UNITED STATES CARRIERS continued...
City Despatch, Post New York N.Y.
| Lot |
Sym. |
Lot Description |
|
| 1208° |
 |
 (Greig) City Despatch
Post, New York N.Y., 3c Black on Grayish (40L1). Top right margin block
of four, original gum, large margins other sides, small surface scrape
between both designs and two small surface scrapes in the bottom right
stamp, penciled note in selvage dated 1897, Very Fine appearance, a
desirable position block, with 1995 P.F. certificate (Image) |
1,900.00
SOLD for $1,200.00
Will close during Public Auction |
| 1209° |
 |
 (Greig) City Despatch
Post, New York N.Y., 3c Black on Grayish (40L1). Large even margins,
tied by full clear strike of red "City Despatch Post N.Y. Feb. 24 1
O'Clock" Ty. I double-line cds on Feb. 23, 1842 folded letter headed
"City Despatch Post 46 William St." and addressed to the President
of New York Bank of Savings, a letter soliciting business and signed by
Alexander M. Greig, Proprietor of the City Despatch Post, with original
printed advertisement for the City Despatch Post describing
services, listing names of patrons and stations operated by the post, the
enclosure is cited in the letter and is original to this cover, minor aging
and splits at edges of folds reinforced with archival tape, light
toningONE OF THE EARLY USAGES OF THE CITY DESPATCH POST STAMP AND A
SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL DOCUMENT SIGNED BY ITS MANAGER, ALEXANDER M.
GRIEG Very few examples of the City Despatch Post printed circular
have survived, this being the only one, to our knowledge, that carries a
transmittal letter signed by Alexander M. Greig. Ex Kapiloff. With
1995 P.F. certificate. Last offered in our 1995 Rarities sale, where it
realized $8,000 hammer. (Image) |
E. 5,000-7,500
SOLD for $11,500.00
Will close during Public Auction |
| 1210° |
|
 City Despatch Post N.Y.
Feb. 15, 9 O'Clock. Red Type I double-line circular datestamp (with
inverted "N.Y.") on 1842 folded illustrated Valentine to local
street address, handwritten love letter, Very Fine, one of the earliest
recorded City Despatch Post covers
(Image) |
E. 500-750
SOLD for $650.00
Will close during Public Auction |
| 1211° |
|
 (Greig) City Despatch
Post, New York N.Y., 3c Black on Green, Red Glazed Paper, Die Reprints
(40L1R). Each with large margins, minor creasing and cracks in enamel
as usual, otherwise Very Fine, these are footnoted in Scott after 40L1
(value $500.00 each), only four sets reportedly made (Image) |
1,000.00
SOLD for $650.00
Will close during Public Auction |
| 1212° |
|
 (Greig) City Despatch
Post, New York N.Y., 3c Black on Grayish, Sperati Reproduction (40L1
Sperati). A frighteningly accurate reproduction tied by red "Free" in
frame on piece with part of circular datestamp at lower left, also a
Sperati "die" proof signed in pencil and with his large handstamp on
back, truly the work of a master (Image) |
E. 400-500
SOLD for $300.00
Will close during Public Auction |
| 1213° |
|
 U.S. City Despatch Post,
New York N.Y., 3c Black on Grayish (6LB1). Position 6 from upper right
corner of sheet, tied by two strikes of orange-red "U.S." in frame
cancel, matching "U.S. City Despatch Post Dec. 2 9 O'Clock" Type I
double-line circular datestamp on folded invoice to local street address,
trivial ink erosion spots in address, light fold at centerAN
EXTREMELY FINE TIED EXAMPLE OF GREIG'S 3-CENT STAMP USED FOR UNITED STATES
CITY DESPATCH POST CARRIER SERVICE. ONLY NINETEEN 6LB1 COVERS ARE
RECORDED. In August 1842 the privately-owned City Despatch Post was
bought out and re-established as the carrier department of the New York
City post office. Stamps sold by Greig for the City Despatch Post remained
valid for prepayment of carrier fees and were used months after the buyout.
In the period before U.S. City Despatch Post stamps were issued, the use of
Greig's stamps has provisional status among collectors. By September 1842
Greig's stamps in public hands were accepted concurrently with the
government carrier issues (6LB3 and 6LB5, primarily). The carrier stamp,
6LB1, can be distinguished from 40L1 only when cancelled with the
"U.S."-designated cancel or postmark. Such examples are very rare, with
nineteen covers contained in the Lyons census, as well as ten off-cover
stamps. Ex Pope and Kapiloff. With copy of 1985 P.F. certificate. (Image) |
11,500.00
SOLD for $8,000.00
Will close during Public Auction |
| 1214° |
 |
 U.S. City Despatch Post,
New York N.Y., 3c Black on Rosy Buff (6LB2). Vertical line thru "S" of
"Despatch" as on Position 7R, unused (no gum), large margins showing two
outer framelines, intense impression on bright paper, slight thinning as
usually found on the approximately ten known examples, still Extremely Fine
(Image) |
2,500.00
SOLD for $1,500.00
Will close during Public Auction |
| 1215° |
|
 U.S. City Despatch Post,
New York N.Y., 3c Black on Light Blue Unsurfaced (6LB3). Positions
4-5R, top sheet margin pair, large unused (no gum), full to large margins,
faint crease at upper rightEXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF TWO
RECORDED UNUSED PAIRS OF THE FIRST STAMP PRINTED AND ISSUED BY THE UNITED
STATES POST OFFICE FOR THE NEW YORK CITY CARRIER DEPARTMENT. This the
only example of Position 4R known to us that shows the sheet margin at top.
