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7X1, Millbury, MA, 1846 5c Black on bluish, single with typical tight margins (clear at top and right), tied by red straightline "Paid" to blue folded letter to Worcester, Massachusetts, red "Milbury Ms. Aug 21" cds and matching circled "V" handstamp, stamp with tiny scuffs in background lines to the right of Washington's head (present since before Philip T. Wall first illustrated this cover in the Chronicle in 1984), still Extremely Fine and attractive, one of only eight covers recorded bearing the famed woodcut provisional of Millbury, this being the earliest known use (a distinction it shares with one other cover) and, significantly, a cover which has never appeared on the market before, having been bought privately for Mr. Haub, an incredible showpiece of the highest order (Scott $350,000)
The history of the Millbury, Massachusetts (the proper spelling has two "L"s, despite what the postmark on the cover says) was first told by Philip T. Wall in the Chronicle in the mid-1980s, and greatly expanded upon by Robert A. Siegel Auctions, who maintain an active census of the stamp (this being 7X1-COV-12). As Mr. Wall tells the story, "The first two covers that came to light were discovered in the correspondence of Isaac Davis who left the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester, Mass., some 15 volumes of his papers and correspondence when he died in 1885. Davis had been a leading attorney in Worcester in the 1840s. These two covers traveled a distance of only 8 to 10 miles."
The first of these covers, postmarked December 16, was deaccessioned by the American Antiquarian Society in 1895. It was then owned by Sir William B. Avery, Henry J. Duveen, Alfred H. Caspary, and Arthur Hetherington, the latter two of whom sold the stamp through H.R. Harmer in 1955 and 1983, respectively. The other cover remained in the possession of the American Antiquarian Society for nearly another century.
At the 1989 Weill Brother's sale at Christie's, the December 16 Isaac Davis cover was sold. John R. Boker, Jr. was bidding for Erivan Haub, and upon losing the Weills' cover, contacted the American Antiquarian Society within a year or two to make them an offer on the remaining (August 21) cover. Since the early 1990s this cover has resided in Germany and has therefore never been offered publicly for sale.
In terms of United States Postmasters' Provisionals, the Millbury provisional occupies a unique position between the ornate designs of the New York and St. Louis stamps and the crude, makeshift stamps of Lockport and Boscawen. It is one of two provisionals to depict a person, but its woodcut design is obviously miles below the beautifully engraved New York stamp's portrait of George Washington. The Millbury has all of the charms of a "primitive" while still remaining instantly recognizable as a postage stamp. We believe that this cover's long-overdue appearance at public auction represents the beginning of a new chapter for a cover which spent the first century and a half of life locked away.
Get Market Data for [United States 7X1] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census
Get Market Data for [United States 9X1] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census
9X1, New York, New York, 5c Black, "ACM" Connected, positions 37-40, large margins all around, tied by blue manuscript cancel to folded letter to Fort Wayne, Indiana (paying double the 10c rate), matching blue "20," red "New-York Sep 13" cds and "Paid" in arc, vertical file-fold affects second stamp, still Extremely Fine and attractive, one of only four covers bearing a strip of four of the New York Provisional, an outstanding gem in every regard (Scott $100,000)
In August of 1980, Philip T. Wall wrote an article in the Chronicle (Vol. 32, No. 3) detailing the five most outstanding New York Provisional covers known to him. Obvious choices were the Hasbrouck cover bearing a block of nine and strip of three, and the "MMJr." pair on cover to Bethany, Virginia. Wall, an admitted fan of multiple-rate covers, chose the three covers bearing strips of four that were known to him at the time to round out his top five.
Provenance: John F. Seybold (Purple handstamp on reverse)
O.S. Hart (Private Transaction)
Henry C. Gibson (Ward Sale 12, 1944)
9X1b, New York, New York, 5c Black, Signed "A.C.M.," position 23, three large margins to clear at top, cancelled by blue pen strokes, red "New-York 5 cts. 30 Aug" cds with matching "Paid" in arc on 1845 folded letter to London, endorsed "per Boston Steamer," ms. "1/-" due rating, Very Fine, a choice example of the scarce "A.C.M." signature with periods, particularly on a cover sent overseas, 1993 Philatelic Foundation certificate does not accompany (Scott $2,750)
From the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, October 6, 1859:
Mr. Charles Mortimer Leupp, for many years well known as a prominent leather merchant, doing business at No. 20 Ferry street, committed suicide last evening at his residence, No. 33 Madison avenue, by shooting himself through the heart. Mr. Leupp, for six or eight years past, has been afflicted with occasional fits of depression, and for eight months past has been at times deranged. His friends were adopting measures to place him under restraint. An inquest was held this morning by Coroner Sherman, and a verdict in accordance with the facts was rendered. Deceased was 53 years of age, and there was nothing in his domestic, social, or business relations to have induced the commission of the act.
Mr. Leupp has a magnificent mansion on Madison Park—full of pictures and works of art—and was considered one of our most promising and cultivated men. His deplorable death will be deeply felt by a very wide circle of personal friends.
Mr. Leupp has been a widower for some years. He leaves an interesting family of children. His deceased wife was the daughter of the late Gideon Lee.
