Sale 1188 — United States Stamp Treasures: The William H. Gross Collection
Sale Date — Wednesday, 3 October, 2018
Category — Saint Louis, MO Postmaster's Provisionals
A marvelous corner sheet-margin 5¢ St. Louis “Bears” provisional stamp printed on Greenish paper and neatly tied by the red town datestamp on a folded letter to Jefferson City, MissouriDESCRIPTION
St. Louis, Missouri, 5¢ Black on Greenish (11X1), Type III, Position 5, from the bottom left position with huge corner sheet margins and large margins at top and right, sharp impression on bright greenish paper, tied across the corner by red “St. Louis Mo. Dec. 21” circular datestamp, matching “PAID” handstamp and manuscript “5” rate on folded cover (contents separated from address panel) datelined “S. Louis Decr. 20th 1845” from John F. Darby to Benjamin F. Hickman in Jefferson City, Missouri
PROVENANCE
* Herbert R. Duckwall (sold privately to Colson)
* Alfred H. Caspary, H. R. Harmer sale, 11/15/1955, lot 129
* Edward Grombacher (bought and sold privately through Weills)
* Weill Brothers’ Stock, Christie’s Robson Lowe sale, 10/12/1989, lot 641
* Dr. Charles E. Test, “Concord” Collection, 1994 Rarities of the World, Siegel Auction Galleries, 5/19/1994, Sale 759, lot 17, to William H. Gross
CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES
* USPCS census Nos. 21119
* https://www.uspcs.org/resource-center/censuses/postmasters-provisionals-cover-census/
CERTIFICATION
* The Philatelic Foundation (1989)
CONDITION NOTES
* Very Fine appearance; address panel with bottom panel intact and letter separated, vertical file fold clear of stamp; stamp with a tiny tear at top and a lightened manuscript cancellation (nearly invisible pen line)
* “WEILL” backstamp (Raymond H. Weill Co.)
VIEW PDF OF HISTORY AND COMMENTARY at https://siegelauctions.com/2018/1188/9.pdf
