Sale 1155 — United States and Confederate States Postal History
Sale Date — Tuesday, 9 May, 2017
Category — 1851-60 Issues
1c Blue, Ty. Ib (5A). Positions 5-6R1E, horizontal pair, both are Ty. Ib, full margin at top nicely shows the type characteristics, bottom margin to slightly in on right stamp, tied by blue "Apalachicola Fla. Jan. 19" (1852) circular datestamp on folded circular to Providence R.I., docketing on back confirms date, file folds including one which has caused a slightly broken crease in left stampVERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE USE OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE Ib FROM FLORIDA.
Type Ib was produced only as an imperforate stamp. Six positions on Plate 1 Early furnished stamps qualifying as Type Ib -- Positions 3-6R and 8-9R -- distinguished by the complete design at top and nearly complete design at bottom. When first entered on the plate, these six positions (as well as 7R1E) had the complete design at top and bottom. However, unlike 7R, small portions of the bottoms of 3-6R and 8-9R were ironed out when the entries were made below them. Position 6 is one of the two best examples of the type as it had less of the bottom ironed out.
We have not encountered another example of Scott 5A used from Florida. In fact, there are very few 1851 Issue covers listed in Power Search for any type or denomination used from Florida.
Signed Ashbrook. Scott Retail for pair off-cover $19,000.00, for two singles with premium for Position 6R1E $20,500.00
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Positions 41-42R1E, horizontal pair with sheet margin and centerline at left, tied by blue "Apalachicola Fla. Paid 3 Mar. 23" (1852) circular datestamp on folded circular to Providence R.I., offset of second circular datestamp on back, receipt docketing, file fold creases the left stamp which also has a margin tear, otherwise Very Fine and rare use from Florida
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Positions 78-80R2, horizontal strip of three, tied by "Tallahassee Fla." circular datestamp on small mourning bordered cover to Prince Edward Va., right stamp small corner crease, still Very Fine and rare use from Florida
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Margins to in, used with horizontal strip of three 3c Dull Red, Ty. II (11A), tied by two strikes of "Warrington Fla." circular datestamp with unclear date on buff homemade cover to Stockton City Cal., some slight wrinkling, Fine and rare use of 1851 Issue stamps from Florida to California, paying the 10c rate
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Used with 3c Dull Red, Ty. I (11), both neatly tied by "Philadelphia Pa. Oct. 30" circular datestamp on small cover to St. Paul Minn., Very Fine and quite attractive, the 1c paid the carrier fee at a time when the Eagle Carrier stamp supply was exhausted, ex Gibson and Middendorf, with 1999 P.F. certificate
1c Blue, Ty. IIIa (8A). Horizontal pair, large margins to in at top, tied by two clear strikes of blue "Apalachicola Fla." dateless circular handstamp on 1852 folded circular to Providence R.I., receipt docketing, file fold creases the right stamp, Very Fine appearance, the only No. 8a cover from Florida listed in Power Search
1c Blue, Ty. IV (9). Horizontal strip of three, ample to large margins except just touched at top, tied by green Lynchburg Va. circular datestamps on pink cover to a lieutenant on the U.S. Sloop of War Cyane at the Boston Navy Yard, Oct. 31, 1856 receipt docketing, Very Fine and scarce, ex Haas (where current owner acquired it in Siegel Sale 615)
3c Orange Brown, Ty. II (10A). Margins clear of framelines all around, rich color, tied by double-struck green "Lynchburg Va. 16 Apr." (1852) circular datestamp on blue folded letter to Appomattox Va., Very Fine, Scott retail for a green cancel off-cover is $375.00
