RAIL CRASH - ONE OF ONLY TWO COVERS RECORDED SURVIVING THE 7 SEP. 1945 LLANGOLLEN CRASH: 6 Sep. 1945 env. from London to Llangollen franked 2d Orange + ½d Green cancelled by London 'V Bells' slogan pmk, no marks applied to surviving mail but endorsed in pencil by clerk "Llangollen Train crash garantneed [sic]" with signature. Only two covers known to have survived this fiery wreck. Cross Reference: CRASH/WRECK MAIL, RAILWAY MAIL (Image)

G.B. KGVI INSTRUCTIONAL MARKS - INC. RARE UNITED NATIONS "PAID" MACHINE MARKS, ETC.: 1938-54 (+ one 1973) group with sections of to pays, fancy framed explanatory marks, Olympics related, P.O & OHMS labels, etc. inc. 7 Oct. 1941 large env. (crease down middle) from Capt FC Holland (joint author of The Postmarks of Great Britain and Ireland) in Leicester to himself in Worcester with every 1d to 6d charge hs's & other instructional marks applied; 3 Feb. 1951 env. from Newnham-on-Severn franked 1½d Green with fine "* DELAYED/THROUGH/FLU" hs applied (due to the 1951 Influenza Epidemic which lasted c.5 weeks); 15 Jan. 1945 Air Letter from London to Johannesburg with v. rare red circular "POSTAGE/PAID" cds with "UNITED NATIONS/LONDON 1945" slogan; etc. (32 covers + 5 items + 7 Advice of Deliveries + 2 posting certificates + 3x 1936 P.O notices on mis-posting) Cross Reference: INSTRUCTIONAL MARKS, UNITED NATIONS, OLYMPICS (Image)

PAPER SHORTAGES - INLAND AUSTERITY MAIL: 1942-51 group of different types of paper reused for envs. (commercially posted) inc. maps (25); posters (2); printed circulars (2); a sugar bag; 1877 env. from Biggar to Peebles franked QV 1d Red with RED "CANCELLED" h.s., reused as env. on 1 July 1943 from Peebles to Exeter with "FASTEN Envelope by gumming this Label across[...]/OPEN by cutting Label instead of tearing Envelo[pe]" label + 2½d Ultramarine; etc. (c.31 covers) Cross Reference: MAPS (Image)

PARCEL RATES - SCARCE LOT: 1938-51 (mostly pre-war/wartime) study of parcel rates related to tariffs inc. part-wrappers, fronts, large envs., labels, despatch notes, etc. with a variety of cancels, usages, frankings (inc. mixed), etc. Inc. 28 Dec. 1938 printed label "FRESH CUT FLOWERS [of] CAPETOWN : SOUTH AFRICA" from Southampton to Saxony franked KGV 1/- Brown + 9d Green (noted as "the cheapest rate shown in Whitaker's Almanack for years 1936 to 1939"), with large rectangle "P" Southampton ds; GPO pamphlet (undated) on parcel post rates between 1935-40; etc. (33 items) Cross Reference: PARCEL POST LABELS (Image)

POSTAGE DUE COVERS INC. OVERSEAS MAIL: 1941-47 group inc. some censored mail from/to U.S.A, India, Switzerland, Canada, Belgium, Finland, France, Denmark & Egypt with a variety of p. due issues & labels. Includes 16 Nov. 1941 env. from Madras to Dorchester with 3a Green, "T" h.s. "1D/I.S./M." to pay h.s. & 1d Red p. due, red "4D" censor label & fine boxed "Please request sender to write/on the envelope in future, his/or her name and address and/the language used in the letter" hs on the back; May 1944 large env. examined & endorsed "Stockings" from Montreal to Edinburgh charged 2/6d at Liverpool customs (label) with 5 x 5d + 2d p.dues obliterated by mostly fine purple boxed "CHARGE NOT COLLECTED/X/FRESH LABEL REQUIRED" hs's, with fresh 2 x 1/- & 3d applied in Edin.; etc. (21 covers) Cross Reference: POSTAGE DUE LABELS, OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS, INSTRUCTIONAL MARKS (Image)

POSTAGE DUE COVERS - INTERNAL & FOREIGN: 1947-51 group of internal mail (7) or mail to/from GB displaying a variety of multi-national frankings (19; France, Belgium, Gibraltar, Malta, etc.); plus GB & foreign 'to pay', instructional marks & p. due issues. Inc. pair of sample packets from Oldham to Sheffield or Birmingham with different fine purple boxed 'POSTAGE DUE RETURN TO SENDER' hs's & one with red-brown "GONE AWAY" hs; Aug. 1950 regd letter from Malta to Huddersfield via France with 'Douane' customs label filled "Stockings" subject to tax, with "OE84/CHARGE" label with London cds plus 2 x 2/6d + 1/- + 3 x 3d p.dues affixed; etc. (26 covers) Cross Reference: POSTAGE DUE LABELS, INSTRUCTIONAL MARKS, OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS (Image)

