Queen Victoria Line Engraved mystery!

Hello everyone! My name is Andy Fox and I am new to this forum. I’m hoping to get some help solving a mystery. I have a document with an adhesive postage stamp on it dated from what appears to be September 7th 1841. The stamp has all the characteristics of an 1840 2d blue but it is printed in black! The red MX cancellation and everything in the document indicates that the period is correct and that this is actually from around that time but no matter how hard I research I cannot find what this is. I’m hoping someone here can enlighten me. Photo attached. I can take more if necessary just let me know. Thank you in advance!

Hi Andy, a few observations. Firstly when & where? The postal markings are French, implying it is going abroad from the UK registered as the crown registration mark implies. However the overseas registration fee was 2s6d and in the late 1830s only one letter was registered in eighteen months! (See James Mackay “Registered Mail of the British Isles). In Jan 1841 you could actually send something abroad from places other than London or Edinburgh. This marking is recorded used from 1816 to 1832 by Barrie Jay in the county catalogue vol3.

In France 7 Sep 1841 Dijon to Seurre the next day. It would be interested to see the contents – a business letter in French? As it is addressed to Seurre and there is a firm's handstamp of the sender on the front I have to conclude the stamp and “British” marking have been added to a French entire. The cds for Folkingham (Lincolnshire) actually looks OK (can you read the date?). If such an item were genuine I would expect to see a London transit mark.

Then to the stamp. Whilst 2d blues can oxidise to a darker colour it does not (that I have seen) extend to black. Take a look against a strong light and check if it has a watermark. No watermark – fake. If it is watermarked then a clearer scan of the stamp (800dpi) would help and it could be plated (it'll only be 1 or 2 after all).

It is certainly a fun item.

Edited By Paul Davey 1 on 02/12/2019 22:06:51

Thanks so much for such a detailed response. The stamp does appear to have the small crown watermark, although hard to be certain. Here is the back side of the document. Definitely French!