Macon Ga., 5c Black on Yellow Wove (53X3). Large margins to clear at left, repaired bottom right corner, tied by light strike of "Macon Geo. Jul. 5" (1861) double-circle datestamp on light gray lithographed "Greer & Lake, Wholesale and Retail Grocer's, Stone Front Store" illustrated overall advertising cover to A. H. Greer at Oglethorpe Ga., cover with some cosmetic improvements

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE MACON FLORAL-BORDER PROVISIONAL USED ON AN ILLUSTRATED ADVERTISING COVER.

The person most likely to be the Macon postmaster who issued the provisional stamps is Dr. Edward L. Strohecker, a graduate of the Medical College of South Carolina, who was elected three times as Macon's mayor. He helped to organize the Georgia Medical Association, and travelled to visit and treat Confederate troops during the war. Another postmaster and possible stamp issuer is Washington Poe, a relative of the poet, who also served a term as mayor and was elected as a Union delegate to the Georgia Secession Convention in Milledgeville.

All of the Macon provisional stamps were printed from typeset forms. The 2c and two of the three 5c settings simply state the denomination and nothing else, and they were the first stamps printed. These were followed by the four-line "square" stamp, which includes the words "Post Office" and "Macon, Ga." The order of issue is confused by the Scott Catalogue listings.

Our records contain four Greer & Lake advertising covers with Macon provisionals, including two with 53X4 (line border) stamps and two with 53X3 (floral border) stamps. This cover, the 53X3 cover offered in our sale of the "D.K." collection (Sale 1022, lot 1039) and the 53X4 cover offered in the "D.K." sale (lot 1038) are illustrated designs.

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