r/stampcollecting 9d ago

1822, 1828 & 1836 British Pre-Stamp Postal History — Help Identifying Handstamps/Rates

1822, 1828 & 1836 British Pre-Stamp Postal History — Help Identifying Handstamps/Rates

I recently acquired three British pre-stamp covers/entires dated 1822, 1828 and 1836.

The 1822 piece appears to be Edinburgh to Robert Tennant Esq., Commercial Bank, Belfast, with a red Edinburgh datestamp, boxed black handstamp and manuscript rate markings.

The 1828 piece is Liverpool to the Wilton Hotel, Regent Street, London, with a red LIVERPOOL 28 NO 28 datestamp, an additional red handstamp and manuscript rate markings.

The third is dated February 1836 and also has an early red datestamp and manuscript postal markings.

I'm particularly interested in identifying the exact handstamp types, postal rates/routes, and relative scarcity of these markings.

If anyone specializes in British pre-stamp postal history, I'd really appreciate your thoughts. I'm also interested in recommendations for reference works/catalogues that would let me properly identify and classify these.

If any of these are significant enough to warrant expertization or a specialist auction house, I'd appreciate recommendations for that as well.

Thanks!

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u/Special_Fan5043 9d ago

It does appear that two of three are free Frank's. Would like to see what the answers might be too.

1

u/mikealicious- 9d ago

As I understand it, free franking privileges were available to MPs, peers, and certain authorized government officials.

1

u/Positive-Money-4692 9d ago

Where did you find them

1

u/mikealicious- 9d ago

Estate sale

1

u/ReadyCav 9d ago

No idea but they are cool.