Corinphila Auction 291-297 Day 2

1840: 2 d. deep full blue, pl. 2, lettered MA-MF and RE, a horizontal strip of  six and a single example, clear to good margins all round on all stamps, used on 1841 cover from London to Monmouth tied by seven strikes of the Maltese Cross in black and by MONMOUTH arrival datestamp in red (Aug 3). Reverse with London despatch datestamp (Aug 2). MA affected by vertical file fold and has a repair at base where the bottom margin has been improved (see FFE volume 1), otherwise this extraordinary cover is remarkably free from faults. An Exhibition item of the greatest scarcity. Signed Raybaudi, Sotoriva. Cert. G. Bühler (1982), E. Diena (1996).rnProvenance: Robson Lowe, London, May 1959; Harmers, London, Nov 1981; Chiani, Nov 1995; Bolaffi, Turin, May 1996.rn