The Dr. Carmen A. Puliafito Collection of Independent Mails continued...

EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE RAREST STAMPS IN AMERICAN PHILATELY. AN EXTRAORDINARY COMBINATION OF TETE-BECHE MULTIPLE AND BISECTED USAGE OF A STAMP THAT IS RARE EVEN AS A NORMAL SINGLE.

In this unique piece we have three distinctly rare elements combined as one. In the first place, the Letter Express 10c Scarlet stamp is extremely rare -- we estimate that no more than 12 exist in total, on or off cover. This rare stamp is not known in any multiple, so there has been almost no material to provide knowledge of the plate composition or sheet arrangement. This pair shows conclusively -- and quite strikingly -- that the 10c Scarlet comes in tete-beche arrangement. The head-to-foot orientation of two stamps in a pair means that the sheets were printed in a work-and-turn method or, less likely, that one or more subjects on the plate were inverted. The third aspect of this unique item is the use of a bisect joined with a full stamp for the 18-3/4c rate (or 15c in stamps). The Cleveland Herald of July 12, 1844, carried an advertisement from Wells' office that specifically authorized the use of "one and a half stamp to those rated at 18-3/4 [cents]." Bisected stamps on cover are well-known, very rare and desirable, but this is the first and only recorded bisect still joined with a full stamp.

Illustrated in Independent Mails book. Ex Golden. With 1995 P.F. and 1991 P.S.E. certificates. (Image)

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VERY FINE. ONLY FIVE GENUINE COVERS EXIST WITH THE 10-CENT SCARLET LETTER EXPRESS STAMP, MAKING THIS ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL INDEPENDENT MAIL ITEMS.

The stamps issued by Wells' Letter Express are remarkable both for the purpose they served and for their distinctive designs. The oval 96L1-96L2 stamps depict the Goddess of Commerce surrounded by bales and barrels with a merchant vessel in the background -- symbols of private enterprise and the robust economic growth of America during the 1840's. The circular 96L3-96L4 stamps depict an American marine charging ashore with sword raised and Union Flag waving, and a naval vessel in the background. This design, chosen for stamps that would be used in the Great Lakes region, has been described as a commemoration of the Battle of Lake Champlain during the War of 1812.

Our records contain five 10c Scarlet covers as follows:

1) Jul. 19, 1844 Boyd's delivery date in NYC, sent from Cleveland with Scarlet 96L4 and Pomeroy's 117L1, ex Worthington, Hollowbush, Hall, offered in lot 231

2) Sep. 29, 1844, folded letter from Buffalo to Dater, Miller & Co., NYC, double rate, stamp tied by ms., ex Caspary, Golden and Kuphal, the cover offered here

3) Oct. 4, 1844, folded letter from Monroe Mich. to Dwight Johnson, NYC, with Scarlet 96L4 and Pomeroy's 117L1, ex Perry, Schwartz, offered in lot 232

4) [Date unknown] 1844, folded letter from [origin unknown] to Willet P. Ward, NYC, with Scarlet 96L4 and Pomeroy's 117L1, Sloane's records

5) [Date unknown] 1844, folded cover from [origin unknown] to Mrs. Jane Bruce, Boston, ex Petri, offered in lot 230.

The three combination frankings each bear a Pomeroy's stamp, affixed by Wells to credit Pomeroy with their share of the prepaid postage. This cover, originating in Buffalo, is evidence that by late September, the Buffalo-Albany route previously operating under Pomeroy's name was run by Wells' Letter Express.

Ex Caspary, Golden and Kuphal. With 1999 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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VERY FINE. ONLY FIVE GENUINE COVERS EXIST WITH THE 10-CENT SCARLET LETTER EXPRESS STAMP, MAKING THIS ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL 1844 INDEPENDENT MAIL USES.

Our records contain five 10c Scarlet covers as follows:

1) Jul. 19, 1844 Boyd's delivery date in NYC, sent from Cleveland with Scarlet 96L4 and Pomeroy's 117L1, ex Worthington, Hollowbush, Hall, offered in lot 231

2) Sep. 29, 1844, folded letter from Buffalo to Dater, Miller & Co., NYC, double rate, stamp tied by ms., ex Caspary, Golden and Kuphal, offered in lot 229

3) Oct. 4, 1844, folded letter from Monroe Mich. to Dwight Johnson, NYC, with Scarlet 96L4 and Pomeroy's 117L1, ex Perry, Schwartz, offered in lot 232

4) [Date unknown] 1844, folded letter from [origin unknown] to Willet P. Ward, NYC, with Scarlet 96L4 and Pomeroy's 117L1, Sloane's records

5) [Date unknown] 1844, folded cover from [origin unknown] to Mrs. Jane Bruce, Boston, ex Petri, the cover offered here.

The three combination frankings each bear a Pomeroy's stamp, affixed by Wells to credit Pomeroy with their share of the prepaid postage. Wells' Letter Express and Pomeroy's Letter Express did not serve Boston, so this must have been given to a third carrier (possibly Hale), but there are no markings to indicate who carried it.

