Sale 1155 — United States and Confederate States Postal History
Sale Date — Tuesday, 9 May, 2017
Category — Stampless Covers by State
Lot
Symbol
Photo/Description
Cat./Est. Value
Realized
3080
San Francisco Cal. Nov. 15. Neat strike of circular datestamp with boxed "40" handstamp on 1849 adversity cover made from a blue illustrated advertising cover for Wm. H. Cary & Co. to West Killingly Conn., some edge faults and overall wear, still a very unusual use
E. 300-400
0
3081
"Kaskasia March 7" (1804). Manuscript territorial postmark and "25" rate (over 500 miles) on folded letter to Williamstown Vt., datelined "Kaskaskia, Indiana Territory, 3 March 1804", interesting content related to the recent Louisiana Purchase, including "Doubtless you are informed of Louisiana's being ceded to the United States...possessions is taken without any resistance by the Spanish, but uniformly are highly pleased to be citizens...", some minor soiling, Very Fine, Kaskaskia was the capital of Illinois during the territorial period and also for two years after statehood, it lies in the small area of Illinois that is west of the Mississippi, ex Kramer
E. 750-1,000
700
Back to Top3082
(Louisiana Territory) "Cape Girardeau 31 May 1811". Manuscript postmark and free frank of postmaster J. M. Ferron on folded letter to Pittsburgh Pa., Fine and rare, this is the latest recorded example of this Louisiana Territory marking (subsequently became part of Missouri Territory), this is the listing example in ASCC, ex Kramer
E. 750-1,000
750
Back to Top3083
St. Genevieve Missouri July 20. Oval postmark with day and "Paid 25" in manuscript on 1813 folded letter to Camden N.J., two file folds, edge splitting and some toning, still Fine and very rare, possibly the earliest recorded example, ASCC $950.00
E. 300-400
300
Back to Top3084
Hermitage N.Y. March 20. Red circular datestamp on 1844 folded letter to the Attorney General in Albany N.Y., matching "FREE" and "Sidney Stowe P.M." handstamps, each in rectangular frame, the postmaster's name in cursive type, letter written by the postmaster, vertical file fold, Very Fine and unusual postmaster's marking
E. 200-300
275
Back to Top3085
Scottsburg, Oregon Territory Two covers, first with "Scottsburg O.T." circular handstamp with manuscript "April 22 Free" at center to Miss S. R. Fiske at Cambridge Mass., "FREE" handstamp and signed by the postmaster ("E.R. Fiske P.M."), 1853 docketing, some edgewear, second with "Scottsburg O.T. Sep. 5, 1854" manuscript postmark with printed address to Rufus Fiske in Cambridgeport Mass. with printed "Free E.R. Fiske, P.M." at top right, some edge flaws, a Very Fine pair of Oregon Territory postmaster's free frank covers
E. 750-1,000
700
Back to Top3086
Philadelphia Full-Rigged Ship. Clear strike of this pictorial handstamp in red, matching bold "PHILA./28/FEB." octagonal double-line frame crossed out, as is the "27" manuscript rating, on incoming folded ship cover datelined "U.S. Ship Vincennes, At Sea" to Portland Me., 1834 docketing at right, manuscript "Forwarded by G.H.N. who is here, all is well" in an arc around wax seal on back, Very Fine and very unusual, we don't know whether the datestamp and rate were crossed out because it was carried privately or whether this was done after receiving payment from the recipient, according to Wikipedia, the Vincennes was the first U.S. Navy ship to circumnavigate the globe, in 1833 she was deployed to the Pacific for the second time and was the first American warship to call at Guam, she sailed around the world again before returning to the east coast in 1836, she later became the flagship for the Wilkes expedition to Antarctica
E. 500-750
250
Back to Top3087
Phila. Special Post June 1, Philadelphia Passenger Train Jan. 19. Two stampless covers, first with lightly struck purple "Phila. Special Post June 1" circular datestamp on buff cover to local street address, Fine, reported to be ca. 1850 but style of marking looks to us to be of a later vintage (1860's), the only recorded example, ex Hahn, second cover with clear strike of "Passenger Train Jan. 19" oval datestamp on cover to Harrisburg Pa., original 1865 enclosure, Very Fine pair of covers with scarce Philadelphia markings
E. 400-500
850
Back to Top3088
Bennington Vt./March 24 (1824). Clear strike of red two-line postmark (28.5mm wide) with manuscript "12-1/2" rate for 81-150 miles on folded letter to Oxford Mass., clear strike of "OXFORD MS." straightline with manuscript "Mar. 28 Missent & forwarded", light file fold, Very Fine and unusual with straightline town markings of two different states in two different colors
E. 400-500
650
Back to Top3089
Bennington Vt./Sept. 14 (1829). Clear strike of red two-line postmark with manuscript date and "12-1/2" rate for 81-150 miles on folded letter to Hartford Conn., small singed spot at top right, Very Fine strike of this red straightline, this style (33mm wide) is larger than the example offered in the previous lot
E. 200-300
100
Back to Top3090
Burlington Vt. Nov. 17 (1858). Bold strike of circular datestamp, Canada, 1855, 6p Greenish Gray (5b) used from the United States, pen-cancelled and just tied by partly clear strike of red "United States Paid 6d" two-line handstamp on grayish cover to Hamilton Canada, 1856 docketing and two Canadian transit backstamps, split along one fold, stamp with slight edge toning, appears Very Fine, an extremely rare use of a Canadian stamp applied in the United States to prepay the treaty rate to Canada, we have not encountered another such use
