Holland
Gin.
Plate 6 on unlisted Thin Paper
152836.
1d black Plate 6, ‘LA’: very fine/superb with full margins.
A very large left hand margin (side marginal position),
with a trace of the stamp below in the bottom margin.
Printed in the intense black shade from early printings.
The light red cross leaves the Queen’s head nicely visible.
The stamp has a very clean back and is printed
in unlisted ‘Thin Paper’ for this plate.
Gibbons prices Plate 6 at £525 in the intense shade.
An attractive item and very scarce so fine.
Price: £395.00
ARMAGH double-lined cross
152737.
1d black Plate 5, ‘EI’, huge margins on two sides with portions of three other stamps; into on the other two sides.
Printed in the scarcer intense black shade, SG Spec AS24 and priced by Gibbons in this shade on cover at £1200.
The stamp is tied to a Belfast Bank Armagh letter from ARMAGH to Ballymoney with on the reverse
a very fine Armagh date stamp for August 10th 1840 and a Garvagh date stamp for the following day.
The stamp is tied by a double-lined Armagh cross and
a large double ringed dated?cancellation with an incomplete name.
Rockoff and Jackson mention several places that are known to have inconsistent double-lined crosses
but only one Irish example is quoted ie Navan: NO
mention is made of Armagh.
In their Volume 2 page 311, is illustrated a single example of an Armagh cross on a cover to Moy, October 10th 1840.
Their cross is well struck and does NOT show a double-line character.
A rare combination of features which would make an interesting display item.
Price: £350.00
NB:
We have not previously seen, nor can we trace, another example of an
Armagh double-lined cross.
1d Black Plate 1a: Edinburgh entire
152736.
1d black Plate 1a, ‘NB’: superb full-margined example,
tied by a very fine red cross of EDINBURGH to a tailor’s invoice for clothes.
On the reverse is an Edinburgh date stamp for August 8th 1840 in the same ink as the Maltese cross.
On the top flap are two partial offsets of Maltese crosses again in the same shade of ink.
Gibbons prices Plate 1a on cover at £1,000.
An item of Exhibition quality.
Price: £570.00
Superb ABERDEEN RUBY Cross with Certificate
152702.
1d Plate 6, ‘QL’, very fine 4-margined example, tied to clean entire to Leamington
by an ABERDEEN RUBY, cross, SG2 Spec A1ve.
On the reverse top flap is a superb Aberdeen date stamp for August 1st 1840 which displays well when raised.
The letter is also dated Aberdeen August 1st 1840.
Gibbons prices the Aberdeen ruby cross on cover at £2,500.
This example has the colour of the cross well presented at the left
and is one of the finest examples we have seen.
It has a clean BPA Expertising Certificate.
A superb item worthy of its Exhibition status.
Price: £2,250.00
NB: the scan does not do justice to the Ruby shade
LEEDS Special Cross on Plate 9
152640.
1d Plate 9, 'RE', full margins but with corner rubs in the NE and SW corner squares.
On a family letter from a daughter to her mother, GOMERSALL to DELPH, Saddleworth, with part of the top flap missing.
On the front is a very fine MILLBRIDGE (Yorkshire) udc, County Cat. YK2010.
On the reverse is a LEEDS date stamp for March 22nd 1841 and a Manchester date stamp for the next day.
The 1d black is tied by the Leeds Distinctive Cross, SG Spec A2ua.
Gibbons prices this cross on cover at £7,500.
Plate 9 is priced on cover at £1,200 whereas the cheapest black on cover is priced at £750.
Hence this suggests a pro rata Gibbon's price for this Leeds cross on Plate 9 of £12,000.
Rockoff and Jackson note the earliest recorded usage of this Leeds Cross on a 1d black to be March 8th 1841.
The example offered here at March 22nd 1841 is the fifth earliest usage on a 1d black and is unrecorded by them.
A significant rarity and the only Plate 9 on cover we have seen with this cross.
Price: £1,150.00
NB: the brown marks on the letter are NOT as pronounced as the scan suggests.
Perth Cross 1d Black Plate 5 on entire
152542.
1d Plate 5, 'CD', printed in a shade close to, or in, the scarcer intense black.
Tied to a clean legal entire from PERTH to Montrave, nr Kennoway by an orange cross.
On the top flap is a superb boxed Perth date stamp for December 23rd 1840.
Rockoff and Jackson, Volume 2, record the Perth thick lined cross from March 2nd 1841.
There is a 1d black plate 3 known on cover
with a certificated distinctive thick-lined Perth cross used on August 27th 1840.
Rockoff and Jackson in Volume 2 illustrate a wide range of Perth crosses on cover.
They illustrate two examples, both on 1d blacks, one on cover the other on piece.
Both are used on December 7th 1840 with Perth crosses which appear to be, in our view,
little different to the distinctive, thick-lined cross.
The example offered here may be the thick-lined variety but we are undecided
and our price reflects this situation..
The 1d black has a very close margin but just clear at the left and is
just clear/touching below the 'C' letter square.
An attractive item.
Price: £580.00
NB: Gibbons prices a Plate 5 on cover at £775.
If it is the distinctive Perth cross, Gibbons price is £9,000.
On the reverse is a complete red wax seal with initials.
See item 152085 further down in this Section:
a black Perth Cross on cover listed by Rockoff and Jackson.
The following two items are offered as a remarkable and
more than likely unique pairing.
Plate 2: MANCHESTER Fishtail Cross.
152552.
