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Elliot's Imitation of the Jubilee Envelope

Introduction

William Henry Elliot of 29 Calthorpe Street, Gray's lnn Road, London, published an imitation of the official Jubilee envelope and card, priced to sell at one penny. According to a letter from Elliot in the Post Office Archives, the imitation went on sale at mid-day on 5th July 1890.

The Post Office acted swiftly, claiming contravention of the Post Office Protection Act and ordered Elliot to withdraw the envelopes immediately.

Of the 3000 envelopes printed, about half had already been passed to retailers (mainly on a sale or return basis) but all except about 500 which had been sold to street traders were recovered by Elliot on 15th July.

Stationer's Hall, where all pictorial envelopes were obliged to be registered, was severely criticised for accepting the design so clearly in contravention of the Act.

The authorities seemed satisfied that Elliot had not acted with fraudulent intent.

(link)

Frame 1

  1. Introduction
  2. Envelope overprinted for advertising purposes
  3. Postal Use
  4. Postal Use Without Payment of Postage
  5. Postal Use Without Payment of Postage
  6. Postal Use Within London
  7. Letter from Elliot to the Post Office
  8. Early Use?
  9. Envelope with handstamps from South Kensington Exhibition
  10. Printing Quality
  11. Postal Use in Isle of Man
  12. Late Use
  13. Late Use
  14. Late Use
  15. Reuse of Stamp Design
  16. Post Office Notice