| 556° |
 |
 24c Gray Lilac (37). Used with 1c Blue, Ty. V (24) and 10c Green, Ty. V (35), tied by blue grids and matching "Louisville Ky. Aug. 20" (1861) double-circle datestamp on blue folded letter
datelined "New Orleans La. 13 August 1861" from the Confederate State of Louisiana to St. Gall, Switzerland, via Adam's Thru-the-Lines Express, sender's routing "Per First Steamer" and pencil "Prus. Clos. Mail 35"
(probably applied by Adam's office in Louisville) partly covered by stamps, another pencil notation beneath stamps is difficult to read but might be an express notation, lightly struck red New York transit datestamp (Aug. 24) at right and red ms.
"12" credit, red framed "Aachen Franco" transit handstamp, magenta ms. rate at lower left for German transit, various transit and receiving backstamps, light horizontal file fold well away from stampsVERY FINE. A UNIQUE USE OF THIS COLORFUL
COMBINATION OF 1857-60 ISSUES TO PAY THE 35-CENT PRUSSIAN CLOSED MAIL RATE ON A LETTER TO SWITZERLAND, CARRIED BY ADAM'S EXPRESS THRU THE LINES FROM CONFEDERATE NEW ORLEANS TO LOUISVILLE AND THEN BY UNITED STATES MAIL TO SWITZERLAND. This
well-known Civil War period cover originated in Confederate New Orleans on August 13, 1861, and was sent inside an outer cover by Adam's Express to Louisville, Kentucky. At the Adam's Louisville office, it was marked "Prus. Clos. Mail 35" and
stamped with 35c postage for the Prussian Closed Mail rate. Adams did not apply a datestamp to this inner cover before putting it into the Louisville post office for transmission by Federal mail to New York City, the port of departure. From New York
it was probably carried on the HAPAG Line's Bavaria, departing August 24. After the suspension of mail service between the U.S. and Confederate States, U.S. stamps affixed to mail originating in the Confederate States were considered
contraband and not accepted at the Louisville post office, which required Adams to affix stamps from its own supply. The demonetization of old U.S. stamps in the North went into effect shortly after this cover was mailed from Louisville. The exchange
period in Louisville began August 22nd for three days, beginning on August 25th, stamps other than the new 1861 Issue would no longer be accepted by the Louisville post office. Ex Gibson and Kapiloff. (Image) |
E. 20,000-30,000
SOLD for $32,500.00
Will close during Public Auction |
| 557° |
|
 24c Gray Lilac (37). Horizontal pair and single, pair s.e. at left, used with two 1c Blue, Ty. II (20), tied by several strikes of "Portland Me. Jul. 19" circular datestamp on small neat
cover to St. Petersburg, Russia, red "Portland Me. Am. Pkt. Paid Jul. 19" exchange office datestamp, red framed "Aachen Franco" handstamp, red "28" crayon credit rate, blue ms. rates at lower left for German transit, missing part of top
flapVERY FINE. A COLORFUL AND UNIQUE FRANKING TO PAY THE DOUBLE 37-CENT RATE TO RUSSIA VIA PRUSSIAN CLOSED MAIL. Ex Gibson (Image) |
E. 10,000-15,000
SOLD for $10,500.00
Will close during Public Auction |
