386th Auction

1865, 1d. black, the so called „ROYAL REPRINT“, die II, plate 66, RB,  with Watermark „Large Crown“ inverted, good to large margins, large part original gum, very fresh and attractive appearance. (S.G.Cat.: GBP 2.500)

Note: The story of the „Royal Reprints“ is, that an application was made upon request of the Royal Family for specimens of the One Penny Black and One Penny Red imperforate as being issued in 1840 and 1841. On September 1, 1865, Ormond Hill requested these stamp issues from Perkins Bacon and he was supplied with printings in black and rose-red from plate 66. The sheets must have been broken up quite early, because Philbrick & Westoby  describe in 1881 an example in black lettered RH. All „Royal Reprints“ on the philatelic market originate from one sheet printed in black and a large part sheet in rose-red comprising stamps from the horizontal F- to T-rows.

1865, 1d. rose-red, the so called „ROYAL REPRINT“, plate 66, JA-KA, vertical pair with left sheet margin, inscription and full Division Ornament, Watermark „Large Crown“, very large margins, large part original gum, very fresh and attractive appearance. The only surviving multiple from the Royal Reprint, either in rose-red or black printing, with fully preserved Division Ornament. (S.G.Cat.: GBP 4.500)

Note: The story of the „Royal Reprints“ is, that an application was made upon request of the Royal Family for specimens of the One Penny Black and One Penny Red imperforate as being issued in 1840 and 1841. On September 1, 1865, Ormond Hill requested these stamp issues from Perkins Bacon and he was supplied with printings in black and rose-red from plate 66. The sheets must have been broken up quite early, because Philbrick & Westoby  described already in 1881 an example in black lettered RH. All 1d. rose-red „Royal Reprints“ on the philatelic market originate from one large part sheet comprising stamps from the horizontal F- to T-rows.

1872, 1d. black, plate 27, KA / LC, block of six, large margins all round on unwatermarked thick white card struck after a million sheets had previously been printed and issued, produced by Perkins Bacon, the printers, with offical permission for the SOUTH KENSINGTON EXHIBITION,. (S.G.Cat. GBP 12.000)

Note: Perkins Bacon, the printers, were charged 1 pound in order to balance the accounts of the Storekeeper General when they obtained permission to keep a sheet from plate 27 of the 1d. printed in black on proof paper that had been prepared for the Annual International Exhibition at South Kensington in 1872. Upon the liquidation of the Perkins Bacon company in 1935, the sheet was sold and broken up for sale. The block from the right half of the K- and L- rows, KF-JL, is in the Phillips collection, National Postal Museum, London.

Provenance:

The original uncut sheet:
London Philatelic Exhibition 1897, exhibited by Perkins Bacon in exhibition class:“Exhibits by Stamp Engravers“
Stamp Exhibtion of the Junior Philatelic Society 1908, mentioned in THE LONDON PHILATELIST, 1908, page 63
The entire sheet Illustrated in THE BRITISH PHILATELIST, December 1935, pages 76 +77

The block of six, KA / LC, after being cut from the sheet:
Robson Lowe, 11 – 12 September 1973, lot 179
Hassan Shaida Collection, Harmers of Switzerland, 13 February 1992, lot 77
David Feldman, 3 – 8 November 1996, lot 21987
Tim Burgess Collection (illustrated in GBPS Newsletter July/August 2006)

1855, 2d. blue, plate 5, AE, imperforate Imprimatur with upper sheet margin and inscription, good to very large margins all round, trace of oxydation. R.P.S.L. certfificate (1981) (SG Cat. GBP 12.000)

Provenance: Robson Lowe, 27 April 1949 („Great Britain Queen Victoria Imprimaturs Complete Collection“)
Harmer, 27-28 Febr. 1967, lot 146
Stothert Coillection, Robson Lowe, 29 Jan. 1975, lot 1178
Dr. & Mme. S. (Serval) Collection, Harmer, 15-16 March 1976, lot 42
Harmer, Private Treaty „Dr. S.“, 29 Jan. 1980, lot 42
Phillips, 2 September 1982, lot 109
Ake Rietz Collection, 299th.  Corinphila, 7 June 2023, lot 3604