Provenance: Rarities of the World (R.A. Siegel Sales 800 and 837, 1998 and 2001)
Get Market Data for [United States 9X1b] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census
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20, 1857 1c Blue, Type II, horizontal pair used alongside 1857 3c Dull red and 1857 12c Black on 3c Nesbitt envelope (26, 26, U9), all cancelled by black grids with matching "Ann Arbor Mich. Jan 28 1860 cds" alongside (actually an 1861 use), addressed to Colchester, Canada West, with appropriate Windsor, Kingsville, and Colchester backstamps (all dated January 1861), cover with sealed tear at top, bit of edge wear indicating thick contents, a Very Fine and colorful franking (the 1c Type II pair is especially fresh and attractive) paying double the 10c rate to Canada
Provenance: M. Hubert Judd (Pencil notation on reverse)
Get Market Data for [United States 20] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census
20]
26, 1857 3c Dull red, Type III, three singles tied by Boston "Paid" in grid handstamp to multi-page folded letter to Manila, Philippines, with 1860 24c Gray lilac (37) added to make the proper 33c rate, endorsed "Via Southhampton," "Boston Am. Pkt. Apr 20" and "Hong Kong Ju 23 60" backstamps, Very Fine appearance, the earliest known letter from the "Manila Find"
Provenance: "Manila Find" (H.R. Harmer Sale 2893, 1994)
Get Market Data for [United States 26] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census
26]
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Get Market Data for [United States 68] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census
Get Market Data for [United States 69] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census
70b, 1861 24c Steel blue, strip of three used alongside pair of 1861 1c Blue (63) on mourning cover to St. Petersburg, Russia, stamps each neatly cancelled by manuscript "X," black "Gorham Me. Jun 12" cds, two strikes of red "Portland Am. Pkt. 28 Paid Jun 13" credit datestamp, red boxed "Aachen 26 6 Franco," docketing on reverse indicates June 30, 1862 arrival, stamps with light horizontal crease from placement and cover slightly refolded at top for better display, Very Fine, a colorful and attractive cover from the Josiah Pierce correspondence paying double the 37c rate via Prussian Closed Mail, 24c stamps a wonderfully true representation of the desirable steel blue shade
Provenance: Henry C. Gibson (Philip H. Ward Sale 12, 1944)
Get Market Data for [United States 63] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census
Get Market Data for [United States 73] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census
83, 1867 3c Rose, "C" Grill, horizontal strip of five with natural s.e. at right used alongside 1863 2c Black (73), just tied by bold rosette cancels to 1867 cover to Darmstadt, Germany, red "N. York Paid Hamb. Pkt. 12 Dec 14" credit datestamp, Hamburg backstamp, 3c stamps on the ends with small faults and backflap rejoined, Very Fine, an extremely rare multiple of the 3c "C" grill on cover, overpaying the 15c Bremen-Hamburg packet rate to Germany by 2c
Provenance: Ryohei Ishikawa (Christie's Robson Lowe, 1993)
Get Market Data for [United States 83] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census
83]
101, 1869 90c Blue, F Grill, used with 12c F Grill (97) on an envelope addressed to Lima Peru, just tied by black cork killer cancels with the 90c also tied by crisp strike of "Panama MY 22 69" cds (British PO), a magenta "San Francisco May 8 Paid" cds at upper left, red crayon "3" and "72", the 12c trivial perf tip toning, 90c some blunted/short perfs, letter a horiz file fold, still Very Fine and, in the words of renowned philatelist Jerome Wagshal, "..it is a philatelic gem of the first rank."; George Sloane notation on back "1867 issue 12c and 90c grilled 9x13/ From the collection of Rear Admiral AB Randall" and signed by Sloane; just two covers with the 90c F Grill are recorded, the other being a domestic use (Chronicle Vol. 40, No. 4, page 264), the basic rate to Peru via Panama in May of 1869 was 34 cents per ½ ounce, making this a triple rate cover, illustrated and discussed in an article by Jerome Wagshal in The Chronicle, Vol. 23, No. 1 (February 1971), page 28-29 (mentions Philatelic Foundation certificate #21793 which does not accompany), 2021 Philatelic Foundation certificate which mentions additional traces of an orange red transit cancel on the 90c (Scott $100,000)
Provenance: Marc Haas (Private Transaction, 1980)
Get Market Data for [United States 101] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census
116, 1869 10c Yellow, well-centered single used alongside 1869 2c Brown, both tied by red grids to small mourning cover to "Mountain View P.O., Prince Edward Co., C.W.," matching red "Boston Mass. Mar 31" cds alongside
Get Market Data for [United States 116] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census
230-35, 1893 1c-6c Columbians, fresh singles of the first six values in the set tied by "Philadelphia Pa." oval registry cancels to 7c Vermilion on amber entire (U88), addressed to John F. Seybold in Syracuse, New York, purple straightline "Registered" handstamp, Philadelphia and Syracuse registry backstamps, Very Fine and colorful
Provenance: Corey Long (R.A. Siegel Sale 948, 2007)
Get Market Data for [United States U88] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census