Kingman's City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Bluish (4LB14). Large margins all around, tied by manuscript cancel, used with 3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26), tied by "Charleston S.C. Mar. 5" circular datestamp on small cover to Abbeville S.C.

EXTREMELY FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE TIED EXAMPLE OF THE SCARCE KINGMAN'S CARRIER STAMP USED ON COVER WITH THE 3-CENT 1857 ISSUE.

Eliab J. Kingman was Dr. John H. Honour's brother-in-law and served as the first assistant in Honour's Penny Post from its inception in 1849. It is reported that sometime in 1851, Kingman received his own appointment as a government carrier and divided the city's routes with Dr. Honour. According to the Faber account (Pat Paragraphs, 1981 Reprint, pp. 247-248), Kingman retired in March 1858 and was replaced by Joseph G. Martin, a relative to the Honour family through marriage. The Scott listings for the two Kingman's stamps are out of chronological sequence. The four-line type, 4LB15, preceded the three-line type, 4LB14, by at least three or four years. The format of 4LB14 matches the stamps printed for Martin, Steinmeyer and Beckman in 1858, 1859 and 1860, and it is probable that the same setting was used with the names changed as required. Kingman is reported to have retired in March 1858; based on dated examples, the 4LB14 stamp was probably issued in mid-1856 and not used after March 1858. Genuine covers are found in this time period.

Ex Meyersburg and Geisler. With 1999 and 2008 P.F. certificates.

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