Sale 1316 — United States Postal History
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 19-20 March, 2024
Category — 1861-68 Issues
1c Blue (63). Horizontal pair, left stamp tear at bottom left, cancelled by manuscript "3-1/2 oz", with matching "Metedeconk NJ 11 mo 23/63" Quaker-style postmark on brown wrapper to Point Pleasant N.J., Fine and rarely saved use, this paid the 2c newspaper rate for up to four ounces, ex Cipolla, with 2015 P.F. certificate
3c Pink (64). Bright color, used with 1c Blue (63), tied by "New York Mar. 14" circular datestamp on cover from noted artist Frederick Church to his father, Joseph Church, in Hartford Conn., with original enclosure signed "Your aff son Frederick", missing small part of top flap, Very Fine, with 2022 P.F. certificate, Scott value for No. 64 on cover $700
3c Rose (65). Tied by circle of wedges cancel with "Millstone N.J. Aug. 24" double-circle datestamp on cover to Burlington N.J. with Fortress Monroe and Gen. Mansfield overall illustrated Magnus Patriotic design in bronze, exceptional engraving of the fort, harbor and Gen. Mansfield
very fine. a spectacular fortress monroe magnus patriotic design in bronze, with the 3-cent 1861 issue.
Ex Walcott and Bilden.
3c Rose (65). Well-centered with natural straight edge at right, bright color, tied by bold blue "Cincinnati O. Jan. 13" duplex datestamp and grid on cover to Black River Falls Wis. with elaborate consumption cure illustrated design depicting a woman inhaling medicated air, Pulmonary Institute of Cincinnati address and information about the treatment, Extremely Fine and scarce design, a superb medical advertising cover for the treatment of tuberculosis
5c Buff (67). Used with 3c Rose (65), tied by "Albany N.Y. Paid" circular datestamp on legal-size cover to Keesville N.Y. with illustrated corner card of N.Y. Department of Public Instruction, manuscript "817" at top left, minor corner wear and 5c stamp with single short corner perf, still Very Fine, an extremely rare use of the 5c 1861 perforated issue paying the 5c registry fee prior to the fee increase in 1863 (this cover undoubtedly predates that), for the 5c 1856 imperforate, the Hill book and the Frajola & Mayer book note only two uses of that stamp are known paying the registry fee, this 5c Buff perforated use is probably nearly as rare, Albany was one of the only post offices known to have used stamps to pay the registry fee with a stamp before postmasters were specifically instructed to do so in 1867 (well after the fee increase), otherwise the 5c registry fee was nearly always paid in cash, Scott value for normal No. 67 use on cover
10c Green (68). Dark shade, tied by grid cancels, "Watertown N.Y. Mar. 13, 1863" circular datestamp on cover to Hana, Hawaii, fresh and Very Fine, ex Golden and Hutchinson
10c Green (68). Rich color, tied by grid cancel, "Exeter N.H. Apr. 28" (1868) double-circle datestamp on cover to J. C. A. Wingate, U.S. Consul, Swatow, China, sender's directive "Via California", red "New York Paid All Direct May 8" transit datestamp—dates correspond to the sailing of the PMSS Colorado, departing San Francisco June 3 and arriving Hong Kong July 6— "Hong-Kong C JY 6" and Swatow receiving backstamps, barely reduced at right, Very Fine, ex Dr. Spicer and "Magnolia"
10c Green (68). Two, tied by circle of V's cancel on 1868 blue folded cover to Guatemala, "Str. Arizona via Panama" directive at top left, blue crayon "2" due rate, Feb. 1, 1868 forwarder's double-oval datestamp, Very Fine double-rate use to Guatemala
10c Green (68). Two covers to Amsterdam, first with two 10c and one 1c Blue (63) tied by grid cancels from New York to Amsterdam, ex Baker and Wunderlich, second with block of three and fourth replacement stamp used with two 1c Blue (63) from New York to Amsterdam, Very Fine appearing single and double-rate uses via Open Mail
12c Black (69). Used with 3c Rose (65) and three 10c Green (68), 3c tied to cover and other stamps tied together by magenta grid cancels, matching "Hartford Ct. Sep. 30" (1862) circular datestamp, red "Boston Br. Pkt. 40 Oct. 1" 40c credit datestamp also ties 3c on blue cover to Francis Hall, Yokohama, Japan, via Russell & Co., Shanghai, China, Boston datestamp repeated on back without credit—carried on Cunarder Arabia, departing Boston Oct. 1, 1862, arriving Queenstown Oct. 11—faint strike of red London datestamp (Oct. 13) ties one 10c, red crayon "1" British Colonial credit, blue "Hong Kong C "DE 11 62" backstamp, reply docketing on back (Jan. 2, 1863), cover with some expertly sealed tears and left 10c stamp lifted and reperfed
EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. A STRIKING 45-CENT, THREE-COLOR 1861 ISSUE FRANKING TO JAPAN, VIA RUSSELL & CO. IN SHANGHAI.
Ex "Magnolia". Accompanied by sailing data to the destination.
