RARITIES AUCTION EUROPHILEX LONDON 2015

1789, complete 2 page-letter signed "Horation Nelson", written "Burnham Jan.y 24th 1789" to the merchants Wilkinson & Higgins in Antigua, Leeward Islands, endorsed "Navy Office 1/-", prepaid with 2 sh., being marked on the front in red manuscript with adjacent handstamped "POST PAID"; on reverse London transit date stamp of 4.2.1789. He is writing in reply to a letter of 9 October 1788 and concludes 'In this Country I am not in Office and...

1839, "4" (d.), clear strike on front of unpaid entire letter, backstamped "NORWICH DE 20 1839" to Ottoxeter; a very fine and rare letter with a hand-struck "4"; of Norwich only 3 entires are recorded, one being in the Fletcher collection in the British Library, ex Patrick Pearson

1840, Mulready Lettersheet used with clear red Maltese Cross and showing on reverse clear dispatch mark "BATH MY 6 1840" (beautiful upright strike when upper flap opened for display), addressed to Great Campden House in Kensington. A beautiful and very fine Mulready of the first day of issue, certificate K.-A. Louis BPP (2013)rnNote: The address 'Campden House, Kensigton' was renown as 'Queen Anne's Palace' since Anne, Princess of Denmark,...

1840, First Day of Issue:  1d. black, plate 1A, LL, tied by red Maltese Cross to entire used on the First day of Issue, dated inside «London May 6th. 1840» in manuscript with matching London Chief Office evening duty datestamp on reverse «B / MY - 6 / 1840 in red (Code letter «B» is known to be used on May 6, 1840, but partly oxydised as can usually be seen on the few known impressions). The adhesive with repaired defect in the lower left...

1840: 2 d. blue, Plate 1, a superb horizontal pair lettered IB-IC, with huge margins all round and with portion of adjoining stamp at right, used on 1840 cover to Ripon and tied by two strikes of the red Maltese Cross. Reverse with 'Leyburn / Penny Post' in black and 'Bedale' datestamp (Oct 25) in black. A superb and most attractive cover. Signed Van Dieten, Calves.rnProvenance: Corinphila sale 64 (June 1981), lot 738.

1854: 1 d. red-brown on blued paper, 2 d. deep blue in horizontal pair, both wmk. Small Crown, perf. 16; used in combination with Embossed 1847/54 10 d. brown and 1 s. deep green on attractive 1854 entire letter to Vera Cruz, Mexico tied by fine strikes of '48' numeral obliterators of Ballymoney, Ireland in black. Reverse with Ballymoney despatch cds in red (June 13) and London transit in red. Central file fold touches one 2 d. adhesive but a...

Protective Underprints: NAYLOR, BENZON & CO, LONDON, protective underprint in black on 1864, 1d red plate 148, GK, (Late Fee) and 1867, 3d. rose plate 6, horizontal wing marginal pair RG-RH (usual slightly irregular perforations), tied by «LONDON 18 JY 71  -  «9» « duplex cancellation to lettersheet showing ms. senders marking «Naylor, Benzon & Co» inside, addressed to Gefle, Sweden. Protective underprints on Surface printed issues...

1854: Embossed 6 d. purple used with 1856 4 d. carmine on blued paper, tied to 1856 entire letter to Turin by London 1'5' obliterators in black. Oval 'PD' alongside and Calais transit (June 1) on front, reverse with Turin arrival cds. A charming entire in fine quality.

1873/89: 6 d. grey, plate 16, wmk. Spray of Rose, the marvellous mint interpanneau block of 12, lettered OE-OH / QE-QH, of bright fresh colour and margin with full inscription 'Price per label...', negligible folds in interpanneau margin only and trivial blunting of perforations of no significance, the stamps very fresh and fine with large part and eleven stamps unmounted og. A wonderful and extremely rare block, the sole recorded...

1891: £ 1 green, a vertical strip of five, lettered LB / PB, of fine fresh colour, all cancelled by oval REGISTERED / GRACECHURCH ST datestamps (Nov 13, 1892) in black. A rare and most impressive multiple of this scarce stamp Gi = £ 4'000.

1840, VR Official 1 d. black, lettered K.K., full to large margins all round and of fresh colour, unused without gum; a very fine example of this rarity, not being from the Dublin Sheet ex Crawford, Certificate RPS (1968)rnProvenance:rnrnAuction H.R. Harmer (1935)rnrnAuction Robson Lowe (1952)

1882/1901: I.R. Official 1 s. green & carmine, fresh mint example of excellent centering and bright colour, minute crack below first perf. at upper left corner, otherwise an exceptional example of this rare stamp, with large part original gum. Signed Holcombe. Certs. Holcombe (1993), BPA (2015) Gi = £ 4'200.