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1927, "1st AIR MAIL LONDON-CONSTANTINOPLE” ms. on cover bearing 4 d. deep green and 2½ d. blue from Taunton 16.4.27 with arrival mark Istanbul 20.4.27 on reverse. 6 ½ d. rate, scarce early CIDNA Flight

Provenienz:  Bill Robertson Coll. (Corinphila 2014)

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1929, LIMASSOL 30.8.29 c.d.s. on airmail cover bearing 1 piaster to Stockholm, routing via Istanbul - Vienna - Berlin - Kalmar, flown with the French CIDNA via Vienna, on reverse transit "MALMÖ LUFTPOST 6.9.29” and arrival mark Stockholm 7.9.29, fine

Provenienz:  Bill Robertson Coll. (Corinphila 2014)

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1840, Mulready envelope 1d., used with neat red maltese cross from London sent to Northampton, reverse showing light "B MY 6 1840” First Day of Issue cds. of the London Chief Office in red, a fine and attractive First Day usage, certificate RPS (1985)

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1890, 1d. proof impression of the 1840, 1d. black, die I, with additional (inked) reversed engraving ‚1‘ and ‚OLD ORIGINAL‘ below the impression, slightly reduced in size, the design showing no signs of wear, minor corner imperfections in the margins where the die proof was originally affixed, but still fine and fresh. (S.G. Cat. GBP 12.500)

Provenance: ‚K.M.‘ Collection, Spink, 6 June 2007, lot 221

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1860/71, 1d. proof impression of the 1840, 1d. black, die I, with additional (albino) reversed engravings ‚1‘ and ‚OLD ORIGINAL‘ below the impression, a later impression showing signs of wear, a few tiny marginal thins clear of design and usual faint bends, still attractive and very fresh, B.P.A. certificate (2001). (S.G. Cat. GBP 12.500)

Provenance: Robson Lowe, 15 April 1975, lot 50
‚TES‘ Collection, Christies, 5 October 1995, lot 149
Gaetano Vullo Collection, Harmer, 12 November 2003, lot 38

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1840, 1d. black, plate 1, TD, two singles cut from the First and Second Imprimatur sheets ("Before Hardening" and "After Hardening") with large to very large margins all round, the Imprimatur from the First imprimatur sheet dated 15 April showing the sharp impression of the earliest state of the (unhardened) printing plate 1, the latter from the Second Imprimatur sheet dated 27 April showing the contrasting worn impression. A magnificent Matched Pair from the first printing of the world’s first postage stamp! For the other imprimatur (first printing of the world's first "never issued” postage stamp) registered on 15 April 1840, see lot 320). BPA certificates  for each (2009) (S.G.Cat.: GBP 30‘000)

Remarks: Neighbour stamps of the 1d., TD, from Second Imprimatur: 
TC was in the Board of Inland Revenue Reference Collection
TE is in the Tapling Collection, British Museum.

Provenance: For the 1d.,TD, First Imprimatur sheet:
Harmer, 30 November 1954, (2500th. Jubilee Sale), ex lot 234 "The Magnificent Collection of imperforate Imprimaturs (1840-1892)" 
Dr. & Mme. Serval of Belgium Collection, Harmer, 15-16 March 1976, lot 3
Robson Lowe, 21-22 April 1977, lot 2042
Alan Holyoake ("MAYFLOWER") International Grand-Prix Collection 2010

Provenance: For the 1d., TD, Second Imprimatur sheet:
Christies, 17 June 1986, lot 77 (stated to be ex Crawford Collection)
Alan Holyoake ("MAYFLOWER") International Grand-Prix Collection 2010

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1d. black, plate 1A, TD, earliest impression showing practically no plate wear, unused with large part original gum, a very rare and exceptional early printing from plate 1A, B.P.A. certificate (1989) (S.G.Cat.: 24‘000)

Note: The stamp must have been printed soon after Plate 1 was registered, but certainly before April 27, 1840, because it shows not as much plate wear as the TD Imprimatur from the Second Imprimatur sheet!

Provenance: Sotheby’s, 11 – 12 May 1989, lot 3
Sir Gawaine Baillie Collection, Sotheby’s, 28 – 30 September 2005, lot 20
Alan Holyoake (‚Mayflower‘) International Grand-Prix Collection (2010)

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1d. grey-black, Plate 1A, EH, a late printing from the very worn printing plate 1, large regular margins all round and centrally cancelled with a red Maltese Cross. (S.G.Cat.: GBP 525)

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1d. grey-black, plate 1A, OD, a "latest" printing from the extremely worn plate 1, large to very large margins all round and tied by a neat strike of a bright red Maltese Cross to local London entire, red "T.P. /Edgeware Rd" Receiving House handstamp on front and "MY 28 1840" datestamp on reverse. An extremely fine May-Date cover showing the rapid plate wear of the unhardened plate 1 shortly before being withdrawn, extensively re-engraved by re-entering and hardened to continue life as plate 1B. (S.G.Cat. GBP 1.000)

