Sale 1224 — 2020 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 30 June-1 July, 2020
Category — 1853 Crystal Palace Exhibition from the Ken Lawrence Collection
Gilbert's Crystal Palace. Duotone illustrated lettersheet in black and pale orange, large detailed woodcut engraving of building and crowd gathered outside, including horse-drawn coach and mounted military officers, specifications of building size in caption below, datelined March 22, 1851, at Derby and addressed to Marie Shirley, widow of Rev. Walter A. Shirley of Derbyshire, at Florence, Italy, greenish blue "Derby MR22 1851" circular datestamp, manuscript "7" pence rate, red London transit backstamp, part strike of French arrival datestamp, "VIA DI/PT. BEAUVOISIN" handstamp (Torino), "Corrispa Esta Da Genova" double-circle handstamp (Livorno) and "Firenze" receiving backstamp (Mar. 31), manuscript "21" crazie due, letter begins "I am no favorer of this Babel tower whose top is to reach the height of perfection in arts & sciences, but this picture is pretty...", Very Fine, this rare lettersheet is not listed in Bristow's The Postal History of the Crystal Palace -- this British exhibition inspired the American Crystal Palace exhibition held two years later
Exhibition of the Industry of all Nations, New York, Office, No. 6. Charing Cross, London. Printed letterhead with March 5, 1852 dateline ("185" printed), letter signed by Wylie Barrow, secretary at the London office of the New York Exhibition, enclosing a list of the corporation's committee members (no longer present), addressed to Colonel Thomas Aspinwall, U.S. Consul General for the United Kingdom, Great Britain 1841 2p Blue (4) tied by numeral oval cancel, red Mar. 5, 1852 backstamp, Very Fine, this is the earliest postally used item related to the 1853 Crystal Palace Exhibition located by Ken Lawrence
3c Orange Brown, Ty. II (10A). Position 65R5E (Hulme note), two full margins, slightly in other sides, bright shade, tied by single clear strike of "New-York Dec. 30" (1851) circular datestamp on small envelope with imprint on backflap "MACHINE-FOLDED AND GUMMED BY THOMAS DE LA RUE & CO. AT THE GREAT EXHIBITION, 1851" with "DLR" embossed cameo seal, addressed in blue manuscript to Rev. George Duffield, Bloomfield, New JerseyEXTREMELY FINE. THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF DE LA RUE'S 1851 GREAT EXHIBITION IMPRINT ENVELOPE USED WITH UNITED STATES POSTAGE -- THIS IS THE WORLD'S FIRST MACHINE-MADE ENVELOPE, AN OBJECT THAT ONLY BECAME UBIQUITOUS WITH THE POSTAL REFORMS INITIATED BY GREAT BRITAIN, WHICH REMOVED THE CHARGE FOR AN EXTRA SHEET OF PAPER.
The world's first machine-made envelopes were manufactured and sold at the Thomas de la Rue stand during the 1851 Great Exhibition in London. The De La Rue firm hosted a large exhibit in the British area, displaying examples of their work, including the crowd-drawing "working envelope folding machine... designed by Warren de la Rue so that it would fold, gum, forward and deliver the envelopes all of which had formerly been carried out by hand" (The Postal History of the Crystal Palace, Maurice H. Bristow). According to information given by De La Rue to the late W. Wilson Hulme II, which is now in the possession of Ken Lawrence, Warren de la Rue had improved an earlier envelope folding machine invented by Edwin Hill, brother of postal reform advocate Sir Rowland Hill.
This particular envelope must have been brought home to the United States by an American fairgoer, then mailed from New York City in December 1851, prepaid with the 3c Orange Brown imperforate stamp from the new issue of July 1851. The addressee was a hymn writer and abolitionist. Bristow estimates that fewer than a half-dozen examples of the imprinted envelope are known. This is the only one with a U.S. stamp.
Ex Hulme
3c Dull Red, Ty. II (11A). Ample margins to just barely in, small and inconsequential tear at top left, tied by single bold strike of "Brooklyn N.Y. May 24" (1855) circular datestamp on "The Industry of All Nations" 1853 Crystal Palace Exhibition cover to Poughkeepsie N.Y. with woodcut illustration of the building, steamship at upper left, eagle and shield with "Liberty" and "N. York Crystal Palace" in ribbons, the engraver Albert H. Jocelyn cleverly placed his imprint on a sign in front of the building and at the bottom of the eagle and shield, backflap with imprint of stationers "Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1851, by D. FELT & HOSFORD, Stationers, N.Y., in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York", sender's embossed seal on flap "Lawrence's Photographs, 381 Broadway, Cor. White St., New York", minor edgewear and tiny tearsVERY FINE. THIS COVER WITH THE EXPANDED CRYSTAL PALACE ENGRAVING BY JOCELYN IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE FINEST OF ALL CRYSTAL PALACE EXHIBITION COVERS BEARING THE 1851 ISSUE.