OVERSEAS/INLAND MAILS WITH P. DUE LABELS - AUSTRALIA, CHINA, FRANCE, PORTUGAL & SWITZERLAND - CHARGES UP TO 7s-6d: 1937-40 group of p. due, taxed, redirected, refused & returned to sender mail displaying a variety of frankings inc. 16 Nov. 1938 "THE WEEKLY REVIEW" wrapper from London to Lisbon with fine purple boxed "DEVOLVIDO AO REMETENTE/RETOUR A L'ENVOYEUR" hs on front, with 5 x $1.20 & 2 x 50c p. dues beside green "REFUSE" label on reverse; 24 Apr. 1940 large env. from Welwyn to Bombay with 6 x 2½d Ultramarine & 3 x 2/6d p. dues tied by London cds; airmail label cancelled by boxed "KARACHI/CANCELLED" ds also having "DESPATCHED BY RAIL ROUTE/TO AVOID DETENTION", "REFUSED" & returned to sender hs's; etc. (24 covers) Cross Reference: POSTAGE DUE LABELS, AUSTRALIA, SWITZERLAND, FRANCE (Image)

POSTAL STATIONERY - RARE USED G.B. KGVI REPLY PCs: 1947-55 group from Ethiopia/Somalia (2), France (2), Sweden, USA (3) or Italy to GB. Inc. 24 Sep. 1956 from La Mendola, Italy to Oxford with the 2d imprint sectioned off in blue ink & black "T" hs applied as imprint not accepted, London inspector annulled this charge with v. fine green dumb cancel "T" & triangle "I.S." hs's on imprint; 4 Oct. 1949 (buff) from Villabruzzi to Liverpool with "VILLABRUZZI/*/SOMALIA" cds & "MOGADISHU R/SOMALIA" hs on the reverse (both v. fine); etc. (9 used + 3 unused) Cross Reference: POSTAL STATIONERY (Image)

POSTCARD RATES INC. RARE "EXPRESS", INSTRUCTIONAL MARKS, ETC.: 1937-53 group displaying good variety of p. dues, instructional marks & frankings. Inc. 13 Aug. 1948 2d PC by Express delivery from Torquay to Great Cosby near Liverpool uprated 1948 Olympics 6d Pink; 2 Aug. 1941 PC used in Emsworth franked KGVI 1d pair (each with special unofficial "1 64F/29" surcharges during "War Weapons Week" for fundraising for the War Savings Campaign); etc. Great variety. (63 cards) Cross Reference: POSTAL STATIONERY, EXPRESS MAIL (Image)

RAILWAY PARCEL STAMP COVERS INC. EXPRESS MAIL, ETC.: 1941-49 internal mail with a mix of very scarce Railway Parcel stamps (4 with PO Express labels) inc. Sunderland 5d, Huddersfield 4d (express), 5d Charing Cross (express), 5d Wantage Road (express), 2 x 1d + 3d London Passenger Transport Board, 2d Metn & G.C. Joint Committee, 11d parcel L.N.E.R. Liverpool Street (express). (7 covers + 1934 Railex service leaflet) Cross Reference: RAILWAY STAMPS, RAILWAY MAIL, EXPRESS MAIL (Image)

OTHER CATEGORIES - C.O.D., INSURED, A.R. & SAMPLE POST: 1937-51 (plus a 1961 late use) group inc. 22 Feb. 1961 env. used locally in London franked vert. trio of 1946 3d 'Peace' issues with "Recorded/Delivery" label; 31 Dec. 1947 OHMS "C.o.D." regd from "The Head Postmaster/of/Wisbech Cambs" franked 4d marginal block of 18 with 3 x 4d + 4 x 3d p. dues; marginal block of 6 red HVP labels; 1937 COD PO leaflet; 1937 GPO notice on sample post; actual sample fabric contents from 1954; etc. (23 items) Cross Reference: INSURED MAIL, REGISTERED MAIL, INSURED MAIL (Image)

11d VALUE/RATES ON COVERS: 25 Mar. 1953 parcel tag from Sandon(?) to London with v. rare 11d Plum prepayment for the 2lbs parcel rate; plus 4 other FDCs for this rate (29 Dec. 1945), one being an express airmail prepaid by single franking; 19 Aug. 1950 env. from London to Detroit franked 11d Plum + 1d Red + 2d Orange optd. "LONDON/ELECTRICITY/BOARD" with pair of 1950 "THIRD MACCABIAH/TEL-AVIV/1950 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER" promo labels; etc. (14 covers) (Image)

BALANCE OF THE COLLECTION - GREAT VARIETY OF UNUSUAL ITEMS: 1939-54 group inc. most unusual 14 Jan. 1945 11 feet long & 3 inches wide letter from parents (in Hackney(?)) to their son at school in Ceylon, with contents "I remember you saying you like to get a long letter, so here is is."(!); Feb/May 1947 pair of internal envs. (1 forwarded) with anti-nationalisation labels inc. "BEWARE!/NATIONALISATION OCTOPUS"; Mar. 1951 env. used locally in London with PO damage explanatory label annotated "By fire in pillar box"; 9 May 1937 env. regd. from Liverpool to IOM franked ½d Green + 1d Red + 2½ Ultramarine blocks of 4 all cancelled 9 May but obliterated by dumb cancels due to being 1 day early of issuing; etc. Diverse and fascinating lot. (42 covers) Cross Reference: CINDERELLAS, FIRST DAY COVERS (Image)