12c Black (69). Used with 1c Blue (63) and two 3c Rose (65), 1c with double perfs at one side, tied by blue segmented cork cancels and matching "Chicago Ill. Sep. 5 '64" double-circle datestamp on cover to Switzerland, red "New York Brem. Pkt. Paid Sep. 10" datestamp, blue "America Uber Bremen Franco" handstamp, transit and receiving backstamps, Very Fine and colorful franking
24c Red Lilac (70). Used with 1c Blue (63) and horizontal pair of 3c Red (65), straight edge on one side, tied by open grid cancels, red "New York Paid 24 May 27" (1862) 24c credit datestamp on cover to Paris, France, red boxed "PD" handstamp, appropriate transits, Fine, scarce 1c carrier fee plus postage to a foreign destination
24c Red Lilac, Plate Proof on Card (70P4). Shaved to reduce thickness and perforated, tied by cork cancel, "South Meriden Conn. Oct. 25 1897 10AM" circular datestamp on brown registered cover to Bridgeport Conn., some edge faults and erosion in the return address, otherwise Very Fine, an unusual accepted use of a proof to pay postage, with 2013 P.F. certificate
30c Orange (71). Bright color, couple short perfs and light crease, tied by neat four-bars cancel, red "Boston Am. Pkt. Paid Dec. 10" (1864) circular datestamp on gray cover to Louis G. Hale, care of H. Fogg & Co., Shanghai, China, sender's directive "French Closed Mail" at top, red crayon "27" cents credit despite the American Packet datestamp, French entry (Dec. 28) and transit datestamps front and back, red boxed "P.D." handstamp, receipt docketing of Feb. 14, 1865, Very Fine, ex "Magnolia", accompanied by sailing data to the destination
30c Orange (71). Used with 5c Brown (76) and 10c Green (68), each with vivid color, tied by crossroads cancel, red "N. York Br. Pkt. Paid Nov. 10" (1863) circular datestamp ties 10c on cover to Carlowitz & Co., Canton, China, sender's directive "Via Southampton", magenta manuscript "40" credit—carried on Cunarder Canada, departing Boston Nov. 11, 1863, arriving Queenstown Nov. 22—red London Paid datestamp (Nov. 23) tying 5c and 10c stamps, red manuscript "1" British Colonial credit, blue Hong Kong backstamp (Jan. 23, 1864), light file fold affecting 10c stamp, still Very Fine, a beautiful three-color franking for the 45c British Mail rate via Southampton, with 2023 P.F. certificate
30c Orange (71). Used with two 10c Green (68) and 1c Blue (63), red “N. York Am. Pkt. Paid Dec 13” (1863) circular datestamp on cover to Shanghai, China red London Paid Christmas Day datestamp, manuscript rates including "1" British Colonial credit, Hong Kong and Shanghai backstamps, 30c with small corner fault, one 10c straight edge at left, Fine and colorful use to China, ex Hessel, Mizuhara and "Magnolia", accompanied by sailing data to the destination
5c Red Brown (75). Warm color, perfs slightly blunted perfs at bottom, tied by grid cancel with red "N-York Br. Pkt. Oct. 8" (1862) circular datestamp on blue folded cover to Amsterdam, Netherlands, company handstamp at bottom left, sender's directive "p. St. Scotia, pr. Open Mail via Ostend", carried on that Cunarder from New York on Oct. 8, arriving Queenstown Oct. 17, red London transit backstamp, manuscript "1/-" debit and "80" Dutch cents due markings, Very Fine
5c Red Brown (75). Used with 10c Green (68) and 30c Orange (71), bright colors, tied by unusual large 4-bar grid cancels, red "Boston Am. Pkt. Paid Oct. 16" (1863) backstamp on blue folded letter to Port Elizabeth, Cape of Good Hope, sender's directive "via England pr. Saxonia" and carried on that ship of the HAPAG line which departed New York Oct. 17 and arrived Southampton Oct. 29, red crayon "24" credit, red "London Paid OC 30, 1863" datestamp, red "1d" British Colonial credit handstamp, transit and receiving backstamps, 10c faint crease at upper right
VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND COLORFUL 1861 ISSUE FRANKING TO THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE FROM THE HOWLAND CORRESPONDENCE.
Ex Knapp, Krug and DuPuy.
24c Lilac (78). Horizontal pair and three singles, tied by red "Newark N.J. 18 Sep." double-circle datestamps on large blue linen-lined cover to London, England, sender's directive "per Steamer Scotia", red New York Sep. 19 (1866) datestamp, red London Paid datestamp (Sep. 29), magenta "95" credit, right stamp cut off the cover and put back in place, cutting into the stamp which formed a pair with the one next to it, some soiling around stamp and some edgewear, otherwise Fine, a highly unusual franking, with pencil note on back dated June 9, 1930: "this cover was found by an elderly lady and wishing to know whether the stamps were valuable she cut one off and took to a dealer. The letter which this contained was written to a bridal couple on their honeymoon in 1866"
10c Green, E. Grill (89). Horizontal pair, clear grill, tied by rosette cancel and "New-York Aug. 1" (1868) circular datestamp on folded cover to Laguna de Terminos, Mexico, bold strike of "3" reales due handstamp, Very Fine, ex Hutchinson, with 1992 P.F. certificate
10c Yellow Green, F. Grill (96). Faint grill, used with two 1c Blue (63) and 3c Red, F. Grill (94), tied by beautiful early type of New York Foreign Mail cancel and red "New York Paid All Br. Transit Feb. 20" (1869) circular datestamp on blue folded cover to Palermo, Sicily, receiving backstamps, file folds thru stamps have been pressed out, Very Fine appearance, a lovely combination for the 15c rate, ex Hutchinson
12c Black, F. Grill (98). Two folded covers to Cadiz, Spain, each with vertical pair, one straight edge at left from interpane margin and showing part of adjoining stamps, tied by corks and with red "PD" in oval handstamp, other with stamps tied by circle of Vs and with red "8R" credit handstamp, one used June 1868, other used June 1869, few faults, otherwise Fine, 1868 is an early use