1857, 2d. blue, plate 6, AE, watermark ‚Large Crown‘, imperforate Imprimatur, large to very large margins all round, very fresh and attractive (S.G.Cat. GBP 12.000)

Provenance:
Dr. Heygate-Vernon Collection, Robson Lowe, 25 September 1947
De Phillp Coillection, Robson Lowe, 4 November 1959, lot 160
Michael Lea Collection (1978)
 

1d. rose-red, Imprimatur, with Letters in all four Corners, plate 148, AA, imperforate upper left corner sheet marginal with inscription and plate number ‚148‘, large margins and very fresh, the unique corner marginal Imprimatur from plate 148 in private hands (AL is in the N.P.M., London, TA is in the Royal Collection, TL is still attached to the Imprimatur sheet).

Provenance: Leonard H. Clark Collection, Robson Lowe, 29 May 1946, lot  ex 261.
Dr. C. Heygate-Vernon Collection, Robson Lowe, 24-25 September 1947, ex lot 735

1d. rose-red, Imprimatur, with Letters in all four Corners, plate 167, AA, imperforate upper left corner sheet marginal with inscription and plate number ‚167‘, large margins, very fresh. The unique corner marginal Imprimatur from plate 167 in private hands (AL is in the N.P.M.(London), TA is in the Royal Collection, TL is still attached to the Imprimatur sheet).

Provenance: Leonard H. Clark Collection, Robson Lowe, 29 May 1946, lot  ex 261.
Dr. C. Heygate-Vernon Collection, Robson Lowe, 24-25 September 1947, ex lot 750
Robson Lowe, 10 November 1948, ex lot 571
Robson Lowe, 18 February 1959, lot 298

1d. rose-red, Imprimatur, with Letters in all four Corners, plate 180, AA, imperforate upper left corner sheet marginal with inscription and plate number ‚180‘, large margins, very fresh. The unique corner marginal Imprimatur from plate 180 in private hands (AL is in the N.P.M.(London), TA is in the Royal Collection, TL is still attached to the Imprimatur sheet).

Provenance: Leonard H. Clark Collection, Robson Lowe, 29 May 1946, lot  ex 261.
Dr. C. Heygate-Vernon Collection, Robson Lowe, 24-25 September 1947, ex lot 741
Robson Lowe, 10 November 1948, ex lot 567

1d. rose-red, Imprimatur, with Letters in all four Corners, plate 212, AA, imperforate upper left corner sheet marginal with inscription and plate number ‚212‘ and series number ‚254‘, large margins, very fresh. The unique corner marginal Imprimatur from plate 212 in private hands (AL is in the N.P.M.(London), TA is in the Royal Collection, TL is still attached to the Imprimatur sheet).

Provenance: Leonard H. Clark Collection, Robson Lowe, 29 May 1946, lot  ex 261.
Dr. C. Heygate-Vernon Collection, Robson Lowe, 24-25 September 1947, ex lot 735
‚Chartwell‘, Spink 29 June 2011, lot 1386

1d. rose-red, Imprimatur, the wonderful selection of 33 different plates, all lettered AC with upper sheet margins and inscriptions, included are plates 73, 82, 88, 92, 100, 109, 149, 166, 167,170, 172-178, 180-183, 185, 186, 191-193, 198-200, 203, 211, 214 and 222, all with good to large margins and very fresh. (S.G.Cat.: GBP 14.025)

Provenances for the various plates: Plates 92, 109, 166, 167, 170, 173-178, 180-183, 185, 186, 191-193 and 200: ‚Besancon‘ Collection, 268 Corinphila, 9 June 2021, lot 4579    
Plates 172 and 214: ‚Chartwell‘, Spink, 16 February 2012, ex lot 475
Plate 203: ‚Jack Bailey Collection, Spink, 25 January 2023, ex lot 3183

