Worldwide Stamps and Postal History

**Great Britain - Pre-Stamp Period**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description
1001		GREAT BRITAIN, 1597 Corsini Correspondence Folded Letter from Norwich to London. Datelined 1597 and addressed to "To my loving friend Mr. Phillip Corsini, Merchant Stranger in London", letter signed "your loving friend, Norris", Very Fine, domestic Corsini correspondence within England is far scarcer than those to/from continental Europe, the Corsini family is a famous Florentine family with Filippo known for his well organized private postal service in Europe (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com Get Market Data for [Great Britain 1597 Corsini Corresponden]	E. $ 400-500 SOLD for $350.00 Will close during Public Auction
1002		*GREAT BRITAIN, 1657 "An Act for the Setling of the Postage of England, Scotland and Ireland".* Original eight page document in modern binding of the Act from Sept. 17, 1656 and printed in London by "Henry Hills and John Field, Printers to His Highness the Lord Protector", overall condition is above normal VERY FINE. A RARE ORIGINAL PRINTED ACT BY PARLIAMENT FROM 1657 SETTING UP THE GENERAL POST OFFICE IN GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. AN IMPORTANT PRE-PHILATELIC DOCUMENT FOR ANY POSTAL HISTORY COLLECTION. This is the first act of Parliament that created the "Setling of one General Post Office, for the speedy Conveying, Carrying, and Re-carrying of Letters by Post, to, and from all Places within England, Scotland, and Ireland". The act also set out postage rates both within Great Britain and to major trading ports in Europe and even Constantinople. (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com Get Market Data for [Great Britain 1657 Act]	E. $ 1,500-2,000 SOLD for $4,000.00 Will close during Public Auction
1003		GREAT BRITAIN, 1661, First Year of Use of London Bishop's Mark from Yarmouth to London. Wonderfully preserved folded letter datelined "Yarmouth 20th May 1661" from George Harper to Thomas Pengelly in London, top flap with perfectly struck "MA 22" Bishop's Mark EXTREMELY FINE AND EARLY FIRST YEAR OF USE STRIKE OF THE BISHOP'S MARK OF LONDON. ONE OF THE EARLIEST KNOWN STRIKES AND UNDOUBTEDLY ONE OF THE FINEST STRIKES EXTANT. The Bishop's Mark is the world's first handstruck postal marking. It was created by Henry Bishop, the Postmaster General from 1660-1663. He went on to say "a stamp is invented that is putt upon every letter shewing the day of the moneth that every letter comes to the office, so that no Letter Carryer may dare to detayne a letter from post to post, which before was usual." The earliest recorded Bishop's Mark is Apr. 19, 1661 with another example dated Apr. 24. Both of these are institutionalized. Two or three others are known earlier than the marking offered here. The addressee, Thomas Pengelly was a wealthy British merchant and father of Sir Thomas Pengelly. (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com Get Market Data for [Great Britain 1661, First Year of Use o]	E. $ 2,000-3,000 SOLD for $4,750.00 Will close during Public Auction
1004		GREAT BRITAIN, 1839, Dec. 5 and 1840, Jan. 9 -- First and Last Day of Uniform 4p Post. Two items, Dec. 5 folded letter datelined "Warwick Dec. 5, 1839" and addressed to Daventry, clear "Warwick DE 5 1839" circular datestamp on top flap and manuscript "4" marking, toned file fold at left just affecting postmark, Jan. 9 large piece only with clear "Lesmahago JA 9, 1840" boxed datestamp with manuscript year date, with manuscript "Paid 4" and Jan. 10 receiving date, Very Fine and scarce duo, this uniform 4p post was only in use for just over a year before changing to the uniform 1p post (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com Get Market Data for [Great Britain First Day of Uniform 4p P]	E. $ 400-500 SOLD for $200.00 Will close during Public Auction