Sale 1205 — 2019 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Wednesday, 26 June, 2019
Category — Confederate States
Adams Express Co. New-Orleans Apr. Circular datestamp (with "Apr" month only, 1861 use) ties 3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26) on gray lithographed American Tract Society illustrated advertising cover to Col. John Duncan at Jackson Miss., manuscript "Paid 2/-" express charge (two bits, or 25c), neatly docketed with April 25, 1861 origin date and April 26 arrival dateEXTREMELY FINE. A RARE PRECURSOR EXPRESS COMPANY COVER FROM NEW ORLEANS TO JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, CARRIED BY ADAMS EXPRESS OUTSIDE THE MAILS BEFORE JUNE 1, 1861, ENTIRELY WITHIN THE STATES IN REBELLION.
In the early months of 1861, express companies began carrying mail in anticipation of service disruptions. The Adams New Orleans marking is rare, and this beautiful cover is an extremely rare example of Adams mail carried between New Orleans and another seceded state -- the typical use is on mail to New York City or other states in the Union.
Illustrated in Chase book (p. 318). Ex Chase, Knapp, Emerson, Shenfield and Richey. With 1999 P.F. certificate
Atlanta Ga. Apr. 6 (?), 1861. Circular datestamp ties 3c Claret, Ty. III (26), well-centered with rich color, on cover to Philadelphia Pa. with overall 7-Star Confederate Flag Patriotic design (F7-2A, without flagstaff), "Jas. McPherson & Co. Booksellers and Stationers, Whitehall Street, Atlanta Ga." imprint (this design unlisted in C.S.A. Catalog with this imprint), exceptionally bight and freshEXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB AND RARE CONFEDERATE STATE USE OF THE 3-CENT 1857 ISSUE ON AN OVERALL 7-STAR PATRIOTIC COVER, SENT SOUTH TO NORTH.
With 2004 P.F. certificate
5c Light Green, Stone 1 (1a). Large margins all around, rich color, tied by perfect strike of "Atlanta Ga. Feb. 24, 1862" circular datestamp on bright yellow cover with "Salmons & Simmons, Dealers in Staple & Fancy Goods, Atlanta Ga." green embossed cameo corner card, beautiful ornate design, addressed to the care of McWilliams & Roberts in Griffin Ga.EXTREMELY FINE GEM STAMP ON A BEAUTIFUL AND IMMACULATE CONFEDERATE CORNER CARD COVER. ABSOLUTE PERFECTION.
The sender of this as well as the recipients must have been fastidious as we have offered another example from the same correspondence which is just as beautiful (an Atlanta Postmaster's Provisional entire). The matching color of the cameo corner card and the stamp on this cover adds to its beauty.
With 2002 P.F. certificate
5c Green, Stone 1-2 (1). Ample margins to touched at upper right, rich color, tied by "Wilmington N.C. 5 Paid 28 Dec." modified pre-war integral-rate circular datestamp ("3" changed to "5") on buff cover with green "Confederate States of America" Allegorical River Scene and Verse Patriotic design (MS-2, Verse 8), addressed to Newbern N.C., barely reduced at left where resealedEXTREMELY FINE. A PARTICULARLY CHOICE COVER WITH THE 5-CENT FIRST CONFEDERATE GENERAL ISSUE STAMP AND THE RARE ALLEGORICAL RIVER SCENE PATRIOTIC DESIGN.
The verse on this design is particularly fervent, with a very questionable sentiment. It reads, "Death to each marauding band, who would defile this glorious land-- The white and black man's Dixie! For e'en our slaves would take a hand, To drive the foe from Dixie!" This is by far the finer of only two examples of this design used with a general issue stamp listed in Power Search.
With 2002 P.F. certificate
10c Indigo, Paterson (2c). Exceptional intense shade and clear impression, large margins to full at top and bottom, bold Livingston Ala. circular datestamp, slight offset on back not mentioned on accompanying certificate, we noted a slight thin spot in our 2001 sale of the Hall collection but it is barely if at all detectible and also is not mentioned on the P.F. certificateVERY FINE AND CHOICE. THE TRUE INDIGO IS ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL CONFEDERATE COLOR VARIETIES. THIS IS EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES EXTANT.
Ex Knapp (acquired from the Herman collection in 1919) and Hall. With 2002 P.F. certificate
10c Rose (5). Huge even margins all around, vivid color, light cancelEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB USED EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT ROSE.
This is the highest graded example we have offered of the 10c Rose, which many regard as the most beautiful Confederate States General Issue,
With 1999 P.F., 1990 and 2019 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98; SMQ $4,650.00)
10c Rose (5). Large to huge margins all around, tied by clear strike of "Richmond Va. Jun. 23, 1862" circular datestamp on Mounted Dragoon and Verse Patriotic oatmeal cover (SM-1, Verse 45) to Tuscaloosa Ala., original letter enclosure from a soldier at camp near Richmond, datelined June 22, 1862EXTREMELY FINE 10-CENT ROSE STAMP ON A FRESH MOUNTED DRAGOON PATRIOTIC COVER.
