Essays, Proofs and Trials: Charles Whiting: Selection incl. unused 1d. Post Office Permit letter sheet and other circular and oval (”1d.”) designs featuring Hermes, Britannia or “No.” with space alongside for designation and all mounted on individual small pieces. Rare and fine. (5) Photo. (Image1)

Essays, Proofs and Trials: Charles Whiting: 1840 embossed oval “PAID” essay in yellow-green (Huggins E8) at upper left corner of envelope, fine and rare. Photo. (Image1)

Essays, Proofs and Trials: Perkins Bacon engine turned essay for the background of the 1d. black, numbered “No. 2”, small tear and one or two other minor imperfections. Photo. (Image1)

Essays and Trials: Perkins Fairman and Heath: A proof in blue on wove paper (140 x 216mm) of the design, made for covering the reverse side of a specimen banknote, submitted to the Bank of England in 1822, the centre band shows the engine-turned background finally selected for the 1840 1d. and 2d., fine. S.G. Spec. DP 9, cat. £4,000. Photo. (Image1)

Essays and Trials: Perkins and Heath: An unusual proof in black on wove paper (265 x 165mm) removed from an unknown ledger or publication, of the design made for covering the reverse side of a specimen banknote, submitted to the Bank of England in 1822, the centre band shows the engine-turned background finally selected for the 1840 1d. and 2d., with small “3” above the outer frame line as seen on the 1936 coloured reprints, peripheral imperfections and a few splits along the outer frame line, a very rare and important item, understood to have been obtained from Charles Nissen in the 1960s. R.P.S. certificate (2015) states “...is not the original 1827 impression of DP9a but a c.1850 later impression... is Genuine”. S.G. Spec. DP9 var. Photo. (Image1)

1840 Mulready Caricatures and Later Printed Envelopes: Fores’ Musical envelope, used 1840 (Nov. 17) from Darlington to Bath, with “Heighington/Penny Post” handstamp and franked by 1840 1d. black (corner damage) tied by red Maltese Cross, some faults but very rare. Brandon certificate (2018). Ex Grunin. Photo. (Image1)

1840 Mulready Caricatures and Later Printed Envelopes: J.W. Southgate Caricature envelope number 4, sent 1870 to Paris with May 19 arrival c.d.s., address part obscured. Photo. (Image1)

1840 Mulready Caricatures and Later Printed Envelopes: Spooner envelope number 11 showing fishing scenes, hand coloured. Photo. (Image1)

1840 Mulready Caricatures and Later Printed Envelopes: Thackeray’s caricature, example from the defaced block, fine. (Image1)

1840 Mulready Caricatures and Later Printed Envelopes: J. Valentine’s Ocean Penny Post, “To make her children one fraternity” envelope, unused. (Image1)

1840 Mulready 1d. letter sheet (minor faults) used 1840 (May 8) to Exmouth with red Maltese Cross over Britannia and Lombard Street datestamp on reverse, redirected to Teignmouth, endorsed “P1” for the additional 1d. prepaid with clear “EXMOUTH” double-arc datestamp “MY 10/1840” (first Sunday) also on reverse and very rare thus. Highly unusual redirected first Sunday usage. B.P.A certificate (1985). S.G. ME1, cat. £10,000. Photo. (Image1)

1840 Mulready 1d. letter sheet A26 used 1840 (May 8) to Kent with red Maltese Cross on Britannia and “BANBURY” double-arc datestamp, circular and framed “PD” London datestamps and red wax seal on reverse. A highly unusual example with three third day datestamps. S.G. ME1, cat. from £2,200. Photo. (Image1)

1840 Mulready 1d. letter sheet A26 used 1840 (May 10, first Sunday) to Somerset, cancelled with magenta Maltese Cross, with London and Colchester transit marks on the reverse. An extremely rare first Sunday usage and possibly unique with magenta Cross. B.P.A. certificate (2008). Ex Victoria. S.G. Spec. ME1f. Photo. (Image1)

1840 Mulready 1d. letter sheet (stereo obscured) used 1840 (May 10, first Sunday) from Bradford to Tadcaster with clear “BRADFORD YORKS/MY 10/1840” double arc c.d.s. on reverse (partly overwritten), the front with a number of manuscript cartoon embellishments added, some by the sender and some (presumably) by the recipient, creases and some other imperfections but a most unusual item. Jackson records only 15 1d. letter sheets for this date, of which this is not one. R.P.S. certificate (1996) together with a supporting letter from the Chairman of the Expert Committee. Photo. (Image1)

1840 Mulready 1d. letter sheet A143 used 1840 (May 13) to Bristol with red Maltese Cross, London datestamp and “T.P/High. St. S.G.” (Saint Giles) receiving mark, a fine, neat and clean example. S.G. ME1, cat. from £1,200. Photo. (Image1)

1840 Mulready 1d. letter sheet A25 used 1840 (May 22) to Salisbury with red Maltese Cross over Britannia, London Paid and double-ring oval “MISSENT/TO/BIRMINGHAM” marks, Newcastle under Tyne and Birmingham backstamps. A fine and very rare May date missent example. Ex Yates (1949). S.G. cat. from £1,200. Photo. (Image1)

1840 Mulready 1d. letter sheet (stereo removed on opening) used 1840 (May 29) from Liverpool to London, franked by 1840 1d. black plate 1a MG and 2d. blue plate 1 SG, tied by red Maltese Crosses, some faults, but an extremely rare item. Eichele certificate (2014). Photo. (Image1)

1840 Mulready 1d. letter sheet A23 used 1840 (July 18) to Maidstone with London datestamp on reverse and red Maltese Cross cancellation, small peripheral faults. Very finely hand-coloured and exceptionally rare thus. Brandon certificate (2018). Photo. (Image1)

1840 Mulready 1d. letter sheet A26 used 1849 from Fakenham to Norwich with, late usage, a few minor creases and tears. Photo. (Image1)

1840 Mulready 1d letter sheet A63 used 1840 (July 31) to Burnley uprated by 1d. black plate 1A, BL, four margins and tied by red Maltese Cross with additional strike on ‘Britannia’ and London datestamp on reverse, very rare. Brandon certificate (2000). S.G. ME1 from £15,000. Photo. (Image1)

1840 Mulready 1d. envelope 178 sent 1840 (May 22) from Aberdeen to Edinburgh with fine deep red-brown Maltese Cross of Bristol, only four recorded in Rockoff and Jackson in May 1840, flap with tear, otherwise fine. Mike Jackson certificate (2022). S.G. ME1, cat. £1,250. Photo. (Image1)

1840 Mulready 1d. envelope A133, used 1840 (July) from Liverpool to London, with fine red Maltese Cross, with two line “OXFORD ST/LIVERPOOL” on the reverse, slightly soiled. Photo. (Image1)

1840 Mulready 1d. envelope A159 used 1841 (Feb. 5) to London with neat red Maltese Cross. Photo. (Image1)

1840 Mulready 1d. envelope A167 used 1840 (May 22), with deep red-brown Maltese Cross of Bristol, listed in Rockoff and Jackson only in May 1840. Mike Jackson certificate (2022). S.G. ME1, cat. £1,250 for May date. Photo. (Image1)

1840 Mulready 1d. envelope A173 used 1840 (May 22) within London with red Maltese Cross, “T.P.Cornhill” mark and “PD” framed datestamp on rear, one flap with repaired tear. S.G ME2, cat. from £1,200. Photo. (Image1)