Philatelic History

Newly listed, these entertaining hand-illustrated envelopes of philatelic interest. Sent in 1876 from Churton St, Pimlico to Mrs Elrington of Vernon Hill, Bishop's Waltham, Hampshire.

Illustrating letter envelopes was not uncommon in late Victorian England, often with humorous or idiosyncratic cartoons. There are some fabulously whimsical examples by Edward Burne-Jones (1833–1898) in the British Museum in their collection of 'Letters to Katie'.

Images 3, 4, 5 © The Trustees of the British Museum