41. 'ARGUS Life Assurance Company/Post Paid' Circular Handstamp. 1840 letter from the Argos Life office in London to their office in New Town, Montgomery (slight staining) with very fine strike of this privately produced handstamp in black. Also on front 'Moorgate St./1d PAID' and London 'Paid' datestamp 23/JU/1840. (*) (Ref 58072) £30.00

42. THE MALTESE CROSS OF ARBROATH. 1842 wrapper Arbroath to Edinburgh with fine four margined 1d imperf plate 17 tied fine to very fine strike. Backstamped Arbroath FE/19/1842. Filing folds clear of stamp and this usage illustrated page 37 Rockoff & Jackson. (*) (Ref 62246) £250.00

43. THE BLUE MALTESE CROSS OF SLEAFORD (Lincs). 1842 envelope Sleaford to Newport Pagnell, Bucks with four margined 1d red plate 23 (SG 8) tied fine strike of this coloured M.C. with Sleaford datestamp in blue OC/30/1842 also on front. Envelope slight crumpling but a rare provincial usage of blue ink. Danzig records usage July to September 1842. (*) (Ref 59905) £850.00

44. ESSEX. Two 1842 entires from Coggeshall dated '12 NO 7 1842' and '12 NO 18 1842' (?) both to Kelvedon with Kelvedon backstamps DE/7 and DE/19 1842 bearing four margined 1d imperfs plate 27 cancelled fine black M.C.'s with a curious two-line horizontal handstamp adjacent to stamp. Envelopes endorsed '5th & 6th' in manuscript respectively. ??????? (*) (Ref 50852) £110.00

45. THE MALTESE CROSS OF BROADFORD (Isle of Skye). The two 1843 covers (illustrated on page 59 Rockoff & Jackson) one showing 'degraded Cross', the other after it had been cleaned. Dated January & September 1843 respectively. (*) (Ref 62376) £250.00

46. LONDON NUMBER '2' IN MALTESE CROSS/1841 2d BLUE (Spec. E1vb). 1843 wrapper London to South Molton, Devon (Riccard correspondence) with 2d plate 3 lettered BG (SG 14), just shaved at right, tied fine upright almost complete strike with 'Too Late/GPO' handstamp alongside. Backstamped MY/30/1843. Fine used cats, £1750.00. Scarce usage. (*) (Ref 62545) £375.00

47. THE DISTINCTIVE MALTESE CROSS OF DUBLIN (Spec. B1tf Cat. £275.00)). 1843 envelope, used locally in Dublin, with SG 8 plate 24 lettered RB, four margins, tied very fine strike. Backstamped JU/15/1843. (*) (Ref 60743) £110.00

48. THE DISTINCTIVE MALTESE CROSS OF NORWICH (Spec. B1ts). 1843 letter Norwich to Wymondham with 1d imperf plate 35 (SG 8), just shaved at right otherwise close four margins, tied good to fine strike of this M.C. Backstamped Norwich JY/27/1843. Fine used cats. £1400.00. (*) (Ref 62546) £250.00

49. 1844 NUMERAL CANCELLATION USED ON THE FIRST DAY OF USE ON 1d PINK ENVELOPE. 1844 1d pink Fordingbridge (Hants) to Torrington, Devon cancelled good to fine '304' numeral of Fordingbridge with Fordingbridge datestamp on front MY/1/1844 (slightly unclear) but backstamped Torrington MY/3/1844. Also two other covers, same correspondence May 1844. First such usage on 1d pink we have seen. Rare. (*) (Ref 61148) £1500.00

50. MISSENT. 1844 entire from Strangeways, Manchester to Tetbury, Glos with three margined 1d imperf (SG 8) tied neat '498' of Manchester. On front fine strike of the oval 'Missent to Glocester' (GL 401 - County Catalogue records usage 1813-1843). On rverse various backstamps for September 1844 including 'Gloucester Station'. (*) (Ref 55923) £125.00

51. TEMPERANCE WAFER SEAL. 1844 envelope Royston, Cambs to Framlingham, Suffolk with very fine 1d imperf tied '658' of Royston. On reverse very fine wafer seal 'Enclose 4d inner letter, post paid to Holston & Stoneman ... and you will receive post free 200 temperance wafers bearing appropriate inscriptions in return'. Backstamped Royston NO/10/1844. Very fine. (*) (Ref 47405) £225.00

52. SCOTTISH '76' NUMERAL OF CARNOUSTIE on reverse of envelope used to 'cancel' incorrect datestamp. 1845 1d pink Carnoustie to Edinburgh with Carnoustie backstamps MY/8 and MY/9/1845 the incorrect 'MY/8' being overstruck with the numeral. Very unusual usage of the numeral. (*) (Ref 46081) £45.00

53. BRISTOL - PRINTED BILL HEAD. 1847 invoice with fine illustrated bill head from Budgett & Co. addressed to Fishguard, Pembroke with 1d imperf, four margins but may not belong, tied '134' of Bristol. Backstamped JA/30/1847. Spike hole to envelope. (*) (Ref 58957) £30.00

54. LINCOLNSHIRE. 1849 wrapper (no side flaps) Donington to Horbling with postage paid in cash and on front good strike of the 'Donington Lincoln/Penny Post' handstamp in black (LI 255). Backstamped Spalding MY/15/1849. (*) (Ref 62727) £55.00

55. OCEAN PENNY POSTAGE ENVELOPE by Valentine POSTALLY USED. A fine example from Edinburgh to Bilston, Staffordshire with fine four margined 1d imperf (SG 8) lettered AF tied fine '131' numeral of Edinburgh. Backstamped MAR/14/1850. A good example of this very popular and sought after usage. (*) (Ref 61475) £975.00