ITEM 1. 1d black plate 2, 'SI'.
Very fine 4-margined, part of the adjacent stamp at the right, tied to a wrapper to Knighton,
North Wales by a light strike of the Manchester fishtail cross: SG Spec AS15ub.
Plate 2 is much scarcer with a black cross, SG Spec AS15m: almost twice the Gibbons price for a red MX.
On the reverse is a red Manchester cds, code 'I', for March 6th 1841: when the flap is pushed down the date is clear.
The stamp is also printed in the scarcer Intense Black Shade, Spec AS14, priced by Gibbons at 50% more.
Very difficult to find this cross on cover with a 4-margined 1d black.
Item 2
152552.
ITEM 2. 1d black Plate 2, 'OH':
fine margins except at the SE corner: possibly lifted to check the watermark and replaced.
Tied by the Manchester Fishtail Cross, SG Spec AS15uf, to a commercial printed entire
from Nichols, Bindlofs and Allen, 4 Johnsons Buildings, Manchester, Calico Manufactures.
This was sent to the same addressee as Item 1, but in a different hand.
On the reverse is a red Manchester date stamp also for the same date:
March 6th 1840 but with code 'J'.
The stamp is also printed, as with Item 1, in the scarcer Intense Black Shade, SG Spec AS14.
Plate 2 is listed by Gibbons with a black cross, SG Spec AS15m,
and priced at 50% more than with a red cross.
From our researches, we cannot find an earlier usage on Plate 2 of this distinctive cross.
The earliest known usage for this cross is March 3rd 1841 on a 1d black plate 8.
and the two examples offered here are clearly very close to that date.
This cross is priced by Gibbons at £2,500 on cover without allowing a premium for the varieties on Plate 2.
Both have a small filing spike hole on the front.
A truly remarkable, and more than likely unique, pair which would make a memorable Exhibition/Display page.
Price: £1,585.00
Plate 2 with an ABERDEEN RUBY Cross
152553.
1d 'GL', Plate 2, a fine 3-plus margins, just tied at the left by a lightly struck ABERDEEN RUBY cross.
Entire letter to Edinburgh re subscription to the Hyland Society and addressed to Sir Charles Gordon.
On the reverse is an Aberdeen boxed date stamp for June 27th 1840 and an Edinburgh receiver for the next day: a SUNDAY.
The 1d is printed in the scarcer Intense Black Shade, priced by Gibbons at 50% more than the ordinary shade of printing.
This Ruby cross is listed by Gibbons as SG Spec A1ve and priced at £2,500 on cover.
Rockoff and Jackson record only five earlier examples of the Aberdeen Ruby cross.
An attractive and rare very early usage.
Price: £695.00
NB: See item 151439 for another example on cover of this distinctive shade.
The scan does not do justice to the shade.
1d Plate 10: SUNDAY usage and a very early black cross
152531v. 1d Plate 10, 'TG', fine with three plus margins:
on a wrapper, from WALTHAM CROSS to London, no side flaps and the flap at the right reduced.
Stamp tied by a very fine BLACK cross and on the reverse top flap a fine/very fine Waltham Cross
date stamp for SUNDAY February 14th 1841 and a London receiver for the following day.
The use of red ink for the maltese cross was replaced officially by black ink on February 10th 1841.
From our researches we cannot find an earlier example of this scarce 1d black plate 10 cancelled by a black cross.
The example offered here was used on the FIRST SUNDAY after the official introduction of the black cross.
We are unable to trace another Plate 10 used on this first Sunday.
Plate 10 on cover is priced by Gibbons at £3,500.
A remarkable and very rare/unique combination of features.
An Exhibition item.
Price: £685.00
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.
Plate 2 pair varieties: Black Cross and unlisted Thin Paper
152423.
Plate 2 pair, 'MB-MC', cancelled by Black MX's, SG Spec AS15m, scarce on this plate.
Stamps are printed on Thin Paper: unlisted on this plate.
'MC' is full margined with a small portion of the adjacent stamp 'MC';
it has a very light, barely descernable,vertical pressed crease at the left
and clear of QV's head: visible in the scan of the clean back.
Allowing for the pair and listed variety of Black Crosses,
Gibbons price is in excess of £2,200 without a premium for printed on thin paper.
A very scarce/rare combination of features.
Price: £320.00
NB: There is a very small central nick in the top margin between the stamps
as seen on the scan: it is clear of the design.
1d Black Plate 3: SUNDAY May 31st 1840
151557. 1d black Plate 3, ‘AH’: very fine 4 square margined example printed in
the scarcer Intense Black shade (from early printings), tied to a small, clean and un-creased entire by a fine BRISTOL CROSS.
A handwritten and signed letter from the Temple Gate Pottery by the then owner William Powell.
Below is a brief history of this Pottery and on the reverse is a very fine/superb Bristol date stamp for
SUNDAY MAY 31st 1840 in the same shade of ink as the MX.
This SUNDAY in MAY is priced by Gibbons 'from £5,000' and much under valued in our experience.
The example offered here is from the scarcer plate 3: the earliest known date of usage for Plate 3 is May 16th 1840.
We cannot recall previously seeing plate 3 used on any Sunday in May 1840.
An opportunity to acquire an exceptionally rare item of Exhibition Quality
which was last offered for sale more than 30 years ago.
Price: £5,000.00
NB: The Gibbons price
may well receive a significant increase when the updated QV Volume 1 is
published in 2020.
