UNRECORDED HANDSTRUCK "SHIP" MARK WITH MATCHING "WATERFORD" MARK ON COVER EX U.S. TO LONDON; Fine "13th 10th mo[nth; i.e. October]. 1753" E from "Philad[elph]ia" to London and unusually endorsed "Via Ireland" on the front; the ship landed – almost certainly on 28th-31st Dec. 1753 – at "WATERFORD" (straight-line mark on the front) where the matching very rare "SHIP" mark was applied. This "SHIP" mark is larger than Waterford's exceptionally early 1712-17 "SHIP" but also clearly different to its 1772 "SHIP" mark. Only a handful of pre-1780 Waterford "SHIP" marks have been recorded; 3 of the 1st-type 1712-17; the earliest of these is now in London's Postal Museum), this solitary 1753 example, and a solitary 1772 example. The rarity of all Waterford Ship Letter marks is further emphasised by there being only 4 examples of any of the types recorded from 1712 to 1799 now being in private hands! Fine Exhibition Quality cover - a significant addition for any Irish, Transatlantic, or British Maritime PH Collection. [Ex Graham Booth, 2022.]Cross Reference: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, TRANSATLANTIC MAIL, SHIP LETTERS (Image)

UNIQUE(?) RED BOXED "PAID at DERRY/S D/British…[0-5]/Foreign…[0-5]/[=] 0-10" MARK ON COVER TO FRANCE; Colourful 29 Nov. 1843 small env. from London/Derry in the north of Ireland to Boulogne with a superb strike of the otherwise unrecorded red framed "PAID at DERRY/S D/British…[0-5]/Foreign…[0-5]/[=] 0-10" Handstruck mark nicely positioned at top left alongside the red oval-framed London "P[aid to the] D[estination]" and tombstone-framed "PAID" datestamp (2 Dec.) which is overlapped by a faint black "ANGL./1 BOULOGNE 1" arrival mark (3 Dec.), There are backstamps of Derry, Belfast and Boulogne. It is most peculiar that this spectacular mark was so little-used; perhaps it was not authorised by Dublin and therefore soon withdrawn. Unique 1840s Handstruck routing and 'split-rates' mark. Superb Exhibition Quality Gem. [Ex Pat Stilwell-Walker, June 2028, lot 708; realised £1,810.]Cross Reference: POSTAGE DUE MARKS, OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS, FRANCE (Image)

SPOON CANCELLATIONS - DUBLIN/BELFAST/CLONMEL: Trio of envs. franked 1d red stars - 1855 cancelled with very scarce dark green diamond "186" (type no. 7) with similar ds in opposite corner; 1855 cancelled with Belfast "62" ds (type b); 1857 cancelled uncommon Clonmel "142" (type?). All very fine strikes. (Image)

RARE IRISH ISLANDS C.D.S.'s - BERE (INC. MTO SKELETON), LITTLE & SHERKIN (EIRE FRANKINGS) ISLANDS; 1895 1d Pink usage + 1907 PPC cancelled with mainly fine "LITTLE ISLAND" (off Cove) cds's (2 types), 1911 PPC with "BERE ISLAND/BANTRY" cds's (one endorsed "Not for" in red), 1916 PPC with v. fine rare "BERE ISLAND/ M T O" Skeleton cds cancel (only one other example recorded) of the short-lived Military Telegraph Office, and fine 1934/62 pair of Eire frankings (PPC + P. Stat. regd. env.) with very fine Gaelic "INIS ARCAAIN/SCIOBAIRIN" rubber or cds of Sherkin Island (latter with English "Sherkin Island" R label). Rare and attractive group. (6 covers/cards) [All ex Michael Goodman.] (Image)