Sale 1244 — The Arthur S. Przybyl Collection of United States, Confederate States and Hawaii
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 9-10 November, 2021
Category — Confederate States, Postmasters' Provisionals
Spartanburg, South Carolina, 5c Black (78X1). Cut to shape with outer rim of design visible essentially all around, tied by double-struck "PAID" straightline handstamp, bold "Spartanburg S.C. Ju. 10, 1861" double-circle datestamp on buff cover to "Corpl. Edward J. Dean, 'Spartan Rifles', 5th Palmetto Regt. South Carolina Volunteers, Col. M. Jenkins, Commander, Tudor Hall P.O., Near Manassas Junction Virginia", sender's instructions at bottom "Care Capt. Jos. Walker 'Spartan Rifles'", cover with expert edge restoration including top right corner but not affecting the stamp, which is essentially sound with just a very minor crease at lower left, missing backflapEXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF THE FINEST OF THE APPROXIMATELY TWENTY KNOWN COVERS BEARING THE SPARTANBURG POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL.
Spartanburg S.C. takes its name from the "Spartan Rifles," a group of militia soldiers during the Revolutionary War. The name was adopted by Confederate soldiers from Spartanburg during the Civil War. John A. Lee was a prominent merchant who served as postmaster of Spartanburg from 1850 through the end of the war. Residents of Spartanburg remembered him as the "Wartime Postmaster" (John B. O. Landrum, History of Spartanburg County, available at Google Books--thanks to Vince King for this citation).
Postmaster Lee created his provisional stamps by applying the "5" numeral rate marking inside the "Spartanburg S.C." double-circle datestamp on a sheet of paper. The stamps are known cut square and cut to shape. As one might imagine, the stamps come on a variety of papers. Two types of "5" markings were used, and one example is known with the denomination omitted. Most of the paper and numeral varieties are listed separately in the C.S.A. and Scott catalogues.
Corporal Edward J. Dean and the Dean correspondence were the subjects of an article by the late Daniel M. Gilbert, published in the Confederate Philatelist. Joseph Walker was enrolled as captain of the Spartan Rifles on April 13, 1861. Micah Jenkins, a resident of Yorkville, South Carolina, was mustered into service as colonel of the 5th South Carolina Volunteer Infantry Regiment in June 1861. He was elected colonel of the Palmetto Sharpshooters Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers, on April 13, 1862, and promoted to brigadier general in July 1862.
Ex Caspary and Haub. Scott value $20,000.00.