With 2013 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONLY FIVE GENUINE COVERS EXIST WITH THE 10-CENT SCARLET LETTER EXPRESS STAMP, OF WHICH THREE ARE MIXED FRANKINGS, EACH USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH POMEROY'S LETTER EXPRESS.

Our records contain five 10c Scarlet covers as follows:

1) Jul. 19, 1844 Boyd's delivery date in NYC, sent from Cleveland with Scarlet 96L4 and Pomeroy's 117L1, ex Worthington, Hollowbush, Hall, the cover offered here

2) Sep. 29, 1844, folded letter from Buffalo to Dater, Miller & Co., NYC, double rate, stamp tied by ms., ex Caspary, Golden and Kuphal, offered in lot 229

3) Oct. 4, 1844, folded letter from Monroe Mich. to Dwight Johnson, NYC, with Scarlet 96L4 and Pomeroy's 117L1, ex Perry, Schwartz, offered in lot 232

4) [Date unknown] 1844, folded letter from [origin unknown] to Willet P. Ward, NYC, with Scarlet 96L4 and Pomeroy's 117L1, Sloane's records

5) [Date unknown] 1844, folded cover from [origin unknown] to Mrs. Jane Bruce, Boston, ex Petri, offered in lot 230.

The three combination frankings each bear a Pomeroy's stamp, affixed by Wells to credit Pomeroy with their share of the prepaid postage. This cover is the only one of the three with a Boyd's delivery marking.

Illustrated in Independent Mails book (Wells' Letter Express chapter). Ex Worthington, Hollowbush and Hall. With 2001 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE. ONLY FIVE GENUINE COVERS EXIST WITH THE 10-CENT SCARLET LETTER EXPRESS STAMP, OF WHICH THREE ARE MIXED FRANKINGS, EACH USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH POMEROY'S LETTER EXPRESS.

Our records contain five 10c Scarlet covers as follows:

1) Jul. 19, 1844 Boyd's delivery date in NYC, sent from Cleveland with Scarlet 96L4 and Pomeroy's 117L1, ex Worthington, Hollowbush, Hall, offered in lot 231

2) Sep. 29, 1844, folded letter from Buffalo to Dater, Miller & Co., NYC, double rate, stamp tied by ms., ex Caspary, Golden and Kuphal, offered in lot 229

3) Oct. 4, 1844, folded letter from Monroe Mich. to Dwight Johnson, NYC, with Scarlet 96L4 and Pomeroy's 117L1, ex Perry, Schwartz, the cover offered here

4) [Date unknown] 1844, folded letter from [origin unknown] to Willet P. Ward, NYC, with Scarlet 96L4 and Pomeroy's 117L1, Sloane's records

5) [Date unknown] 1844, folded cover from [origin unknown] to Mrs. Jane Bruce, Boston, ex Petri, offered in lot 230.

The three combination frankings each bear a Pomeroy's stamp, affixed by Wells to credit Pomeroy with their share of the prepaid postage. Wells was running the Buffalo-Albany route by the date this letter was mailed, so the Pomeroy stamp was presumably unnecessary. However, the stamp appears to have originated, and the cover was considered completely genuine by Elliott Perry and Richard Schwartz.

Illustrated in Independent Mails book (Wells' Letter Express chapter). Ex Perry and Schwartz (Image)

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VERY FINE. A UNIQUE TRIPLE-RATED LETTER BEARING THE RARE WELLS' CHICAGO OFFICE HANDSTAMP IN CONJUNCTION WITH HALE & COMPANY'S ALBANY OFFICE MARKINGS -- ANOTHER COMPANY, THE KENNEBEC EXPRESS, WAS INVOLVED IN TRANSPORTING THE LETTER TO ITS FINAL DESTINATION IN MAINE.

This highly-regarded cover has been illustrated and discussed in several publications. In an article published in The Penny Post ("Wells & Company and Hale and Company: Another Look at a Well-Known Cover," January 2014), William Sammis presents a fresh insight into the final leg of the cover's journey from Chicago to Hallowell, Maine. According to Sammis, the sender wrote the directive "Agent of the american letter mail co.", because he was aware that Calvin Spaulding, the nominal addressee, was ALMCo.'s agent in Hallowell. The letter was marked "Free" by the sender with the hope that it would pass through the ALMCo. system without charge. However, Sammis states that a conjunctive service arrangement existed between Wells' Letter Express and Hale & Co., so at Albany the letter was turned over to Hale for transport to its Boston office. Hale applied its Albany office oval handstamp and marked the letter due 18-3/4c. On the final leg of the trip, from Boston to Hallowell, the Kennebec Express Company was used, as usual for Hale's mail to and from Maine.

In August 1844, Wells' Letter Express worked with Pomeroy's Letter Express to carry mail eastward from Buffalo to Albany, so there could be yet a fourth silent partner in this journey. Pomeroy's Letter Express covers to New England were typically carried by Hale & Co.

Illustrated in Gutman Hale book and Independent Mails book. Ex Knapp, Hennan and Golden (Image)

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