The Barry K. Schwartz Collection of Kentucky Postal History continued...

EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING OF ALL KNOWN CIVIL WAR EXPRESS USAGES, WITH A UNIQUE COMBINATION OF STAMPS GRAPHICALLY DEMONSTRATING THE REFUSAL OF FEDERAL POSTAL AUTHORITIES TO RECOGNIZE POSTAGE AFFIXED IN CONFEDERATE STATES.

This cover was posted from Confederate New Orleans on August 7, 1861, with 15c postage for the treaty rate to France (prepaid by the 3c and 12c stamps). It was datestamped on August 12 by Adams Express Company in Louisville, ten days prior to the demonetization of old stamps. 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. However, as shown by this cover and certain other Adams thru-the-lines usages, U.S. stamps affixed to mail originating in the Confederate States were considered contraband and not accepted at the Louisville post office, requiring Adams to affix stamps from its own supply. The 3c credit confirms that this was a single-rate letter, so the additional 15c postage (paid by the strip of 5c) was not applied to make up a short payment. The "40" pencil marking (followed by a letter code used by express offices) includes the 25c fee charged by Adams and 15c for the postage to France. The other Adams Express Co. cover from this correspondence, bearing a 30c 1861, is offered in this sale (lot 4124). The 30c cover was also dated in New Orleans on August 7, 1861, but it may have been deliberately routed to Louisville on a later trip or held at the Adams office for additional postage from the sender (it was a double-rate letter). It had no stamps affixed in New Orleans and was stamped in Louisville on August 22 with the new 30c 1861 Issue.

The cover offered here was carried to France on the Havre Line's Fulton, departing from New York on August 17, 1861, arriving in Havre on August 29. Later in 1861 both of the Havre Line's ships, the Fulton and Arago, were commissioned as transport ships during the Civil War and not returned to mail service until late in 1865. A history of the Arnaud de Vitrolles family may be found at http://gillesdubois.blogspot.com/2007/05/arnaud-de-vitrolles.html

From a Jamet sale in France (Dec. 28, 1955) and ex Dr. Martin. Signed Ashbrook and written up in his Special Service. Illustrated in Brookman (p. 248) and the National Postal Museum's 1957 Perforation Centennial book. With 1991 P.F. certificate and analysis. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT 1861 ISSUE USED ON A THRU-THE-LINES EXPRESS COVER -- ONLY POSSIBLE DURING A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY THAT EXISTED FOR APPROXIMATELY SEVEN DAYS IN AUGUST 1861. ONE OF THE RAREST AND MOST SPECTACULAR 1861 COVERS IN EXISTENCE.

This cover was handled by Adams Express Company within days of the August 26th termination date for all express intercourse between the North and South and also at the point when Northern post offices commenced demonetization of old stamps. 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. The earliest recorded use of the 30c from any post office is August 20, therefore, for a period certainly no greater than seven days, beginning August 20th, it was possible for a 30c 1861 stamp to be used on a thru-the-lines express cover via Louisville. In this case, the sender in New Orleans prepaid the express fee and postage to France, either in cash or by affixing stamps to an outer transmittal envelope, and the Adams office in Louisville applied the 30c stamp from the newly-issued 1861 series. We know of one other thru-the-lines cover with the 1861 Issue, a 3c Pink with Adams August 26 and Louisville August 27 datestamps.

Both this cover and the cover in lot 4123 are addressed to a member of the French noble family of Arnaud de Vitrolles. A history of the Arnaud de Vitrolles family may be found at http://gillesdubois.blogspot.com/2007/05/arnaud-de-vitrolles.html

Illustrated in the Chronicle, May 1986. Ex Paliafito and Sevenoaks. With 2001 P.F. certificate (Image)

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