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Auction: 14022 - Specialised Great Britain Stamps and Postal history
Lot: 466

Great Britain
1841-54 One Penny Red-Brown
Plate 129: FL, good to large margins all round, tied by light numeral cancellation to "telegraphic despatch,/by submarine telegraph" envelope, printed in red, addressed to Bath, with "From Dover Station,/23rd. day of Feby 1852/IMMEDIATE" (with 'Dover' and dates completed by hand) at lower left. Complete with the telegraphic cross Channel message: "from-captain-bullock-to-mrs-taylor-with-affectionate-&-very-best-wishes-for-the-pleasant-journey-of-herself-&mr-taylor-to-india-&sincere-hopes-for-her-happy-re-union-with-the-dear-friends-she-leaves-in england-printed-by-submarine-telegraph-between-england-&-france-february-23-1852-9-10-am-weather-cold but-fine.". On reverse, red and blue datestamps of 24 Feb. 1852; Superb. The only recorded example of an imperforate stamp used on this form of envelope, complete with telegraphic cross-Channel message. This was sent just over 3 months after the line was opened to the public. A cover of major importance in the field of transport and communication. Photo

Note: The Submarine Telegraph Company was established in 1850 by John Walker Brett (1805-1863) and his younger brother, Jacob, to operate submarine telegraph cables between Britain and the Continent, under commissions from the French and Belgian Governments. In 1851, the Bretts engaged Thomas Crampton to lay a cross Channel cable between Dover and Calais. The line was completed on 17 October 1851, and opened to the public for the transmission of letters on 13 November. The Bretts' Submarine Telegraph between England and France was the first successful service of this kind in the world. Messages via their Patent Printing Telegraph were communicated by means of copper wire, insulated with two layers of gutta-percha. John Brett died in a Staffordshire lunatic asylum.

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Estimate
£10,000 to £15,000