Great Britain - Day 4

1839 Treasury Competition Essays James Chalmers: 1d. essay in black on grey wove paper with the legend, "general post office/one penny", the centre with "Not ex. half and oz./1d." affixed to small ´letter-sheet´ by red sealing wax with the postmark "DUNDEE / SEPT. 30, 39." and the competition entry number "22290/39" alongside. Fine and rare. Only three examples recorded.

Provenance: H.C.V. Adams, February 1956; M.H. Stothert, September 1975; "Chartwell" 2011.

James Chalmers is an important figure in the history of the development of the postage stamp. He was a bookseller and publisher in Dundee and had spent many years campaigning for improvements to the postal service. It is claimed that he first proposed the idea of an adhesive label as early as 1834. For a long time there was a heated debate as to whom should be given the accolade of the inventor of the postage stamp, Rowland Hill or James Chalmers. Today the development of postage stamps is considered a process of general refinement with no single person responsible. However, the idea of a datestamp to cancel the stamps could well have originated from Chalmers ideas. He produced three designs each of 1d. and 2d. adhesive wafers which were affixed to wrappers and cancelled with the straight-line dated postmark. The first proposal was cancelled with a date of "sept.24,39.". The second, as the lot above, with the two-line postmark dated "sept.30, 39.". The final group cancelled "used" with the Dundee datestamp, "Oct.7, 39." HEADING The Treasury Competition Rowland Hill was not the only person considering ways of improving the mail system and some suggestions for prepaid labels and stationery had already been proposed. In 1839, the Treasury announced a public competition to artists, scientists and the general public to submit ideas for stamped covers or adhesive labels and for their security against forgery. The sums of £200 and £100 were offered for the two best proposals. There were over 2600 suggestions submitted, but only a small number related to postage stamps and included examples of their ideas. Although no submission was used, some of the ideas were utilised by Rowland Hill in his scheme.