Spink is presenting an impressive auction of Great Britain's stamps and covers on November 11.
There are 352 philatelic lots on offer, of which some of the most interesting include three Mulready envelopes - the unsuccessful aesthetic alternative to Penny Blacks and TwoPenny Blues.
These are a two penny example with a fine red Maltese Cross cancellation (estimated at £10,000-12,000); a one penny version with a black Maltese Cross as well as a red one (before the black was in use, estimated at £10,000-15,000).
The third is a one penny version fraudulently using two uncancelled sections of used pieces (estimated at £35,000-40,000).
There are also two examples of 1884 brown-lilac Watermarked Imperial Crowns, both with most of their original gum.
Both are in good condition; the better of the two is estimated at £14,000-16,000 whilst the other is £12,000-14,000.
 An 1884 Watermark Imperial Crown |
Two 1840 covers, one with a Penny Black, the other a TwoPenny Blue, are cancelled with the purple-brown Maltese cross - one clear strike for the blue, and an irregular double-stamp for the black.
These come as one lot, expected to fetch £18,000-25,000.
There is a block of eight 1865 Royal Reprint Penny Blacks, with inverted watermark and original gum, valued at £30,000-35,000.
The Royal Reprints were allegedly produced in 1865, after the Penny Black was withdrawn from use, as the Royal family had requested that examples of the Penny Black be kept.
Spink recently held a successful auction of British Imperial Stamps showing that the rare stamp market is still buoyant.
____________________________________________________________