Temple Gate Pottery Bristol,Temple
Gate, Temple parish:
a summary of operating dates and proprietors:
1820-1830 William & Thomas Powell (moved from the St Thomas Street Pottery).
1831-1832 William & John Powell.
1833-1855 William Powell (he died in
1854).
1856-1906 William Augustus Powell.
The Pottery closed and the
business was amalgamated with
Price, Sons & Co. in
1907:
they
produced Stonewares.
Plate 6 with BLUE MX and Cert
151440.
1d black plate 6 'KK': 4-margined with some faults, struck by a complete deep BLUE CROSS,
SG Spec AS41vc, and with Certificate.
The Chartwell Collection, Spinks 2011, did NOT have an example of a blue cross on a 1d black .
The Mairi Bury Collection, Sotherby’s 2010, had one certificated example, Lot 398 with an enlarged colour illustration.
It has four margins but barely clear/touching at the NE square and with a partial, very lightly struck, blue cross.
It realised a figure of £4,800: Gibbons list price at that time was £9,000.
From our researches we cannot find another example of a 1d black with
such a complete and clear blue cross as the example offered here.
It is defective having a tear at the right centre repaired by glue.
Despite the faults, as described above this is an extremely rare item
and priced by Gibbons at £8000: undervalued in our experience.
Very few collections have an example and this is an opportunity to obtain one
at a very small fraction of the Gibbon's price.
An item that displays well.
Price: £775.00
NB: the scan does not do justice to the deep colour of the blue cross.
Manchester Fishtail Cross: Plate 2
152200. 1d plate 2, 'LC':
fine 4-margined example, slightly ragged margin near 'L' square, with part of the stamp below.
Cancelled by a complete MANCHESTER FISHTAIL CROSS, SG Spec AS15ub.
Rare to find this as a complete cross on a 4-margined 1d black.
Plate 2 is much scarcer with any black cross, SG AS15m: almost TWICE the Gibbons price.
This characteristic Manchester cross, in the latest, 2011 QV Volume 1,
is priced at £1,400 without the premium of being on Plate 2.
A rare/very rare combination of features.
Price: £660.00
NB: the scan does not do justice to the cross.
Scroll down to Item 151437 for an example of this distinctive cross
on a 4-margined 1d Plate 2, on a wrapper:
Double Strike of Manchester Fishtail Cross: Plate 4
152201. 1d Plate 4, 'PI': almost full-margins, large on three sides and just shaving the NW corner.
Along the top margin is a trace of the stamp above.
Tied to a small piece by a double strike, Contrary to PO Regulations, of the distinctive Manchester Fishtail Cross.
This characteristic Manchester cross, in the latest, 2011 QV Volume 1 Catalogue, is priced at £1,400: Spec AS23ub.
The browning in the right hand margin is much fainter than in the scan and similarly in the cross at the left.
The brown in the top margin is a trick of the scanner: the scan does not do justice to this item.
Unusual to find a double strike of this cross.
Price: £360.00
Scroll down to Item 151439: Plate 4 on a wrapper with this Cross.
Plate 1b INVERTED Watermark and other varieties.
151851. SG1,1d black plate 1b, very fine full - margined example,
close but clear under 'H' square, neat red cross, with a very small natural paper inclusion.
Stamp printed in the scarcer INTENSE black shade,
on THIN paper and with INVERTED Watermark, SG Spec AS14(l,m).
The thin paper allows the MX to be visible as well as some of the black ink from the printing itself.
This plate with inverted watermark and in the ordinary black shade is priced by Gibbons at £2,500.
When this combination of the other varieties is taken into consideration,
the Gibbons price rises to in excess of £5,000.
A very rare combination of features and one we have not previously seen.
An attractive and very rare item of Exhibition quality.
Price: £895.00
Mixed plates: 8 and 6 from Belfast to
Armagh.
15143: 1d black, TWO fine/very fine 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,
The EKD usage of Plate 8 is
September 5th 1840 and this item was used on September 29th 1840.
It is believed to be the earliest
known mixed plate franking with plate 8 used in Ireland.
A very rare MIXED PLATE franking and an Irish rarity.
An Exhibition item.
Price: £1150.00
1d Plate 5: BRISTOL Vermilion Cross with BPA Cert
152084.
1d black plate 5, 'LE', very fine 4-margined example tied to a clean and neat entire from BRISTOL to London by a Bristol cross in VERMILION ink.
On the reverse top flap is a Bristol date stamp for November 9th 1840 and an indistinct large undated circle.
This vermilion cross is listed by Gibbons as Spec AS25vh and priced at £2250.
The letter is from Bristol College and dated November 8th 1840 - a Sunday.
A superb Exhibition item with a clean BPA Certificate.
Price: £985.00
NB: the scans do not do justice to the vermilion shade.
PERTH Distinctive Cross on Plate 5
152085. 1d black plate 5, 'FK', 3 plus margins and a small rub at the bottom of the SE 'K' square.
Tied to a letter from the Bank of Perth to Leith, on reverse top flap a boxed Perth date stamp for May 21st 1841,
an Edinburgh cds for May 22nd and a Leith date stamp for this same date and all display well when the flap is raised.
The 1d black is tied by the distinctive PERTH CROSS, SG Spec AS25um,
priced by Gibbons at £2500.
Jackson and Rockoff, (Volume 2), record ONLY three examples of this cross on a 1d black on cover.
The example offered here is one of the three and the LATEST recorded on a 1d black.
