Sale 1082 — The William Fekete Collection
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 21-22 October, 2014
Category — Postmasters Provisionals
Baltimore, Maryland, 5c Blue on Manila entire (3XU1). Clear strikes of signature, "Paid" and "5" in oval provisional handstamps, blue "Baltimore Md. Aug. 5" (1846) circular datestamp on cover to Miss Susan Julia Mayer, care of Gen. Geo. M. Keim in Reading Pa., wax seal mark at center as usual for the Mayer covers, sealed corner tear at bottom leftVERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL BALTIMORE 5-CENT HANDSTAMPED PROVISIONAL ENTIRE WITH ALL MARKINGS CLEARLY STRUCK.
With 1977 and 1987 P.F. certificates
New Haven Conn., 5c Reprints (8XU1R). Four different, incl. 1872 unsigned in Red, Very Fine, 1874 Peets Reprint in Red with blue signature (folded around the design with h.r. and small thins on edges, 1993 A.P.S. certificate), appears Fine, finally two 1932 Final Reprints in Red and Green, numbered 57 and 74 respectively and both accompanied by their original Carroll Alton Means booklets, Very Fine
New Haven Conn., 5c Dull Blue, Reprint (8XU1R). Signed in Lilac Rose and also matching "Copy" at center, otherwise appears as the other 1871 Reprints, central thin spot, Very Fine appearance, it is not known exactly when the rare reprints with "Copy" were made but they are extremely rare, ex Deats and Hulme, Scott Retail as 1871 Reprint
New Haven Conn., 5c Carmine, Reprint (8XU1R). 62 x 96mm, signature in Black, rich color, Very Fine, rare with the signature in black, ex Hulme, the Scott Catalogue lists the signatures for the 1874 Peets Reprints as being known in "Dark Blue, Red and Black (rare)," with 2000 P.F. certificate as 1874 Peets reprint in Carmine with Black signature, Scott Retail as the most common signature color $1,200.00
New Haven Conn., 5c Blue, Reprint (8XU3R). Struck from original handstamp, with facsimile signature, on brown cover addressed to Montreal, blue "New Haven Ct. Dec. 25" circular datestamp with red "Paid" in ribbon (both also reproductions of post office markings), Very Fine and fascinating, in 1932 the New Haven Philatelic Society obtained the original brass handstamp and used it to produce the "Final Reprints" on white wove, each of which were numbered and placed inside an informational booklet and sold for $5.00 each, the handstamp was reportedly then treated to prevent further re-use, apparently this "cover" was produced at the same time as the Final Reprints, with 1991 P.F. certificate stating "reprint made in 1932 from the original handstamp"
New York N.Y., 5c Black, "ACM" Initials (9X1). Positions 26-27, horizontal pair, unused (no gum), margins full to clear, left stamp partly broken heavy vertical crease, right stamp light corner crease not mentioned on accompanying certificate, as a single the right stamp is a lovely Very Fine appearing unused stamp, with 1982 P.F. certificate
New York N.Y., 5c Black, "ACM" Initials (9X1). Positions 4-5, horizontal pair, left stamp double transfer, full margins to slightly in, tied by two strikes of red "Paid" in arc, third strike at right, matching "New-York 10 cts. 20 Nov." integral-rate circular datestamp on small blue 1846 folded letter to Detroit Mich., Fine pair on an attractive cover and a scarce use, ex Hessel, Martin and Georgian collection
New York N.Y., 5c Black, "AC M" Initials (9X1a). Positions 21-22, horizontal pair, large margins to clear, cancelled by blue penstrokes, red "New-York 5cts. 29 Oct." integral-rate circular datestamp with matching "Paid" arc on green 1845 folded letter to Ann Arbor Mich., light horizontal file fold well clear of stamps, Very Fine, Raymond Weill backstamp
New York N.Y., 5c Black, "AC M" Initials (9X1a). Positions 2-3, horizontal pair, full to ample margins, tied by bold blue pen stroke and by red "New-York 10 cts. 8 Mar." integral-rate circular datestamp, matching "Paid" arc handstamp on 1846 folded letter to Plattsburgh N.Y., central file fold, Very Fine, with 1993 A.P.S. certificate
Providence, Rhode Island, 5c & 10c Gray Black (10X1, 10X2). 5c Positions 4-5, horizontal pair, original gum, ample margins all around incl. sheet margin at left, small gum toning spots show faintly on front, appears Very Fine, with clear 1981 P.F. certificate, 10c unused single (no gum), full margins, tiny sealed internal tear, otherwise Fine
Providence, Rhode Island, 5c & 10c Gray Black, Bogert & Durbin Second Reprint Sheet of Twelve (10X1-10X2R). Complete sheet with lettering on reverse and printed in 1898, without gum as issued, large margins, bright shade, fresh and Very Fine, also pair of 5c-10c Reprint with lettering on reverse, Positions 2-3 with large sheet margins, Very Fine, only 171 sheets printed
St. Louis, Missouri, 5c Black on Greenish (11X1). Type III, Position 5, ample margins to just in at lower right corner, neat pen cancels, top left corner torn and expertly repaired, tiny ink erosion hole in left pen stroke at framelineFINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT ST. LOUIS "BEARS" POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL ON GREENISH PAPER.
