Sale 134: Boston 2026 World Expo Auction

Lot 2635    

Great Britain, 1840, Queen Victoria, 1d Black, Imprimatur, Plate 1, Lettered TD, two singles cut from the First and Second Imprimatur sheets ("Before Hardening" and "After Hardening") with large to very large margins all round, the Imprimatur from the First imprimatur sheet dated 15 April showing the sharp impression of the earliest state of the (unhardened) printing plate 1, the latter from the Second Imprimatur sheet dated 27 April showing the contrasting worn impression, Extremely Fine; each with 2009 B.P.A. certificate.
S.G. Spec. No. AS1-AS2; £30,000 ($39,900)    Estimate $7,500 - 10,000.

A MAGNIFICENT MATCHED PAIR FROM THE FIRST PRINTING OF THE WORLD'S FIRST POSTAGE STAMP.

Neighbor stamps of the 1d, TD, from Second Imprimatur: TC was in the Board of Inland Revenue Reference Collection, TE is in the Tapling Collection, British Museum. (See Lot 2656 for Issued Stamp of same position).

Provenance: For the 1d, TD, First Imprimatur Sheet:
Harmer, 30 November 1954 (2500th Jubilee Sale)
Dr. & Mme. Serval Collection, Harmer, March 1976
Robson Lowe, April 1977
ex-Alan Holyoake (Mayflower) Grand-Prix Collection 2010

Illustrated in "Masterpieces of the Mail"

Provenance: For the 1d, TD, Second Imprimatur Sheet:
Christies, June 1986 (stated to be ex-Crawford Collection)
ex-Alan Holyoake (Mayflower) Grand-Prix Collection 2010.

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Lot 2636    

Great Britain, "V R" Official, 1840, Queen Victoria, 1d black, Imprimatur, lettered TA, lower-left corner of the (before hardening) sheet with Plate Letter "A" inscription and pen initials "C.P.", slight thinning in margin and slight vertical crease, still Extremely Fine.
S.G. Spec. No. VR1; £20,000 ($26,600)    Estimate $15,000 - 20,000.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEMS IN THE HISTORY OF THE INVENTION OF POSTAGE STAMPS: THE WORLD'S FIRST POSTAGE STAMP THAT WAS PREPARED BUT NOT ISSUED.

Two Imprimatur sheets were registered on 15 April and 9 May 1840. From both sheets the lower left stamp (TA) has been removed, of which the other is housed in the Royal Collection of His Majesty King Charles Ill. The manuscript initials "C P" are of Charles Pressly, Secretary of the Stamp Office. He endorsed on the reverse of the First Registration Sheet, were this VR 1d black, TA was removed: "The impression of the other side of this paper of the Die or Plate, intended by the Commissioners of Stamps & Taxes in pursuance of the several powers and authorities vested in them for expressing and denoting the Stamp duty of one penny for the postage of Letters was taken in my presence and in the presence of a Commissioner the 15th. Day of April 1840, Chas. Pressly, Secy." The manuscript note proves, that this corner sheet single originates from the first printed sheet of the first (re-jected) unissued postage stamp in the world.

Provenance:
Leonard H. Clark Collection, Robson Lowe
May 1946 "Chartwell" collection, Spink, Feb 2012
Simon Beresford-Wylie Collection, 346. Corinphila 2024

Illustrated in "Masterpieces of the Mail".

Realized: $25,000

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Lot 2637    

Great Britain, 1840, Queen Victoria, 1d black, Imprimatur, Plate 2, Lettered TI, from the Second Registration sheet, large to huge margins all round, Extremely Fine and rare; with 1983 R.P.S.L. certificate.
S.G. Spec. No. AS14; £18,000 ($23,940)    Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.

CERTAINLY ONE OF THE FINEST 1840 1D QUEEN VICTORIA IMPRIMATUR KNOWN.

Provenance:
Robson Lowe, 21 June 1950
Ernest Dale Collection, Stanley Gibbons, June 1969
H. W. Fisher Collection, Phillips, Sept. 1983
Stanley Gibbons, Nov. 1983
Sir Gawaine Baillie Collection, Sotheby's, Sept 2004.

Realized: $2,600

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Lot 2638    

Great Britain, 1840, Queen Victoria, 1d black, Imprimatur, Plate 3, Lettered TF, ample to huge margins, bright and fresh, F.-V.F.; with 1969 R.P.S.L. certificate.
S.G. Spec. No. AS20; £18,000 ($23,940)    Estimate $4,000 - 6,000.