There is a small burn mark at the bottom left of the letter: in view of its position inside the letter itself,
possibly caused by the reader holding it too close to a lamp or candle!
A superb and rare item.
Price: £885.00
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: £1,690.00
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 black Plate 10 with matched 1d red
151902. 1d black, 'II', fine Plate 10 tied to wrapper, no side flaps, by a superb, and clear, black cross:
virtually full margined, close but clear at right and very close to barely touching top NW corner square.
The partially open NW top frame line is visible on the Nissan plating images; the cross leaves the 'O' flaw neatly visible.
Sent to Thornbury, Gloucestershire with a ROSS (Herefordshire), date stamp on reverse for March 11th 1841.
The Ross date stamp is County Cat. HF386, recorded in red only in 1841 and unpriced in the County Catalogue.
The letter 'I' is a distinctive one characteristic of this plate.
The 1d black is letter-matched with a truly exceptional 1d red from Plate 10,
and with the 'O' flaw again neatly clear of the superb cross and the letters.
Gibbons prices the 1d black Plate 10 on cover at £3,500.
A very rare and attractive Exhibition pair of items.
Price: £750.00
1b Black Plate 10: Leeds Distinctive Cross
151801. 1d black Plate 10, 'MH', (distinctive H):
very fine 4-margined on a clean commercial entire from LEEDS to Sheffield, July 23rd 1841.
The stamp tied at the large right margin by a superb strike of the LEEDS distinctive cross,
SG Spec AS66ua, leaving the 'O' flaw visible.
We can find no record of this cross on a 1d black Plate 10 on cover.
Gibbons in QV Volume 1, prices this Cross on a 1d black on cover
in the cheapest plate at £7,500.
An extremely rare and superb Exhibition item.
Price: £3,350.00
NB: the scans do not do justice to the quality of the Cross
or to the fine condition of the entire..
Plate 1b: Aberdeen RUBY Cross
151548. 1d black Plate 1b, 'AE': very fine example on wrapper to Hawick from Aberdeen,
September 24th 1840 with the top flap reinforced along the top fold.
An apparent small 'scuff mark' above QV's head is a weakness in the printing
as when viewed in oblique light there is no surface disturbance.
Stamp tied by a very fine Aberdeen cross in the distinctive RUBY ink, SG Spec A1ve.
This colour of cross is priced by Gibbons on cover at £2,500.
Letter 'E' is a listed double letter, SpecAS4d, and the stamp is in the scarcer intense black from early printings.
Allowing for the Ruby cross on the scarcer intense black, a Gibbons price is in excess of £4,000.
A rare clear example of this coloured cross on cover.
Price: £995.00 RESERVED
NB: the firm strike of the cross allows the ruby colour to be clearly seen which is seldom the case
as the cross was often lightly struck.
Plate 2: superb WATERY CROSS.
151504. 1d black Plate 2, 'OK':
tied to a small piece by a Watery Cross the stamp with clipped corners.
Watery crosses are discussed in Rockoff Volume 1, page 116.
No water was added to the ink but an oil such as linseed.
The three criteria for a cross to be correctly described as watery are set out in Rockoff page 116.
The example here fulfills all of the three criteria and it could be a Glasgow watery cross.
A superb example neatly struck and leaving a large portion of QV’s Head clear.
A black cross on plate 2 is scarcer than a red cross, SG Spec AS15m.
The finest example of a watery cross we have seen.
Rare item.
Price: £420.00 SOLD
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: £465.00
Plate 5: London to Petworth
151502. 1d black SG1, Plate 5, 'OD', Intense black shade:
very fine 4-margined example in this scarcer shade.
Neatly tied by a London cross on a clean entire to Petworth, February 6th 1841.
Stamp affixed unusually at the far left hand bottom corner
Contrary to the Post Office Regulations at that time.
Priced by Gibbons on cover at £775.
Attractive and scarce item.
Price: £520.00
Plate 6: very early usage of a BLACK MX
151582. 1d black Plate 6, 'HK':
fine 4-margined tied to a wrapper, peripheral fault at top, by a very fine/fine BLACK cross
with a couple of small tone/ink marks in the right margin area.
Used locally within London, on the reverse a date stamp for September 16th 1840.
This is an early and fine example of the experimental use in London of black ink.
The trial began in London on August 31st 1840.
Stamp affixed at the top left Contrary to Post Office Regulations.
Wrapper in a finer condition than the scan suggests.
Price: £485.00 SOLD
NB: Item 151581, Plate 2 - scroll up to see it,
is also dated September 16th 1840, sent from Glasgow with a RED cross.
1d
Plate 6.
15149: 1d black, ‘KB’, Plate
6 (State 1), fine 4-margined on
entire:
London to the Aire and Calder Navigation Office in LEEDS, September 2nd 1840.
Stamp in the scarcer intense black shade, SG Spec AS40,
and tied by a red-orange cross leaving almost the entire QV’s head clear.
It is also tied by a 'TP Paddington' in black.
Very attractive and rare item.
Price: £645.00
Plate 6: BRISTOL Vermilion Cross on an interesting letter
152178. 1d Plate 6, 'AG': fine 4-margined example, close at left but clear.
The stamp is printed in the scarcer Intense Black shade, Spec AS40.
Tied to a clean entire from Bristol to Chard by a parially smudged BRISTOL Vermilion Cross, SG Spec A2vh.
On the reverse is a fair strike of a Bristol date stamp, October 14th 1840, also in the same vermilion ink.