The sender, Martin M. Lawrence, who had won first prize at the Crystal Palace for daguerreotype photographs, mailed this on May 24, 1855, from Brooklyn. The addressee, Philip Sidney Post, was a law student at Poughkeepsie who went on to a distinguished career in military service and national politics.
Ex Malcolm, Grunin, Piller and Gabriel.
3c Dull Red, Ty. II (11A). Full to mostly large margins, deep rich color, tied by bold strike of "New-York Feb. 13" circular datestamp on "The Industry of All Nations" 1853 Crystal Palace Exhibition cover to North Wilbraham, Mass., illustration of building with engraver Albert H. Jocelyn's imprint cleverly placed on sign in front, lightly cleaned to reduce waterstains around edges, still Very Fine, an outstanding quality example of this rare Crystal Palace illustrated envelope, ex Rohloff, Grunin and Hulme
1c Blue, Ty. IV, 3c Dull Red, Ty. II (9, 11A). 1c cut in, used with 3c horizontal pair, cut in and left faulty from placement along edge, tied by circle of 20 wedges fancy cancel, "Cambridge Ind. Apr. 23" (ca 1855) circular datestamp and "PAID" handstamp on 3c Red on Buff Nesbitt entire (U10) to Honolulu, Hawaii, with "New York Crystal Palace" illustrated exhibition design, tiny script imprint under woodcut "J.Laing & Co." at left and "66 Fulton St." at right, addressed to John Pearson Hughes (from the Hughes correspondence to and from Hawaii), docketed on back with July 27 receipt date, edgewear but condition is exceptionally fine considering the age and destinationFINE OVERALL. A TRULY REMARKABLE "TRIPLE-THREAT" COVER, COMBINING A RARE CRYSTAL PALACE ILLUSTRATED DESIGN PRINTED DIRECTLY ON A 3-CENT NESBITT ENTIRE, A RARE COMBINATION OF STAMPS ON A CRYSTAL PALACE COVER, AND INCREDIBLY ADDRESSED TO THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. TRULY A ONE-OF-A-KIND POSTAL HISTORY ARTIFACT.
Ken Lawrence suggests this was manufactured by George F. Nesbitt and sold at his stand at the Crystal Palace exhibition. The woodcut was made by Joseph Laing & Co., a well-known New York City printer and stationer. It is remarkable that this souvenir envelope was carried to Indiana and mailed from there. Even more remarkable, it was stamped for the 10c rate and addressed to Hawaii. Based on research of the Hughes correspondence, Lawrence dates this to 1855.
3c Dull Red, Ty. II (11A). Three large margins, frameline touched at bottom, tied by "Troy N.Y. May 11" (1854) circular datestamp on buff cover to South Easton N.Y. with Bills & Thayer flour manufacturer's green cameo corner card with embossed illustration of Crystal Palace, "Manufacturers of Crystal Palace Mills Extra Fancy & Superfine Flour" and 159 River St. address, Hyatt & Cornell printer's imprint (and embossed seal on back), Extremely Fine, a very rare and beautiful woodcut embossed cameo design capitalizing on the popularity of the Crystal Palace Exhibition, the yeardate is based on correspondence which no longer accompanies, ex "Renard" (William A. Fox)
3c Dull Red, Ty. II (11A). Ample side margins to slightly in, bright shade, tied by "West Troy N.Y. Jul. 23" (1854) circular datestamp on cover to New Haven Conn. with A. Meneely's Sons Bell Foundry with blue embossed cameo illustration of bell and lengthy imprint noting "Only Silver Medal Awarded for Bells at Crystal Palace.." etc., neatly docketed with year date, trivial edge wrinkles, Very Fine, an extremely rare advertising design with a reference to the Crystal Palace, Meneely's bells are still heard around the world, including the famous Cornell Chimes
1c Blue, Ty. IV (9). Two full margins, other sides in, tied by "New-York Mar. 8" circular datestamp on blue printed circular to Jackson, Iowa, with woodcut illustration of Crystal Palace with crowd in front, "New York Crystal Palace, for the Exposition of the Industry of all Nations, 42d Street and 6th Avenue, Opened July 14th, 1853. Reopened May 4th, 1854", extensive advertising on three sides for Warrin's needles, cutlery, fishing tackle and fish hooks, Richardson-Cox imprint, "Circular. Postage Paid" imprint on address panel, slight toning along folds, still Very Fine, extremely rare and striking Crystal Palace advertising circular and especially desirable with the 1c 1851 stamp -- the exhibition was near bankruptcy by the end of 1853, and the directors persuaded P. T. Barnum to take it over, closing April 15 and reopening May 4, as this printed circular notes -- ex Atwood
3c Dull Red, Ty. II (11A). Large margins to slightly in, used with Blood's City Despatch, Philadelphia Pa., (1c) Bronze on Black Glazed (15L16), acid tied, both stamps tied by "Philadelphia Pa. Apr. 24" circular datestamp and Blood's circular timestamp on folded cover addressed to "P. T. Barnum Esq., Chrystal Palace" in New York City, ink spot at top, Very Fine, ex Gibson, Kuphal (our Sale 925, where we somehow overlooked the Barnum and Crystal Palace address) and Mirsky
"The New American Postage Envelope!" Souvenir Endorsement on 3c Red on White Nesbitt entire (U1). Nesbitt seal on flap, acquired at The New-York Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations at the Crystal Palace in 1853, Boyd's 2c Black on Green Glazed (20L8), die cut to shape, affixed at upper left with additional note "Boyds Express, a kind of opposition Post office--delivery oftener than the mail", top center "Postage Stamps", the 3c 1851 is a replacement for one that was originally affixed to the entireA REMARKABLE PHILATELIC SOUVENIR FROM THE 1853 CRYSTAL PALACE EXHIBITION -- ARGUABLY THE EARLIEST AMERICAN PHILATELIC COLLECTIBLE.
