'BETTER' (NO DERBY) PARCEL POST LABELS (ALMOST ALL STAMPED) INC. QV, X-LIST Nos., NAME-CHANGES, ETC.; Very fine and unusual 1895-1913 lot (all stamps well tied; none removed) inc. 1895/6 CLAY CROSS or CLOWN pair with Jubilee 3d's, 1903/6 trio with KEVII 3d (STATION ST/ASHBOURNE - rare cds), 4d (HIGHER BUXTON) and 6d (TWO DALES), and '4th Period' group (6) inc. stampless 1909/13 pair with "Matlock Bath M.R.J/Matlock Bank" o.p. or manuscript "Chesterfield" on blank label (X-List "442"), and 1909/12 quartet with KEVII 6d (corner fault but "Bath" cancelled from "Matlock Bath" heading), 5d (2; ASHOVER or RIPLEY; X-List nos. "125" or "21") and 2d Pair (CHAPEL MILTON). Excellent group, 6 of which are illustrated in colour in the Midland PHS Parcel Post book (2018). (11 labels) Cross Reference: PARCEL POST COVERS/LABELS (Image)

ALFRETON - ONLY KNOWN (?) HORSESHOE + MISSENT 1d RED & "GREENHILL LANE" UDC; 7 Apr. 1798 EL from "Aldercar" to Leek charged "4" with mainly very fine Horseshoe "ALFRETON" (DY2 believed to be the only recorded example - crossed by slightly toned filing fold) nicely placed on the front; plus 31 Aug. 1844 EL (sizeable order for various coloured paints) from Edinburgh to Derby with 4-margin 1d Red tied by "131" Numeral but endorsed "Mifsnt. to Alfreton" in red on the front, and 23 Apr. 1859 EL to Rotherham with 1d Red 'Stars' tied by Alfreton"6" Numeral with v. fine rare "GREENHILL-LANE" UDC (only recorded example?) nicely placed on the lower flap. Rare and attractive trio. (3 covers)Cross Reference: MISSENT MAIL, SCOTLAND (Image)

ASHBOURNE - 4d-POST PERIOD, 1853 MANUSCRIPT "Missent to" & 1848 SANSERIF TRAVELLER D.S. COVERS; Fine and rare 15 Dec. 1839 EL from "ASHBOURN" (v. fine cds on flap) charged "4" to Leek during the Uniform 4d Postage Period, 8 Aug. 1848 1d cash-paid EL from "MELBOURNE" (v. fine blue-black sanserif UDC on front) to Ashbourne with mainly v. fine rare blue sanserif "ASHBOURNE/1" Skeleton d.s. (the only recorded example?) also on the front, and 1853 EL from Ashby to Loughborough with fine 4-margin 1d Red tied by "30" Numeral but also having a mainly fine blue "ASHBOURNE/A" cds endorsed "Missent to" on the front (?the only known 19th century Ashbourne Missent cover). Rare trio. (3 covers)Cross Reference: UNIFORM 4d POSTAGE PERIOD, MISSENT MAIL (Image)

ASHBOURNE/CHESTERFIELD - EARLY LETTER EX "EATON [DOVEDALE HALL]" NEAR DOVERIDGE; 13 Feb. 1650 EL (some reinforced folds and overall dusting, but with original enclosure) from "Sir "Tho[mas]. Milward" at "Eaton" (i.e. Eaton Dovedale Hall near Doveridge - an "ambitious stone mansion" of 1576 which was already ruinous by 1789) addressed "To my very good Cosen, Mr. George Taylor at his house in Chesterfield, [this letter be] d[elivere]d."; carried by private means long before there were any Post Office services in the area. A legal opinion from Judge Milward concerning a land dispute at "Tapton" and "Calow" near Chesterfield. One of very few pre-1660 Derbyshire letters recorded in private hands.Cross Reference: EARLY LETTERS (Image)

BAKEWELL - 1627 'MINI-SPEED' MAP, NORDEN MILEAGE-CHART, UDC, 4d-POST FREE & 1873 LOCAL REGD.; Very fine ex-Atlas c.1627 "Miniature John Speed" map of Derbyshire + fine 1731 John Norden Derbyshire mileage-chart both showing the town as "Banckewell"; plus 23 Dec. 1839 opened out env. franked by the Duke of "Devonshire" during the 4d-Post Period with "BAKEWELL" mileage-removed, local 1845 EL with 1d Red tied by "41" with v. fine red "YOULGRAVE" UDC on flap, and 1873 wrapper (faults) regd. from Bakewell to Eyam with remarkable 4d+2d+½d franking. Rare group. (5 items)Cross Reference: MAPS, REGISTERED MAIL, FREE MAIL, UNIFORM 4d POSTAGE PERIOD (Image)

