Sale 1211 — The William H. Gross Collection: United States Postal History
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 29-30 October, 2019
Category — 1856 Chicago Perforations
Superb 3¢ Chicago Perforation stamp on a wonderful illustrated cameo corner card cover3¢ Dull Red, Chicago Perf 12-1/2 (11 var), Almost perfectly centered with full perfs all around, deep rich color, tied by bold "Chicago Ill. Apr. 24, 1857" circular datestamp on cover to Indianapolis, Indiana, with E. S. Wells Boots and Shoes Manufacturer's blue illustrated cameo corner card, imprint at lower left, backflap removed, a few tiny edge tears and nicks neatly repaired
Extremely Fine. Without question one of the finest "Chicago Perf" covers extant and one of the few with an illustrated advertising corner card. A magnificent artifact from the early period of perforated United States postage stamps.
Ex Walter A. Keightley, Dr. Robert LeBow and Joseph Hackmey. With 1991 P.F. certificate.
HISTORY AND COMMENTARY
Dr. Hadley's Perforating Machine
The origin of the Chicago perforation was revealed in an article published by Jerry Wagshal in the Chronicle 130 (May 1986). To briefly summarize his research, the inventor of the machine used to create the Chicago Perf stamps was Dr. Elijah W. Hadley, a Chicago dentist. He probably constructed the machine in 1854. Over a two-year period, beginning in November 1854, Dr. Hadley's device was offered for sale to the Post Office Department through R. K. Swift, a prominent Chicago banker and businessman. The distinctive 12.5-gauge Chicago Perf was applied to sheets of the 1¢ (Plates 1 Late and 2) and 3¢ 1851 Issue, the 1¢ being considerably rarer.
A small number of 3¢ Chicago Perf covers have corner cards from businesses or hotels. Wilson Hulme speculates in his article in Chronicle 175 that R. K. Swift distributed Chicago Perf stamps to various businesses as a trial or to strengthen the possibility of selling the perforating machine to the post office. Many of the businesses were in a straight path between Swift's bank and Elijah Hadley's (inventor of the machine) office. Covers from Chicago hotels with 3¢ Chicago Perf stamps were probably mailed by travelers who obtained the stamps from the hotel concierge.
