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Auction: 25017 - Stamps and Covers of Great Britain
Lot: 5236

Great Britain
1840 One Penny Black
Plate 5
PD, intense black, cut into at foot, tied by solid Postmaster's handmade obliterator in red to 1841 (Feb.) entire letter from Watten to Wick, the reverse with boxed 01.03 Thurso d.s. and straight line "watten"; also 1841-56 1d. red-brown, AI, Plate 8, cut into at foot, tied by the same handmade obliterator in red to 1841 (April) entire letter ex the same correspondence, with straight line "watten" and Wick arrival d.s. on reverse. Both offered with R.P.S. Certificates (1995). A most unusual duo. Photo.

Notes: It is believed that Watten, a small village on the road from Wick to Thurso had not be provided with a Maltese Cross, nor had the Postmaster been informed of the change in cancellation colour from red to black, and thus improvisation was required.

literature:
Mention made in "The Encyclopaedia of the Maltese Cross", Vol. 3, Pg. 399 under "Late Use of Red Ink" as "Crude strike in red" by Howard Hughes.

provenance:
Lady Mairi Bury, 2010, Vol. 1, Lot 387

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Estimate
£3,000 to £4,000