E. 1,500-2,000
1,700
Back to Top3091
Chester Vt. March 8th (1830). Clear strike of 33mm straightline with date in manuscript, "6" rate for 30 miles or less on folded letter to Acworth N.H., Very Fine strike, only about a dozen examples of this and the later larger Chester Vt. straightline are recorded
E. 200-300
300
Back to Top3092
Danville Vt. Three stampless covers, one with ASCC "broken oval" postmark in red (actually an omega shape) with manuscript date, other two are dotted ovals in brownish-red and black, latter with printed month, some minor corner wear, still Very Fine trio
E. 300-400
650
Back to Top3093
Enosburgh Vt. March 14th (1851). 29mm x 2.5mm straightline with date in manuscript, "Paid 5" on folded letter to Hampton N.H., some edge waterstaining, Fine and scarce, only about a dozen Enosburgh straightlines are recorded (four types) according to the PhilaMercury census
E. 150-200
190
Back to Top3094
Fairhaven Vt. April 18 (1843). Clear strike of 33.5mm straightline with "6" rate on folded letter to Rutland Vt., small singe hole below address, still Very Fine, only six Enosburgh Vt. straightlines are recorded (two types) according to the PhilaMercury census
E. 300-400
450
Back to Top3095
Newbury Vt. Two folded letters with straightline postmarks and manuscript 12.5c rates from the same correspondence to Newburyport Mass., one with beautifully clear strike in red dated Jan. 24 (1839), second with mostly clear strike in green dated Nov. 28 (1838), file folds, Very Fine pair of covers, the red is a scarce color for Newbury Vt.
E. 200-300
475
Back to Top3096
Plainfield Vt./ Aug. 29. Bold strike of blue two-line postmark with matching "5" rate on ca. 1850 border embossed ladies cover to Lowell Mass., Very Fine, a pretty cover, there are two styles of the Plainfield Vt. straightline, this one without the year date is very scarce with only five recorded according to the PhilaMercury census
E. 300-400
450
Back to Top3097
Randolph (Vermont) Sept 20 (1804). Perfectly clear strike of fancy rimless circular postmark with state in parenthesis, manuscript "Free" on folded letter to Ryegate Vt., edge soiling, Very Fine strike of this rare early 19th Century fancy postmark
E. 300-400
450
Back to Top3098
Rutland Vt. Jul. 25, 1856. Clear strike of exchange office datestamp, Canada, 1855, 6p Brownish Gray (5a) tied by seven-ring target cancel, slight gum staining at top, "Montreal L.C. JY 23, 1856" circular datestamp on cover to Swampscott Mass., stamp with small tear at bottom right, small scissors-cut at bottom left, Very Fine appearance and scarce exchanged through Rutland Vt, with 1992 P.F. certificate
E. 300-400
300
Back to Top3099
Strafford Vt. Jan. 26 (1843). Clear strike of 43mm (to end of "Vt.") straightline postmark with blue manuscript "Free" on folded letter to postmaster at Willsboro N.Y., edge nicks all around, Very Fine strike, a scarce straightline with only eight recorded from four types (PhilaMercury census)
E. 200-300
400
Back to Top3100
Thetford Vt. Three stampless covers, first two with beautifully bold strikes of the unusual oval with town name and the date in manuscript, on 1814 folded letter and cover respectively, third with oval postmark containing printed town name and manuscript date on 1830 folded letter, each with manuscript rates, Very Fine trio, the style of the two early Thetford postmarks is unusual among stampless covers from the first half of the 19th Century
E. 400-500
750
Back to Top3101
Vermont Cover Balance. 12 covers, most are better stampless uses including bold strike of Orwell Vt. rimless datestamp on a green forwarded cover, also datestamps from Chelsea, Newbury (two), Plainfield, Woodstock rimless, two other Woodstock to Montreal, Windsor (manuscript), finally a few later covers including No. 11A on Vermont and Boston Telegraph corner card cover, Slab Hollow registry return receipt and 2c Small Bank Note on cover with East Sheldon datestamp, Very Fine group
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E. 750-1,000
800
Back to Top3102
Lynchburg Va. Straightlines. Three stampless folded letters, two with the "LYNCH." variety dated Oct. 10 (1802) and June 21 (1804), one strike is quite bold and the other is clear, third cover with the "LYNCH*Va. Sep. 12" version of the straightline (1800), mostly clear strike with all letters visible, manuscript 17c or 20c rates, some splits along folds, Fine trio of these early Virginia straightline postmarks
E. 500-750
700
Back to Top3103
Lynchburg Va., Stampless Cover Balance. More than 140 covers mostly from Lynchburg Va. with a few to Lynchburg and perhaps a few unrelated, wide range of years as early as 1795 (to Scotland), 1798, then mostly from the 1830's-40's, several transatlantic uses, range of town marking styles as the years progressed, overall nice condition with some flaws to be expected, Fine-Very Fine group
E. 750-1,000
2,000
Back to Top3104
Richmond Va. Mar. 8. Red circular datestamp with matching "FREE" handstamp on folded letter datelined "Lynchburg March 6, 1848" to a member of Congress in Washington D.C., red manuscript "Way" at center, vertical file fold clear of all markings, Very Fine and unusual use
E. 200-300
375
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