Autaugaville Ala., 5c Black entire (10XU2). Full clear strike of unusual provisional handstamp with "A W McNEEL PM" in circle with "PAID 5" in star at center, "Autaugaville Ala. Oct. 8" (1861) circular datestamp on cover to Lowndesboro Ala.

VERY FINE AND CHOICE COVER. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE DISTINCTIVE POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL STAR-IN-CIRCLE HANDSTAMP OF AUTAUGAVILLE, ALABAMA. ONE OF THE GREAT RARITIES OF CONFEDERATE PROVISIONALS.

Autaugaville, situated on the Alabama River about 25 miles west of Montgomery, had a Civil War population of less than 1,500. Its postmaster, Albert William McNeel, seized all U.S. Post Office Dept. property and turned it over to the Confederacy. During the provisional period, Postmaster McNeel used two different handstamps to make provisional envelopes and both are among the great rarities of Confederate philately. The earlier type is this fancy Star in Circle handstamp and this cover is the only recorded example. The second type is a brass handstamp with negative design similar to the appearance of the Athens adhesive provisional, of which only four examples are recorded (Scott 10XU1, see our Dr. Brandon Sale 1073, lot 211 for a census).

This cover is accompanied by more than 15 documents relating to the Autaugaville Provisional, including correspondence dated between 1897 and 1926, with letters between stamp dealer P.M. Wolsieffer and Andrew H. McNeel (son of the Autaugaville postmaster), letters between McNeel and collector Harold Brooks (who declined an offer to buy one of the covers), a copy of an affidavit from McNeel attesting to the creation of the Autaugaville provisionals by his father, as well as other letters (see complete scans in linked PDF).

Ex Walcott, Caspary, Lilly, Gallagher and Dr. Agre. Scott value for both Nos. 10XU1 and 10XU2 is $20,000.00, despite the unique nature of 10XU2

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