1889/1904, doublecard 10+10 öre rose, used unsevered from "STOCKHOLM 11.9.00" to Sandgate, England and retour with duplex "SANDGATE SP 15 00". A fine and scarce usage.

 

Illustrated in James Peter Gough ‘The Postal Card’, p. 748

1889/1904, main part of double card 15 öre green, used from Stockholm 1894 via London to Akassa, Royal Niger company territory, with arrival mark of June 27. A most unusual destination (Ferdén R4).

Illustrated in James Peter Gough ‘The Postal Card’, p. 731

1906, Essay for International Reply Envelope with imprinted 20 öre, overprinted "Specimen". This essay was presented at the World Postal Congress in Rome. Tiny imperfections. Very scarce.
200
 

1903, Provisional postage due violet handstamp “A PERCEVOIR” on Sage 30 centimes brown, fresh colours and with its right sheet margin, neatly tied upon arrival by cds “TIEN TSIN CHINE 13 OCT 03” to envelope endorsed “Corps d´occupation de Chine”, sent from the village of Calenzana on the island of Corsica to the French armoury in China, the envelope with light vertical bend not detracting, very fine. A rare usage enhanced by the scarce origin, quite remarkable, signed Calves (Yvert-Nr. Taxe 9a)

Sent unpaid as a military mail in closed bag, the free frank privilege being revoked after the end of the Boxer rebellion the cover was therefore charged accordingly at double the domestic rate, i.e 30 centimes

1882/87, Alfonso 1 centavo grey-green, tied by clear c.d.s. “HABANA 27 OCT,83” to printed matter envelope to St. John, New Foundland. Very fine and scarce.

1843/90: Group of five covers and three cards. Comprising two stampless examples, one bearing scarce “PAID IN AMERICA LIVERPOOL” tombstone, the other the rare “♚  / PAID AT QUEBEC L.C.”. Three envelopes franked with surface printed issues, including an 1884 5d dull green on cover addressed to a soldier in Singapore; a Jubilee 6d on 1890 cover to Cape Colony paying accelerated transit and a registered stationery 2½d uprated with two 1d venetian sent to Germany. Two unused stationery post cards one with the original wrapper band and also a 1d post card to Belgium together with the reply card sent back to London. The odd imperfection. Mainly fine (8).

1874/1937: Assembly of forty-three covers, cards, coupons and documents, including registered, postage due covers, a range of stationery, receipts and PUC London 1929 items, such as the 2 shilling and 3 shilling booklets and three exhibition pages with better material including 1905, Malta parcel card franked with tri-colour KEVII and 1896, Foreign & Colonial Parcel Post certificate of posting bearing GB Jubilee pair covering 5d. insurance. Condition varies, although many fine. 

1864: Line Engraved 1 penny red, plate 124, lettered GH, good colour and perforations mostly fine, tied by two strikes of a duplex “HOLLOWAY AU 13 75” to a small envelope sent to Paris, with framed “INSUFFICIENTLY PREPAID”, handstruck “5”, an inspector's cork handstamp cancelling the red oval “PD” and a transit cds “ANGL CALAIS 14 AOUT 75”. Reverse, arrival cds “PARIS 15 AOUT 75”. One or two perforations affected by edge, although remains appealing. An interesting and rare cover from the French Interim period between 1 July 1875 (begin of UPU period) and 1 January 1876 (begin of France's membership).The postage due marking “5” was a pre-GPU calculation.

1864: Line-Engraved 1 penny red, plate 117, in combination with Surface-Printed 1865, 4 pence vermilion, plate 11 and 1867, 1 shilling green, plate 4, all of fresh colour, perforations mostly fine, tied by a duplex “53 BATH 6 AU 70” to an envelope sent to Salem, Madras, India, endorsed “via Brindisi”, with rectangular “UNCLAIMED” in red alongside a manuscript "Dead” in red ink. Reverse, indistinct sea post oval, red arrival cds “SALEM” (date blurred) and a “MADRAS DEAD LETTER OFFICE” mark.  Fine tri-colour combination, sent via a faster routing at a higher rate which was a short-lived, and a not well known option. As a result, there were low volumes of mail sent at these high charges. Few known. 