With 1965 P.F. certificate
St. Louis, Missouri, 5c Black on Greenish (11X1). Type III, Position 5, large margins to just clear, without pen cancellation, light strike of red St. Louis circular datestamp, upper half thinnedFINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT ST. LOUIS "BEARS" POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL ON GREENISH PAPER. RARE CANCELLED SOLELY BY THE RED ST. LOUIS DATESTAMP.
Scott Retail for normally pen-cancelled stamp -- Scott pricing note states: "Values for used off-cover stamps are for pen-cancelled copies. Handstamp cancelled copies sell for much more."
St. Louis Missouri, 10c Black on Greenish (11X2). Type I, Position 2, unused (no gum), large to huge margins three sides, just into frameline at top right, tiny 1.5mm sealed tear at top rightFINE APPEARING AND EXCEEDINGLY RARE UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT ST. LOUIS PROVISIONAL ON GREENISH PAPER. THIS IS ONLY THE FOURTH UNUSED EXAMPLE WE HAVE OFFERED.
We have offered three other unused examples of the 10c on Greenish paper in our sales since 1993 and in our Rarities sales since 1964 -- all within the last three years -- including the incomparable original-gum corner-margin copy from the Frelinghuysen collection, a no-gum copy with top sheet margin in our 2012 Rarities sale (pre-printing creases) and a no-gum copy with a large repair and margin tear in our 2014 Rarities sale
St. Louis Missouri, 10c Black on Greenish (11X2). Type I, Position 2, large even margins, sharp impression, cancelled solely by red "Paid" handstamp, offset of a 5c St. Louis stamp on back, two thin spotsEXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT ST. LOUIS POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL ON GREENISH PAPER, CANCELLED SOLELY BY THE RED 'PAID" HANDSTAMP AND WITHOUT ANY PEN CANCELLATION.
Scott Retail for normally pen-cancelled stamp -- Scott pricing note states: "Values for used off-cover stamps are for pen-cancelled copies. Handstamp cancelled copies sell for much more."
St. Louis, Missouri, 20c Black on Gray Lilac (11X6). Type II, Position 3, full margins to just into framelines at left, manuscript cancel, filled thin spotsFINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 20-CENT GRAY LILAC ST. LOUIS "BEARS" POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL.
Our census of St. Louis 20c on Gray Lilac (11X6) contains approximately 50 examples on or off cover (including multiples). With 1986 P.F. certificate
1845 Postmasters' Provisionals, Forgeries and Reprints. Best item is a Sperati die proof of 9X1, signed below design with reproduction handstamp above, numbered 156 on back, Very Fine, also incl. two additional 9X1 design items, 3XU1 item, four forgeries of the 5c Providence (10X1), crude 5c St. Louis (11X1) and several stamp show provisional reproductions incl. two sheets from the 1938 New Haven Philatelic Society featuring 3XU1, Very Fine group