GREAT BRITAIN, 1840, 1p Black (1; SG 2). CK, large margins to just in at upper right, bright shade, tied by red Maltese Cross, matching "H 7 AU 7 1840" backstamp on Post Magazine folded publication to Tokenhouse Yard in London, also with "Gravesend AU 7, 1840" and receiving backstamps

VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE EXAMPLE OF THE PENNY BLACK USED ON AN EARLY EDITION OF THE POST MAGAZINE IN AUGUST 1840. A PHENOMENAL COVER.

According to British Pictorial Envelopes of the 19th Century, in August 1840 the Post Magazine appeared. It had originally been published in 1837 as propaganda for Uniform Postage. One flap states "Remarkable application of the reduced postage, Combining 1st. A magazine of useful information, 2nd. A Post Label, 3rd. A sheet of letter paper". This weekly news sheet was sold ready stamped with the Penny Black and charged at 1-1/2p to the public and 1p to advertisers. Publication appears to have ceased in early 1841 but for some years afterwards the ready stamped magazines were used purely for correspondence purposes.

The example offered here, with the early August of 1840 date, should be considered highly desirable.

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