Sale 1188 — United States Stamp Treasures: The William H. Gross Collection
Sale Date — Wednesday, 3 October, 2018
Category — 10c 1857 Issue Largest Known Multiple, Railroad Propaganda Cover
The only recorded California railroad propaganda cover to another country--a fantastic piece of Western Americana with an impressive provenanceDESCRIPTION
10¢ Green, Type V (35), horizontal strip of three, tied by two bold strikes of “San Francisco Cal. Feb. 17, 1860” circular datestamp on illustrated railroad propaganda cover to Stade, Prussia, text above steaming locomotive has stagecoach route directive “PER OVERLAND MAIL STAGE, VIA LOS ANGELES.” and in small letters the railroad promotional slogan “In hope of the [train],” San Francisco publisher’s imprint below woodcut illustration “Published by Hutchings & Rosenfield, 146 Montgomery St.”, red “N. York Am. Pkt. Paid 7 Mar. 17” 7¢ credit datestamp--carried on the Inman’s Glasgow from New York on March 17, arriving in Queenstown on March 30 and Liverpool on March 31--entered Prussian mail system at Aachen with partly clear red “AACHEN [2/4?] FRANCO” framed transit datestamp, blue “Stadt 3/4” (April 3) receiving backstamp
PROVENANCE
* William S. White, Percy Doane sale, 1/16/1937, lot 148
* Henry C. Gibson, Sr., Ward sale, 6/14-15/1944, lot 184
* C. Corwith Wagner, John A. Fox sale, 10/23/1957, lot 162, front cover illustration, to “R.A.”
* J. David Baker, Siegel Auction Galleries, 4/4/1978, Sale 526, lot 43
* Louis Grunin, Christie’s Robson Lowe sale, Part One, 3/25/1987, lot 118
* Private collector, Siegel Auction Galleries, 10/29/1996, Sale 784, lot 2095
* “Sevenoaks” collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, 11/15/2000, Sale 831, lot 2111, to William H. Gross
CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES
* Jesse L. Coburn, Letters of Gold, p. 136
CERTIFICATION
* The Philatelic Foundation (1987)
CONDITION NOTES
* Very Fine strip and cover; small piece of backflap missing and very slightly reduced at top
VIEW PDF OF HISTORY AND COMMENTARY at https://siegelauctions.com/2018/1188/49.pdf
