5 Brown Orange (1d). Horizontal pair, large margins to just in at left, brilliant shade, late printing from worn plate, 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" (ca. 1851) 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 AN 1847 ISSUE COVER.

According to the Alexander book, two Little Miami Railroad route agents received 1,000 5c and 200 10c 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 5c covers (mailed between 1849 and 1850), the famous strip of five and single 10c on a legal-size cover (6/1/1851, ex Wyer) and a single 10c (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 and ex Gross. With 2006 P.F. certificate.

Image Magnifier / Download

Power Search for Comparables