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AN ICON THAT LAUNCHED
MASS CO MMUNICATION
Robert Wallace (1773- 1855
THE WALLACE DOCUMENT.
THE
Association WORLD’S FIRST POSTAGE STAMP: T HE
numbered EARLIEST KNOWN EXAMPLE OF THE 1840
PENNY BLACK
The Wallace Document is supported by both a British Philatelic
certificate (dated 16th December 2015 and
74,217) and by a Royal Philatelic Society certificate
(dated 13th January 2016 and numbered 222356).
1840 ONE PENNY BLACK, FROM PLATE 1A, LETTE RED
Thence
A-I, UNUSED
handwriting pristine impression in deep intense black, mounted on t hin
cream scrap-album card, with pencil manuscript below in the
Property hand of Robert Wallace, M.P.:
PROVENANCE
Estate of Robert Wallace, M.P.to
the Caldwell family, 1855;
by descent, until; Cavendish Philatelic Auctions, 1991;
[24th February 1992, opinion by James L.Grimwood
that the
is Robert Wallace’s — letter provided to purchaser
of The Wallace Document]
a European Collector David Feldman Auction,
24th September 2013, lot 40078 (did not sell);
Sale to the present owner, 8th October 2013.
“Universal Penny Postage Fly, or Loose Stamp, presente d to me
Private Mr Wallace as above.”
“These come (came?)
into public use on the 6th of May 1840.”
EXHIBITED
ogether with the 1840 Mulready, progressive proof with out
ew value from the original brass plate in black on India pap er.
Dimensions 15.5cm
high by 20.1cm
wide.
to Mounted on t hin
Washington cream scrap-album card, with pencil manuscript above in the
Royal hand of Robert Wallace, M.P.:
2017, “1st Proof of Penny Postage Stamp Cover, presented to
Mr Wallace by Mr The Right Honble The Chancellor of th e
‡ £
Exchequer, Francis Thornhill Baring – April 10th 1840”,
mounted together by Robert Wallace on thin cream scr ap-
album card stock, (dimensions 23.5cm
high by 28cm w ide with
at top right an additional “ear” 1.9cm
high by 5.5cm
wid e) with
pencil annotations as above
York, Javits Center, World Stamp Show, 2016, 28th May
4th June, 2016
DC, Smithsonian National Postal Museum, “From
Mail to Public Post”, 28th October 2016 to 16th January
“Court Honour”
4,000,000-6,000,000
Buyers are liable to pay both the hammer price (as estimated a bove) and the buyer’s premium together with any applicable taxes and Artist’s Resale Right
128
(which will depend on the individual circumstances).
Refer to th e Buying at Auction and VAT sections at the back of this catalogue for further information.