380th Auction

"Oz.at s6d8 per oz", straight line on entire letter (originally with enclosures) from Riga, charged with "8/4"

1840, Victoria 1d. black, fresh color and close to good margins, used, signed Knopke BPP

1d. intense black, plate 1B, FJ, tied by red MC to envelope, "EXETER SE 23 1840" cds. in red on front for dispatch, to London, signed H. Richter.

1d. black, plate 1A, RI, printed from the worn plate before repair, large margins all round, tied by red MC to entire, Receiving House handstamp "T.P./New Cut" on front, backstamped "JU 29 1840", addressed to Bungay, Suffolk, fine.

1d. black, deep shade, plate 1B, CJ, large regular margins, tied by red Maltese Cross to entire showing faint "HUNTLY" straight line handstamp on reverse to Aberdeen. The content is dated "Huntly 19 June 1840" indicating a very early postal use of plate 1B.

1d. black, plate 1B, FD, large regular margins all round, tied by neat black MC to envelope "T.P. Hampstead N.O" handstamp on front and red "SP. 3. 1840" datestamp on reverse to Islington, slight age toning to envelope, adhesive fine. A very early date for the London Two Penny Post "black MC" experimental period (first week).

1d. black, plate 1B, NA, variety "NE" of "ONE" joined, large to very large margins all round, tied by neat red MC to entire from London backstamped "NO 14 1840" for dispatch to Moreton in March, very fine and fresh.

1d. black, plate 2, CB, large margins, tied by red MC on decorative printed invoice "Bought of Charles Blyth, Agent for The Britannia Rail Co" from Edinburgh "16 JUN 1840" to Aberdeen, minor age spottings, otherwise fine, H. Richter certificate (1990).

1d. black, plate 2, CL, good to large regular margins, tied by neat black MC to envelope from London, with part 1841 datestamp to Bowmore, Islay, fine.

1d. black, plate 2, two singles FH + FI with clear to large margins, affixed as a pair and tied with neat red MC's (slightly oxydised) to incomplete entire dated "10 June 1840" to Norwich.

1d. black, plate 2, GH, good to large margins, tied by neat orange-red MC to entire backstamped "KIRCALDY 16 JUN 1840" for dispatch in the same orange-red colour via Edinburgh "JUN 16, 1840" to "PAISLEY JN 17 1840", a very nice scottish usage.

1d. black, plate 2, JJ, very large and regular margins all round, tied by neat red MC on local London envelope, Receiving House Straight line "STRAND" on front, backstamped "AU 28 1840". The letter is adressed to "Rev. S. Garrat", Islington. Reverend C. Samuel Garrat was priest of St. Stephen's, Islington at the time.

1d. black, plate 2, OI, large margins, tied by red MC to entire from London "JU 10 1840" to Wallingford, minor age staining to entire only, adhesive fine and freshly preserved.

1d. black, plate 2, RB, very large margins all round, tied by neat red MC to lettersheet from London, backstamped "L.S. 1. JU 1840" (Lombard Street) to Warwick, fine, signed "H. Richter".

1d. black, plate 3, horizontal pair AA-AB (nearly separated by scissors cut between the stamps running into left side of AB), clear to large margins, tied by red MC's to entire (refolded to reduce size) from "YORK 10. JU. 1840" to Morpeth.

1d. black, plate 3, DI, good to large margins, tied by red MC to local Glasgow entire backstamped "GLASGOW 5 AU 1840" boxed datestamp, very minor age toning, but adhesive fine and freshly preserved.

1d. black, plate 4, two singles DG and DH (formerly a pair), both with clear to large margins, tied by red MC's to entire backstamped "CHIPPING NORTON SP 20 1840" for dispatch to Worcester, adress a little faded, but adhesives decorative placed (contrary to regulations!) at top left and top right corner of the entire.

1d. black, plate 4, GB, good to large regular margins all round, tied by red MC to entire from Brighton to London, backstamped "BRIGHTON JY 2 1840" for dispatch and London datestamp "3 JY 1840" for arrival, signed "H. Richter".

1d. black, plate 4, HK, good to large margins all round, tied by red MC to entire (some refolding) backstamped "LEICESTER DE 4 1840" to Derby with cds. in red on front for arrival. The addressee "R. Pegg & Co., Oil & Colour Merchant" was Robert Pegg, a colour, gypsum, cement and plaster manufacturer, located Old Uttoxeter Road, established in 1824, fine and fresh.