On this example, there appears to be a double transfer of the upper third
of the design. Ex Caspary, Middendorf and Kapiloff. With 1995 P.F.
certificate. (Image) |
2,250.00
SOLD for $3,750.00
Will close during Public Auction |
| 1216° |
|
 U.S. City Despatch Post,
New York N.Y., 3c Black on Green Glazed (6LB5d). Unused (no gum),
brilliant early Green color, large even margins, Extremely Fine Gem, unused
copies of this Dec. 1842 printing on Green paper are extremely rare, ex
Kapiloff, with 1994 P.F. certificate
(Image) |
1,000.00
SOLD for $1,100.00
Will close during Public Auction |
| 1217° |
 |
 U.S. City Despatch Post,
New York N.Y., 3c Black on Blue Glazed (6LB5b). Original gum, huge left
sheet margin, others full to large, bright and fresh color with only a tiny
rubbed spot in enamel, Extremely Fine, ex Kapiloff
(Image) |
650.00
SOLD for $225.00
Will close during Public Auction |
| 1218° |
|
 U.S. City Despatch Post,
New York N.Y., 3c Black on Green Glazed (6LB5d). Two horizontal pairs
-- originally forming a block from upper left corner of right pane -- and
single, all with large margins, trivial flaws and tiny tear at top of
single, each stamp cancelled by red "U.S." in frame, middle pair tied by
red "Paid" in arc, matching "New-York May 30" (1843) circular datestamp on
folded cover to Philadelphia, blue ms. "12-1/2" rate, beneath the
stamps is the ms. endorsement "Paid/3 cents for City Dispatch/12-1/2
cents for Philadelphia/Paid", the -1/2c difference between rate paid
and franking probably made up in coin or disregarded by carrierVERY
FINE COVER. THIS IS THE FINEST OF THE EIGHT RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE UNITED
STATES CITY DESPATCH POST CARRIER STAMP USED TO PREPAY INTER-CITY POSTAGE.
AN OUTSTANDING POSTAL HISTORY ARTIFACT. This cover and seven other
similar examples mark the beginning of prepayment of inter-city postage by
adhesive stamps in the Western hemisphere. In each case, the United States
City Despatch Post stamps prepaid the regular postage and carrier fee for
delivery to the New York City post office, where the letters were marked
"Paid" in full. Our records contain eight inter-city covers with full
prepayment, including one front and one with a stamp missing (listed
chronologically by New York postmark date): 1) May 25 datestamp, 1843
folded letter to Henry Morris, Philadelphia, strip of 3 + pair, ex Caspary,
Middendorf, Kapiloff, Siegel 1995 Rarities sale (realized $37,500), 2) May
30 datestamp (1843), folded cover to F. Packard, Philadelphia, 2 pairs + 1,
the cover offered here, ex Caspary, Pope, Kapiloff, Siegel 1995 Rarities
sale (realized $42,500), 3) Jun. 16 datestamp, 1843 folded letter to Henry
Morris, Philadelphia, strip of 4 + 1, ex Caspary, Hall (Siegel Sale 830,
lot 144, realized $32,500 hammer), Gordon N. John (Siegel Sale 868, lot
2015, realized $42,500 hammer), 4) Jul. 5 datestamp, 1843 folded letter to
Henry Morris, Philadelphia, strip of 5, ex Caspary, Middendorf (1990
private treaty sale at $30,000), 5) Aug. 23 datestamp, 1843 folded letter
to Henry Morris, Philadelphia, 4 singles (1 missing), ex Seybold, Hall
(Siegel Sale 830), 6) Nov. 1 datestamp, 1843 folded letter to Julia
Welling, Pleasant Valley N.Y., 5 singles, badly creased and restored, from
a recent find, 7) Oct. 18 datestamp (1844), folded cover to Dr. Wheeler,
Athens N.Y., strip of 3 + 1, ex Caspary, Hall, Gordon N. John (Siegel Sale
868, lot 2015, realized $42,500 hammer), and 8) Jun. 13 (ca. 1845), front
only to Lewis Riley, Ridgefield Conn., ex Caspary, Middendorf, Kapiloff,
Siegel 1995 Rarities sale. Three of the covers have stamps on Blue paper
(6LB5b) from the later printing. The others are Green or Blue Green (1843
printings). Ex Caspary, Pope and Kapiloff. With 1985 P.F. certificate
(Image) |
E. 30,000-40,000
SOLD for $50,000.00
Will close during Public Auction |
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