FOREIGN BRANCH FANCY "FRANCHES" 2-RING MARKS ON COVERS TO LIVORNO: 1668/9 ELs (2 - the first toned) with partly fine strikes of the distinctive London Foreign Branch "FRANCHES" 2-ring marks. Some of the very earliest recorded London Foreign Branch marks. A good lot.Cross Reference: EARLY LETTERS (Image)

LONDON - P.O TAKE-OVER OF WILLIAM DOCKWRA'S 1d POST - LONDON GAZETTE/NEWSPAPER NOTICES ETC.: Rare 1682-1794 group of original complete newspapers inc. 3 with 1682/84 notices relating to the new Penny Post and comments made by Dockwra, a further four mid/late 18th references to "Bell men" and receivers or new rates and new franking rules, and a 1794 copy of The Sun reporting on the reorganisation of the Penny Post. Scarce and interesting lot. (7) Cross Reference: G.B.P.H. COLLECTIONS (Image)

1690s RECEIVERS INITIAL H.S.'s: 1690 EL to Bridgnorth with partial "$" h.s. on back adjacent to bishop marks; 1699 EL to Norfolk with over inked fancy "N" on back; also "LL", "NO", and indistinct receivers initial on other ELs inc. to France & Holland. (6) (Image)

EARLY LONDON FOREIGN BRANCH BISHOP MARKS - EX SPAIN & LOW COUNTRIES: 1699 EL ex Malaga to Edinburgh with mainly fine "DE/30" bishop mark & over inked "DW" (Daniel Wilkinson) receiver h.s.'s; 1700 EL ex Holland to Edinburgh with fine "MR/11" bishop mark on back; and 1727 EL ex Holland to Edinburgh endorsed "to the care of the postmaster" with fine "MR/25" bishop mark on back (partially across flap). (3) (Image)

DOCKWRA MIX INC. RARE "S·BAXTER", "ANDERSON" AND "MARTIN" HANDSTRUCK RECEIVER'S NAMES: 1774-1799 (one 1703) ELs; four with indistinct Dockwras and a trio bearing handstruck receiver's names. 1784 to Soho Square with fine S/TH Dockwra and S·BAXTER both slightly across join on reverse; 1790 to New Basinghall Street with an indistinct Dockwra and mainly fine ANDERSON both slightly across join on reverse; 1799 to Holborn with fine indented side night mark and fine MARTIN. (7 covers) (Image)

1711-1717 RANGE: Small group inc. 25 Feb. 1716 EL to Ashton, Lancashire ex London endorsed ms "Warrington Bagg", with fair "25/FE" Bishop Mark and fine "FH" circular hs on right flap, both in black; 12 Dec. 1717 EL to Wotton, Surrey ex Pall Mall, London, with fine rare "J2/DE" (J in place of 1) Bishop Mark and partial blurred "L" circular Receiver's Mark on bottom flap, both in black; plus other related examples. (6) (Image)

LONDON FOREIGN BRANCH MARKS ON EX CONTINENT PRESTAMP TO G.B., ETC.: 1724-c.1850 range of Es & ELs with various London receiving mark types, many early, inc. 1724 EL ex Belgium with fine F.B. "SE/24" Bishop mark on front, and other fine similar marks; 1802 part EL with very fine large double-ring "FOREIGN BRANCH/OC/5/1802" d.s. on back, and other examples of fine smaller types; 1836 EL ex Hamburg with very fine large red "SHIP LETTER/[crown]/26 NO 26/1886/LONDON" d.s. across flap, etc. A fine collection for study. (35) (Image)

SOUTHWARK OFFICE DOCKWRA MARKS FOR MON., THURS. OR FRIDAY: 1725/82 trio of ELs with fine to very fine Dockwra PENNY/POST/PAID marks; 1743 to Inner Temple with mainly fine S/FR mark with an inverted centre plus receiver's signature (Collins). 1725 EL to Chancery Lane with S/MO mark and 1782 EL with S/TH mark to Covent Garden. (3 covers) (Image)

