Thanks ever so much for that Raimey, I was trying to decipher the various marks and hadn't managed to get much further than the various initial proof, actual proof and viewed proofs which I'd initially assumed to be foreign (don't laugh, I thought the 'BV' might be for Bavaria rather than Birmingham UK). I'd completely missed the 5 'wildman' marks, is this the mark I've seen referred to as a 'caveman'?
1896 ish is great, makes it the oldest one I own by a few years.
very many thanks for all you've told me.
Anne smile