1d. black, plate 4, LJ, good to large margins, tied by red MC to entire from "SPALDING NO 18 1840" to Louth, entire with imperfections mainly on reverse, adhesive very freshly and fine preserved.

1d. black, plate 4, NH, large margins, tied by red MC on lettersheet backstamped "PEEBLES DE 4 1840" cds. in red.

1d. black, plate 4, PH, large regular margins, tied by red MC to lettersheet, "BISHOPS AUCKLAND" undated handstamp for dispatch on reverse, addressed to "Edward Pease, Darlington". Edward Pease (1767 - 1858), a woolen manufacturer from Darlington, was the main promoter of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, wich opened in 1825. He is often referred to as the "Father of the Railways".

1d. black, plate 5, QK, large margins all round, tied by neat red MC on small lettersheet (side flaps missing) from "PERTH 17 AUG 1840" to Edinburgh with datestamp for arrival "AUG 18 1849", very fresh and decorative preservation.

1d. black, plate 6, BH, large to very large margins all round, tied by characteristic Wiveliscombe red MC to lettersheet to Stewley. According to David Rockoff & Mike Jackson in "The Maltese Cross Encyclopaedia" Vol. 2 (2008) the Wiveliscombe Maltese Cross is characterized by "... the use of excessive ink that created various inking phenomina...", on this cover giving a "double lined" impression!

1d. black, plate 6, EH, good to large margins all round, tied by neat red MC to envelope (minor age-toning mainly on reverse and achive docketing on front) from London (24 Sept. 1840) to Shrewsbury.

1d. black, intense shade, plate 6, IE, good to large margins all round, tied by red MC to envelope backstamped "BATH OC 11 1840" for dispatch and London datestamp "12 OC 1840" for arrival, signed "Hr. Richter".

1d. black, plate 6, IK, large margins, tied by neat red MC to lettersheet backstamped "BATH OC 13 1840" for dispatch to Lincoln's Inn, London with arrival datestamp "14 OC 1840", fine.

1d. black, plate 6, IJ, large to very large margins all round, centrally cancelled with red MC, tied to envelope backstamped London "DE 16 1840" to Dorchester, envelope slightly age toned, otherwise fine.

1d. black, plate 6, LI, large to very large margins, tied by red MC to entire from "MELROSE 1 SE 1840" to Selkirk, fresh and fine, H. Richter certificate (1990).

1d. grey-black, plate 6, OD, a late printing showing distinctive plate wear, good to large margins, tied by black MC to mourning letter (full content), from "CHELTENHAM MR 31 1841" to Dublin with arrival datestamp "AP 2 41" on reverse, slight age toning along top, otherwise fine, signed "H. Richter".

1d. black, plate 6, OG, large margins, tied by black MC to lettersheet backstamped "CUCKFIELD MR 12 1841" in red for dispatch to London with arrival datestamp for the same day. Interesting "PAID 12 MR 12 1841" cds. in red and ms. tax marking "1" indicating an additional (late?) fee has been paid in cash.

1d. black, plate 6, OL, large to very large margins all round, tied by red MC to entire showing "HAWKHURST 48" pre-philatelic mileage marking and "LAMBERHURST NO 2 1840" cds. on reverse to Battel, some age-toning on reverse only, otherwise fine.

1d. black, plate 6, SL, close at upper right, otherwise large margins, tied by neat black MC to lettersheet (side flaps missing, 5mm hole at upper left), "T.P. King William St." handstamp on front and red datestamp "SP 17 1840" on reverse. Very nice cover used within the first month of the London Two Penny Post "Experimental black MC" period, Holcombe opinion (1991).

1d. black, plate 7, HC, large to very large margins all round, tied by neat red MC to entire from London "L.S. 24 SP 1840" to "BIRMINGHAM SP 25 1840", fine.

1d. black, plate 7, clearly visible "Q"-flaw ("QNE"), extremely large margins, tied by red MC to entire dispatched from Edinburgh "NOV 20 1840" to Inverness, archive docketing in ms. on front, very fine and fresh.

1d. black, plate 8, PE, large to very large margins all round, tied by red MC to lettersheet backstamped "LIVERPOOL NO 13 1840" for dispatch and "GLASGOW 14 NO 1840" for arrival.