Priced by Gibbons in the latest Edition of QV Volume 1, at £2250.
A rare item.
Price:£595.00
NB: The letter refers to a TRAIN ACCIDENT and the 'cargo of lace was saved and is now in the Cheltenham Station'.
Plate 7: London to Leith
151583. 1d black Plate 7, 'DK':
very fine large margined example tied to a wrapper from Leith to London,
October 26th 1840 date stamps on reverse, by a fine red cross.
Partial strike on the front of 'TP Queen Street CS'
ie Cheapside, a London Twopenny Post Receiving House.
This plate priced by Gibbons on cover at £825.
Price: £490.00
Plate 9 : Fine pair on entire.
151503. 1d black, SG1, PLATE 9, 'PC-PD', Intense black shade:
fine/very fine PAIR in this scarcer but unlisted shade from this plate.
Tied by Manchester crosses to an entire to Bolton, Manchester cds on reverse top flap
for January 11th 1841 in the same shade of ink as the crosses.
Gibbons prices a pair of Plate 9, not on cover, at £1800 in the commoner shade.
A very scarce/rare multiple on cover and the first
we have been able to offer in such fine condition.
Price: £965.00
SPILSBY Extra Cross wrapper from ALFORD to Folkingham
151852. 1d black Plate 7, 'GF', 3-margins, into at the bottom and this area crossed by a horizontal filing fold.
Wrapper with ALFORD/140 mileage strike. Rockoff and Jackson, Volume 2 p 250 note that Alford was a sub office of Spilsby.
Inside is a date for April 24th and the item was received in Folkingham on SUNDAY April 25th 1841.
In there listed examples of the extra cross, only one has a full date, on a 1d red cover, 21st September 1841.
They note that Danzig mentions 1d red examples from Alford for April and November 1841 but no precise date is quoted.
At April 24th 1841, it is later than the latest example on a 1d black cover listed by Rockoff and Jackson.
This example from Alford is the only one with a mileage mark - the other example has a udc.
A rare and attractive example with all the postal markings on the front.
Price: £500.00 SOLD
NB: the population of Splisby in 1841 was only 1,457 souls.
See Item 151853 in the Line engraved Section for a 1d red on cover with this same Cross.
Sample of Engine Turning: similar to that used on the 1d Black and Mulready.
151410. In the 'Story of the Penny Black' by Rigo de Righi, p.15, he notes that J B Bacon (Perkins, Bacon & Co),
had patented a machine - the Rose Lathe, a type of geometrical design lathe.
This was used for engine turning on the back of watches.
Bacon's proposed to use engine turning as the background on the 1d black (and 2d blue) and
in the 'POSTAGE' design part of he Mulready as a protection against forgeries.
This was agreed by Rowland Hill and Henry Cole.
The example offered here is an engine turned sample, circa 1838/9, no. 5D (ex Plate 'D').
This item would make an excellent addition to the early part of a 1d black,
2d blue or Mulready Collection as well as a general Line Engraved Collection.
The first such sample we have been able to offer.
SOLD
1d Plate 1b Intense shade
151373. 1d plate 1b, 'HJ', INTENSE black shade, SG AS4:
very fine square margined example, affixed over a light bump in the paper before posting.
Tied to a wrapper from Edinburgh to Gagashiels by an orange cross which leaves QV's profile virtually clear.
Priced by Gibbons in this scarcer shade at £1,100 on cover.
Ediburgh cds on reverse top flap for January 6th 1841.
Attractive item.
Price: £475.00 SOLD
Plate 5: double strike Experimental Black Cross
151267. 1d black plate 5 'AI': 3 good/large margins and close to just touching in the bottom margin
on a clean wrapper, side flaps removed for display purposes, used locally in London November 28th 1840.
The stamp is tied by two BLACK crosses Contrary to Regulations.
This is an experimental use of black ink as the usual ink at that time was red.
Very scarce especially with the double strike of the black cross.
The stamp is printed in the scarcer intense black shade SG Spec AS24 which
Gibbons prices at approx £1,200 on cover in this scarcer shade of ink.
Price: £285.00 SOLD
Plate 4: clear profile.
151214: 1d black ‘CF’, very fine Plate 4:
tied to a very fine clean and uncreased wrapper from London to Norwich,
November 24th 1840, by a neatly applied orange cross.
The cross leaves the Queen’s profile and the head almost totally clear.
Full margins, close but clear at the ‘C’ square with the others
large and with a small part of the adjacent stamp at the right margin.
Stamp printed in the scarcer intense black shade.
A superb item.
Price: £550.00
PAID AT CAVAN with 1d black plate 1b.
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’,
and the letter re-addressed to Mincing Lane, London and received on January 25th 1841.
A very scarce/rare item.
Price: £390.00
1d black
PLATE 10: RAMSGATE cross.
15163.
1d black plate 10, ‘AG’, very fine large square 4-margined with part of stamp below in bottom
margin:
just tied by a black cross at the right to an un-creased family letter,
son to mother and sister, from RAMSGATE to Newbury, Berks, March 24th 1841.
The Ramsgate cross is
recorded by Rockoff, Volume 2, page 232.
Only three examples are illustrated, none on
a 1d black.
An exceptional item with this rare plate in such superb condition and
one of finest we have been able to offer.
1d black plate 10 on cover priced by Gibbons at £3,500.