1d. rose-red, Imperforate proof on DR. PERKINS BLUED PAPER, plate 121, SL, large margins all round, usual minor gum creases, very fresh and rare. (S.G.Cat.: 4.500)

Provenance (as a pair SK-SL): Charles Williams Collection, Harmer, 10-18 November 1947, lot 278
Stothert Collection, Robson Lowe, 9 September 1975, lot 50
Stanley Gibbons, 17 May 1984, lot 209
Christies, 18 June 1996, lot 205
Ake Rietz Collection, Corinphila, 7 June 2023, lot 3611

1d. rose-red, Plate Proof Trials for Lighter and more Fugitive Colours,  plate 191, imperforate block of four, RC / SD, good to large margins, superb impression, rich colour, diagonal and horizontal folds mainly in margin between the stamps not detracting from fine appearance.  R.P.S.L. certificate (1996) (S.G.Cat. GBP 16.000)

Note: Recent research shows that just one sheet each in rose-red and in mauve has been struck from plate 191 for these trials. From the rose-red sheet the stamps of the horiziontal A- to D- rows are mainly preserved in vertical pairs, all  with barred trial obliterations „C.X. 8“. All stamps from the horizontal J- to N-rows are pen-cancelled. The only uncancelled proofs in rose-red recorded in the Karl Louis Card Index are a pair RA-RB and this block of four RC / SD herewith offered.

Provenance: Phillips 12 October 1989, lot 208
'TES‘ Collection, Spink 5 October 1995, lot 172
'BESANCON‘ Collection, Corinphila 12 June 2019, lot 3069

1871, 2d. blue, the retouched Die II with „NEW DIE“ and „1“ (uninked but faintly embossed),  completed on 8 April 1858 and printed on demand for Ormond Hill in 1871, superb and very rare. (S.G.Cat. GBP 18.000)

Provenance: ‚Chartwell‘ Collection, Spink, 16 February 2012, lot 51

1858, 2d. blue, Imprimatur, plate 7, AF, very large margins all round, very fine and fresh. (S.G.Cat. GBP 4.750)

Provenance: John O. Griffiths Collection, Christies, 27 June 1985, lot 4292
Grosvenor, 18-19 November 2014, lot 710

1858, 2d. blue, Imprimatur, plate 8, AG, imperforate with upper sheet margin and inscription, very large margins all round, very fine and fresh. (S.G.Cat. GBP 4.750)

Provenance: Robson Lowe, 27 April 1949 („Great Britain Queen Victoria Imprimaturs Complete Collection“), ex lot 153
Robson Lowe, 26 September 1951, lot ex 280

1858, 2d. blue, Imprimatur, plate 12, TF, imperforate with large margins all round, very fine and fresh. (S.G.Cat. GBP 4.750)

Provenance: Robson Lowe, 27 April 1949 („Great Britain Queen Victoria Imprimaturs Complete Collection“), ex lot 153

1858, 2d. blue, Imprimatur, plate 13 AB, imperforate with upper sheet margin and inscription, large margins all round, very fine and fresh. (S.G.Cat. GBP 4.750)

Provenance: Lady Mairy Bury Collection, Sotheby’s, 24 – 26 November 2010, lot 1284
Ake Rietz Collection, 299 Corinphila, 7 June 2023, lot 3623

1858, 2d. blue, Imprimatur, plate 13, AE, imperforate with upper sheet margin and inscription, good to very large margins all round, very fine and fresh. (S.G.Cat. GBP 4.750)

Provenance: Robson Lowe, 27 April 1949 („Great Britain Queen Victoria Imprimaturs Complete Collection“), ex lot 153

1858, 2d. blue, Imprimatur, plate 15, AD, imperforate with upper sheet margin and inscription, good to large margins all round, very fine and fresh. (S.G.Cat. GBP 4.750)

