Auction 333-341 Western Australia & Great Britain - Day 3

Houses of Parliament 2 d. envelope 1840: "To be posted at the Houses of Parliament only / Post Paid.- Two-pence. Weight not to exceed 1 oz.", a fine used example of the 2 d. envelope on laid paper, wmk. Britannia in crowned oval, mailed and signed at lower left by 'C. P. Villiers' and addresssed to Richard Cobden in Manchester, struck by 'Crown / Paid' datestamp (Feb 6) in red. Tiny opening tear at base but of great rarity and historical interest, there being but 12 used covers / fronts of covers recorded in the Karl Louis Card Index, of which three are housed in institutional collections Gi = £ 45'000.

Note: The sender, Charles Pelham Villiers (1802-1898), was MP for Wolverhampton and the longest serving MP in Great Britain's history (1835-1898). He was leader of the Anti-Corn Law League and it's most prominent supporter along with John Bright and Richard Cobden until the successful repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846. The addressee, Richard Cobden (1804-1865) was yet to become an MP, being elected in 1841, he too was a passionate advocate of both Free Trade and, in consequence, the Anti-Corn Law League.

Provenance: Collection McGowan, Robson Lowe, London, 21 April 1948, lot 26.
                        Collection Oswald Marsh, Harmers, London, 4 April 1990, lot 1023.                       
                        Collection Trapnell, Cavendish, Derby, 9 Dec 1995, lot 1.
                        Spink, London, 17 Dec 1997, lot 1357.