Victorian Great Britain Penny Red Postage Stamp on Paper Fragment

This item is a 19th-century British postage stamp, commonly known as a 'Penny Red,' still adhered to a fragment of the original cream-colored paper envelope (on-piece). The stamp features the profile of Queen Victoria facing left, rendered in a brownish-red or brick-red ink. It is perforated along all four edges, though the perforations show some minor irregularities and wear. Notable markings include the check letters 'D' and 'Q' in the upper corners and 'Q' and 'D' in the lower corners, which were used to identify the stamp's position on the printing plate. To the left of the stamp is a clear, circular black ink handstamp cancellation, or postmark, reading 'HAMILTON' at the top, 'DE 26' in the center, and '65' at the bottom, indicating it was processed in Hamilton (likely Scotland or Ontario, Canada, given the British Empire usage) on December 26, 1865. The paper fragment is irregularly torn with significant creasing and vertical folds that pass through the stamp itself. There are light pencil marks or notations to the right of the stamp. The stamp's surface shows evidence of use and aging, with some fading and surface accumulation, but the engine-turned background design remains visible, indicating the high-quality line-engraving process used by Perkins, Bacon & Co. during this era.