Note: The faster routing was over Mont Cenis (Alps), using the Fell Railway Express. The accelerated conveyance of mail via Brindisi, which was faster than the direct ship route from Southampton or Falmouth (9d rate), was planned as a temporary measure, starting 2 October 1869 and projected to end October 1871, upon completion of the tunnel under Mount Cenis. The service terminated after 11 months due to the Franco-Prussian War. 

1874: Line-Engraved 1 penny red, plate 176, lettered NG, large Crown wmk., perf 14, in combination with Surface-Printed 1875 2½ pence rose mauve, plate 2, lettered JK, Anchor wmk., perf.14 , both stamps of fresh colour and good perforations, the former tied by barred duplex “516 MARLBOROUGH MR 14 76”, the latter tied by barred duplex “446 LEDBURY MR 15 76” to an envelope sent to Ledbury, England and redirected to Brussels, Belgium. Reverse, arrival cds “LEDBURY MR 15 76” together with French transit “ANGLETERRE OUEST 16 MARS 76” and arrival cds “BRUXELLES EST 16 MAR 1876”. Horizontal filing fold well clear of adhesives. Minor soiling and creasing. A scarce example of a properly prepaid domestic letter forwarded abroad. Fresh and fine, scarce usage. 

Note: GPU rules required that credit be given for the original one penny paid and that only an additional one and a half penny should be added to the cover for forwarding abroad to Belgium. However, the full GPU letter rate of two and a half pence was added. 

1875: Surface-Printed 2½ pence rosy mauve, plate 1, lettered AL, blued paper, Anchor wmk., perf. 14, fresh colour, perforations mainly good, tied by  barred duplex First Day cancel “96 LONDON JY 1 75” sent to Copenhagen, Denmark, with commercial cachet in blue alongside and an arrival to reverse “KOBENHAVN 3 7 75” in black. Minor imperfections along top perforations. A rare example of a first day of Issue and of first day of the GPU; one of three currently recorded. Cert. Holcombe (1981).

Note: There are no first day usages reported for any other member's GPU Base Rate stamp issued on the First Day of the GPU.

1875: Surface-Printed 2½ pence, Master Die Proof, printed in black on glazed card (92 x 60 mm.), with plate number and position blank, endorsed ‘BEFORE HARDENING’, dated ‘Feb. 10 1875’ and with printer's note ‘Duplicate Proof’ in black ink. Minor vertical kink left side. Fine and impressive. 

Provenance: ‘CHARTWELL’ Collection, Spink, 4 June 2012, lot 7

1877: Surface-Printed 2½ pence, plate 16, lettered PG, imperforate Plate Proof, printed in black on wove paper, strong colour, four margins all around. Thin to reverse on right side, of fine appearance. Rare example from the Inland Revenue's reference archives. Very few in private hands. Cert. PTS (2012). 

Remark: A very rare plate proof in black, only three singles from plate 16 lettered PG, PH and OI (Royal Collection!) are recorded in the Karl Louis Card Index.

Provenance: Dr. Douglas Latto Collection, Phillips, October 1992, lot 379

1877: Surface-Printed 2½ pence rosy mauve, plate 8, lettered LA, Orb wmk., imperforate, fresh colour, left marginal single with good margins all around, unused, overprinted SPECIMEN (Type 9) in black. Scarce and fine.

Remark: All imperforate 2½d. from plate 8 overprinted SPECIMEN originate from an unique sheet AA/PL of which the upper two rows AA/BL are in the N.P.M.  London, vol. XXXIII, page 36.