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1d. grey-black, Plate 1A, GD, a late printing from the very worn printing plate 1, very large and regular margins all round, tied with a red Maltese Cross to envelope, "RUNCORN" receiving house handstamp on front and "PRESTON BROOK  AU 3 1840" c.d.s. on reverse for dispatch, addressed to Bakewell, a highly attractive late usage of the very worn plate 1A, Dr. Enzo Diena certificate (1998) (S.G. Cat.: GBP 1000)

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1d. black, plate 1B, HH, unused with large part original gum, large to very large margins with a small part of HG on the left, very fresh, B.P.A. certificate (1978) (S.G. Cat.: GBP 12‘500)

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1d. black, plate 2, TI, Imprimatur from the  Second Registration sheet, large to very large margins all round, very fine and rare. R.P.S.L. certificate 1983 (S.G. Cat.: GBP 15.000)

Provenance: Robson Lowe, 21 June 1950, lot 167
Ernest Dale Collection, Stanley Gibbons, 10 – 11 June 1969, lot 26
H.W. Fisher Collection, Phillips, 22 – 23 Sept. 1983, lot 53
Stanley Gibbons, Nov. 1983
Sir Gawaine Baillie Collection, Sotheby’s, 29 Sept.- 1 Oct. 2004, lot 34

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1d. black, plate 3, TF, Imprimatur with large to very large margins all round, very rare, only one Imprimatur sheet taken with just 23 singles removed, many of which are in institutional collections! R.P.S.L. certificate (1969) (S.G. Cat.: GBP 18‘000)

Provenance: H.R.Harmer, 21/28 September 1925, lot 350 
Robson Lowe, 5 November 1958, lot 14 (offered as a normal stamp) 
Robson Lowe, 18 February 1959, lot 42 (offered as an Imprimatur)
John Taylor (1969)  

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1d. black, plate 4, AH, variety "defective check letter ‚H‘ in lower right corner", large margins all round, tied by red "CAMELFORD undated town obliteration in addition to red pen cancellation to piece. A very rare obliteration, just ten items with the red CAMELFORD obliteration recorded in the Karl Louis Card Index, of which this with a full strike is certainly among the finest existing. RPSL certificate (1965) (S.G.Cat. GBP 20.000)

Provenance: Wills Collection, Harmer, 7 November 1989, lot 198
Phillips, 2 Sept.1993, lot 159 (illustrated in colour on front cover of auction catalogue)
J.E.Safra Collection, Spink, 5 May 2014, lot 1049

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1d. black, plate 5, TL, Imprimatur from the First Registration sheet (before hardening) with corner sheet margins, inscription and plate number "5", very large margins on the other sides, tiny pin hole under Queen‘s chignon not detracting from the magnificent appearance. A highly important imprimatur. R.P.S.L. certificate (1981)

Provenance: Earl of Crawford (1913)
Colonel A.S.Bates, Harmer, 3 – 5 Dec. 1934, lot 489
Charles Nissen, The British Philatelist, May 1951
Stanley Gibbons (1981)
'TES‘ Collection, Christies, 5 October 1995, lot 238
'Chartwell‘ Collection, Spink, 5 July 2012, lot 70

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1d. black, plate 5, LL, large regular margins all round, tied by a black Maltese Cross to entire dated "Frampton April 6th. 1841", "BOSTON AP 7 1841" and "FOLKINGHAM AP 8 1841" c.d.s. on front, addressed to Threekingham nr. Folkingham, extremely fine and fresh. (S.G.Cat.: GBP 775.-)

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1d. black, plate 6, LH, very large and regular margins all round, tied by red  Maltese Cross to decorative printed entire of the "Law Life-Assurance Society" (‚Notice of Renewal‘ inside), "PREPAID" sender’s handstamp on front, London datestamp "OC 17  1840" for dispatch on reverse, addressed to Bewdley. Exceptional and of finest possible quality! Dr. Enzo Diena certificate (1991) (S.G.Cat. GBP 775)

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1d. black, plate 6, DH, large and regular margins all round, tied by red Maltese Cross to entire, "Fore Street Hill / Penny Post" and  red "EXETER / NO 2 / PY. POST" handstamps for dispatch on front, "BRISTOL NO 3 1840" cds for arrival on reverse. (S.G.Cat.: GBP 775)

Remark: The content (transcript attached) relates to the famous Steam Ship "GREAT WESTERN" based in Bristol at the time, if the Steamer will lay up for the Winter months, or if she continues to sail during winter time.  An interesting document for collector of Postal & Social History relating to the largest Steamship at the time, the famous GREAT WESTERN.

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1d. black, plate 8, TH, Imprimatur with large to very large margins all round, light horizontal crease in the margin at the top not touching design, very rare, only one Imprimatur sheet taken with just 23 singles removed, many of which are in institutional collections, the formerly adjoining 1d, TG, resides in the Tapling Collection (British Library). (S.G.Cat.: GBP 18.000)

Provenance: De La Rue Imprimatur collection (1883) 
Board of Inland Revenue, Robson Lowe, 17 December 1975, lot 1200
'DAISY‘ Collection (Henry Grand), Christies, 8 Oct. 1996, lot 295  
'Golden‘ Collection, Grosvenor, 9 Nov. 2015, lot 16
John W. Phillips Collection, Stanley Gibbons, 18 July 2023, lot 48

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