BELPER - RARE PRESTAMP UDC, SPECTACULAR "64" NUMERAL & EARLY TONGA "TIN CAN MAIL" COVER; 2 Aug. 1837 EL to Shropshire with very fine rare "BELPER" UDC across the join (only a handful have been recorded; DY60, 1837-9), spectacular 27 Aug. 1851 E to Bakewell with 4-margin 1d Red (file fold) tied by only the very edge of a very fine "64" Numeral (rare thus!), and fine and early 25 Oct. 1935 ingoing "TIN CAN MAIL" cover from Belper to "Neiafu, Tonga Isles" with KGV 2½d tied by fine 2-ring "BELPER" cds and also having 15 Tin Can Mail cachets (6 on the front and 9 on the reverse; C1, C5, C6, C12, C24b, FL2, FL4, FL8, FL10, FL11, FL13, ML4, ML6, ML8A and SL5!!). Rare lot. (3 covers)Cross Reference: TONGA, KGV ISSUES, 1841 1d REDS, 1840s CANCELLATIONS (Image)

BUXTON - 1d BLACK COVER WITH "18" YEAR-DATE ERROR + UNDERPAID 1866 4d-RATE TO FRANCE; Remarkable 14 Sept. 1840 E to Liverpool with Plate 4 1d Black (GA; good to huge margins all round but just touched at top right) tied by an orange-red Buxton Maltese Cross with a very fine matching "BUXTON" cds alongside which shows a most unusual "18" for "1840" year error. Plus 1866 env. (some dusting and edge-wear) with 4d Vermilion (pl. 7) tied by v. fine "BUXTON/155" Duplex but with red London "PD" in circle struck in error and cancelled with special-purposes London "50" Numeral because it was overweight; also with v. fine London "INSUFFICIENTLY/PREPAID" and French "12" (decimes to pay) marks on the front. (2 covers)Cross Reference: 1840 1d BLACKS, OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS, POSTAGE DUE MARKS, FRANCE (Image)

CHAPEL EN LE FRITH - RARE 1d BLACK COVER + SCARCE 1891 "J.97" NUMERAL & 1907 UDC "R" LABEL; c.Aug. 1840 E to Cheadle with Plate 2 1d Black (SH; clear margins except touched at foot) tied by a fine red MX with matching v. fine rare red "CHAPEL-IN-LE-FRITH" UDC across the join on the reverse; plus 1891 env. with 1d Lilac tied by very fine scarce "J.97" Chapel tall Numeral, and 24 Dec. 1907 env. regd. to Mellor with KEVII 1d Strip of Three tied by v. fine "CHAPEL.EN.LE.FRITH" cds's but also with 'anonymous' 1st-Type blue "R" label alongside with the same cds but with date removed. Rare trio. (3 covers)Cross Reference: REGISTERED MAIL, 1840 1d BLACKS (Image)

CHESTERFIELD - TWICE-CHARGED 1742 FREE + IRISH 1d RED ENV. CANCELLED ON ARRIVAL BY STAVELEY C.D.S.; Fine and attractive 3 Apr. 1742 EL to London with very fine "CHESTER/FIELD" on the flap beside the Bishop mark but with the initial "4" charge cancelled (to Sir John Heathcote - ? an M.P.?) although the "4" charge was then reinstated with a P.O. Inspector's initials; plus 25/27 July 1859 env. from Dublin to "Staveley nr. Chesterfield" with 1d Red 'Stars' tied by the tiniest whisker of an off-edge "DUBLIN/186" Duplex (with a 2nd v. fine strike alongside) - on arrival the stamp was additionally cancelled by a fair grey-green "STAVELEY" cds (rare in itself and especially so as a cancellation). (2 covers) Cross Reference: FREE MAIL, IRELAND PRE-1922 - POSTAL HISTORY, 1854-65 1d REDS (Image)

