Mulready Envelope
Preserved but no longer current.
An envelope resembling a half-sheet of letter-paper, when folded, having on the front an ornamental design by William Mulready (1786-1863), the artist. When the penny postage envelopes were first introduced (1840), these were the stamped envelopes of the day; they remained in circulation for one year only. They are prized by stamp-collectors.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Mulready Envelope” mean?
An envelope resembling a half-sheet of letter-paper, when folded, having on the front an ornamental design by William Mulready (1786-1863), the artist. When the penny postage envelopes were first introduced (1840), these were the stamped envelopes of the day; they remained in circulation for one year only. They are prized by stamp-collectors.
Is “Mulready Envelope” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.