Provenance: (as part of a block of four, KA/LB) Beresford Collection, Sotheby's, 24 Nov. 1987, lot 458; Wade Collection, Phillips, 20 March 1997, lot 227

1873: Surface-Printed 1 shilling green, plate 11, Spray wmk., perf. 14, fresh colour and good perforations, tied by duplex “466 EXCHANGE LIVERPOOL 1 JY 1875” to a lettersheet sent to Mexico City, Mexico, endorsed “via Southampton”, with Mexican postage due mark “-24c.” in black alongside. Reverse, faint and blurred Vera Cruz cds dated 28 July 1875. Filing folds well clear of adhesive. A fine First Day of GPU usage to a non-member country. Rare; only recorded mail from UK to non-member on 1 July 1875. 

Note: The rate was very expensive and remained unchanged, and especially so with the internal postage change on arrival. 

1881: Surface-Printed 1 penny lilac, die II, Crown wmk., perf. 14, good colour and fine perforations, tied by the barred oval “A01” to an envelope sent to London, with handstamp “4d/F.B.” charge mark in black and alongside small triangle “FLB / 3” in purple. Reverse, an arrival cds "LONDON “W.C. AU 9 01”. A few tone spots, which don't detract. Fine and interesting example of a British stamp used abroad and unaccepted.

Note: The “A01” was previously assigned to the British PO in Jamaica, but redeployed to the Foreign Branch in the UK, and used by inspectors from early 1900s. The country of origin did not mark the cover as unpaid, although it had to have been put into the postage due mailbag or wrapper to be noticed and charged at the London Foreign Branch for an improper use of a British stamp abroad.  

Reference: Illustrated in “Collectors Club Philatelist”, New York, Jan./Febr. 2011

Parcel Post 1884: De La Rue High-Values, 2 shilling 6 pence lilac and 5 shilling rose, in combination with Jubilee 1888, 5 pence dull purple & blue vertical pair and 1887, 1 shilling dull green together with 1888, £1 brown-lilac, Three-Orbs wmk., all of good colour, perforations mainly fine, tied by oval “REGISTERED LONDON 9 NO 88” to the reverse of a “On Her Britannic Majesty's Service” parcel tag, sent to Berlin, Germany, by the British Prime Minister Lord Salisbury (signed at top), addressed to “Sir Edward B. Malet, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary”. Front, signed “Salisbury", endorsed ”By post registered" and dated “Nov. 9 1888” with Foreign Office wax seal. Soiling and creasing as might be expected, not affecting adhesives. The odd short perforation, and the lower 5 pence has a clipped corner lower left. The 2 shilling 6 pence side is affected by its proximity to the edge of the tag. A most spectacular franking and great rarity of Great Britain philately. A unique piece. Cert. Louis (1997).

 

Note: This Parcel Post Label bearing the £1 watermark “Three Orbs” was a “New Find” by a German collector and is the only known franking of the  £1 “Three Orbs” watermark on either cover or parcel tag.

Provenance: “SEVERIN”, D. Feldman, 13 April 2010, lot 20321

Parcel Post 1884: Surface-Printed 2 shilling 6 pence lilac, used with Jubilee 1887, 4 pence green & brown and 1890, 10 pence dull purple & carmine, all of fresh colour and mainly good perforations, tied by undated circular “LEOMINSTER” to a parcel envelope sent to Rangoon, Burma, with manuscript British parcel number “46” in blue crayon, and an arrival cds in Rangoon (indistinguishable date). In addition, the India PO have removed the envelope from the parcel and applied a Parcel Control Label numbered “125” with “BOMBAY” boxed handstamp in purple. Heavy vertical filing fold through 4 pence and the corners of the envelope repaired from contemporary damage. Rare combination; only recorded example of an Indian “Parcel Control Label” on incoming mail. 

Note: The UK began its parcel post service on 1 August 1883, three years after signing the Special Convention on Parcel Post (Paris 1880). The British opted for parcel labels glued onto parcels, even though parcels were irregular in shape, being wrapped in brown paper and held together by twine - joined under wax or lead seals. Cardboard boxes at the time were flimsy and rarely used.  The British parcel system was modeled on its registry system, negating the need for the double-tracking of parcel envelopes used by most countries and adopted by the UPU. However, when sending parcels abroad, the British PO had to use parcel envelopes within the UPU parcel operating system. 

