Los 35015

1840 (March), 1d. Black, Master Die Proof, on India paper, 62 x 68 mm., mounted on soft card, showing the addition of the words POSTAGE and ONE PENNY, the four corner squares left blank, a remarkable Die Proof of profound philatelic and historic importance, one of the few such examples recorded in private hands, illustrating the stage at which final approval could be given to the design that would become the world`s first adhesive postage stamp, an exceptional international rarity of the highest quality, and unquestionably the most significant postage stamp proof in existence Gi DP17a. A mere six examples of this Master Die Proof are recorded, with even fewer available to collectors. Three are held in instituional collections, with two examples found in the Royal Philatelic Collection, and one in the R.M. Phillips Collection at the Postal Museum (London). A further three are recorded in private hands, including the example offered here, and the unique cancelled example, also in the Beresford-Wylie Collection. Provenance: Collection Major Allen; Collection "Rainbow", 1986; Collection "Tes", Christies Robson Lowe, 5 October 1995, Collection Pichai Buransombati, Shreves Philatelic Galleries, 15 March, 2001, lot 9. Collection Chartwell, Part II, Spink London, 16 February 2012, lot 30