Sale 1211 — The William H. Gross Collection: United States Postal History
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 29-30 October, 2019
Category — 1847 Issue—Advertised and Forwarded Markings
A remarkable 5¢ 1847 cover which traveled to four different U.S. towns named Portsmouth, before finally finding its correct destination in Portsmouth, Rhode Island5¢ Red Brown (1), large margins, tied by manuscript and blue "Philada Pa. 10 Sep. 25" (1849) integral-rate circular datestamp on blue folded cover addressed to Jacob Dunnell & Co. in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, this was not the location of the addressee so the postmaster re-cancelled stamp with "Portsmouth N.H. Oct. 2" circular datestamp and forwarded it to Portsmouth, Virginia, addressee was not there either so the cover was forwarded again with "Portsmouth Va. Oct. 8" circular datestamp to Portsmouth, Ohio--no luck there either, so the Ohio postmaster forwarded it one more time with "Portsmouth O. Oct. 16" circular datestamp to Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where it found Jacob Dunnell & Co.--no other forwarding markings, although the 1851 Post Office Directory lists Portsmouths in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, so it missed traveling to those two--all markings struck in blue and no evidence of forwarding postage charged (or even the 5¢ deficiency for its first destination to New Hampshire), an extraordinary cover which is surely unique for the 1847 Issue, ex Dick, Garrett and Boker, written up by Stanley B. Ashbrook in American Philatelist (Nov. 1945, p. 153, copy accompanies)