Based on the reference to the "New American Postage Envelope," it is surmised that this was acquired as a souvenir by a foreign-born visitor to the 1853 Crystal Palace exhibition, possibly from Great Britain. The 3c Nesbitt stamped envelope had been issued about two weeks before the exhibition opened on July 14, 1853, and Boyd's local post had letter boxes at the fair. By combining the circulating U.S. stamp, new stamped envelope and Boyd's stamp, the creator made a philatelic keepsake, the earliest of its kind known.
Ex Dr. Skinner
1c Blue, Ty. IV (9). Position 5L1L, recut once at bottom, large margins to just in at top, tied by "New-York Jul. 15, 1853" year-dated circular datestamp on blue folded printed circular to Chilicothe O.VERY FINE. ONE OF TWO RECORDED ONE-CENT 1851 ISSUE COVERS WITH THE NEW-YORK 1853 YEAR-DATED CIRCLE. AN OUTSTANDING COVER RELATED TO THE CRYSTAL PALACE EXHIBITION.
Although the exact connection between the 1853 year-dated New York circle and the Crystal Palace exhibition has been debated for years, this example has a clear association. The July 1 circular from Edward Lambert & Company has a printed postscript, which reads "We beg to add, that our Paris Agents have secured for us several styles of goods manufactured for the Crystal Palace Exhibition of this City, which opens of the 15th inst., the sale of which will be consigned exclusively to ourselves." Nesbitt & Co. printed the circular. The Zevely-manufactured 1853 year-dated circle is recorded used from July 11 to 25.
Ex Neinken and Wagshal
1c Blue, Ty. IV (9). Positions 37-39R1L, horizontal strip of three, slightly cut in, cancelled by "New-York Jul. 25, 1853" year-dated circular datestamp (latest recorded date), fresh and Fine, extremely rare with the 1853 year-dated New York circle, which is recorded used from July 11 to 25, this and a 3c strip of three are the largest recorded multiples with this marking, ex Neinken and Wagshal
3c Red on White Nesbitt entire (U1). Die 1, Nesbitt seal on flap, addressed to Chazy N.Y., clear strike of "New-York Jul. 22, 1853" year-dated circular datestamp over embossed stamp, lightly cleaned and sealed flap tear, Very Fine, Lawrence records the 1853 year-dated New York circle on four stamped envelopes (and one cut square), each is different, and this is the finest of the four entires, ex Gibson and Wunsch
Edmond S. Zevely -- Manufacturer of Wood Handstamps for U.S. Post Offices. Free frank "Free E. S. Zevely PM" as postmaster of Pleasant Grove, Maryland, clearly struck "Free Jan. 8 1853" circular datestamp on cover addressed in Zevely's hand to his sister Sophia in Salem N.C., red woodcut advertising design on front and black cameo shield design on backflap, with original autograph letter initialed "E.S.Z.", datelined "Pleasant Grove Ally Co Md. Jan. 6, 1853", regarding family matters, Very Fine, Zevely exhibited his post office stampers at the Crystal Palace Exhibition, his own sketch of the stand is found in one of his letters in the Hirzel collection at the Museum of Communications, Bern, Switzerland (reproduced in an article by Cheryl R. Ganz, Chronicle 221), Lawrence surmises that Zevely brought the 1853 year-dated New York circle to the exhibition and gave it to someone at the Crystal Palace post office, which explains its narrow range of use from July 11 to 25