1913: George V, ½ penny green, vertical pair, in combination with Transjordan 1923, ½ piaster scarlet overprint Hejaz Saudi in Arabic “Arab Government of the East”, the former tied by oval grid in black and the latter a violet “AMMAN” cds in Arabic dated 17 February 1925, to a postcard sent to Amman, endorsed “Via Palestine”, with “T” mark alongside framed “TO PAY 8 MILLIEMES”. Reverse, additional partial strike of the Amman cds in violet.  Small tears top and at base. Rare combination. Comes with a 1923 envelope franked with GV ½ d. and 1 d. (2) in combination with North British Railway Company 4 d. green (Railway Oakley cancel in blue) sent to France, with French postage due 20 c. as ‘Poste restante’ fee. Also, a parcel tag sent from Army PO (A.D.1) to Army, Navy Stores, London during 1916 franked with GV 2 d. Scarce group. 

1913: George V, 9 pence agate with Seahorse 1915, 2 shilling 6 pence light brown in combination with USA parcel post postage due 5 cents dark green, good colour, perforations mainly fine, the GB tied by a roller cancel, the Seahorse also tied by star censorship cancel, the US with pre-cancel, to a parcel tag from London, England to New York, USA. Minor imperfections as is usual. Fine and unusual combination. US parcel post postage due genuinely used on parcel matter are scarce. 

Note: The 5¢ postage due was a handling charge (regardless of weight) permitted by the UPU on individual parcels.

Parcel Post 1887: Official 2 pence green & carmine, 6 pence purple on rose-red and 1 shilling dull green, three singles, of fresh colour and perforations tied by large boxed “PARCEL POST LONDON CHIEF OFFICE E.C” with manuscript “3/8” and undated cds “G.P.O. DEPOT” to the reverse of an “On Her Britannic Majesty's Service” parcel tag, to Samoa, addressed to the Consul. Sent by the Prime Minister Lord Salisbury, signed front top right. Creasing to tag and soiling. Stamps well-preserved for use. Rare franking. 

Provenance: Spink, 24 May 2002, lot 1121

1892: Stationery letter card 1 penny carmine on light grey blue, with French tax stamp 30 centimes error of colour reddish-orange, the former with squared circle “PLAISTOW S.O. AP 13 95” and the latter tied by cds “GARCHES SEINE EI OISE 14 APL 95”, with framed “T15” mark alongside sent to Paris, France. Reverse, additional strike of the French cds. Fine. 

Note: The sender assumed a letter card would be permitted at the postal card rate. Charged double deficiency as a letter at 30c. 

1877: Certificate of Posting ½ penny pink embossed on cream with black text, five address lines, 1/78 at base, instructions on reverse, unused pack of eleven forms, complete with riveted small brass eyelet. Top example has faint diagonal fold top left from display. Fine. Remarkably well preserved and rare to be found intact. Originally produced in booklets of 12. 

1875: Stationery postal card ½ penny bright lilac, uprated with Line Engraved 1864 1 penny red, two singles and a 1869 ½ penny rose-red (corner fault), all of good colour, some perforation faults, tied by duplex “506 MARGATE AP 10 73” in black, sent to Paris, France, with red oval “PD” and transit cds “CALAISE 11 AP 83. Reverse, cds ”LONDON AP 10 73" and faint arrival “PARIS 11 AP 73”. Creased and soiled. Scarce example illustrating a ‘paid at the letter rate to France’ but despatched contrary to regulations. 

Note: The card uprated to 3d letter rate to France, whilst violating the regulations against the use of postal cards for foreign destinations, being fully franked at the default rate for all things being sent in the mail, the clerk dispatched it to France. There is a lack of an inspector's mark, so the decision could have been different if this obvious violation had been referred to that officer. 

Reference: The Postal History of the Universal Postal Union: The Postal Card, Worldwide 1869-1975, Volume 1, illustrated pg. 154. Which states Dr Alan Huggins believes there are no more than 10 such usages of foreign destinations before 1 July 1875, when the British Post Office lifted the ban on the use of postal cards to foreign destinations.  

