Sale 1211 — The William H. Gross Collection: United States Postal History
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 29-30 October, 2019
Category — 1847 Issue to and from British North America
One of two recorded (and verified) covers with the 1847 Issue used from any of the British Maritime Provinces--an outstanding postal history artifact10¢ Black (2), large margins all around, tied by red "Robbinston Me. Apr. 10" (1851) circular datestamp on folded letter from St. John, New Brunswick, to New York City, letter from Wiggins & Son to D. S. Kennedy datelined "St. John NB 8 Apl 1851", red "St. John N.B. Paid AP 8, 1851" origination datestamp, second clearer strike of Robbinston circular datestamp at left, manuscript "7" pence marking for Canadian postage was paid in cash as confirmed by manuscript "Pd SW&Son" notation next to the marking, blue St. Andrews circular datestamp on back (April 9), crossed border by land route between St. Andrews and Robbinston
Very Fine cover; stamp has vertical crease and small tear caused by file fold, but this is immaterial considering the great rarity of this cover--this is one of two verifiable 1847 covers originating in New Brunswick (or any of the Maritime Provinces), and only this cover has New Brunswick postmarks.
In an article by David D'Alessandris ("1847 Covers to the Maritime Provinces: An Update," Chronicle 238), this cover is pictured and described, with the following comment: "Notably, this cover was mailed just after the effective date for the U.S. postal treaty with Canada [April 6, 1851]. Had the cover originated in Canada, rather than New Brunswick, the 10¢ stamp would have paid the cover to destination, rather than only paying the United States portion of the postage."
An appendix to the D'Alessandris article lists four 1847 covers originating in the Maritime Provinces, but only two can be verified with photographs, both originating from New Brunswick: the cover offered here (USPCS census nos. 36) and a cover with Eastport, Maine, "SHIP" and "2" handstamps, but no New Brunswick markings (census no. 1956, ex Mirsky, Sale 1023, lot 2478).
The other two covers listed by D'Alessandris are USPCS census nos. 305, dated 8/17/1847, with a 10¢ from St. John N.B., Kennedy correspondence; and no. 230, dated 6/28/1851, with a 10¢ bisect from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Kennedy correspondence. Neither of these two has been photographed or verified with corroborating records, and we believe they have either been discredited as fakes or misentered in the census data. The bisect cover might be one certified as a fake (P.F. nos. 197546/272314), which has a Hartford June 28 datestamp and is addressed to D. S. Kennedy (this date and addressee match USPCS census no. 230).
Ex Dr. John L. Robertson and Joseph Hackmey.
