Lot 50048 – 1840 (May 2) 1d Mulready letter sheet (A175) used locally (four days prior to the official first day of use)

1840 (May 2) 1d Mulready letter sheet (A175) used locally in London to Clapham Rise, beautifully cancelled by a superb strike of red London Octagonal date stamp for the 2nd May (four days prior to the official first day of use), also showing a light strike of « Strand / 1d. paid » receiving office handstamp in black and endorsed « P1 » in manuscript at lower left, an incredible exhibition showpiece un rivalled with such a perfect display of the date stamp at front, one of, if not the finest known example of this early usage; photocopy of cert. BPA (1998).