Sale 1179 — United States and Possessions
Sale Date — Tuesday, 27 March, 2018
Category — Carriers and Locals: Local Posts, continued
Davis's Penny Post, Baltimore Md., (1c) Black on Lilac (57L1). Type E, Position 5, margins showing full ornaments in corners, cancelled by pencil manuscript and by faint red handstamp, tiny thin spot, Fine appearance and rare, only 14 examples of this stamp are recorded and only a half-dozen are cancelled by the red company handstamp, ex Middendorf
Davis's Penny Post, Baltimore Md., (1c) Black on Lilac, "Pennq" for "Penny" (57L1a). Type B, Position 2 with large top right sheet margins, other sides ample to large with left ornaments just touched, pencil "X" cancel, tiny corner creases at bottom, truly insignificant, small red mark on backEXTREMELY FINE. THE FINEST OF THE THREE USED EXAMPLES OF THE "PENNQ" ERROR, OF WHICH FOUR ARE KNOWN IN TOTAL. THIS CORNER-MARGIN COPY IS PROOF THAT THE ERROR OCCUPIED POSITION 2 IN THE SETTING.
The Davis's "Pennq Post" error was not noted by Denwood Kelly, and it remained unlisted in Scott for 40 years after Elliott Perry wrote to the U.S. Specialized editor, Eugene Costales, in April 1959, reporting the "Pennq" variety. This stamp was part of the C. E. Chapman collection, and, as far back as the 1890's, it was affixed to an 1852 folded letter to which it did not belong. The stamp has since been removed from the cover. It is the finest known used example.
Ex Chapman and Golden. With 1999 P.F. certificate
Dupuy & Schenck, New York N.Y., (1c) Black on Gray (60L2). Large to clear margins, cancelled by manuscript check mark on folded letter dated Aug. 11, 1847, addressed to Bridgeport Conn., red "New York 12 Aug. 5 cts." circular datestamp, stamp with tiny tear and small corner crease, still Very Fine, with 1994 P.F. certificate
Eagle City Post, Philadelphia Pa., (2c) Black, Tete-Beche (61L2a). Block of 18 with nine Type A/B repetitions containing four tete-beche pairs, original gum causing some creasing and toning, large margins except at a few spots where touched or slightly into points, one stamp has small pinholeVERY FINE. THE LARGEST RECORDED MULTIPLE OF THE EAGLE CITY POST STAMP. A REMARKABLE BLOCK, CONTAINING FOUR TETE-BECHE PAIRS.
The Eagle City Post sheets comprised two types, arranged in a vertical pair that was repeated throughout the sheet: Type A with 39 points around the border; and Type B with 46 points. Both types have the misspelling "Chesnut". The earliest 61L2 cover is dated Oct. 1, 1846, with the stamp tied by pen and a small red "Paid" handstamp, signed Perry (Robson Lowe sale, Mar. 1, 1973, lot 1766).
Ex Mason, Hall, D.K. Collection, Dr. Morris and Cunliffe. With 2001 P.F. certificate.
Floyd's Penny Post, Chicago Ill., (1c) Blue, Brown, Green (68L1-68L3). The key 68L3 Green with ample to large margins, well-struck "Floyd's Penny Post Chicago" circular handstamp, light corner crease at top right, Very Fine appearance and extremely rare, only seven or eight used examples are known off cover, signed Sloane, with 2006 P.F. certificate, Nos. 68L1 and 68L2 with company cancel and unused respectively, both with faults, otherwise Fine, 68L2 with 2001 P.S.E. certificate
Frazer & Co., Cincinnati O., 2c Black on Green (69L3). Unused (no gum), large margins to close at top and left, small tear at bottom and small corner crease at top left, Very Fine appearance, one of the rarest local-post issues, only seven covers are recorded and it is also extremely rare off-cover -- particularly uncancelled, with 2002 P.F. certificate
Frazer's City Express Post, Cincinnati O., 2c Black on Blue (69L7). Affixed to small piece, margins to just in, slightly discolored by surface stains and soiling, otherwise Fine, this is a rare local stamp on or off cover and is one of the more bizarre portrayals in philately -- Cupid carrying a letter and whip on horseback -- which more accurately depicts a zaftig bare woman riding a jackal, Baker's City Express in Cincinnati used a very similar central design on their stamp (6L1), with 2005 P.F. certificate
Gahagan & Howe City Express, San Francisco, 5c Light Blue, 5c Black (70L1-70L3). Nos. 70L1 and 70L2 unused (no gum), large margins to touched, 70L3 used single and strip of three, the single with faults, the strip with blue "San Francisco Letter Express" oval handstamp, overall Fine group
Hartford Conn. Mail Route, (5c) Black on Yellow Glazed (80L1). Uncancelled and without precancel, bright Yellow paper, light horizontal crease, appears Fine, with 1993 A.P.S. certificate
Hopedale Penny Post, Milford Mass., (1c) Black on Pink Glazed, Rayed Asterisks, (1c) Black on Yellow Wove (84L1, 84L3). First with large margins except just touched at top right, uncancelled on small piece, tiny scuff in right margin, otherwise Fine and scarce, second cut to shape (slightly into circle), small faults, affixed to piece, Fine appearance, although we have not kept records on the Hopedale Penny Post stamps, a review of Sloane's notes, the Costales files and significant local-post auction catalogues produced no more than eight different examples of 84L3, about half of which were cut to shape, both stamps ex Hall
Hussey's Post, New York N.Y., (1c) Blue, Thick Wove (87L52). Unused (no gum), large margins all around, small tear at bottom right, appears Very Fine, a rare Hussey's issue, with 2008 P.F. certificate
Kellogg's Penny Post & City Despatch, Cleveland O., (1c) Vermilion (92L1). Large margins to touching at upper right, bright color, manuscript "X" cancel, thinned, Very Fine appearance and rare with fewer than 10 known off-cover (six covers recorded), ex Schwartz