CRESWELL STATION - RARE "CONVEYED IN MIDLAND TRAINS/OVER L.D. & E.C. LINE" ON RLY. LRE. STAMP COVER; Fine 18 Dec. 1906 env. (to Rev. L. Graham with "Per [LDEC] Railway" imprint) from "[Creswell & W.] Station" to Stoke with KEVII ½d Pair overlapped slightly by a Lancs, Derbys & East Coast Railway 2d Green stamp all tied by a superb "SHEFFIELD" 2-ring transit cds and by a very fine and very rare purple "CONVEYED IN MIDLAND TRAINS/OVER L.D. & E.C. LINE" transit cachet (struck in Worksop or Sheffield?). Specular cover with this rare Railway Letter stamp and an exceptional Rail cachet. Exhibition Quality.Cross Reference: RAILWAY LETTER STAMPS & COVERS, YORKSHIRE (Image)

DERBY - RARE S. LINES, EARLY MISSENT, 4d-POST WITH "No.1" & c.1820 PRINTED COMIC VALENTINE; Fine 1767 EL (originally enclosed "a Note of £77-12s" rents) from "Weston Upon Trent" to "Post Office, Barnet" with very fine "DERBY" nicely placed on flap, Feb. 1801 E with mainly very fine rare short-lived "D E R B Y", 1824 EL ex London to Hognaston with mainly v. fine boxed "MISSENT TO/DERBY" in unusual brown colour, fine 7 Jan. 1840 EL from "Edgehill" (Duffield) to M. Harbro' charged "4" of the Uniform 4d Postage Period with mainly fine brown boxed Duffield "No.1" RH mark on the front and v. fine "DERBY" cds on the reverse, and unusual c.1820 printed street-ballad "A CURIOUS VALENTINE, Found by a Young WOMAN in Derby..." printed in Derby (overall toning) with amusing contents from "your unhappy Lover, H___Y S----R". Rare group. (5 items)Cross Reference: VALENTINES, MISSENT MAIL, UNIFORM 4d POSTAGE PERIOD, MIDDLESEX (Image)

DERBY - THE RARE "TOO LATE" MARK IN BLACK RED OR BLUE - LATTER WITH 1d RED & BLUE MALTESE CROSS; Remarkable 1832/41/42 set of three covers each with the very rare Derby Handstruck "TOO LATE" mark; 1832 EL to Loughborough with strike in black (only 3 or 4 known in this colour), Jan. 1841 large part 1d cash-paid env. to London with "TOO LATE" in red with matching "DERBY" cds's, and unique 18 June 1842 E to Pembroke (via "GLOUCESTER/STATION" - cds on back) with 1d Red (near 4m; just into at lower right) tied by blurred but clearly BLUE Maltese Crosses with matching cds and Blue-black "TOO LATE" on the flap. The red and blue examples of this elusive TOO LATE mark are believed to be the only recorded examples. (3 covers)Cross Reference: 1841 1d REDS, 1840s CANCELLATIONS, LATE FEE/TOO LATE MAIL (Image)

DERBY - LAST DAY/S BEFORE 1d BLACK USAGE - CASH-PAID PAIR SENT WITH 2 HALVES OF A £1,000 BANKNOTE!; 5/8 May 1840 pair of 1d cash-paid ELs sent from "DERBY" (black and red cds's respectively - suggesting the arrival of 1d Blacks?) to the same Preston firm from the same Derby firm and each noting that they contained "the first half of a Bank Note for £1,000" or "the remaining half of Bank Note No. HB49507... [for the] amount £1,000"! Sent in the interim between the abolition of Money Letters (from 1 Jan. 1840) and the start of inland Registered mail (16 Jan. 1841). The first posted on the Last Day before the introduction of the 1d Black. (The earliest recorded 1d Black usage from Derby is 9 May 1840.) Rare matched pair in two different ways. The £1,000 note in question would have been worth a little more than £100,000 in 2020's money. Unique Pair?! (2 covers) Cross Reference: 1840 1d BLACKS, POSTAL REFORMS, REGISTERED MAIL (Image)

DERBY - 1d BLACK COVER WITH MULREADY-LIKE INSURANCE CO. ADVERTISING CONTENTS; 15 Apr. 1841 E from Derby (v. fine cds on top flap) to Bakewell with 1d Black (Plate 1b?; QE - cut in haste and so with giant to cut-into margins) just tied by a fine black Derby Maltese Cross; the content consist of a printed advertisement for the "NATIONAL PROVIDENT INSTITUTION" listing all their Agents and Doctors around the country (naming those for Derby) and giving details of the numbers of their issued policies, etc. - very similar to adverts found in the Mulreadys of the period. Rare thus. [Ex Harold Wilson.]Cross Reference: MULREADY STATIONERY & PROPAGANDA COVERS, 1840 1d BLACKS, ADVERTISING COVERS (Image)