3c Dull Red, Ty. II (11A). Vertical pair, large bottom margin showing portion of adjoining stamp, tied by two strikes of "Fayetteville Vt. July 13" (1857) circular datestamp on folded letter to Melbourne Australia, forwarded to Beechworth, Australia oval Australian transit datestamp of Dec. 24, backstamps including "Boston Br. Pkt. 15 Jul." and three rimless transit and arrival ovals including red "Ship Letter Free P.O. Victoria DC 24 1857", also Melbourne and Beechworth ovals dated Dec. 24 and Dec. 27, small inconsequential square cut from back panel, top stamp light internal crease, Very Fine appearance and a very rare use, apparently overpaid by 1c for the private ship rate from Boston, but struck in Boston with the British Packet datestamp and then in transit more than five months, signed Ashbrook who stated "a most unusual cover 1c overpay on 5c rate," also with Chase note stating "one of the very few 3c '51 covers I've seen to Australia"
3c Dull Red, Ty. II (11A). Tied by unclear strike of blue Philadelphia Pa. circular datestamp, bold strike of red "R" handstamp (recorded), manuscript "Reg." and "20" registry number, addressed to Philadelphia street address, stamp with slight oxidation and sealed tear at right, Very Fine appearance, scarce
1c Blue, Ty. III (21). Position 81L4, attractive margins and centering, tied by large "Paid" grid cancel with "Boston Mass. June 7" (1858) circular datestamp on small folded notice for annual stockholder meeting of the Tremont Iron Company, addressed locally, central file fold far from stamp, Very Fine, a pretty cover with this scarce stamp, with 1992 P.F. certificate
1c Blue, Ty. III, Position 99R2 (21 var). The position with the widest breaks of any Type III, choice centering, deep shade, pieces torn away from top and bottom when separated by sender, tied by "Chicago Ill. Oct. 27, 1857" circular datestamp on yellow cover to Exeter Ill., with original enclosureTHE EARLIEST DOCUMENTED DATE OF USE OF POSITION 99R2 -- THE ONE-CENT TYPE III -- WHICH THE SCOTT CATALOGUE LISTS SEPARATELY, BOTH IMPERFORATE AND PERFORATED, IN RECOGNITION OF ITS EXTRAORDINARY CHARACTERISTICS.
This cover from the Armitage correspondence is the basis of the Scott-listed Earliest Documented Use of No. 21, Position 99R2, on October 27, 1857. The EDU for any perforated 1c stamp from Plate 2 is July 26, 1857. According to our records, only three covers are known with Position 99R2: a single, ex Ishikawa and Zoellner, a strip containing 99R2, and the Armitage cover offered here. The Scott Catalogue incorrectly states that two covers are known.
Please see Chronicle 199 (August 2003) for an article documenting the Armitage correspondence. With 1999 A.P.S. certificate stating "earliest documented cover". Scott Retail for an off-cover used stamp is $20,000.00
1c Blue, Ty. V (24). Used with 3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26), both canceled by grids and 1c tied by "Philadelphia Pa. Mar. 29" circular datestamp on mourning cover to New York, stamps with minor perf faults, Fine appearance, 1c paid carrier fee
5c Brick Red (27). Vertical strip of three, bright color, scissors-separated with portions of adjoining stamps above and below, only a few perfs at lower left trimmed, tied by two strikes of "New Orleans La. May 31, 1859" circular datestamp on cover to Paris, France, red "New York Paid 12 Jun. 8" credit datestamp, French transit double-circle datestamp ties strip, missing backflap and portion of one side flap, minor cover scuffs at left and bottom stamp with cut perfs at bottom left, otherwise Fine-Very Fine strip, Scott Retail as off-cover strip of three $6,250.00
12c Black, Plate 1 (36). Two horizontal pairs and two singles, tied by partly clear strikes of "Newport Flor. Sep. 8" (1858) circular datestamp (clearer strike on back), "New-York Br. Pkt. Sep. 15" circular datestamp on cover to Nottingham, England, "SHORT PAID" in octagon handstamp struck twice on front and twice on back, manuscript "20" cents debit marking to England and "4/-" (4sh) due, Liverpool transit (from Cunarder Africa) and Nottingham receiving backstamps, cover and right stamp small staple holes, slight wrinklingVERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE USE OF SIX COPIES OF THE 12-CENT 1857 ISSUE ON COVER FROM FLORIDA TO ENGLAND, ATTEMPTING TO PAY A TRIPLE RATE BUT UNDERPAID AND TREATED AS COMPLETELY UNPAID.
The 72c franking was an attempt by the sender to pay the triple 24c rate to England, but this was not possible before Apr. 1, 1866, due to British weight progressions. The franking was ignored by the New York exchange office and the underpaid cover was treated as totally unpaid. The correct quadruple rates are reflected in the "20" cents debit marking (quadruple 5c to the U.S. for carriage on a British steamer) and the 4sh due marking