Provenance: ‚Durham‘ Collection, Phillips, 11 November 1993, ex lot 136

1870, May, Bantam ½d. die proof in rose taken after the engraving of the head was strengthened and the die was hardened, affixed to card. Very rare, said to be one of only six produced of which some are unavailable in Institutional Collections & Museums. (S.G.Cat. GBP 12.000)

Provenance: ‚Yorkshire‘ Collection, Christies, 27 January 1981, lot 163
Stanley Gibbons, Dealer’s List, September 1992, lot 167

Bantam ½d. rose-red, Imprimaturs, the attractive selection of eight: plate 3, TJ, plate 4, TO, plate 5, TO, plate 8, TO, plate 14, AJ, plate 15, TH, plate 19, TH and plate 20, AO. All with large margins and very fresh. (S.G.Cat. GBP 7.600)

Provenance: ‚Durham‘ Collection, Phillips, 11 November 1993, ex lot 143
‚BESANCON‘ Collection, 268 Corinphila, 9 June 2021, lot 4586

1/2 d. rose, plate 1, variety Imperforate, horizontal pair SW-SX with inverted watermark, large margins all round, large part or full original gum, very fresh and rare. According to J.B.Seymour in the Kohl Handbook (1930), a part perforated sheet was released having two rows completely imperforate. Most stamps were cut from the sheet as singles, only very few pairs recorded. (S.G. Cat.: GBP 6.000)

‘Verus‘ Collection, Stanley Gibbons, August 2015

1871, 1½d. carmine-rose, Ormond Hill Die Proof on thin hard yellowish white wove paper, fresh and very fine, rare and beautiful proof. B.P.A. certificate (2010) (S.G.Cat. GBP 18.000)

Provenance: ‚BESANCON‘ Collection, 239. Corinphila, 12 June 2019, lot 3079  

1860, Prepared for use, but not issued: 1 ½ d. rosy mauve on blued paper (strong Ivory Head), AD, Imprimatur with top margin and inscription, removed small stain, fresh and very fine. Rare: only 38 stamps were taken from the Imprimatur sheet. (S.G.Cat.: GBP 7.000)

Provenance: Robson Lowe, 18 March 1953, lot 308 (incl. Laycock Collection)
Phillips, 7 December 1995, lot 224
‚BESANCON‘ Collection, Corinphila, 12 June 2019, lot 3076
Ake Rietz Collection, Corinphila, 7 June 2023, lot 3636

1870, 1 ½ d. lake-red, plate 3, AH, Imprimatur with top margin and inscription, some gum remnants in the top margin from the original mounting, fresh and very fine. Only 25 stamps were taken from the Imprimatur sheet, of which AK and AL (both N.P.M. London) and TA (Royal Collection) unavailable for private collectors. (S.G.Cat. GBP 6.000)

Provenance:

Board of Inland Revenue Collection handed over to De La Rue in 1883

Robson Lowe, 17 December 1975, lot 1641

‚Chartwell‘ Collection, Spink 29 June 2011, lot 1493

1½d. rose-red, plate 1, AB, imperforate, a much paler shade of rose-red than the printing on Dr. Perkins chemically prepared paper, large part original gum. (S.G.Cat. GBP  7.500)

Note: While all stamps from the  generally regarded 1½d., plate 1, imperforate on Dr. Perkins chemically prepared paper only originate from a lower half sheet (M- to T- rows), nine imperforate stamps from plate 1 originate from the A- to D- rows. None of these have ever been described as being on Dr. Perkins Paper.

Provenance: Phillips, 16 November 1989, lot 229
Phillips 26, October 1995, lot 262

1½d. rose-red, plate 1, NK-NL, imperforate horizontal pair with sheet margin and inscription on Dr. Perkins chemically prepared paper with Wmk. Large Crown, wonderful fresh colour and gum. (S.G.Cat. GBP  15.500)

Note: Generally the trial printings on Dr. Perkins Paper show more or less blueing, especially the sheet printed from the 1d. plate 121. The 1½d. pair NK-NL shows practically no blueing, very similar as the formerly adjoining pairs above MK-ML and below OK-OL (N.P.M. London, vol. XXIX, page 45) and PK-PL (ex Joseph Silkin Collection), the only letterings recorded unused in the Karl Louis Card Index.

