1855 4d carmine Pl.2 (Wmk. Small Garter). Very fine large part o.g. imperforate bottom marginal imprimatur printed on highly glazed deeply blued paper. SG62var Cat. £8500. (Image)

1855 4d carmine (Wmk. Small Garter). Fine unused large part o.g. example, slightly off-white gum as often seen. SG62 1976 RPS Cert. Cat. £8500. (Image)

1856 4d rose (Wmk. Medium Garter). Very fine unused large part o.g. example printed on ordinary white paper. Lovely colour, a very difficult stamp to find in this quality. SG65 Cat. £13000 (Image)

1857 4d rose (Wmk. Large Garter). Very fine unused large part o.g. example printed on ordinary white paper. SG66a 1963 RPS Certificate. (Image)

1856 6d deep lilac (Wmk. Emblems). Very fine large part o.g. imperforate imprimatur printed on thick highly glazed blued paper. SG69var. 1989 RPS Certificate. Cat. £6500. (Image)

1856 6d Plate proof. Very fine four margin imperforate example printed in green on white wove unwatermarked paper with Helmsley/Crown trial cancellation. Scarce. SG68var Cat. £7500 (Image)

1856 6d deep lilac (Wmk. Emblems). Very fine large part o.g. example, lovely fresh vibrant colour, difficult to find so fine. SG69 Cat. £1800. (Image)

1856 6d pale lilac (Azure paper). Fine used horizontal pair cancelled by London ‘WC/15’ district office duplexes for NO.26.1861. SG70a. 1986 RPS Cert. Cat. £1900 (Image)

1856 1s deep green (Wmk. Emblems). Fine large part o.g. example, with the typical off-white streaky gum. Scarce shade. 1941 RPS Certificate. SG71 Cat. £5750. (Image)

1860 Registered Mail. Fine wrapper from London to Rotterdam, the 1s10d rate prepaid by a 4d rose-carmine (SG66), 6d deep lilac (SG68) and 1s green (SG72), each neatly tied by a London Chief Office ’24’ numeral. Superb red Crown/Registered handstamp and red Lombard Street and Registered/London date stamps on obverse for JU.9.1860. Light Rotterdam receiving cds on reverse. Some toning to the wrapper, not affecting the stamps and still a very presentable three colour franking of the first surface printed issues. (Image)

1857 Overseas mail. Very fine entire to Victoria Cross recipient Major-General Henry Hugh Clifford V.C. C.B. K.C.M.G, addressed to Rome and prepaid by a 1s green (SG72) tied by a London ‘W/5’ district office numeral, London cds on reverse for AP.20.1857. Lord Clifford was awarded his V.C. for conspicuous courage at the battle of Inkermann in leading a charge, killing one of the enemy with his sword, disabling another and saving the life of a soldier. (Image)

1861-62 Overseas Mail. Neatly written up album page with two fine covers from London to the United States. Both prepaid with a 1s green (SG72), the the first dated AP.27.1861 to Cambridge Mass. with a transit time of 12 days. The second dated JU.13.1862 to San Francisco which was deemed and hand stamped ‘INSUFFICIENTLY PREPAID’ even though the transit time was 213 days! Unusual. (Image)

1862 3d deep carmine-rose Pl.2 State 2. Very fine unused large part o.g. imperforate imprimatur lettered SI. Couple of minute tones at upper right, nevertheless very scarce, only 22 possible examples. SG75var Cat. £5500 (Image)

1862 3d pale carmine-rose Pl.2. Superb unused large part o.g. example lettered BB with only the merest hint of a previous hinge. Lovely colour and gum, a choice example. SG77 Cat. £2700. (Image)

1862 4d bright red Pl.3. Very fine unused large part o.g. example lettered AD, lovely colour. SG79 1981 RPS Certificate. Cat. £2200 (Image)

1863 4d bright red Pl.4. Very fine unused large part o.g. example lettered SH, small corner crease at upper right nevertheless a very presentable example. SG81. Cat. £2300 (Image)

1863 4d pale red Pl.4. Very fine unused large part o.g. four margin imperforate example lettered HF. Scarce. SG82a 1987 RPS Certificate. Cat. £2400 (Image)

1864 6d lilac Pl.4. Very fine unused large part o.g. example lettered TC. Lovely colour and gum, scarce. SG85 Cat. £3000 (Image)

1864 6d lilac Pl.4. Very fine unused (no gum) imperforate imprimatur lettered AD, scarce only 22 possible examples. SG85var. Cat. £4500 (Image)

1862 9d bistre Pl.2. Fine unused large part o.g. imperforate imprimatur lettered TE, some light rubbing affecting Queen’s portrait nevertheless very scarce, only 22 possible examples. SG86var Ex R.M. Phillips. Cat. £6000. (Image)

1862 9d straw Pl.2. Very fine and fresh unused (no gum) example lettered BB, superb centring and colour. SG87 Cat. £4000 (Image)

1862 9d straw Pl.2. Very fine used example lettered MA, neatly cancelled by a perfectly struck Sunderland ‘761’ numeral. SG87 Cat. £475 (Image)

1862 1s deep green Pl.1=2. Very fine unused regummed example lettered HG, lovely deep colour. SG89 Cat. £4800 (Image)

1865 3d rose Pl.4 (Wmk. Emblems). Very fine unused (no gum) top marginal imperforate imprimatur lettered AC, just touched at upper right. Scarce only 22 possible examples. SG92var Cat. £2500 (Image)

1865 3d rose Pl.4 (Wmk. Emblems). Fine unused regummed example lettered CB. SG92 Cat. £2500 (Image)