Letter Express (Wells), 5c Black (96L1-96L3). Singles of each, pen cancels, first with one margin touched, second with all margins full to clear, third with top sheet margin and the usual oxidation, with 2001 P.F. certificate, Fine trio of Wells Letter Express issues
Moody's Penny Dispatch, Chicago Ill., (1c) Black on Red Glazed (110L1). Type Ic with comma, bright color, handstamp cancel, rebacked with top right corner rejoined, otherwise Fine and rare, fewer than 20 examples of Moody's Penny Dispatch stamp (in all varieties) are recorded
Overton & Co., (5c) Black on Greenish (113L1). Irregular margins which are large to clear of design at bottom, cancelled by "Paid" handstamp and tied by file fold, clear strike of red "Overton & Co. City Mail Office, 3 Broad Street" oval handstamp on Feb. 11, 1845 folded letter to New York City street address, stamp with crease from file fold, Fine appearance and scarce use on cover, ex Stimmell
Priest's Despatch, Philadelphia Pa., (2c) Black on Blue Wove (121L7). Three full margins, slightly in at bottom, uncancelled as always, used with 3c Dull Red, Ty. II (11A), tied by "Philadelphia Pa. Apr. 19" circular datestamp on 1855 folded cover to New York, file folds including one thru right of 3c stamp, Very Fine and most attractive, only nine are listed in the Roth census, and we can add one additional cover postmarked Feb. 12 (1852) to Blairsville N.J., with 2001 P.S.E. certificate, lot also includes unused Nos. 121L4 and 121L6, the latter with a thin spot, with 2002 P.S.E. and 2009 P.F. certificates respectively
Robison & Co., Brooklyn N.Y., 1c Black on Blue (128L1). Large margins all around, staining mentioned on accompanying certificate but this could also be traces of the watery blue cancel consistent with other used examples, thinned and small repair, Very Fine appearance, an extremely rare local post issue, our records contain eight examples of 128L1, including seven off cover and the one on cover, at least five of the off-cover stamps are known to have faults, this example has superior margins to most, with 1991 P.F. certificate
Third Avenue Post Office, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Yellow (139L3). Cut to oval shape as always, original gum with paper and hinge remnants covering much of back, bold impression on brightly colored paper, Fine and extremely rare, only three examples with original gum are recorded
Walton & Co.'s City Express, Brooklyn N.Y., 2c Black on Pink Glazed (142L1). Neatly cut to oval shape, cancelled by manuscript initials, partly clear strike of "Walton's Brooklyn City Express Post, O'C" oval datestamp on Jul. 11, 1846 transcript of docket & judgements to Clerk of King's Co. Brooklyn N.Y., file fold at left does not affect stamp or markingsVERY FINE. AN RARE USE OF THE WALTON & CO. 2-CENT BLACK ON PINK GLAZED ON COVER.
John T. Boyd discontinued his Brooklyn post on June 30, 1845, when the new postal laws made it illegal for private companies to carry mail along postal routes -- in Boyd's case, between Brooklyn and New York City. Elliott Perry suggested that Boyd's Brooklyn agent was Wellington Walton, who is listed in the 1846 city directory as an "express proprietor" at 195 Gold Street in Brooklyn. Walton & Co. City Express covers are dated as early as February 14, 1846 (see Golden collection, Siegel Sale 817, lot 1572), leaving a seven-month gap between Boyd's discontinuance and Walton's successor post -- possibly Walton did not start up until the next Valentine season. In early 1847, Walton sold out to Henry Kidder, whose "Kidder's Brooklyn City Express Post" oval handstamp is recorded as early as Mar. 11, 1847 (reference: Calvet M. Hahn, "Brooklyn City Post 1850's").
Our records contain only eight Walton & Co. 142L1 covers, including one postmarked at New Haven Conn., Sep. 28, 1846, which almost certainly is not a genuine usage. This is the latest genuine usage from the eight recorded.
With 2009 P.F. certificate
Wells, Fargo & Co. Pony Express, $1.00-$4.00, 10c-25c Horse & Rider Issues (143L1-143L5, 143L6R, 143L7-143L9). Complete sets of the Transcontinental and Virginia City Pony Express stamps, with the $1.00 Garter stamp present as a reprint, unused (no gum), full margins to some just in, a few have small flaws, Fine-Very Fine appearing set, the Transcontinental set was issued under the terms of a government mail contract; therefore, they have semi-official status
Wells, Fargo & Co. Pony Express, 10c Brown (143L7). Tight but clear margins, tied by faint strike of blue Wells, Fargo & Co. oval handstamp, lightly-struck "Wells, Fargo & Co. Express Aurora" blue oval handstamp on 3c Pink on Buff entire (U35) with Wells, Fargo & Co. printed frank (showing nail heads), to San Francisco, entire is reduced at right into the indicia and with small tear at top into frank, still Fine and desirable use originating in Aurora, Nevada Territory, with 2016 P.F. certificate
Wells, Fargo & Co. Virginia City Pony Express, 25c Blue (143L8). Sheet margin at left, other margins to clear, tied by “Wells, Fargo & Co. Virginia City. N.T. Nov. ?” (1863) oval datestamp on 3c Pink entire (U34) with Wells, Fargo & Co. printed frank to San Francisco, second strike over embossed stamp, accompanying certificate states stamp is "lifted, repaired and replaced during restoration" but the only apparent repair is a tiny portion of the top right corner, stamp also with corner crease, appears Very Fine, with 1994 P.S.E. certificate