ONLY ONE IMPRIMATUR SHEET TAKEN WITH JUST 23 SINGLES REMOVED - MANY OF WHICH ARE IN INSTITUTIONAL COLLECTIONS.

Provenance:
H.R. Harmer, Sept 1925
Robson Lowe, Nov 1958
Robson Lowe, Feb 1959
John Taylor (1969).

Realized: $3,500

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Lot 2639    

Great Britain, 1840, Queen Victoria, 1d black, Imprimatur, Plate 8, Lettered TH, large to very large margins all round, light horizontal crease in the margin at the top not touching design, otherwise Very Fine.
S.G. Spec. No. AS49; £18,000 ($23,940)    Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.

VERY RARE, ONLY ONE IMPRIMATUR SHEET TAKEN WITH JUST 23 SINGLES REMOVED, MANY OF WHICH ARE IN INSTITUTIONAL COLLECTIONS.

The formerly adjoining 1d, TG, resides in the Tapling Collection (British Library).

Provenance:
De La Rue Imprimatur collection (1883)
Board of Inland Revenue, Robson Lowe Dec 1975
"Daisy" Collection (Henry Grand), Christies, Oct 1996
"Golden" Collection, Grosvenor, Nov. 2015
John W. Phillips Collection, Stanley Gibbons, Jul 2023.

Realized: $3,750

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Lot 2640    

Great Britain, 1841, 2d deep blue, "white lines", Imprimatur, Plate 3, Lettered SH, small to large margins all round, Very Fine and extremely fresh.
SG No. 13; £12,000 ($15,960)    Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.

Provenance:
Harmer, 16-19 February 19 70, lot 347
John 0. Griffiths Collection, Robson Lowe, 29 September 1982, lot 202
Christies London 1990 Rarities Auction, 9 May 1990, lot 5
Sir Gawaine Baillie Collection, Sotheby's, 29 Sept.-1 Oct. 2004, lot 132.

Realized: $2,600

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Lot 2641    

Great Britain, 1854, 1d red brown on bluish, Small Crown watermark, Die I, Imprimatur, Alphabet II, Plate 194, Lettered TL, imperforate lower right corner sheet marginal with inscription and plate number "194", large margins all round, very fresh, F.-V.F.
SG No. 17    £2,750 ($3,660).

Provenance:
Earl of Crawford Collection (1913)
Col. A.S. Bates Collection, Harmer, 3-5 December 1934, ex lot 535
Phillips, 26 October 1995, lot 242
"Chartwell", Spink, 12 December 2012, ex lot 499.

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Lot 2642    

Great Britain, 1854, 1d red brown on bluish, Small Crown watermark, Die I, Imprimatur, Plate 190, lettered TL, imperforate lower right corner sheet marginal with inscription and plate number "190", large margins all round, intense color, very fresh, Extremely Fine.
SG No. 17    £2,750 ($3,660).

Provenance:
Earl of Crawford Collection (1913)
Col. A.S. Bates Collection, Harmer, 3-5 December 1934, ex lot 535
Phillips, 26 October 1995, lot 238
"Chartwell", Spink, 16 February 2012, lot 404.

Realized: $800

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Lot 2643    

Great Britain, 1854, 1d red brown on bluish, Small Crown watermark, Die I, Imprimatur, Alphabet II, Plate 204, Lettered AA, imperforate upper left corner sheet marginal with inscription and plate number "204", large margins all round, light vertical natural pre-printing fold or wrinkling as can often be seen on Imprimatur sheet corners, very fresh, Very Fine appearance.
SG No. 17    £1,000 ($1,330).

Provenance:
Leonard H Clark Collection, Robson Lowe, 29 May 1946, lot 174
Robson Lowe, 24-25 September 1969, lot 1449
Major-General Sir Leonard Atkinson KBE Collection. Christies, 6 November 1990, lot 242
"Chartwell" Collection, Spink 12. December 2012, lot 505.

Realized: $400

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Lot 2644    

Great Britain, 1855, 1d red brown on bluish, Large Crown watermark, Imprimatur, Die II, Alphabet III, Plate 55, Lettered AA, variety "re-entry", imperforate upper left corner sheet marginal with inscription and plate number "55", large margins, minor thinning in left margin not touching design, very fresh, Very Fine appearance.
SG No. 29    £850 ($1,130).

Provenance:
Leonard H. Clark Collection, Robson Lowe, 29 May 1946, lot 245
"Chartwell" Collection, Spink, 12 December 2012, ex lot 547.

Realized: $475

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