With 2003 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail $3,000.00
5c Blue, Local (7). Three covers bearing horizontal pairs, each an adversity use made from pieces of the same multicolored railroad and stagecoach broadside, ornate designs with fancy borders and one illustrating horses, each pair has full to large margins and is tied by a blue Charlottesville Va. double-circle datestamp (1863 dates) and addressed to Staunton Va., refolded for display, one missing backflap and one with adhesive stain at left, utterly inconsequentialEXTREMELY FINE. A SPECTACULAR TRIO OF ADVERSITY COVERS WITH THE 5-CENT DE LA RUE ISSUE, EACH MADE FROM PORTIONS OF THE SAME MULTICOLORED BROADSIDE AND SENT TO THE SAME ADDRESS.
The consignor of this lot is a long-time Charlottesville collector and he acquired these individually over a period of several decades. They are reunited here for the first time.
2c Brown Red (8). Block of four and single, block with large margins to in, long pre-use diagonal tear at upper right, tied by multiple strikes of "Charlottesville Va. Oct. 30, 1864" double-circle datestamp on back of adversity cover made from a multicolored railroad and stagecoach broadside, addressed to a florist in Staunton Va., ornate design with fancy borders, inside with map and portions of coach and train illustrations, slightly reduced at leftVERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE USE OF A BLOCK OF THE 2-CENT "RED JACK" ON COVER -- ALMOST CERTAINLY UNIQUE AS A MULTICOLOR ADVERSITY USE OF AN ILLUSTRATED BROADSIDE.
The illustrated broadside and correspondence are the same as the trio of No. 7 covers offered in the previous lot
2c Brown Red (8). Vertical strip of five, mostly large margins, tied by blue Charlottesville Va. double-circle datestamps on cover to Madison C.H. Va., top stamp with tiny scuff, fourth stamp with light crease, strip with minor toning from adhesiveVERY FINE APPEARING STRIP OF FIVE OF THE 2-CENT "RED JACK" USED FROM CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA.
Ex Caspary and from our 1985 Rarities sale
10c Blue, Frameline (10). Large margins to full including complete framelines on three sides and about half at top, bright color, tied by blue "Charlottesville Va. Apr. 21, 1863" double-circle datestamp on cover to Barboursville Va.EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL FRAMELINE STAMP ON COVER WITH A BLUE CANCEL FROM CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA, USED IN APRIL 1863.
Scott Catalogue separately lists April 1863 early dates but does not price them. Scott Retail as normal use
Bridgeport Conn. to Andersonville Prison (Georgia) via Jacksonville and Lake City Fla. North-to-South buff inner cover and original letter sent to Col. William H. Noble, 17th Conn. Volunteers and prisoner-of-war at Andersonville Prison Ga. (Camp Sumter), originated in Bridgeport Conn. with letter datelined Jan. 28, 1865 and manuscript "Care of Mr. Cooper Gibbs" (commander of prison guard at Andersonville), sent via Union-occupied Jacksonville Fla. where the outer cover with U.S. postage was discarded, manuscript "Examined JMG AAAG" censor marking applied by Union assistant adjutant general in Jacksonville, exchanged via flag-of-truce and entered Confederate mails at Lake City Fla. with "Paid 10" in arc handstamp, upon arrival at Andersonville censored twice with manuscript "Ex JNY" at left and light "Ex HW" in the hand of Camp Commandant Capt. Henry Wirz at top right, top of cover with small tears and staple holes, minor stain at bottomVERY FINE APPEARANCE. THE ONLY KNOWN NORTH-TO-SOUTH FLAG-OF-TRUCE COVER AND LETTER TO A UNION PRISONER-OF-WAR AT ANDERSONVILLE, EXCHANGED THROUGH JACKSONVILLE AND LAKE CITY, FLORIDA, AND CENSORED BY THE NOTORIOUS CAPTAIN HENRY WIRZ.
The Andersonville prison, officially known as Camp Sumter, was the largest Confederate military prison during the Civil War and the most dreaded by Union soldiers. On March 27, 1864, Captain Henry Wirz assumed command of the stockade. By the end of the war, 12,913 of the approximately 45,000 Union prisoners held there had died, mostly from starvation and disease. After the war, Wirz was charged with conspiracy and murder by Federal authorities. His trial was held in the Capitol building in Washington and presided over by Union General Lew Wallace. A number of former prisoners testified on conditions at Andersonville, many accusing Wirz of specific acts of cruelty (some of these accounts were later called into question by historians as exaggerated or false). The court also heard from Confederate officers and considered official correspondence from captured Confederate records. Wirz presented evidence that he pleaded to Confederate authorities to obtain more food and maintained that he tried to improve the conditions for the prisoners. Wirz was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death. On November 10, 1865, he was hanged in Washington at the site of the current Supreme Court building -- the only Confederate official to be tried, convicted and executed for war crimes resulting from the Civil War.
This is the only recorded North-to-South cover exchanged through Union-occupied Jacksonville and Confederate Lake City, Florida. This route for mail to Andersonville is also singularly represented by this cover. The enclosed letter specifically refers to instructions the writer received to send mail through assistant adjutant general Robinson in Jacksonville, which would be sent via flag-of-truce to Col. Noble, who was the highest ranking Union officer held at Andersonville.
Ex Dr. Briggs. Accompanied by an article on this cover by John. L Kimbrough with a transcription of the letter. With 2017 C.S.A. certificate