1730-39 RANGE OF BISHOP & R.H. MARKS inc. 1731 EL to Ireland with fine "24/MA" Bishop mark & circular "IIS" (?) receiver h.s on front; plus other ELs with a variety of mainly fine Bishop marks or R.H. h.s.'s. (8) (Image)

1742-49 RANGE OF BISHOP & R.H. MARKS inc. 1742 EL to Hitchin with very fine "27/MA" Bishop mark & unframed "TT" receiver h.s on front; plus other ELs with a variety of mainly fine Bishop marks & R.H. h.s.'s. (8) (Image)

1750-55 RANGE OF BISHOP & R.H. MARKS inc. 1750 E (faults) to Castleton with a very fine "WS" receiver h.s on front; 1755 EL to Hockwold charged 4d (indistinct marks); plus many Es & ELs with a variety of mainly fine Bishop marks & R.H. h.s.'s. (12 items) (Image)

LONDON INSPECTORS MARKS - CROWNS, SOLID/HOLLOW STARS, ETC: 1750-1836 selection inc. 1750/89 trio of black Crowns inc. 1750 rated "In [all] 5N4" ex Ashbourne, Derbyshire; red 1785 Crown ("HAVERFORD/WEST"), 1814 F.B. fancy red Crown (ex Basel), 1795/6 pair of solid red "+" marks and a good range of other 1800+ red Crowns and Stars. Attractive group. (23 covers) (Image)

FULL SET OF MONDAY-SATURDAY "W"ESTMINSTER OFFICE DOCKWRA MARKS: 1752-1783 ELs/E with fine to very fine examples for W/MO (1788), W/TU (1764), and W/WE (1783), W/TH (1762), W/FR (1752) & W/SA (1783). Attractive set all with receiver's signatures. It is very difficult to complete the full set of six different days of the week for one office. (6 covers) (Image)

1755-59 RANGE OF BISHOP MARKS inc. rare April 1756 issues (2) of "THE WORLD...BY ADAM FITZ-ADAM" weekly newspaper with "15/AP" or "22/AP" Bishop marks & "RG" receiver h.s's on front; plus many ELs with a variety of mainly fine Bishop marks & R.H. h.s.'s. (12 items) (Image)

PRESTAMP EX/VIA LONDON TO CONTINENT MAILS INC. "?O" BISHOP, "B/RIS/TOL", ETC: 1758-1803 group of E/ELs; all scarce. Inc. two with "44 AYLES/BURY" 1st-type mileage; Bristol 1772 "B" and 1788 "?" reversed-N Bishop Mark. (5) (Image)

1760s/c.1770 COVERS BEARING DIFFERENT RECEIVING HOUSE INITIALS: Small range of E/ELs (+ 1 front) to Edinburgh, Essex, Norfolk, Yorkshire, etc. all with different Receiving House initial hs's. Inc. 1768 EL to Biddenden, Kent with fair red "POST/PAID" circular hs and black "RJ" Receiver's Mark on front (rare to see the Receiver's Mark on the address side!) and fine black "16/IA" Bishop Mark on reverse; plus other similar examples. No two covers have the same initials; a great resource. (22) (Image)

TEMPLE OFFICE DOCKWRA MARKS FOR WEDS. (2) OR SATURDAY: 1763/90 trio of ELs with fine to very fine Dockwra "PENNY/POST/PAID" marks; 1763 to Foundling Hospital with "T/WE" mark, 1790 to Hammersmith Terrace, Middlesex with "T/SA", 1778 to Bury Court with "T/WE" mark slightly overlapped with circular time mark. (3 covers) (Image)