Price: £1,250.00
Plate 2: Experimental London Black Cross
15007. 1d black plate 2, ‘HA’,
very fine 4-margined on neat entire London to Edgbaston and tied by a superb
London cross in EXPERIMENTAL BLACK ink.
Top flap raises to display the London date
stamp, September 7th 1840.
The experimental usage of black ink in London started on August 31st 1840
hence this example a very early usage in this experimental period.
Plate 2 with black cross rarer than with a red cross, SG Spec AS15m,
and this example is believed to be the
EARLIEST
KNOWN USAGE of a black cross on plate 2.
Stamp printed in a shade close to, or in, the
scarcer intense black, Spec AS14, of the earlier printings.
A superb and rare item.
Price: £685.00
Plate 1a.
15147: 1d black,
SG3, ‘EB’,
Plate 1a:
4-margined
example, tied to small piece by a lightly struck
red cross.
This allows the considerable plate wear to be seen to advantage.
The extent of the
wear is the most extensive we
have seen on this plate: SG Spec AS3,
priced by Gibbons at £500 plus,
and a result of the plate not having been hardened.
Price: £295.00
Plate 1a.
151446. 1d black plate 1a, 'RH', superb large full margined example:
cancelled by a MX in an unusual shade of ink.
Printed on THIN PAPER which is unlisted on this plate
but listed for Plate 1b.
Rare stamp so fine.
Price: £380.00 SOLD
Plate 1b.
151445. 1d black plate 1b, 'AA', FIRST off the SHEET:
fine 4-margined example, red cross.
Attractive example.
Price: £220.00
Plate 1b.
152171. 1d Plate 1b, 'IA: superb 4-margined example
with huge margins on three sides, cancelled by an orange cross.
Printed in a shade close to or at the listed Intense Black.
There is a vertical watermark guide line on the reverse.
Exceptional stamp and very attractive.
Exhibtion quality.
Price: £425.00
Plate 1b: tied to piece.
151444. 1d black plate 1b, 'BC':
very fine 4-margined example, part of adjacent stamp in the top margin.
Tied to piece by a complete MX in a shade close to, or at, vermilion.
Attractive and scarce so fine.
Price: £275.00
1d Plate 1b: 'Magenta' cross.
151429. 1d Plate 1b:
an exceptional example, CL, with the
non-coincident re-entry, Spec AS5b.
Very large to enormous margins all round and
tied to a small piece by forged magenta Maltese crosses.
With a 1995 PEGB Cert.
An unusual and attractive stamp and
would make a very interesting display item.
Price: £230.00
NB: very surprising to see a forged cross on such a superb 1d black.
Plate 1b INVERTED Watermark and other varieties.
151851. SG1,1d black plate 1b, very fine full - margined example,
close but clear under 'H' square, neat red cross, with a very small natural paper inclusion.
Stamp printed in the scarcer INTENSE black shade,
on THIN PAPER and with INVERTED Watermark, SG Spec AS4(l,m).
The thin paper allows the MX to be visible as well as some of the black ink from the printing itself.
This plate with inverted watermark and in the ordinary black shade is priced by Gibbons at £2,500.
When the combination of the other varieties is taken into consideration,
the Gibbons price rises to in excess of £5,000.
A very rare combination of features and one we have not previously seen.
An attractive and very rare display-quality item.
Price: £895.00
WM 1. 1d black plate 1b ‘OH’:
large margins on three sides but touching at places along the bottom margin.
Cancelled by lightly struck red cross and with INVERTED watermark.
Priced by Gibbons at £2,500.
An opportunity to obtain an attractive example of this variety
at a small percentage of the Gibbons price.
Price: £425.00
Plate 2: superb WATERY CROSS.
151504. 1d black Plate 2, 'OK':
tied to a small piece by a Watery Cross the stamp with clipped corners.
Watery crosses are discussed in Rockoff Volume 1, page 116.
No water was added to the ink but an oil such as linseed.
The three criteria for a cross to be correctly described as watery are set out in Rockoff page 116.
The example here fulfills all of the three criteria and it could be a Glasgow watery cross.
A superb example neatly struck and leaving a large portion of QV’s Head clear.
A black cross on plate 2 is scarcer than a red cross, SG Spec AS15m.
The finest example of a watery cross we have seen.
Rare item.
Price: £420.00 SOLD
Plate 2.
151436. 1d SG1 Plate 2, 'TD', hinge remnant on reverse:
printed in the scarcer Intense Shade Spec AS14, priced by Gibbons at £525.
Superb margins with part of the stamp above in the top margin.
A black cross is scarce on this plate and priced by Gibbons at £650 without the premium for the shade.
The cross leaves a clear profile and is clear of the plate corrosion around 'One Penny'.
Vertical guide line in the SE letter square.
A superb stamp with a rare combination of features and a Gibbons price in excess of £1,000.
Price: £395.00
Manchester Fishtail Cross: Plate 2
152200. 1d plate 2, 'LC':
fine 4-margined example, slightly ragged margin near 'L' square with part of the stamp below.
Cancelled by a complete MANCHESTER FISHTAIL CROSS, SG Spec AS15ub.
Rare to find this as a complete cross on a 4-margined 1d black.
Plate 2 is much scarcer with any black cross, SG AS15m: almost TWICE the Gibbons price.
This characteristic Manchester cross, in the latest, 2011 QV Volume 1 Catalogue,
is priced at £1,400 without the premium of being on Plate 2.
A rare/very rare combination of features.
Price: £690.00
Plate 2.
