Sale 1211 — The William H. Gross Collection: United States Postal History
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 29-30 October, 2019
Category — 1847 Issue—Florida and Territorial Usage
The only recorded example of the Little Miami Railroad "Sunburst" fancy cancellation on an 1847 Issue cover5¢ Brown Orange (1d), horizontal pair, large margins to just in at left, brilliant shade from late printing, slight gum staining and small inclusion in left stamp, cancelled by two clear strikes of red Sunburst fancy cancel with matching "Little Miami R.R. Jun. 10" route agent's circular datestamp on envelope to Newtown, Pennsylvania, couple light gum residue spots on cover
Very Fine. This is the only recorded example of the Little Miami Railroad "Sunburst" fancy cancellation on the 1847 issue and is offered to the market for only the second time since its discovery in the early 2000s.
According to the Alexander book, two Little Miami Railroad route agents received 1,000 5¢ and 200 10¢ 1847 stamps. The Brown Orange shade of the pair on this cover indicates 1851 usage. There are six other Little Miami Railroad covers with 1847 stamps listed in the USPCS census, including four 5¢ covers (mailed between 1849 and 1850), the famous strip of five and single 10¢ on a legal-size cover (6/1/1851, ex Wyer) and a single 10¢ (3/16/18??). None of these has the Sunburst fancy cancel. According to Remele, the Little Miami Railroad was chartered in 1836 and completed between Cincinnati and Xenia in 1845. It was eventually incorporated into the Philadelphia railroad system.
Fancy "killer" cancels are extremely rare in the 1847-51 period. The term "killer" to describe the cancel was actually used by New York Postmaster Robert H. Morris. Although fancy rate markings from the pre-stamp era were used to cancel 1847 stamps, fancy cancels created for the specific purpose of "killing" stamps did not become popular until the 1850s. Fancy "killer" cancels on 1847s, such as the St. Johnsbury Scarab, Trenton Star and Binghamton Herringbone, have been known to collectors and highly prized for years. This Little Miami Railroad Sunburst, to the best of our knowledge, had not been recorded before the emergence of this cover from an estate in the early 2000s.
From our 2006 Rarities sale. With 2006 P.F. certificate.
