1539° |
|
Frazer & Co., Cincinnati,
2c Black on Green (69L3). Large margins, tied by ms. "X" on
cover front, a remarkable triple-forwarded usage, originating red
"Cincinnati O. May 15" circular datestamp, addressed to Pittsburgh (red
circular datestamp), redirected to Philadelphia (blue circular datestamp
and "Forwarded" in frame), New York City (red circular datestamp and
"Forwarded" straightline) and Albany N.Y., ms. rates compounded to 25c
total, light folds VERY FINE STAMP ON A SPECTACULAR TRIPLE-FORWARDED
COVER FRONT. ONLY SEVEN COVERS BEARING THE FRAZER & COMPANY EAGLE STAMP ON
GREEN ARE REPORTED. Robert B. Meyersburg reported six covers with
Frazer & Co.'s Green stamp (Penny Post, Aug. 1992), including three
local usages and three covers delivered to the post office (postage
unpaid). A seventh cover was recently located and added to the count
(Siegel Sale 908, lot 4875). It is uncertain whether Meyersburg's census
included this front. (Image) |
E. 4,000-5,000
SOLD for $5,000.00
Will close during Public Auction |
1540° |
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Frazer & Co., Cincinnati
O., 2c Black on Yellow (69L4). Large margins to just barely touching
thin outer frameline at right, ms. "2" cancel as found on other Frazer &
Co. local usages, used on small decorative Valentine cover addressed
in blue to George Burgess in Cincinnati, pencil address line on back in
another hand "At Mrs. Hudson's on Fifth near Pike", stamp has some
surface abrasions which may have been there when cancelled (some letters of
printed design flaked off) VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL VALENTINE COVER AND
ONE OF ONLY SIX RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE FRAZER & CO. YELLOW
STAMP. Hiram Frazer Sr. was appointed to the Cincinnati carrier
department on October 17, 1837, and served continuously until October 23,
1845. After resigning, Frazer and his son, Hiram Jr., established a
publication depot and the City Despatch Post. Elliott Perry attributed the
"& Co." to a partnership with Joseph Haskell (Feb. 15, 1959, letter to
Eugene Costales). The "& Co." that appears on the Eagle issue was deleted
by hand, and the title of the post appears as "Frazer's City Express Post"
on the subsequent Horse & Rider issue. In 1846 Hiram Jr. joined the army
during the Mexican War, but was killed in 1847. On February 3, 1848, Hiram
Sr. was reappointed a U.S. letter carrier, serving until June 5, 1849. He
subsequently operated a penny post until 1853, when he entered the
insurance business. Although Frazer's name is listed for a third
appointment in August 1849, there is no evidence he actually served. The
chronology of Frazer's involvement with the City Despatch Post and his
second appointment as a letter carrier is significant, because any Frazer
cover dated within the period of his carrier status -- Feb. 3, 1848, to
Jun. 5, 1849 -- is a government-carrier usage, not a local-post usage.
(Reference: Robert B. Meyersburg, "Frazer & Company City Despatch/Express
Post", Penny Post, Aug. 1992, and "Some New Semi-Official Carrier
Stamps", Chronicle, Aug. 1987). Robert B. Meyersburg reported
three Yellow 69L4 covers in his article on Frazer & Co. in The Penny
Post (August 1992), including two to the-mails and one local usage. Our
records (including the Levi records and Schwartz files) contain just five
examples on or off cover, as follows: 1) Nov. 3, 1848 cover with 10c 1847,
to NYC, ex Meyersburg (Siegel Sale 791, lot 152), 2) Undated Valentine
cover to George Burgess, the cover offered here, 3) Uncancelled on Dec. 30,
1848 cover to NYC, ex Golden (Siegel Sale 817, lot 1074), 4) Pen cancel and
red Cincinnati cds, ex Hall (Siegel Sale 830, lot 637), 5) Pen cancelled,
affixed to cover, did not originate, ex Caspary, and 6) Original gum, ex
Caspary. Covers listed as 1 and 3 correspond to Meyersburg to-the-mails
usages, and this Valentine is probably the local usage he reported. Ex
Chapman and Middendorf. (Image) |
E. 7,500-10,000
SOLD for $6,000.00
Will close during Public Auction |
1541° |
|
Frazer & Co., Cincinnati
O., 2c Black on Grayish (69L5). Large margins to just slightly in,
black smudge cancel, tied by red "Cincinnati O." circular datestamp
on blue folded cover to New York City, ms. "10" rate, docketing indicates
Feb. 6, 1847 mailing date and Feb. 11 receipt date, vertical filing crease
thru stamp VERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE ONLY TIED EXAMPLE OF THE
FRAZER & CO. 2-CENT ON GRAYISH PAPER AMONG THE FOUR REPORTED
COVERS. Robert B. Meyersburg reported four covers with the Grayish
69L5, including two incoming covers that were readdressed and forwarded,
one local usage and one unpaid to-the-mails (presumably the cover offered
here). We have a similar accounting of covers, and, among them only this
cover has the stamp tied by a marking. Ex Chapman. Signed Sloane.
Unlisted on cover in Scott (this will become the "Tied on cover" listing).
(Image) |
E. 5,000-7,500
SOLD for $6,000.00
Will close during Public Auction |