151438. 1d black SG 1 plate 2, RE:
very fine large 4-margined in scarcer intense black shade, spec AS14.
Tied to entire by fine red cross, cover with couple of vertical filing folds clear of adhesive,
used locally in Edinburgh/Portobello.
Price: £380.00
Plate 3.
151447. 1d black Plate 3, 'PA':
superb large square 4-margined example with almost a complete orange MX.
The letter 'P' shows the listed variety Spec AS20a, 'Letter P with small loop'.
Printed on un-listed THIN PAPER and showing plate wear.
A very attractive and rare stamp with a number of features.
Price: £390.00 SOLD
Plate 3.
151448. 1d black Plate 3, 'GJ':
very fine/fine 4-margined example with red MX.
An attractive item.
Price: £275.00
Plate 4
151432. 1840 1d black plate 4 (SI).
Very fine used, scarce intense shade with a red cross.
The stamp has been printed on Unlisted THIN PAPER.
Price: £295.00
Plate 4
152173. 1d Plate 4, 'NI':
very fine, square margined example, lightly applied orange cross
leaving the Queen's profile largely untouched by the MX.
The stamp is printed on THIN PAPER: unlisted by Gibbons.
An attractive stamp and printed in the scarcer Intense Black ink, Spec AS22.
Price: £325.00
Plate 4: double lined cross
151442. 1d black Plate 4, 'NJ', very fine 4-margined example.
Margin close but clear at 'N' square with small part of adjacent stamp in right margin.
Tied to small piece by a fine example of a double-lined cross.
Very scarce variety of the MX.
Price: £345.00
Double Strike of Manchester Fishtail Cross: Plate 4
152201. 1d Plate 4, 'PI': almost full-margins, large on three sides and just shaving the NW corner.
Along the top margin is a trace of the stamp above.
Tied to a small piece by a double strike, Contrary to PO Regulations, of the distinctive Manchester Fishtail Cross.
This characteristic Manchester cross is priced by Gibbons at £900: Spec AS23uf.
The browning in the right hand margin is much fainter than in the scan and similarly in the cross at the left.
The brown in the top margin is a trick of the scanner: the scan does not do justice to this item.
Unusual to find a double strike of this cross but see the next item.
Price: £360.00
1d Black Plate 4 and 1d red Plate 8: Manchester FISHTAIL cross
151439. 1841 1d black plate 4,
'MD', and 1d red plate 8, 'BD', with
the 1d black
is on a wrapper to
Contrary to PO Regulations, cancelled by a double strike of this cross.
The1d red is on a printed advertising wrapper with a partial double strike of this same cross, Spec A2ub.
The 1d black priced by Gibbons at £2,500 and the 1d red at £1,500,
in the latest QV Volume 1.
Each is 3-margined but remarkably USED on the SAME DAY, with a
Manchester date stamp in red on the reverse of each for March 26th 1841.
A unique 1d black and 1d red same-day usage pairing
which whould make a fine display page.
Price: £895.00
NB: See item 152552: 1d blacks plate 2 on same day of usage with Manchester Fishtail MX.
Plate 5.
151431. 1d SG2 Plate 5 (KA):
very fine/fine example with a superb and neatly applied red cross.
An attractive example and very scarce with a complete cross.
In the 'A' square is a trace of the horizontal guide line
referred to by Litchfield in 'Guide Lines to the Penny Black'.
It is printed on Thin Paper as yet unlisted for this Plate.
Price: £255.00 SOLD
Plate 5.
151450. 1d black Plate 5, 'FD':
very fine large square margined example with
a partially struck orange-red MX.
Very scarce/rare so fine.
Price: £325.00
Plate 5: with corrosion.
151449. 1d black Plate 5, 'TH', very fine 4-margined example:
light black MX with the double letter 'H', SG Spec AS25b variety
and printed on unlisted Thin Paper.
There is substantial plate corrosion evident around 'One Penny'
which is more extensive than we have previously seen on any 1d black plate.
Rare stamp with these features and condition.
Price: £375.00
Plate 6 with BLUE MX and Cert
151440.
1d black plate 6 'KK': 4-margined with faults, struck by a complete deep BLUE CROSS,
SG Spec AS41vc, and with Certificate.
The Chartwell Collection, Spinks 2011, did NOT have an example of a blue cross on a 1d black .
The Mairi Bury Collection, Sotherby’s 2010, had one certificated example, Lot 398 with an enlarged colour illustration.
It has four margins but barely clear/touching at the NE square and with a very lightly struck, partial blue cross.
It realised a figure of £4,800: Gibbons list price at that time was £9,000.
From our researches we cannot find another example of a 1d black with
such a complete and clear blue cross as the example offered here.
It is defective having a tear at the right centre repaired by glue.
Despite the faults, as described above this is an extremely rare item
and priced by Gibbons at £8,000 and undervalued in our experience.
Only a few collections have an example and this is an opportunity to obtain one
at a very small fraction of the Gibbon's price.
An item displays well with the complete deep blue cross and full margins.
Price: £775.00
NB: the scan does not do justice to the colour of the deep blue cross.
Plate 6: re-entry variety
152170. 1d Plate 6, 'OB':
very fine 4-margined example, close but clear at the right:
printed in the scarcer Intense Black shade.
This stamp shows the listed variety 'Re-entry', Spec AS40a
and the MX leaves all the re-entry marks clearly visible.
This exact variety is illustrated by Gibbons in the latest QV Volume 1, page 135.
There are only four listed re-entries on this plate: ie four per sheet of 240.
