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Auction: 22028 - The Klempka Family Collection of Great Britain - Part II
Lot: 166A

Great Britain
1840 Two Pence Blue
Plate 1
MF-MK horizontal strip of six in a deep shade, good to large margins (close at lower left corner) on 1841 (1 July) wrapper to Henry Clay in Lexington, Kentucky, the adhesives cancelled by neat black Maltese Cross and tied by a U.S. transit c.d.s., the reverse with Dromore despatch c.d.s., part Dublin transit and the sender's name, "Miss Eliza J. Weir"; redirected to Washington City with rate mark crossed through and "free" added twice with a light strike of Lexington c.d.s. (25.7) at left. Two vertical filing creases run through MF and MK which have cracked the stamps (some paint repair). A fine and important cover to this prominent U.S. politician. B.P.A. Certificate (2022). Photo

Henry Clay Sr. (1777 – 1852) was an American attorney and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. He was the seventh House speaker as well as the ninth Secretary of State, also receiving electoral votes for president in the 1824, 1832, and 1844 presidential elections. He helped found both the National Republican Party and the Whig Party. For his role in defusing sectional crises, he earned the appellation of the "Great Compromiser" and was part of the "Great Triumvirate" of Congressmen, alongside fellow Whig Daniel Webster and John C. Calhoun.
He became the Senator for Kentucky for one year before moving to the House of Representatives between 1810 and 1824; here here served seven terms and was elected Speaker six times. In 1824 he became Secretary of State under John Quincy Adams and in 1831 returned to the Senate. In 1832 he lost his first presidential election to General Andrew Jackson. In 1841 President-elect Harrison asked Clay to serve another term as Secretary of State, but Clay chose to remain in Congress.

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Sold for
£9,000

Starting price
£6000