Sale 1284 — The Yellowstone Collection of 1847 Issue Covers
Sale Date — Wednesday, 3 May, 2023
Category — 1847 10-cent: Bsects
10c Black, Diagonal Half Used as 5c (2a). Bottom left diagonal half, large margins to clear, crisp impression, tied across the cut by red grid cancel, matching "Portsmouth N.H. Oct. 7" circular datestamp and "PAID" handstamp on blue folded cover to Messrs. Little & Brown in Boston, small manuscript "5" just above the "PAID" handstamp, light vertical file fold barely affects bisectVERY FINE APPEARANCE. THE ONLY RECORDED 1847 BISECT COVER FROM PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
This is a very rare and desirable bisect use of the 10c 1847 Issue. The USPCS census records this cover plus a small piece with the right half of a 10c used as a bisect (Siegel Sale 1191, lot 2116). Portsmouth received a total of 4,300 5c and 500 10c stamps.
Noted in census of 1847 bisects in Chronicle 54. Ex Moody, Ishikawa, Boker and Gross. Small "W.H.C." (Colson) handstamp at bottom right. With 2020 P.F. certificate.
10c Black, Diagonal Half Used as 5c (2a). Top right diagonal half, large margins to clear, crisp impression shows short transfer at top, tied by orange-red grid cancel, light strike of matching "Gardiner Me. Apr. 28" circular datestamp on buff envelope to Mrs. George Evans in Brattleboro, Vermont, from the famous Evans correspondence, stamp with tiny surface scuff at upper right caused by rim of the cancel (utterly inconsequential and mentioned only because the 2013 certificate notes it)VERY FINE. A CHOICE 10-CENT 1847 TOP RIGHT DIAGONAL BISECT ON AN ENVELOPE FROM THE FAMOUS EVANS CORRESPONDENCE.
Working with the USPCS census, we have verified 12 Gardiner, Maine, 10c bisect covers. These include four with bisects that cannot be matched (including the cover offered here). The other eight covers have bisects from four stamps. They were all used between April 26 and May 26 of 1851.
Ex Sampson, A. E. Guenther, Boker and Gross. With 1949 A.P.S., 1964 and 2013 P.F. certificates
10c Black, Diagonal Half Used as 5c (2a). Top left diagonal half, large margins to clear, small sealed tear at top right, faint crease at bottom left, tied across the cut by red square grid cancel, matching "New-York Feb. 12" circular datestamp on blue folded cover to Hon. E. D. Morgan in the Senate at Albany, New York, manuscript "paid" and "5" next to stampVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE 1847 BISECT COVER FROM NEW YORK CITY TO EDWIN D. MORGAN, NEW YORK GOVERNOR AND CIVIL WAR GENERAL.
The USPCS census lists only 14 genuine bisects used from New York City, where 5c stamps were readily available. Edwin D. Morgan was New York governor 1859-62, U.S. Senator 1863-69, was the first and longest serving chairman of the Republican National Committee and was a Union Army general during the Civil War.
Ex Worthington and Boker. With 1946 and 2020 P.F. certificates.
10c Black, Diagonal Half Used as 5c (2a). Bottom right diagonal half, large margins to barely touched at one spot at bottom, tied across the cut by red square grid cancels, matching "New-York Jun. 23" (1851) circular datestamp on blue folded letter to Troy, New York, some age spotting mostly on coverVERY FINE 10-CENT 1847 BOTTOM RIGHT DIAGONAL BISECT, USED ON A COVER ONE WEEK BEFORE DEMONETIZATION.
The USPCS census lists only 14 genuine bisects used from New York City, where there was an abundant supply of 5c stamps. This was probably bisected to use up the sender's supply before the 1847 Issue was replaced and demonetized on July 1, 1851.
Ex Brown, Kelly, Boker and Gross. With 1974 and 2020 P.F. certificates
10c Black, Diagonal Half Used as 5c (2a). Bottom left diagonal half, large margins to ample, tied across the cut by blue grid cancel, matching "5" handstamp just to left of stamp and "Concord N.H. Oct. 22" (1850) circular datestamp on envelope to Miss Mary Stilphin in Manchester, New Hampshire, gently cleaned with some cosmetic edge improvements, not mentioned on either P.F. certificate -- accompanied by two other covers from the Stilphin corrrespondence: a stampless cover with blue "PAID" and "5" handstamps, the latter identical to the marking on the bisect cover, and 5c Red Brown (1), large margins to full, deep rich color, intermediate impression, cancelled by blue "5" numeral handstamp (identical to numeral on bisect cover), matching "Concord N.H. Apr. 27" circular datestamp on envelope to Manchester N.H., minor toning spotsVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A BEAUTIFUL BISECTED USE OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE FROM THE STILPHIN CORRESPONDENCE.
The fascinating history of the discovery of the Stilphin correspondence, sent by her future husband, Rev. John Foote, is detailed in an article by Susan M. McDonald (Chronicle 115). Bisect cover ex Garrett ("Elite"), Boker and Gross. With clear 1982 and 2020 P.F. certificates. 5c cover ex Mirsky.