The stamp is printed on THIN PAPER: this variety is unlisted by Gibbons.
An exceptional and rare stamp with this combination of features.
Prce: £380.00
Plate 6.
151433. 1d, plate 6, 'BB', very fine used:
large part of another stamp in bottom margin.
Very fine red cross lightly applied.
Price: £285.00
Plate 6
152191. 1d plate 6, 'NG' very fine 4-margined
with a light orange cross and a clearly visible QV profile.
Printed on UNLISTED thin paper.
An attractive stamp.
Price: £320.00
Plate 6.
151434. 1840 1d black plate 6 (AF).
Very fine large square-margined example with black cross.
Plate wear at the top.
Price: £275.00
Penny Post and MX Cancellations on Plate 7.
151202. 1d black Plate 7, ‘BG’:
very fine 4-margined, tiny paper inclusion, tied to piece by a red cross
AND the rare Newby Bridge Penny Post, CC LA690, lightly struck in black.
Newby Bridge Penny Post came under MILNTHORPE: the red cross would have been applied there.
The combination of Penny Post cancellations and Maltese cross on 1d blacks
are more frequently seen with a black MX: the red MX here leaves QV’s head largely clear.
This combination is priced by Gibbons,SGSpec AS44ya, 'from £2,500 on piece'.
An attractive and rare item which displays well.
Price: £780.00
Plate 7: Orange cross of LIVERPOOL.
151441. 1d Black Plate 7: Liverpool Orange Cross on Entire.
Very fine 4-margined copy from Plate 7 with portions of THREE other stamps in the margins.
Tied to entire to Ballymoney by the orange maltese cross of Liverpool, Spec A1vg.
On the reverse is a Liverpool date stamp in the same orange shade as the cross for August 15 1840.
Also on reverse a Dublin date stamp for SUNDAY August 16 1840.
Gibbons prices this orange cross at £2,000.
An exceptional item.
Price: £750.00
Plate 7
152192. 1d plate 7, 'AH': fine 4-margined example,
printed on Experimental Thin Paper, SG Spec AS44c.
Cancelled by a red-orange cross.
An attractive example.
Price: £195.00 SOLD
Plate 7
152193. 1d plate 7, 'KF', very fine used,
cancelled by an orange cross.
Printed on 'Experimental thin paper', SG Spec AS44c.
An attractive example.
Price: £320.00
Plate 7.
151451. 1d black Plate 7, 'FG':
superb large 4-margined example, lightly cancelled by an
orange MX and with a trace of the adjacent stamp along the
bottom margin and part of another bottom at the right.
Very scarce/rare stamp so fine.
Price: £350.00
Plate 8
152194. 1d plate 8, 'KJ', fine used, full margins
with a light orange cross.
Printed on 'Thin paper', SG Spec AS46e.
Attractive stamp with the 'O' flaw visible.
Price: £295.00
Plate 8: major re-entry variety.
151512. 1d black Plate 8, 'TJ', light red cross: very fine 4-margined example.
'TJ' is one of only FOUR re-entries on this plate, SG spec AS46a,
and is illustrated in the QV Volume 1 page 68.
The cancellation leaves the re-entry marks clearly visible
along the bottom margin as well as in the corner stars.
The printing is in a Deep Shade although Gibbons does not list it.
The stamp is also printed on thin paper, Spec AS46e.
We have not seen this stamp previously with such a large
bottom margin showing the re-entry so clearly.
The re-entry is grossly under-priced by Gibbons at £575.
A very rare stamp in this condition with multiple varieties and features.
Exhibition quality.
SOLD
Plate 8.
151435. 1840 1d black plate 8 (SF).
Four square margins, nibbled at top,
just touching the design at one pont above 'S'.
but good to large margins elsewhere.
Partial black cross top right leaves the
Queen’s head virtually completely clear
and very rare as such.
A very attractive alternative to a mint 1d black
with so much of the design on show.
Price: £185.00
Plate 8: BROWN cross with RPS cert.
151241. 1d black plate 8, ‘ND’, SG Spec AS46vi: an almost 3-margined example tied to a small piece
by a very fine strike of the extremely rare BROWN cross, Spec AS46vi.
This rare cross is priced by SG at £3,000 on stamp alone, no price quoted on piece
One could reasonably add a premium for this cross on a
1d black plate 8 compared to the cheapest black plate: this gives a figure in excess of £4,000.
This is the first true BROWN cross we have been able to offer for a considerable time.
It has with a clean RPS Certificate.
Price: £790.00
Plate 10: rare RED cross.
151443. 1d black Plate 10, 'RE', superb 4-margined:
cancelled by a RED cross, rare on this plate
and priced by Gibbons, Spec AS66h, at £1,500.
This example has two other listed varieties:
letter 'P' converted to 'R', Spec AS66d,
and printed on thin paper: Spec AS66i.
Allowing for the varieties, Gibbons price is approx £2,000.
A very rare example with possibly a unique combination of varieties.
A Superb item of Exhibition quality.
Price: £735.00
Plate 10
151430. 1d black SG3, plate 10 (TG):
fine copy from this very scarce plate, margins cut close at top
but clear to very close to possibly touching at left.
Very fine, upright and almost complete black cross.
Characteristic letter short stumpy ‘T’ of this plate and
printed in the scarcer grey-black shade showing plate wear.
Priced by Gibbons at a minimum of £950.
A very collectable example of this difficult plate.
Price: £165.00
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