DUBLIN - EARLY MAIL TO LIVERPOOL OR LONDON INC. DIFFERENT SIZES OF SCARCE "DUBLIN" MARKS; Fine 1702 EL from "Dub[lin]." to "Leverpoole" sent by private means - "...[I] trespass upon ye bearer's patience" - from a husband recently arrived by ship to his wife; plus 1731/1765 pair of Es from Dublin to London (the first sent Free) with mainly fine scarce "DUBLIN" marks of very different sizes on the flaps (each with London arrival Bishop Mark). Rare early trio. (3 covers) Cross Reference: EARLY LETTERS, EARLY LETTERS, FREE MAIL (Image)

CORK - EARLY "CORK" & DUBLIN "Cn.TRY" + EARLY INGOING COVER EX "WOOTTEN/UNDER/EDGE"; 1722 EL from "Cork" to London charged "10" with fair small "CORK" on the front but also having an exceptionally fine rare Dublin "Cn.TRY" mark on the reverse (slightly across the join); plus c.1723 E (slight faults at foot of address panel) from Gloucestershire to "Gortigrenane near Cork" endorsed "Pr Cross post" and so charged "1N2" with a partial very rare "WOOTTEN/UNDER[EDGE]" mark (Willcocks GL900; only one other recorded, dated 1723) on the top flap. Early matched pair. (2 covers)Cross Reference: GLOUCESTERSHIRE (Image)

18th CENTURY NAMESTAMPS - "A-LONE" (WITH RARE DUBLIN "Cn.TRY"), "KINSALE", "KINNEGAD" & "BELFAST"; Fine c.1725 E to London with mainly very fine rare Dublin "Cn.TRY" with fine rare "A-LONE" (Athlone) on the flaps ("1N8" rate cancelled - sent Free as to an MP), 1763 EL (interesting contents ref. seeing his quarantined brother from Minorca after his ship was blown into port) to Winchester with partly fine early "KINSALE" on the front, 1794 E to Edenderry with mainly very fine scarce "KINNEGAD" on the front, and 1796 EL to Edinburgh with very fine large red "BELFAST" nicely placed on the front. Scarce group. (4 covers)Cross Reference: FREE MAIL (Image)

DUBLIN - VERY EARLY MANUSCRIPT "MIFSENT TO DUBLIN" MARKING (USED LONG BEFORE THE MISSENT HANDSTAMP); Fine 24 Nov. 1785 EL from London ("Bank") to "Landovery" but somehow missent by the P.O. to Ireland and so boldly endorsed "Mifsent to Dublin" on the front with a smudged Dublin Bishop Mark on the reverse along with London "24/NO" and "3/DE" Bishop Marks. Possibly the earliest recorded Irish Missent marking? Exhibition Item.Cross Reference: MISSENT MAIL (Image)

RARE RED DUBLIN "CHARITY LETTER/POST PAID" ON COMPLETE TURNED "NATIVE IRISH" LANGUAGE FREE COVER; Spectacular 1822/3 two-way turned mainly printed EL (mainly printed contents ref. recommended Irish Schoolmaster) with printed "IRISH SOCIETY for promoting the Education of the Native Irish, through the medium of their own Language" heading above the address, sent from Dublin to "Glencar, Manorhamilton" one way (with partly fine very rare red Dublin "CHARITY LETTER/POST PAID" (affected by stain) on the front and a faint Dublin d.s. of 10 July 1822(or 1823?) on the reverse; it was then returned and re-posted (with 22 July 1823 Dublin "FREE" d.s.) with the same "IRISH SOCIETY.... Language" heading above the fully printed "SIR EDWARD S. LEES, POST-OFFICE, DUBLIN" address posted from "DROMAHAIR/107" (v. fine mileage on the front) and charged for the local Dublin 1d Post with v. fine h.s. "1" mark. We have only recorded one other example of this printed "IRISH SOCIETY..." heading (sold for £1,100+BP in our 9 Sept. 2021 auction); this example ex our Jan. 2010 auction (lot 776; realised £500+BP). Superb Exhibition Item. Cross Reference: FREE MAIL (Image)

VERY HIGH POSTAL RATE ON "MALTA/F" COVER EX "CORFU" WITH "Redirected at [DERRY/118]" & DUBLIN "C" CROWN; Remarkable 14 Oct. 1823 EL (minor wear inc. closed seal tear clear of marks) from a junior naval officer on "H.M.S. Dispatch, Corfu" with a mainly very fine green Falmouth "MALTA/F" d.s. (light fold) on the top flap. Sent to his father in Kilderry but redirected to "Dublin" and so with high single-sheet rates "3/7", "4/5" and then "5/3"(2/3 Packet + 1/2 Falmouth to Holyhead + 2d Packet to Dublin + 10d on to Derry + 10d back to Dublin). It was endorsed "Redirected at" in red beside a faint red "DERRY/118" mark and the "4/5" rate was changed in Dublin with the scarce red Dublin "C" in Inspector's Crown mark. The contents include; "Our station will be up at these Islands, but always direct my letters to Malta as before... The Packet is going to sail directly". Rare combination of marks and rates.Cross Reference: MALTA, POSTAL REFORMS, CORNWALL, SHIP LETTERS (Image)

FAILED FREE 'WRONG DATE' INSTRUCTIONAL MARK; Mar. 1828 front to Skibbereen with "LUCAN/6" mileage mark at top right and endorsed by the sender as a free letter at lower left. Scroll-type "WRONG DATE" h.s. Four examples are believed extent and Inspectors Crown mark slightly overlapping it. Rated '2/-' as an ordinary letter. Fine and rare. Sold in our Dec. 2013 sale for £650 Cross Reference: FREE MAIL, INSPECTORS' MARKS, INSTRUCTIONAL MARKS (Image)

19th CENTURY PAID MARKS; Range with 1831 E to Glasgow rated '2/3'(d) with framed "P.PAID" h.s. and Belfast cds on front, 1832 EL to Edinburgh rated '3/6½'(d) with framed "PAID/AT/BELFAST" h.s. on front, 1838 EL to Dublin with framed "PAID/AT/CORK" h.s. on front and rated '11'(d), 1839 E to Cork with scarce "BELFAST/PAID" double-arc h.s. on front and rated '2/2'(d), Feb. 1840 EL to England with framed "Paid at/Enniskillen" h.s. on front and rated '1'(d). (5 covers) Cross Reference: BELFAST, INSTRUCTIONAL MARKS, SCOTLAND, CITY OF CORK (Image)