£950
THE WHITING/WALLACE "POSTAGE/[Crown]/VR/STAMP" + "V.R" DOUBLE-OVAL WATERMARK ESSAYS; Three c.1840/41 sheets of thin cream wove paper (originally a single sheet of 524x424mm; some understandable folds) with different large watermark Essays suitable for Postal Stationery; the first is in the form of a large rectangle (130x85mm) within an envelope-sized lozenge frame having "V POSTAGE R" along the top and "V STAMP R" at the foot with a single large Crown device in the centre of what would be the envelope's address-panel. The second has a simpler circular design (diameter 75mm) with a large italic "V.R" at the foot, while the third sheet is entirely plain. Only two other examples of the "POSTAGE/STAMP" wmk. Essay have been recorded; both have an unused cut-out 1d Pink stamp glued on and both have annotations across their 'address-panels' by Charles Whiting or by Robert Wallace (originally enclosed in a letter dated 12 Mar. 1841). It seems clear that these Essays were produced immediately after the 1d Pink stationery replaced the Mulready in Feb. 1841. Wallace's annotation reads; "Look through this and observe how it is Water marked in the process of making" while his accompanying letter (to the Chancellor) read "I enclose such a sheet of paper as I propose shall be made by paper-makers under the supervision of a strict Excise, to be thereafter Stamped, and then sold by all Stationers, as the Covers, Envelopes and loose adhesive Stamps are...". Extremely rare and significant pair of Essays. RPSL Cert. (2007) for the complete sheet.] (3 items) Cross Reference: POSTAL STATIONERY, QV
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