Sale 1316 — United States Postal History
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 19-20 March, 2024
Category — Postmasters' Provisionals and 1847 Issue
New York N.Y., 5c Black, "ACM" Initials (9X1). Horizontal pair, large margins to just in at top, tied by red square grid cancels, matching "New-York 10cts. 18 Jan." (1847) integral-rate datestamp on folded letter to Black Rock N.Y., vertical file fold well away from stamps, Very Fine use of a pair, with 1995 P.S.E. certificate
5c Red Brown (1). Large margins to clear, tied by blue cork cancel and used with U.S.P.O., Philadelphia Pa., 1c Gold on Black Glazed (7LB11), large margins to clear, pencil "X" cancel is deeply impressed and effectively ties it to the cover, blue "Philada Pa. 5cts. Mar. 30" (1851) integral-rate circular datestamp on folded letter to the editor of the New York Herald in New York, contents contains newspaper clipping from the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society stating in part "In the recent execution of the Fugitive Slave Law,...Philadelphia has been deeply disgraced, the inalienable right of man outraged, and the low of God violated", the anonymous sender appears not to share the sentiments in the clipping
VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL COMBINATION COVER WITH THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE AND U.S.P.O. ONE-CENT GOLD ON BLACK CARRIER. ONE OF THE FINEST SUCH COMBINATIONS KNOWN.
This was used in the correct three-month period when the 7LB11 stamp was first available and the 1847 was still valid (March to June 1851). Approximately ten such combinations are known (Lyons census in Penny Post).
Ex Gibson and Myersburg. Illustrated in Chronicle 152, p. 232. With 1997 P.F. certificate. Scott value $3,500.
5c Red Brown, Double Transfer Type A (1-A). Position 80R, large margins to in, tied by red "New York & Phila. R.R. Aug. ?" route agent's circular datestamp on gray cover front only to Washington D.C., used with Boyd's City Express, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Green Glazed (20L7), large margins to ample, tied by grid cancel, 5c small tears and vertical crease from file fold, otherwise Fine and scarce combination, with 2009 P.F. certificate
5c Red Brown (1). Full margins except close at lower left corner, worn-plate impression, tied by two strikes of red "Alby. & Buffalo R.R. May 27" (1850) route agent's circular datestamp with third strike at bottom on blue folded letter to Utica N.Y. datelined "Schenectady May 27, 1850", Very Fine use of this route agent marking, ex Mirsky, with 1997 P.F. certificate
5c Red Brown (1). Large even margins, worn-plate impression, tied by pen stroke, blue manuscript "Cross Keys N.J. Oct. 26" postmark on folded letter to Doylestown Pa., dated 1850 by Creighton C. Hart, Extremely Fine, the only recorded use of an 1847 stamp from this New Jersey post office, ex Hart, Sampson, Arch and Eubanks, with 2000 P.F. certificate
5c Red Brown, Dot in "S" (1 var). Vertical pair, full to large margins, intermediate impression, both stamps tied by bold red grid, matching "Calais Me. Dec. 14" (1849) circular datestamp on large part of folded cover which appears complete (bottom portion, including last line of address panel, missing), Very Fine pair, ex Stollnitz, with 1996 P.F. certificate
5c Orange Brown, Double Transfer Type E (1b-E). Early impression showing clear double transfer of "U", "Post Office" and left numeral "5", large even margins all around, tied by blue grid cancel, matching "Philada Pa. 5cts. Jan. 27" (ca. 1848) integral-rate circular datestamp on cover to Princeton N.J., trivial age spotting
VERY FINE. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1847 "MOWER SHIFT" IN THE ORANGE BROWN SHADE ON COVER. A PHENOMENAL RARITY.
The so-called "Mower Shift" is named after its discoverer, the San Francisco dealer R. H. Mower. In an article discussing this rare position in the November 1976 Chronicle, Duane Garrett quotes a letter from Stanley B. Ashbrook, which states "this 'E' variety is quite scarce, much more than either the 'A' or 'B', probably due to the fact that the extra lines were not cut very deep on the plate and soon wore away. I believe that we can only find the 'E' among the very earliest prints from the plate."
Ex Gibson, Rust, Wagshal and Bakwin. With 1990 P.F. certificate. This shade with the Double Transfer Type E is not listed in Scott..
5c Dark Brown (1a). Horizontal pair, ample margins except right frameline just shaved, unusual dark grayish shade and sharp early impression, used on folded letter datelined "Charleston 25 Jany. 1848" and addressed to Greenock, Scotland, very faint red Wilmington & Raleigh Railroad route agent's circular datestamp at left, stamps apparently uncancelled but tied by "1/-" one-shilling due handstamp in England, sender's very specific routing instructions "p steamer Cambria from New York 29 Jany. 1848 for Liverpool" and carried on that Cunarder, departing New York January 29, 1848, arriving Liverpool February 13, Liverpool (Feb. 13) and Greenock (Feb. 14) backstamps, some faint bleached spots, Very Fine and handsome transatlantic use paying the 10c over-300 miles pre-treaty rate, with a railroad handstamp, ex Waterhouse, Krug, Matthies, "Sevenoaks", Saadi, Gross and "Yellowstone", signed Ashbrook, with 1998 P.F. certificate
10c Black (2). Position 71R, large even margins, sharp impression, tied by blue "Philada. Pa. 10 May 21" (1850) integral-rate circular datestamp, bold strike of "Blood's Despatch 26 So. Sixth 28" double-line circular handstamp on blue folded letter to Pittsburgh Pa., small sealed tear at top center of cover not mentioned on accompanying certificate
EXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB QUALITY EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE USED WITH THE BLOOD'S CIRCULAR HANDSTAMP FOR DELIVERY TO THE POST OFFICE.
Signed Ashbrook. Ex Boker, Gross and Field. With clear 2022 P.F. certificate.
10c Black (2). Position 22R, showing broken lower right frameline and extra lines outside lower right frameline, also recut framelines at top and bottom, full to large margins, crisp impression, tied by dark blue grid cancel with matching "Louisville Ky. 10 Jun. 23" integral-rate circular datestamp on undated folded cover to New York, Very Fine and rare on-cover example of this dramatic recut position, illustrated in Brookman, ex Haas (with original Stanley Gibbons 1980 retail price of $25,000), Griswold and Craveri, with 2012 P.F. certificate, Scott value $1,200
10c Black (2). Large margins all around, tied by red square grid cancel and matching "New-York Oct. 7" (1850) circular datestamp on blue folded cover to St. Catharines, Canada West, manuscript "4½" pence due marking, "Queenston U.C. Oct. 9, 1850" datestamp, small stain at bottom right has been expertly removed, Very Fine, a choice 10c 1847 use to Canada, ex Haas, Boker and Gross, with 2020 P.F. certificate, Scott value $1,750
10c Black (2). Large margins to just touched at top right, tied by red grid, matching "STEAM/BOAT" two-line handstamp on folded letter datelined "New York June 5, 1850" to Hamilton, Canada, neat "41/2" pence due marking, "Queenston U.C. Jun. 7, 1850" datestamp, stamp with tiny scissors-cut at top left, Very Fine, the postmaster (likely at Albany) received this from a non-contract steamboat and placed it into the regular mails for Canada, with 2002 P.F. certificate, Scott value $1,750