Gilbert's Crystal Palace. Duotone illustrated lettersheet in black and pale orange, large detailed woodcut engraving of building and crowd gathered outside, including horse-drawn coach and mounted military officers, specifications of building size in caption below, datelined March 22, 1851, at Derby and addressed to Marie Shirley, widow of Rev. Walter A. Shirley of Derbyshire, at Florence, Italy, greenish blue "Derby MR22 1851" circular datestamp, manuscript "7" pence rate, red London transit backstamp, part strike of French arrival datestamp, "VIA DI/PT. BEAUVOISIN" handstamp (Torino), "Corrispa Esta Da Genova" double-circle handstamp (Livorno) and "Firenze" receiving backstamp (Mar. 31), manuscript "21" crazie due, letter begins "I am no favorer of this Babel tower whose top is to reach the height of perfection in arts & sciences, but this picture is pretty...", Very Fine, this rare lettersheet is not listed in Bristow's The Postal History of the Crystal Palace -- this British exhibition inspired the American Crystal Palace exhibition held two years later

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