HERMITAGE OFFICE – PAIR OF DOCKWRA MARKS FOR FRIDAY: Small 1764 EL to Foundling Hospital with fine H/FR Dockwra (slightly across join on reverse); plus 1777 EL to Primrose Street with mainly fine H/FR plus circular time marking. Dockwra marks from the Hermitage Office are very hard to find; a good pair. (2 covers) (Image)

GENERAL OFFICE DOCKWRA MARKS FOR MON., TUES. OR WEDS.: 1766-88 trio of ELs with fine to very fine Dockwra PENNY/POST/PAID marks of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; 1766 G/MO, 1770 G/TU and 1788 G/WE. All with the usual circular time markings. (3 covers) (Image)

LONDON LOCAL POST "EPHEMERA" INC. POST-DOCKWRA LONDON GAZETTE NOTICE, PRINTS, MAPS, ETC: Group inc. fine rare pair of Tallis' street views c.1838, mini-almanac for 1768, London Gazette 1682, group of letters (many with postal markings) with signatures (24) of Col. George Hanger (4th Baron, Coleraine). Also inc. an early range of mainly London related maps. (26 covers & c.16 other items) (Image)

GENERAL OFFICE DOCKWRA MARKS FOR WEDS., THURS. OR SAT.: 1768/90 ELs trio with Dockwra PENNY/POST/PAID and circular time marks; 1771 to Lamb's Conduit Fields (Camden) with fine G/WE Dockwra and fair circular time mark,; 1768 to Furnival's Inn, London with fair G/TH Dockwra plus overlapping circular time mark, and 1790 EL with fair G/SA Dockwra and overlapped double struck Chief Office time handstamp. (3 covers) (Image)

1770s LONDON RECEIVING HOUSE INITIALS: Range of E/ELs, all ex London, with different Receiving House initial handstamps. Inc. 3 July 1777 EL to Barnet with fine red "FREE" circular hs on front and "3/JY" Bishop Mark & scarce "MC" circular hs on reverse, both partial and in black; 6 Dec. 1777 EL to Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, with v. poor red Inspector's Crown mark on front, and fine "6/DE" Bishop Mark & fair "TT" circular hs on reverse, both in black; plus other similar examples. (24 covers) (Image)

LONDON GENERAL POST LETTER RECEIVERS' HANDSTRUCK NAME MARKINGS: 1771-94 covers with mainly fair to fine strikes of rare marks; 13 Jan. 1783 EL to Lutterworth with faint fancy (composed of stars) boxed "WALTER" hs, 8 May 1790 to Edinburgh with fair black 2-ring "CHARLES STREET SOHO/Street/ing" mark, 20 Apr. 1791 EL to Bath with partly fine purple 2-ring "TOTTENHAM COURT/GP/O/ROAD" mark, 3 Dec. 1794 EL to Taunton with fair black "G.P.O./GT SURRY ST/B.F.R." [Blackfriars Road] hs on reverse, etc. Many of these marks are more often found struck poorly than clearly; a collectable group of very elusive markings. (13 covers) (Image)

LONDON GENERAL POST RECEIVING HOUSE INITIALS MARKINGS: 1780-91 covers all with different Receiving House initials, inc. 8 Feb. 1780 EL to Coventry with fine "F" circular hs on reverse, 26 Apr. 1781 EL to Edinburgh with fine "M", 27 Nov. 1782 EL to Gainsborough with red "FREE" in circle & fine black "T.C"; and 1 Mar. 1788 EL to Brighton with fine black "MR/1/88" cds and poor partial black "MxE" 25mm circle hs on reverse, etc. A good lot. (15 covers) (Image)

OVAL UNFRAMED RECEIVING HOUSE MARKS - "unpaid" (SCARCE) & "Unpaid" TYPES: Inc. some in blue or red. 1796-c. 1821; Large selection with three covers having the scarce early 'small u' marks (1798-1801), plus a very large number with the longer-lived 'large U' marks inc. 13 blue (inc. 7 "Mill Hill") and 18 red. Very mixed strikes. (110 covers) (Image)