1875: Stationery postal card ½ penny lilac on buff, uprated with 1870, ½ penny rose-red, good colour and perforations, the card used with cds “NEWARK DE 14 77” and the adhesive tied by duplex “190 CHICHESTER DE 15 77”, being sent to Chester and redirected to London with arrival cds in red “LONDON E.C. DEC 5 77”. Reverse, a partial transit cds “EDWINS TOWNE DE 1* 77”. Two small corner bends and tiny tear at base. Fine and scarce early example of a forwarded item not free. Additionally, comes with an example of the same card with the SLOPER arrow trial cancel attractively used with red cds in 1875. 

Reference: The Postal History of the Universal Postal Union: The Postal Card, Worldwide 1869-1975, Volume 1, illustrated pg. 268. 

1875: Stationery postal card ½ penny brown, uprated with Line-Engraved 1874 ½ penny rose, plate 11, fine colour and perforations, tied by barred duplex “029 WEST HARTLEPOOL 28 JA 78”, sent to Budapest, Hungary, with “LONDON 30 JA 78” cds and instructional boxed rectangular “NOT TRANSMISSIBLE / ABROAD”, both in red, alongside. Faint diagonal crease top left and minor soiling. Very rare survivor of a post card not forwarded abroad as per GPU rules. Normally destroyed by the British Post Office. 

Note: The domestic ½ penny postal card, uprated with an additional ½ penny, is deficient by a ¼ of a penny for the full GPU rate of 1¼  pence. Although, the UK issued a farthing coin, it did not issue a farthing stamp.

Reference: The Postal History of the Universal Postal Union: The Postal Card, Worldwide 1869-1975, Volume 1, illustrated pg. 253.

1875: Foreign stationery postal card 1¼ pence brown, used with duplex “95 LONDON JY 1 75”, sent to Leirvik, Norway on the First Day of issue, endorsed “via mail steamer”. A clean and fresh example. Scarce; one of 12 first ay examples, this with a clear postmark.  

Note: This was the first British foreign-rate post card issued specifically for the GPU day. Previously, post cards could not be sent from the UK to foreign destinations even if paid at the letter rate (although five are known). Six of nine founding members had a proper rate post card in time for the GPU day, but had issued them before the Congress of Berne 1874. 

1875: Foreign stationery postal card 1¼ pence brown, used with duplex “466 LIVERPOOL 1 JY 75”, sent to Sveaborg, Finland (then a Grand Duchy within the Russian Empire). Reverse, Saint Petersburg transit mark and a printed commercial message which refers to wheat and maize sales. A well preserved and important First Day use; with a clear postmark. 

Note: This card reflects three important ‘First Day’ milestones; 1) First Day of the General Postal Union, 2) First Day of issue of the 1¼ pence brown foreign postal card, and 3) First Day that post cards could be sent from the UK to Foreign destinations. 

Reference: The Postal History of the Universal Postal Union: The Postal Card, Worldwide 1869-1975, Volume 1, illustrated pg. 241. 

1875: Foreign stationery postal card 1¼ pence brown, uprated with Line-Engraved 1864, 1 penny red, plate 171 and 1869, 2 pence blue, plate 14, both good colour and perforations, tied by duplex “100 LONDON OC 19 75”, with boxed “L2” Late Fee mark in red alongside, sent to Rome, Italy. Damaged lower left corner and stained. Scarce interim post card rate usage. 
 

Note: UK to Italy, during French interim period = GPU 1¼d, plus transit surcharge of 1d and Late Fee of 2d. 

Reference: The Postal History of the Universal Postal Union: The Postal Card, Worldwide 1869-1975, Volume 1, illustrated pg. 274. 

1872/78: Group of three stationery examples, comprising two early private commercial post cards 1872 and franked with Line Engraved 1870, ½ penny rose-red, one sent from Leeds to Pontefract, the other from Nottingham to Leeds. Both with printed reverse. Also, a 1877, newspaper wrapper ½ penny green uprated with 1870, ½ penny rose-red sent to Calvados. Mostly fine. Scarce, the private cards surprisingly hard to locate, especially in good condition. 