Provenance: ‚Verus‘ Collection, Stanley Gibbons, August 2015, lot 152

1½d. pale rose-red, plate 3, PI, imperforate plate proof on ‚Large Crown‘ watermarked paper without gum, of unknown status, possibly unique in private hands. (S.G.Cat. GBP  7.500)

Note: The proof printing  has probably been taken from a later state of plate 3, especially the lower left network and the plate number ‚3‘ look quite worn. The Royal Collection contains an imperforate pair TK-TL from plate 3 stated by Sir John Wilson Bart (1952): „The status of the imperf. varieties (….) is undefined“. The Joseph Silkin Collection (Harmers June 1971) contained a very similar imperf. pair with the same letterings TK-TL as the „Royal“ pair, but with „pen stroke removed and the colour is very pale“. In the Philips Collection (vol. XXI, page 11) N.P.M. London, is an imperf. plate 3, lettered TJ, which may have originally adjoined either the „Royal“  or the „Silkin“ pair. The Marcus Samuel Collection contained an imperf. plate 3, lettered HA, with SPECIMEN overprint (unique). It might be possible, that these imperforate 1½d. plate 3 proof printings were produced in 1878/79 for trials in more lighter and fugitve colours.

Provenance: Robson Lowe, 8 September 1981, lot 1477 (described as a „proof of unknown status“)

1840, (February), Wyon’s head without pendant curl and Whitings Engraving: Essay ONE PENNY in light blue, extremely rare essay, embossed on thick card, some minor staining.

Note: This essay was printed in three colours: black, light blue and dark blue. The Karl Louis Card Index has records of just two such essays on stout card in light blue, A dark blue printing of this essay affixed on a Composite sheet (Royal Collection)  is dated „21 May 1840, Beaufort House“ and noted in ms.  “Mr. Wyons head, the rest by us“. 
Very few essays printed in either light blue or dark blue are also known printed on letter sheets or envelopes, recorded in the Karl Louis Card Index, but these are unavailable for private collectors in the N.P.M. London (Philips Collection) and the German Postal Museum, Bonn / Berlin.

Provenance: Robson Lowe, 13 December 1973, lot 1006

1841, Postal Stationery 1d. pink envelope cancelled by black Maltese Cross, mailed to Alcester, Warwickshire, on reverse large part datestemp „12 FE (1841)“ in red with docketing at left of receipt “Feb. 13/41“ in manuscript and internally on flap „Arthur sends you this envelope as a specimen of the new Royal Postage Stamp“. The second earliest example recorded , the 1d pink enveople being issued 10 February 1841 and was initially confined to the limits of the London Two-penny Post. A highly important item in regard of the change from the ‚hated‘ Mulreadys to the Penny Pinks postal stationery which were highly appreciated by the public and then in use for the next 60 years until 1901. Fine and very fresh.

Note: The earliest example of the 1d. pink was used on 10 February 1841, but is heavily restored.

Provenance: Michael Lockton Collection, 294th. Corinphila, 29 November 2022, lot 5318.

Postal Stationery 1841, 2d. blue, embossed envelope, cancelled with black Maltese Cross and „EXETER MR 13 1842“ c.d.s. alongside, locally used, in addition 1841, 2d. blue, plate 3, MK, large margins all round, tied by black Maltese Cross to entire, „EXETER JU 19 1843“ c.d.s. on front for dispatch, addressed to Yeovil, an extremely fine and fresh „pair of covers“ showing the EXETER datestamp struck on front (instead on reverse). The 1841, 2d blue postal stationery with Maltese Cross cancellations is considerably rarer than the 2d. Mulready similary cancelled!

