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An extraordinary collection of rare and collectable stamps and other postage items has been discovered in a private London residence. The collection as a whole is estimated to garner hundreds of thousands of pounds when it goes under the hammer and includes some incredibly rare and special items that would thrill any stamp collector!
Amongst all this, however, is a gem of a find – a titillating collection of 70 envelopes and postcards dated between 1908 and 1918, wittily illustrated and sent by a mysterious soldier named Edgar Lambert to the recipient, a Miss Vandermin. The humorous drawings, incorporating the postage stamps in their design, address all manner of subjects, from war, politics and society to the laughable size of fashionable women’s hats! As a full collection, these envelopes and postcards – of varying condition – are thought to be valued at around £3,000.
Illustrated items of this type have remained hugely popular over the years, offering a visually exciting, often humorous and sometimes political insight into the times in which they were sent.
Stanley Gibbons' history as ‘the home of stamp collecting’ means that SGB has had the pleasure of bringing to auction some important and historically monumental philatelic items and collections. While auction prices achieved is one measure, some of the most enjoyable items to behold are the ones which give a whimsical insight into the character of their sender – and their relationship with the recipient.
The Mulready illustrations are further good examples of this, meaning the postal stationery letter sheets and envelopes that were introduced as part of the British Post Office postal reforms of 1840. The Mulready name arises from the fact that William Mulready, a well-known artist of the time, was commissioned to illustrate the part of the letter sheets and envelopes which corresponded with the face area. Several Mulready items came to auction at the Stanley Gibbons Baldwin’s auction of the David Holl Collection of Great Britain, at the end of 2024, including an 1840 1d Mulready envelope which sold for £2,760 (including fees) and an 1840 Mulready proof which sold for £1,140 (including fees). Several “Festival of Britain” illustrated covers exceeded their estimates, and an exceptionally fine set of three King Edward VIII 1936 hand illustrated envelopes – each bearing spectacular watercolours of Buckingham Palace – sold for £624 including fees.
Interest in illustrated and decorated envelopes from the Queen Victoria era was also strong. The mid 1800s saw an explosion of correspondence by mail as the cost of postage reduced, but illustrated envelopes remained a luxury afforded primarily to the wealthy. An intricate hand painted watercolour such as the one pictured below – sold at auction by Stanley Gibbons as part of The Cyriax Collection – would have made quite a statement. Depicting a Herald with a 1d rose-red, cut to shape to fit the illustration, this example was sent to the Duchess of Somerset by Major Gen Sir Arthur Ellis, equerry to the Prince of Wales in 1867, clearly visible on the scroll carried by the Herald. One of the finest hand illustrated covers the experts at Stanley Gibbons had ever handled, it was estimated to sell for between £1,200 and £1,400, but ultimately sold for £3,600 (including fees).
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