Two private printed cards:-

Reference: The Postal History of the Universal Postal Union: The Postal Card, Worldwide 1869-1975, Volume 1, illustrated pg. 114 (Leeds) & 114 (Nottingham). 

1878: Stationery postal card ½ penny brown, uprated with Jubilee 1887, 1½ pence dull pale purple & green, tied by hooded circle “LONDON E.C. 16 MY 89”, sent to Batavia, Java (Netherlands East Indies), with arrival cds “BATAVIA 15 6 1889” in black. Two small corner folds, one with tiny tear to right side. Scarce and unusual ½ pence domestic post card uprated for use at the India & Far East surcharge rate.

Note: The UK issued an India & Far East 2 penny post card to facilitate such mail. Although uprated mail could be used, it was rarely done with the ½ penny domestic post card. 

Reference: The Postal History of the Universal Postal Union: The Postal Card, Worldwide 1869-1975, Volume 1, illustrated pg. 452.

1883: Stationery newspaper wrapper ½ penny brown, uprated with 1884, 1½ pence lilac, tied by London newspaper branch cds “E 19 3 85  E.4”, sent to Mauritius. Fine example of a Single newspaper rate at 4oz for India & Far East. Scarce

1879: Stationery postal card 1½ pence brown on buff, uprated with Jubilee 1887, ½ penny vermilion, tied by black cds "MACROOM" JA 21 91" (Ireland), sent to Hamilton, Victoria, Australia, with faint cds “ENGLISH MAIL G.P.O. FE 26 91”. Reverse, arrival cds in black “HAMILTON VICTORIA FE 26 91”. Minor spotting, Fine and rare Irish use to Australian.

Reference: The Postal History of the Universal Postal Union: The Postal Card, Worldwide 1869-1975, Volume 1, illustrated pg. 681.

1879: Stationery postal card 1½ pence brown, in combination with Line Engraved 1864, 1 penny red, fresh colour and fine perforations, tied by duplex “583 NOTTINGHAM FE 19 80”, sent to Madras, India, endorsed “via Brindisi”, transit cds “SEA POST OFFICE FEB 27” and “1 .DELy ROYAPETTA MAR: 12” with arrival ”G.P.O. OVERLAND MAIL MADRAS MR 12". Central vertical crease, well clear of adhesive and Nottingham cds punctured card. Scarce overpaid India & Far East rate, which had been reduced to 2 pence, the 2½ pence rate terminated 1 July 1879, after 3 months. 

Reference: The Postal History of the Universal Postal Union: The Postal Card, Worldwide 1869-1975, Volume 1, illustrated pg. 451 

1879: Stationery postal card 1 penny brown, used with duplex “387 HUDDERSFIELD MR 25 80”, sent to Bohemia, Austria-Hungary (now part of Czech Republic), red transit cds “LONDON MR 26 80”, intercepted by PO and with instructional “Contrary to regulations / F.B.”, applied due to the sender's cachet “J.H. BOWER 50 TRINITY STREET HUDDERSFIELD” being applied to the addressee side. Horizontal filing crease in lower portion. Very early example of an interception in transit. 

Note: At Paris'78, a rewording of the section on post cards in the UPU Convention - address side “is reserved for the address alone….” - caused a more stringent interpretation by the British PO during 1879-80, in that return addresses on the address side were prohibited in UPU mails. 

Reference: The Postal History of the Universal Postal Union: The Postal Card, Worldwide 1869-1975, Volume 1, illustrated pg. 265. 
 

1879: Stationery postal card 1 penny brown, used with a French Post Office in Salonika (Greece) double circle in blue “21 AUG 81”, sent to London with red arrival cds “LONDON E.C. PAID 5 MY 81”. The British Post Office treating this as a reply card, despite the fact the UK was not as yet a signatory to the special convention. Corner bends. Attractive and rare. 

Reference: The Postal History of the Universal Postal Union: The Postal Card, Worldwide 1869-1975, Volume 1, illustrated pg. 544.