Great Britain and British Commonwealth POSTAL REFORMS
Sale No: 852
Lot No: 1091
Symbol:
JOHN PALMER - THE 'MAILCOACH KING' & 1st BRITISH POSTAL REFORMER - SIGNED AUTOGRAPH LETTER; 16 July 1807 letter (types transcript; no address-panel as it was sent in a large free franked wrapper - a few small stains, well clear of autograph) was written and signed by the Postal Reformer “J[ohn]. Palmer” himself (M.P. for Bath at this time) from “Gower St. [London]” to his friend “Smith” in Glasgow. Having spent many years setting up the Mailcoach system almost single handedly, Palmer refers here to his ongoing campaign for a significant payment; “Mr W. Kerr is Secretary at the P.O. Edinbro’…tell him… that it is not impossible we may again be Official Correspondents, which he may guess from a Report of the Comm[itte]e. of the House of Com[mon]s. I sent him, & one of which I inclose to you”. This refers to the 13 July 1807 Report into Palmer’s claim for his dues for his work “for the Reform and Improvement on the P.O. & its Revenue”. The rest of the letter concerns the merits of various actors and their suitability (or otherwise) for Palmer’s own Bath Theatre. Signed letters from Palmer are rare, especially in private hands. Cross Reference: COACHING, AUTOGRAPHS (Image)
Opening GBP 200.00
Sold...GBP 220.00
Closed..Jun-21-2023, 03:00:00 EST
Sold For 220
Sale No: 852
Lot No: 1092
Symbol:
ORIGIN OF THE 1d BLACK - VERY EARLY PERKINS & Co. BANKNOTE ESSAY INC. STAMP-LIKE DESIGNS; Most attractive c.1821 double-sided "Specimen of the SIDEROGRAPHIC Plan for preventing the Forgery of Bank Notes submitted to the Bankers of the United Kingdom BY PERKINS, FAIRMAN & HEATH, 69 Fleet street London" with fancy cartouches, small stamp-like portraits, engine-turned security backgrounds & other vignettes (printed on paper with two light vertical folds in centre & a couple of slight tone spots). The four examples of a very attractive circular portrait of a profile head on the side printed in blue are reminiscent of the 2d Blue that was produced 20 years later... Jacob Perkins and his staff came from the U.S. to England in 1819 specifically to win the contract to print Bank of England notes, hence this Essay. Very rare; only a handful of examples remain in private hands. Spectacular "Page One" Exhibition Item showing clear origins of several elements of Perkins Bacon & Co.'s 1d Black design. [See James Grimwood-Taylor's recent International Postal Reforms book, p.396.] [Ex Richard Payne, Cavendish Sept. 2013, lot 189; realised £783.] (Image)
Opening GBP 600.00
Sold...GBP 800.00
Closed..Jun-21-2023, 03:00:00 EST
Sold For 800
Sale No: 852
Lot No: 1093
Symbol:
CONGREVE BICOLOUR TAX STAMP ON BANKNOTE OF PERKINS BACON'S RIVALS KIRKWOOD & SONS; 1822 uncirculated "Twenty Shillings" banknote of "EAST LOTHIAN BANKING Co." with fine engraved vignettes of a wheat sheaf sculpture and a goddess of plenty, the latter with tiny "Kirkwood Script.& Sculpt. Edinr." at foot. This note resembles Perkins Bacon's work of the same date in many ways and has a very fine compound-printed Congreve patent bicolour "GR IV" 5d Tax Stamp on the reverse. Exhibition Quality. Cross Reference: SCOTLAND, REVENUES (Image)
Opening GBP 100.00
Sold...GBP 110.00
Closed..Jun-21-2023, 03:00:00 EST
Sold For 110
Sale No: 852
Lot No: 1094
Symbol:
FIRST DAY OF THE 1d BLACK - RARE CASH-PAID 2d-RATE LONDON COVER WITH "Cornhill/2D. PAID" MARK; 6 May 1840 EL (ref. an originally enclosed copy of an 1814 will - no longer present; filing creases almost clear of marks) from "Doctors Commons" to Essex Street (Strand) prepaid 2d in cash - the 1840 2d Blue is not thought to have been ready for use until two days later) endorsed "Paid" by the sender with a black "CORNHILL/2D. PAID" mark at top right partly overstruck by a mainly very fine red octagon-boxed "8NT PD 8NT/MY 6/1840" London local post datestamp. Only a handful of 6 May 1840 2d-rate covers have been recorded. [Ex Vandervelde] Cross Reference: FIRST DAY COVERS, LONDON POSTAL HISTORY, 1840 1d BLACKS (Image)
