Sale 1085 — The Curtis Collection: U.S. Officials
Sale Date — Thursday, 6 November, 2014
Category — Post Office Department (Scott O47-O56)
15c Post Office (O53). Original gum, strong color, well-balanced Jumbo margins, Extremely Fine, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF 90 Jumbo; SMQ $405.00)
15c Post Office (O53). Block of four, bottom stamps Mint N.H., top pair lightly hinged, well-balanced margins, Very Fine, Scott Retail as singles
24c Post Office (O54). Perfect centering with wide margins, large target cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, ex Kirke, with 2011 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98; unpriced in SMQ above the grade of 95), this is the only used example contained in the P.S.E. Population Report
30c Post Office (O55). Block of four, intense shade, each cancelled by well-struck target, fresh and Fine, scarce used multiple of which only four are known, ex Starnes
90c Post Office (O56). Original gum, h.r., intense shade on bright white paper, large margins, Extremely Fine
6c Post Office, Diagonal Half Used as 3c on Cover (O50a). Bottom left diagonal half well-tied across the cut by quartered cork cancel, "Rockland Me. Jan 6" circular datestamp on yellow "Money Order Business" cover to postmaster of New York City, piece missing from tip of stamp at upper leftFINE. ONE OF TEN RECORDED 6-CENT POST OFFICE BISECTS ON FULL COVERS, OF WHICH ONLY SEVEN ARE AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS.
We record the following ten covers with the 6c Post Office bisect (all diagonal halves, as noted): C1) TR, Rockland Me. Jan. 6, to NYC, marked "British", ex Gibson, Starnes; C2) TR, Rockland Me. Jan. 10, to NYC, marked "British", 1953 PFC, ex Ackerman, Ehrenberg, Markovits; C3) BL, Rockland Me. Jan. 10, to NYC, marked "British", 2003 PFC, ex Markovits; C4) BR, New York Mills NY Apr. 10, to Concord Mass, 1993 PFC, ex Hughes, Ward, Markovits; C5) TL, Galveston Tex. May 19 (1883?), intra-city address, 1978 PFC, ex Markovits; C6) TR, Rockland Me. Jan. 10, to NYC, Miller collection NYPL; C7) BR, Lockport NY Sep. 30, on 3c UO7 entire to Elmira NY, Miller collection NYPL; C8) TR, Shenandoah Va. Apr. 2, to NYC, Miller collection NYPL; C9) BL, Rockland Me. Jan. 7, to NYC, ex Ehrenberg; and C10) BL, Rockland, Me. Jan. 6, to NYC, the cover offered here. In addition to complete covers, there are two pieces: P1) TL (see No. P2 for other half), Niagara Falls NY, Jun. 18, on 3c UO7 cut square, ex Markovits; P2) BR (see No. P1 for other half), Niagara Falls NY, Jun. 18, with 3c O49 on 6c UO12 cut square, ex Markovits. The Miller collection at The New York Public Library also contains two 3c UO7 cut squares with bisects of the 12c Post Office (both used from Lockport N.Y. on Nov. 28).
10c Post Office (O51). Trimmed at top, tied by quartered cork cancel, "Washington, D.C. Apr. 26" circular datestamp on "Post Office Department, Office of the Third Assistant Postmaster General, Official Business" imprint legal-size cover to postmaster in Union N.Y., manuscript "Official Stamp orders & Quarterly Report" docketing, multiple light Union arrival markings, stamp with several faults, still Fine, a scarce use
12c Post Office (O52). Tied by cork cancel and "Washington, D.C. Sept. 19" circular datestamp on "Post Office Department, Office of the Third Assistant Postmaster General, Official Business" imprint legal-size cover to the Postmaster at Plymouth Me., reduced slightly at left and other trivial cover flawsFINE. THIS IS THE EARLIEST DOCUMENTED USE OF THE 12-CENT POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
According to the Markovits sale (Bennett 2004), the year can be established as 1873 from the small Washington D.C. circular datestamp, which was only used in that year.
Ex Markovits
12c Post Office (O52). Tied by indistinct cork cancel and "Washington, D.C. Nov 20" circular datestamp on "Post Office Department, Official Business" imprint legal-size cover to Clinton N.Y., paying the quadruple domestic rate, slightly reduced at sides, Very Fine, ex Turner
15c Post Office (O53). Cancelled by circular cork, matching "Washington, D.C. Nov 13" circular datestamp on "Post Office Department, Official Business" imprint legal-size cover addressed to Penobscot Me., slightly reduced at top and right and with minor peripheral tears, stamp with crease and some perforation flawsFINE AND RARE. ONLY FOUR COVERS HAVE BEEN RECORDED WITH THE 15-CENT POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT. THIS IS ALSO BELIEVED TO BE THE EARLIEST USE.
The 15c stamp pays the five-times 3c domestic rate. According to the Markovits catalogue (Bennett 2004), this is an 1873 use, but we are not so sure.
Ex Markovits.