COLLECTION INC. RARE EARLY, EXPERIMENTAL & EVENING HSs: A box file containing 1718-1838 range of ELs & fronts mainly on written-up pages inc. 1791 EL with rare very fine red double circle "FREE/C/*" hs of Charles Colston (used for 13 months, only 10 examples known); 1800 EL with very fine large red "[crown]/SEP19/1800/FREE" experimental hs ("FREE" not in crown); 1807 EL with very fine black double ring "FREE [in crown]/JUN 19/1807" evening hs used between 13/6/1806 to 3/7/1807; 1821 printed Parliamentary Proceedings wrapper addressed to Corfe Castle with fine double ring additional afternoon hs; 1828 E with mainly fine red Free hs on front and very fine boxed "Oakhampton/5th Clause Post" hs on back; and other fine examples of various types. Also, 1718 EL with a faint Dockwra hs across flap. (90) (Image)

THE VERY RARE 'SHAMROCK'-TYPE DUBLIN "FREE" IN CIRCLE MARK ON COVER EX ENGLAND TO ANTRIM; 10 May 1709 EL (some stains of old sellotape - that needs to be removed asap - affect edges/folds; some damp/stains affecting address and paper reinforced behind part of mark) from "Fisherwick" (the addressee's mansion, near Lichfield) addressed "To the Rt. Honoble. Visct. Massereene at Antrim, Per Dublin" and endorsed "poft paid 6d"; the additional "10[d]" charge on the front has been cancelled and there is a faint (as usual for this) Dublin "[shamrock]/FREE/[shamrock]" in circle mark (small hole at right) on the front, which matches the partly fine Dublin "MA/17" Bishop Mark on the flap. We have only recorded 3 other examples (2 of 1708 + one of 1710) of this very rare Dublin mark in private hands, none of which are complete strikes. This 1709 cover was spotted by a Cavendish describer in a miscellaneous group of Irish prestamp covers that appears not to have seen the light of day since the 1960s. [The 1710 cover with an almost invisible strike sold at auction in 2009 for £490+BP.] An important addition to any Irish or Free Mail collection. [Ex Vandervelde.]Cross Reference: STAFFORDSHIRE, IRELAND PRE-1922 - POSTAL HISTORY (Image)