DERBY - UNUSUAL NUMERAL & DUPLEX COVERS INC. RED DUPLEX, 3rd-DAY "242", CANCELLED CDS'S, ETC.; 1844-76 covers inc. 3 May 1844 E to London with 3m 1d Red tied by 3rd-Day Usage of the "242" Numeral (partly over the edge; EKD for Derby Numeral), v. fine 4m 1d Red on Dec. 1844 env. with superb "242", 1851 EL to Loughbro' with vertical and horiz. 1d Reds (4m & v. near 4m) in opposite corners (1d Late Fee paid) both tied by small "242" Numerals, rare 1860/4 pair of 1d Red envs. to Derby with arrival cds errors on reverse cancelled by "242" Numerals or Derby Duplex, extraordinary 25 June 1872 local env. (roughly opened with loss of part Duplex's cds) with 1d Red (pl.151) tied by "DERBY/242" Duplex in a bold red ink (with 1870 regd. letter receipt showing the use of the red ink for the oval "REGISTERED/DERBY" d.s.), and 1876 1d Red mourning env. with fancy printed mourning enclosures. Remarkable and unusual lot; we do not recall having seen a red 1870s Duplex before. (7 covers + 1 receipt)Cross Reference: LATE FEE/TOO LATE MAIL, 1840s CANCELLATIONS (Image)

DERBY - 'BETTER' SUB-OFFICE UDCs - ALVASTON, BRAILSFORD, BREADSALL, K. LANGLEY & OCKBROOK; 1845-60 covers (1d Reds or 1d Pinks) all with very fine strikes of these Derby village UDCs; ALVASTON (large sanserif black + rare 27 Jan. 1860 small sanserif blue), BRAILSFORD (blue-green sanserif; Derby s/ways duplex), BREADSALL (blue-green sanserif), KIRK-LANGLEY (black sanserif; Derby s/ways duplex) and OCKBROOK (blue-green large serif). All on reverse of the covers. Good hand-picked lot. (6 covers) (Image)

DERBY - QV SURFACE-PRINTED MAIL TO OVERSEAS INC. "via Ostend" CACHET, REGD. TO USA, ETC.; 1860-94 covers all from Derby to overseas; 1860 to Luzern (6d Lilac; ex "Markeaton" Hall), 1866 to Brussels (3d Rose-Red with unusual blue sender's "via Ostend" cachet, 1871 to Victoria (6d Mauve; fine "SPONDON" cds on back), 1872 to US (3d Rose-Red tied by superb Duplex), Nov. 1875 to Germany (2½d Rosy-mauve; m/s "via Belgium"), 1877 to Paris (1d Red + 2x2d Blues), and 1894 regd. to USA (scarce Jubilee 1/- Green single-franking). Hand-picked lot and took decades to assemble. (7 covers)Cross Reference: OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS, REGISTERED MAIL, BELGIUM, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (Image)

DERBY SQUARED CIRCLE - EARLY USAGE ON ½d BROWN PC + 'DUMB' CANCELS ON COVER REGD. LOCALLY; Attractive 21 May 1882 usage of the QV ½d Brown postal stationery PC (trivial corner faults) with printed Edinburgh address (seemingly complying with an autograph request) cancelled by a very fine strike of this rare Squared Circle, code K8. Very few examples known, especially used as cancellations in the 1880s. [The similar 1881 usage on cover with 1d Lilac realised £156 inc. BP in Cavendish's Dec. 2013 auction, lot 958.] Plus unusual local 1898 env. with 1d Lilacs Strip of Three tied by oval barred cork cancels with oval "REGISTERED/DERBY" d.s. and faint purple oval "R/FEE PAID" alongside. (2 items) Cross Reference: SQUARED CIRCLES, REGISTERED MAIL, POSTAL STATIONERY, Q.V. (Image)

DERBY/OCKBROOK - VERY RARE 1st-TYPE "PARCELS POST" SUB-OFFICE DESIGN LABEL WITH C.D.S.; 22 Oct. 188? usage of this very rare label (light horiz. crease does not detract) with mainly fine strike of the small "OCKBROOK" cds with a somewhat unclear date. Only one other Derbyshire 1st-Type Parcels Post label has been recorded. This example is illustrated in the Midland Counties Parcel Post Labels book (2018) on p.54. Important Exhibition Item for any Derby or Derbyshire PH Collection.Cross Reference: PARCEL POST COVERS/LABELS (Image)

