Uniontown, Alabama, 10c Red on Gray Blue (86X5). Position 4, enormous margins all around, intense shade on deeply blued paper, uncancelled with blurry strike of "Uniontown Ala. 27 Sep." (1861) circular datestamp on small piece of cover with "S. Price" Virginia address

EXTREMELY FINE GEM STAMP. THIS IS THE FINEST OF ONLY EIGHT RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE UNIONTOWN POSTMASTER'S 10-CENT PROVISIONAL.

Uniontown's postmaster at the start of the C.S.A. postal system was Parham N. Booker. Parham, one of eleven children, was the namesake son of a U.S. internal revenue officer. The senior Booker represented Madison County in the legislature in 1836 and moved to Uniontown sometime later. He became a planter and hotel keeper, and he also served as postmaster and mayor of the town. Booker Senior died in 1861, and we are not certain if both father and son ran the post office. Because of a permanent physical disability, Booker Junior did not serve in the Confederate Army, but served the government in a civil department.

Postmaster Booker issued three denominations of adhesive provisionals: 2c, 5c and 10c. They were probably typeset and printed at the offices of the local newspaper, the Weekly Herald. The same typeset form of four subjects was used to print all three values (although the spacing between subjects changed between two 5c printings). The numeral in parentheses between the "PA" and "ID" of "PAID" was changed for each value, and different color inks were used: Dark Blue (2c), Green (5c) and Red (10c). All three values were printed on Gray Blue paper, and the 2c and 5c are also known on White paper, which was probably used for subsequent printings. The 10c has not been found on White paper.

Eight examples of the Uniontown 10c Red are recorded. These are (in order of plate position):

1) Position 1 with stationer’s embossed crest, on cover to Maria L. Kidd, Port Royal Va., ex Kimmel, Haas, Birkinbine, "D.K." collection, Dr. Brandon (Sale 1073, lot 347)

2) Position 1 on cover to John D. Pitts, near Richmond Va., ex Ferrary, Caspary, Peyton ("Isleham"), Hill, Sharrer (Sale 1035, lot 91)

3) Position 2 on cover to Col. A. P. Calhoun, Pendleton S.C., ex Dr. Simon, "D.K." collection (Sale 1022, lot 1120)

4) Position 2 on cover to Maria Louisa Kidd, Port Royal Va., ex Brooks, Meroni, Kilbourne, Gross (Sale 1225, lot 137)

5) Position 2 repaired stamp on repaired cover to Mrs. John B. Carey, ex Weill Stock

6) Position 3, corner creases, tiny tear, on lady’s embossed cover to Mr. Richmond Christian, Richmond Va., ex Ferrary, Hind, "Beverly Hills"

7) Position 4 on cover to Col. A. P. Calhoun, Pendleton S.C., ex Sweet, Muzzy, Boker

8) Position 4 uncancelled on large piece dated Sep. 27 (1861) with part of addressee’s name “S. Price”, Virginia destination, ex Ferrary, Walcott, Caspary, Lilly, Boker, Haub, the example offered here

Of the eight recorded examples of Scott 86X5, there two others with a decent size sheet margin, but no other stamp has margins as large as the sound example offered here.

Illustrated in Crown survey book on p. 350. Ex Ferrary, Walcott, Caspary, Lilly, Boker and Haub. Weill backstamp. Scott value $14,000.00 as off-cover stamp.

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