GREAT BRITAIN Postal Stationery

Return To Catalogue - Great Britain

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Bishop marks

The first British postmark was introduced in 1661 by the Postmaster General, Henry Bischop in London. Since then these marks are called Bishop-marks. It served to indicate the month and day that a letter had been received by the post office. Many different kinds of Bishop Marks exist, varying in size and lettering, and they remained in general use until 1787/1788. More information can be found on: http://www.geocities.com/leisurewrite/bishop.html. Examples:

Envelopes

So called Mulready envelopes:

(One penny)

(Two Pence)

A facsimile made by Senf (Senf made forgeries of both the 1 p and 2 p Mulready envelopes):

These Senf forgeries are also described in Album Weeds (as third forgery). The text reads: 'Facsimile. Kunstbeigabe zum Illustrierten Briefmarken-Journal 1888 No. 23'. A version without this text but with 'Facsimile Verlag von Gebrüder Senf in Leipzig Facsimile' also exists:

Senf has also made a forgery of the 2 p Mulready envelope (with inscription 'Kunstbeigabe zum Illustrirten Briefmarken-Journal No.1 1886'):

(Senf forgery of the 2 p Mulready envelope distributed in 1886)

(Forgery)

The above Mulready envelope is the first forgery described in Album Weeds adressed to 'Lord Holland Kensington House Carew London.'. It seems to have been photographed from a genuine envelope an sold by T.H. Hinton of London.

I have seen a forgery of the 1 p and 2 p Mulready envelopes, with inscription 'Fac-Simile.' at left and right bottom instead of the names 'W.MULREADY.R.A.' and 'JOHN THOMPSON'.

OTHER ENVELOPES

1841 Queen Victoria in an ellipse

(Reduced size)

  1 p red
  1 p red (with date 1855, 2 types)
  2 p blue

1877 Queen Victoria in an ellipse, label with 'FOR REGISTRATION ONLY' on top of the ellipse

  2 p blue

1878 Inscription 'REGISTRATION', queen Victoria in a circle

(Reduced size)

  2 p blue (with date)
  2 p blue (with small circles instead of date)

1890 Post Office Jubilee Uniform Penny Postage

(zoom-in)

  1 p blue

1892 Queen Victoria

(Reduced size)

  2 1/2 p blue

1892 Queen Victoria

  1/2 p red

1893 Registration stamp, Queen Victoria, new type

  2 p blue

WRAPPERS

1870 Queen Victoria

(Reduced sizes)

  1/2 p green (with date)
  1/2 p green (no date, 1877)
  1/2 p brown (1879)

1878 Queen Victoria in a circle

  1/2 p brown

POSTCARDS

1870 Queen Victoria

(reduced sizes)

  1/2 p violet
  1/2 p brown
  1 p 1 f brown

1870 Queen Victoria in a circle

(Reduced size)

  1/2 p (HALF PENNY) brown
  1/2 p green

1879 Queen Victoria

  1 p brown on yellow
  1 p red on blue

1882 Queen Victoria

  1 1/2 p brown on yellow

1883 Queen Victoria in a circle

  2 p brown

1890 Queen Victoria standing

  3 p red 

Several private postal stationeries exist, examples:

'BRIGHTON OFFICE OF THE PHILATELIC QUARTERLY' printed around a 1 p red Victoria head

'W.H.SMITH & SON 186. STRAND. LONDON' 3 p brown and 3 p red in other design, reduced sizes

A cut from South Australia without country name:

(South Australia cut)

Later issues:

(Reduced views)

I've seen a similar design, but with the king printed instead of embossed (also 1 p red).

Reduced view. A 1 1/2 p brown and 2 p yellow also exist in this design.

King George V, 1 p cut. A 1/2 p green exist in the same design. Also another 1/2 p and 1 p exist, but with the king facing slighly forwards instead of to the left.

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer