Sale 1211 — The William H. Gross Collection: United States Postal History
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 29-30 October, 2019
Category — Carrier and Local Post Issues
One of only four recorded examples of the Deming's Penny Post Issue (three on covers), the only tied example and the only combination use with the 3¢ 1851 IssueDeming's Penny Post, Frankford, Pennsylvania, (1¢) Black on Grayish (58L1), ample to large margins, manuscript "X" cancel, tied by docketing "from Mary D. Whitelock, March 4th 1854", used with 3¢ Dull Red, Type II (11A), margins all around, tied by "Frankford Pa. Mar. 3" circular datestamp on blue folded letter datelined "Frankford March 2nd 1854" from Mary Whitelock to her uncle in Baltimore, describing the return home across the Susquehanna River and on the Frankford Omnibus
Extremely Fine. Only four examples of Deming's Penny Post stamp are recorded, including three on covers. Only this cover has the stamp tied, and only this stamp is used in combination with United States postage. One of the truly outstanding covers of American local posts.
Very little is known about this post, which was located in Frankford, a northeastern suburb of Philadelphia. The cover offered here dates the post to March 1854, soon after the February 1854 reorganization of Philadelphia, which consolidated the independent boroughs, townships and districts within Philadelphia County. Frankford, a small town, had its own independent post office until 1863, but it did not provide for mail collection or delivery until the free carrier system was initiated in July 1863. Elliott Perry located a directory listing for Sidney Deming (the name also appears as De Ming, and we are unsure which is correct), which identified him as operating a small newspaper and carrier business. It appears that Deming saw an opportunity to carry on a local post in 1854, but the great rarity of his lithographed stamp suggests that the enterprise was short-lived.
We record four examples of 58L1, excluding as best we can the numerous counterfeits that have been offered (including the stamp in the Lilly sale). The only genuine off-cover example is the ex Golden stamp (Sale 817, lot 1025, ex Boker). The Costales records contain a photo of a cover addressed to Mr. Joseph Ball (no location) with what appears to be a genuine uncancelled Deming's stamp. There is a large Valentine cover addressed to Miss Martha Cooper, Paul Street, Frankford, ex Hollowbush. The fourth example is the incomparable cover offered here, with the tying cancellation and use of the 3¢ 1851 Issue.
Ex Edward S. Knapp, John R. Boker, Jr., David Golden and Joseph Hackmey.