Note: An almost identical Postal Stationery 2d. blue from the „James Esq., Solicitor, Close, Exeter“ correspondence dated 20 February 1842 is in the Philips Collection, N.P.M. London, vol. XXX, page 4a

1915, Seahorses 2s.6d., 5s.  and 10s., the left hand marginal set of Imprimaturs, removed by the N.P.M. in 1984, mint, 2/6 and 5 sh. showing portion of cross guide marks, full original gum, lightly hinged in the margins only, extremely fine and fresh. Handstamped „B.P.M.A.“ on reverse, the 10s. with additional small ink stroke of most likely official nature. An extremely rare set. 

Note: The Sea Horses are the first line engrave stamps in the Kings period, over 40 years after the last Victoria line engraved issue.

1871, General issue 30c brown in horizontal pair (2 smal marginal tears), tied by dotted lozenge, with adjacent Guadeloupe / Pointe a Pitre c.d.s. (10 Jul) to folded letter to Portland, Maine,, passed to the British Post Office with scarce “GUADELOUOPE PAID JY 11 73”, and backstamped with “Guadeloupe / A” c.d.s. (11 Jul), manuscript “4” (pence) in red crayon for the journey to St. Thomas, endorsed “Per U.S. & Brazil Mail Str via St. Thomas”, the United States portion unpaid and thus struck with crisp “N.Y. STEAMSHIP / 10” entry mark (21 Jul). An unusual and important entire conveyed from the French P.O. in Guadeloupe by the British Agency through the USBMSC via St. Thomas. Signed Scheller

1840, 1d. black, plate 1A (earliest printing), LK, attached to Postal Notice „TO ALL POSTMASTERS“ from the General Post Office in Edinburgh, April 1840 (the month before the Penny Black, the first postage stamp in the world, was issued on May 6, 1840). The 1d. black with good to large margins, another 1d. black stamp, KK, formerly in a pair with the1d. LK, was removed, very fresh state of preservation. Karl Louis BPP certificate (2025) (SG GBP 75‘000)

Remarks: Based on the characteristic edges of the upper margin of the 1d. black, LK, and a further recorded single 1d. black lettered KK, with almost certainty both stamps originally formed a vertical pair stuck on the notice. The 1d. black, KK, must has been taken off at least 70 years ago and has been spotted on a Robson Lowe auction in 1956, a Harmer auction in 1957 and a Phillips auction in 1992. See illustration of the virtually re-joined pair. Twelve ‚genuine‘ Postal Notices bearing a vertical pair of the One Penny Black (of which at least two are in institutional collections) are recorded in the the Karl Louis Card Index, plus two Postal Notices (incl. this one offered here)  bearing a single Penny Black (with the second stamp from the vertcial pairs most likely cut off). A challange for the future owner to search for the ‚lost‘ single 1d. black, KK, and to re-unite with its original neighbour stamp LK on the Postal Notice.  

It must be assumed, that this Postal Notice has leaked from the Stamp Find in Edinburgh (and Dublin) before the first schedule of the find in 1899.

1840, Mulready Envelope 1d. black, a complete unused sheet of 12, forme 4, stereos A172 (upper left) to A189 (bottom right), some folds as can be expected, but in a very fresh state of preservation. Rare, most of the sheets found in The Dublin Find have later been cut, only a few complete sheets of 12 are still preserved intact. Karl Louis BPP certificate (2025) (SG GBP 5.500)

Provenance: 1899, ex The Dublin Find.

1904, sold via Plumridges & Co. to H.W.Peckitt.

2025, re-discovered with other items of the Dublin Find in a collector’s estate in Kiefersfelden, Bavaria.

Mulready Letter Sheet 2d. blue, a complete unused sheet of 12, stereos a92 (upper left) to a91 (bottom right), variously folded as can be expected with some wear, splitting and minor age toning along the folds. Only a few complete sheets of 12 of The Dublin Find are still preserved intact. Karl Louis BPP certificate (2025) (SG GBP 5.500)

Provenance: 1899, ex The Dublin Find.

1904, sold via Plumridges & Co. to H.W.Peckitt.

2025, re-discovered with other items of the Dublin Find in a collector’s estate in Kiefersfelden, Bavaria.