Sale 1066 — The Wildhorse Collection of U.S. Revenues and Encased Postage
Sale Date — Monday, 24 March, 2014
Category — Civil War Encased Postage
Hunt & Nash, Irving House, New York, 12c Black, Ribbed Frame (EP110a). Stamp lightly toned and minor mica flaws, excellent encasement condition with a brightly colored reverseVERY FINE. ONLY TWO OR THREE OF THE 12-CENT IRVING HOUSE RIBBED-FRAME ENCASED POSTAGE STAMPS ARE KNOWN.
The Irving House was the only New York City hotel to order Gault’s encased postage. The “new” Irving House hotel, located on the corner of Broadway and 12th Street, advertised its “European Plan,” which allowed guests to pay a flat rate for the room, with additional charges for meals and other services. George W. Hunt took over as proprietor in 1862, and he brought in restaurateur Charles W. Nash to manage the food and catering services. Nash left in 1863 to open his own restaurant. The Irving House encasements have “Hunt & Nash” as the proprietors. Examples are known with ribbing and non-standard postage, indicating they were made very early in Gault’s production.
The Ford sale catalogue (Stack's 6/23/2004, lot 528) reports "two or three known" of the 12c Irving House with ribbed frame.
Ex Summit
