1840, 1d and 2d Mulready envelopes (stereos A189 and a202 respectively), both unused, the 2d with some creasing, one being an attractive and scarce pre-printing paper crease, fine and 1d very fine with a crisp clear impression. (Image)

1840, 1d Mulready wrapper facsimile, stereo A50, sent within London, cancelled by oily black imitation Maltese Cross, reverse with London JY 8 1840 tombstone ds, some minor staining and address over-written, unusual. (Image)

1840, 1d black pl.1a CH, unused with fine to good margins, clear sharp impression showing some wear with very weak left frame line, an attractive and scarce unused example, a wonderful example of this rare unused classic stamp; signed and cert. E. Diena (1985) (SG £18'500) (Image)

1840, 1d black pl.1b MC-MD used pair, very good to large even margins, cancelled by two crisp upright Maltese Crosses in red, image of the Queens head on both clearly visible despite the clear lightly stuck cancels, an exquisite pair, cert. BPA (1968). (Image)

1840, 1d black pl.1b MH, unused with close to good margins, attractive slightly worn impression showing clear re-entry marks in NE square, some faint toning from the gum on reverse, a rare unused example of this popular and valuable classic rarity (SG £12'500). (Image)

1840, 1d black pl.1b ML used, with good to very large margins, tied to a small fragment by two strikes of a Maltese Cross in red, very fine example and scarce with such large margins. (Image)

1840, 1d grey-black pl.2 LH used, with close to large margins, cancelled by neat, crisp, sharp, and vivid Maltese Cross in red, a striking example of the popular classic stamp. (Image)

1840, 1d black pl.2 LJ used, with fine to good margins, lightly cancelled by Maltese Cross in red, very fine. (Image)

1840, 1d black pl.2 ML used, with good to large margins, tied to small fragment by two strikes of a crisp, clear and vivid Maltese Cross in red, very fine and an attractive example of the World First stamp, a highly collectable example. (Image)

1840, 1d black pl.3 JL used, with large to very large margins, showing a portion of an adjoining stamp at the top, cancelled by a crisp and complete Maltese Cross in red, showing a clear vertical guideline in the left margin, a very fine example and a rarity with the entire MC cross visible (SG £500). (Image)

1840, 1d grey-black pl.3 ML used, with good to large margins, cancelled by clear, crisp and vivid Maltese Cross in red and a clear image of the Queens face, showing faint horizontal guide line at top, a striking example of this popular classic stamp from a rarer plate (SG £500). (Image)

1840, 1d black pl.4 KJ used, with good to very good margins, cancelled by crisp Maltese Cross in red, showing faint horizontal guide line below check letters and foot of value, tiny tear confined to margin at top above "G", a highly attractive example. (Image)

1840, 1d black pl.4 LJ used, with good to very good margins, cancelled by clear, crisp and vivid Maltese Cross in red, Queens face is still visable, an extremely fine and striking example. (Image)

1840, 1d black pl.6 LL right marginal, with good to huge large margins, neatly cancelled by Maltese Cross in red, a very fine and rare sheet marginal example. (Image)

1840, 1d black pl.6 TL, unused with fine to good even margins, some usual tone spots, attractively sharp impression, a very fine example of this rare and popular classic stamp (SG £13'500). (Image)

1840, 1d greyish black pl.7 BG, with fine to large margins, cancelled by crisp Maltese Cross in black, very fine. (Image)

1840, 1d black pl.8 IK, with fine to good margins, cancelled by Maltese Cross in red, very fine. (Image)

1840, 2d blue pl.1 LL, right sheet marginal, with good to very large margins, cancelled by Maltese Cross in red, very fine and rare marginal single (SG £975). (Image)

1840, 2d blue pl.2 PH, with good to very large margins, showing portions of adjoining stamp at the bottom, cancelled by strikingly crisp clear Maltese Cross in black, an extremely fine example of this wonderful classic stamp (SG £1'000). (Image)

1841, 1d red-brown, pair on very blue paper, MD-ME, mint with large part original gum, with good to very large margins showing portions of adjoining stamp at left, very fine and fresh and of superb appearance (SG £1'400). (Image)

1841, 1d red-brown on blued paper, wmk small crown, DA/EB mint showing large part original gum, left sheet marginal block of four, with good to huge margins showing a small portion of the marginal inscription "nt." bottom left, hinge marks on each stamp with thin on EA, a wonderful showpiece and a very scarce multiple (S.G. £3'200). (Image)

1841, 2d blue pl.3, NA-NB pair with large to very large margins showing portions of adjoining stamp at right, plus attractive example of the "ivory head" visible from the reverse, neatly cancelled by Maltese crosses in black, very fine and very well-margined pair. (Image)

1870-79 1/2d rose-red pl.8 mint block of four, slightly toned gum and usual gum crazing, lower pair mint n.h., very fine and rare multiple of this scarcer plate (S.G. £2'400 as four singles) (Image)

1870-74 1 1/2d lake-red pl.1 unused and slightly thin, a scarce single for the rarer plate (SG £725) (Image)

1847-54 1s Embossed frankings on pair of 1857 covers to the USA, incl. 1s deep green on envelope from Banbridge (Ireland) to North Carolina, clear margins but with two scissor cuts into stamp, tied by "58" Irish numeral with despatch bs; and entire from Upper Mill to New York "per Arabia" with two 1s pale green cut-to-shape tied by Manchester sideways duplexes; a fine pair. (Image)