'BETTER' DERBY VILLAGE/SUB-OFFICE PARCEL POST LABELS (ALMOST ALL STAMPED) INC. NAME-CHANGE, ETC.; Very fine and unusual 1902-18 lot (all stamps well tied; none removed) inc. CHELLASTON (1902; 3xKEVII 1d), FRITCHLEY (1911; 1d+3d), STANTON-BY-BRIDGE (c.1903; 3d+1d), WEST HALLAM (1905; 4d+1d), Litchurch (1906; 2x2d), m/s "Litchurch" changed from printed "Parcel Post Depot" (1902?; stampless), New Normanton (1905; 4d), Ashbourne Rd. (1913; KGV 4d), Duffield Rd. (1918; KGV 4d+5d), Kedleston Rd. (1918; KGV 3dx2), and 1911/2 Handstruck oval (stampless) & rectangular (KEVII 5d) types. Excellent group, 3 of which are illustrated in colour in the Midland PHS Parcel Post book (2018). (12 labels) Cross Reference: PARCEL POST COVERS/LABELS (Image)

DERBY SQUARED CIRCLE - RARE KEVII XMAS-PERIOD LATE USAGE ON PICTURE POSTCARD; Rare 24 Dec. 1903 PPC (reinforced corner creases do not detract) to a local address with KEVII ½d Blue-green tied by a very fine strike of this rare Squared Circle, code 5. Very few examples known used in the KEVII 'Christmas Rush' period. [The similar 23 Dec. 1903 usage on a PPC realised £180 inc. BP in Cavendish's May 2009 auction, lot 816.] Cross Reference: SQUARED CIRCLES, CHRISTMAS INCLUDING CANCELLATIONS (Image)

HATHERSAGE - RARE "Hathersage/Penny Post" MARK ENDORSED "MISSENT TO"; 11 July 1841 env. (minor stains) cash-paid 1d from "FORRES" (fine orange-red boxed d.s. on the front) to "Leam, Sheffield" and not too surprisingly forwarded to Hathersage (only 1½ miles away from the hamlet of Leam) but with a mainly very fine rare "Hathersage/Penny Post" on the front clearly endorsed "Mifsent to"! "Sheffield" was crossed out and "Bakewell" added and the letter was sent by that much longer route. Extraordinary item and one of only two or three examples of a British "Penny Post" mark of any kind that we have recorded endorsed as "Missent". Unique?Cross Reference: SCOTLAND, MISSENT MAIL, PENNY POST MARKS (Image)

ILKESTON - SPECTACULARLY REDIRECTED & MUCH-TRAVELLED BOER WAR COVER; 31 Mar. 1902 env. (opened out for display; understandable wear but still colourful and attractive) with KEVII 1d tied by v. fine "ILKESTON/585" Duplex and addressed a private soldier in the "Station Hospital, Klerksdorp, Transvaal, South Africa". However, over the next 3 months the letter chased after the recuperating soldier collecting numerous British F.P.O. & A.P.O. cds's two spectacular large purple 3-ring "No.13 GENL. HOSPITAL/JOHANNESBURG" cachets etc. It was endorsed "Invalided to England via Howick" and was sent to "Hawick" (Scotland; fine cds on front) before finally being endorsed "Not Hawick, N[orth]. B[ritain]., try Ilkeston where posted"! Exhibition Item of great character.Cross Reference: MILITARY - CENSORED MAIL, MILITARY - BOER WAR, TRANSVAAL (Image)

MATLOCK/BATH - ONLY KNOWN "Matlock Bath" FRAMED MARK, MIL. REMOVED TO JAMAICA, UDCs, ETC.; 1834-1901 covers inc. 20 Dec. 1834 EL from "Matlock" to Derby with the only recorded example of the boxed "Matlock Bath" mark (DY 192; blurred but recognisable - perhaps it was not much used because it did not create clear strikes?), 1835 EL (dusting and light spotting) from "Tor House" to "Lucea, Jamaica" with mainly v. fine rare "MATLOCK" [lined] mileage removed mark (DY190d), 1846/50 pair of (just) 4m 1d Red ELs with v. fine red sanserif "CROMFORD" or v. fine (rare) blue serif "WINSTER" UDCs (latter also with part "ASHFORD" sanserif UDC), 1861/3 pair to Canada/Florence with 6d or 4d+2d tied by M. Bath Duplexes, and 1889/1901 pair to India/Boer War (latter regd.) with 5x1d Lilacs or Jubilee 3d tied by v. fine M. Bath/Bank Duplex/cds. Rare group. (8 covers) Cross Reference: OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS, MILITARY - BOER WAR, REGISTERED MAIL, JAMAICA (Image)