Sale 1211 — The William H. Gross Collection: United States Postal History
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 29-30 October, 2019
Category — 1847 Issue and Carrier Stamp Combinations
One of three recorded combinations of the 5¢ 1847 Issue and the Philadelphia 1¢ on Rose "H" Carrier Department Issue, and the only cover on which the carrier stamp is tied by the Philadelphia circular datestamp5¢ Red Brown (1), huge margins to clear with portion of adjoining stamp at bottom, deep rich color and detailed impression, used with U.S.P.O., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1¢ Black on Rose, "H" (7LB3), large margins to just into framelines, both stamps tied by blue "Philada. Pa. 5 Aug. 10" (1849) integral-rate circular datestamp on small envelope to Lake George, New York, the datestamp tying the carrier stamp is particularly well-struck
Extremely Fine--a choice and extremely rare combination. Only three covers with the Philadelphia 7LB3 carrier stamp and the 5¢ 1847 Issue are recorded. This is the only one of the three which is clearly tied by the Philadelphia circular datestamp.
According to the census information reported by Larry Lyons in The Penny Post (July 2006) and the USPCS census, there are only three combinations of the 1847 Issue and this Philadelphia Carrier Department issue. The second was offered in our sale of the Harvey Mirsky collection (and is ex Kuphal), but the carrier stamp is not tied. The third listed in the USPCS census has no description or image so its configuration is unknown.
Ex Sir Nicholas Waterhouse, Marc Haas, Duane B. Garrett and John R. Boker, Jr. Illustrated in Bakers' U.S. Classics (p. 124).
