RARE COMPLETE 1st-MONTH USAGE OF THE 1d BLACK "HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT" ENVELOPE SIGNED BY M.P.; 29 Jan. 1840 1st-fortnight usage of the rare 1d Black "To be posted at the Houses of Parliament only./Post Paid. - One Penny. - Weight not to exceed 1/2 ½ oz." env. (light dusting etc.) to Tenterden and signed by "Geo Wm. Wood" (Whig M.P. for Kendal 1837-43) with the red London crowned Official "PAID" Mail cds nicely placed on the front. This is Huggins & Klempka type EHP4ba (wrongly recorded in the book as EHP4ca) of which only 3 other examples are recorded in private hands (there is also one in the London Postal Museum). It is setting 1 (full stop at end of 1st line directly above the "½") with the line beneath, and it has the complete "HARRIS/&/TREMLETT/1839" watermark. Rare example of this very first British Postage Stamp (introduced on 16 Jan. 1840, 3½ months before the 1d Black or Mulready!) Seldom seen. [Ex Severn Collection, 13 Apr. 2010; lot 20002, est. e3,000-4,000.] Cross Reference: LONDON POSTAL HISTORY, FREE MAIL, PARLIAMENTARY MAIL (Image)

UNIFORM 1d POSTAGE FDC - ABOVE ½oz PREPAID 2d RATE WITHIN LONDON: Fine 10 Jan. 1840 EL sent locally on this important date. Prepaid 2d (above ½oz to 1oz), with mainly v. fine red "Chief-Office/2D PAID" on front and matching "PD/JA 10/1840/8 NT" octagonal ds on top flap. Exhibition quality. (Image)