New Orleans, Louisiana, 1861, folded cover to Bordeaux, with partial contents, franked with 30c orange, tied by New Orleans c.d.s. (5 Feb), handstamped with Rochereau & Co sender’s mark, endorsed “Steamer” in manuscript above, red “NEW YORK PAID / 24” c.d.s. (13 Feb) and adjacent “ET UNIS SERV BR AC.25” entry mark (25 Feb), with Paris (25 Feb) and Bordeaux arrival backstamps, adhesive colour slightly darkened from storage, a rare entire to France, postmarked the day after Louisiana joined the Confederacy; ex Allen, Knapp, Birkinbine, Walske.

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Kingston, Georgia, 5c black, clear strike on folded entire, adjacent "5", contents datelined Woodland, 29 June, to Charleston, South Carolina, endorsed "Paid" in manuscript and postmarked with "Kingston Ga Jun 30" c.d.s., light filing folds, contents skillfully and sensibly repaired in places and cover cleaned, scarce and fine, ex Everett; with 2023 Civil War Philatelic Society certificate.
The letter itself provides a remarkable glimpse into the political climate of the period, with the sender freely sharing his views, noting "…being from Charleston you will not meet with any extra civility in Abraham's dominions…" and "Genl. Johnston was too wide awake to be caught by Scott - the retreat from Harpers Ferry was admirably arranged and the necessity for it has been explained." He also comments on challenges and irregularities in delivery of the mails, including delays in the receipt of letters and newspapers.

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5c green, Stone 2, 1861, horizontal pair with full gutter, from the top row of the sheet (1), tied to cover by "Marietta Geo. / Feb / 22" c.d.s., to Alexander Stephens in Richmond, Virginia, back flap removed, tear to envelope at top of franking, not impacting adhesives, a few light stains to stamps, else a dramatic and unique franking.

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10c blue, 1861-2, Paterson, horizontal pair, large to very large margins all around, showing portion of adjoining stamp at left, pleasing pastel-like shade, tied to piece by two Mobile, Ala. double-circle c.d.s., barest trace of gum staining to right stamp, else very fine.

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10c dark blue, 1861-2, Hoyer & Ludwig, four mostly large margins, touching outer frameline at lower right, showing the "shooting star flaw" at upper left, tied to cover by "Savannah Ga." c.d.s. and circular grid cancel, to Columbus, Georgia, hinge adhesions on reverse and some overall aging, adhesive with gum soak at foot, else a desirable franking. 

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10c dark blue, 1861-2, Paterson printing, mostly large to very large margins, bright color, touching at lower left, tied to cover to Sparta, Georgia, by indistinct c.d.s., some trivial stains, else fine; with 2023 Civil War Philatelic Society certificate.

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2c green, 1862, ample to large margins, rich colour, tied to cover to locally-addressed cover by "Richmond / Va. / Feb / 14 / 1863" c.d.s., fresh an very fine; recorded in the Warren census (2011, VA-056).

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5c blue, 1862, Stone 2, mint block of twelve, margins clear to large all around, gum heavily toned, vertical crease through one pair, fault at lower right, else a fine and scarce multiple.

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5c blue, 1862, on soft porous paper, horizontal strip of three, margins ample to just touching at left, hinged original gum, pleasing shade, a few light gum wrinkles, a fresh and fine multiple.

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10c rose, 1862, horizontal pair, mostly large margins, clear at top, tied by "Columbia /S.C. / Aug / 13" c.d.s. in blue to "State of South Carolina / Executive Council Chamber" cover to Brigadier General J.J. Pettigrew, "care A. General Cooper", Richmond, Virginia, redirected to Gordonsville, "care of Genl. Lee", docketing on reverse "Gov. Pickens / Aug 12th 1862 / Friendly", slightly reduced at right, some overall aging, a desirable cover, linking many prominent political and military figures of the period; ex-Meroni. Francis Wilson Pickens served as Governor of South Carolina at the time of the State’s secession from the Union.  J.J. Pettigrew served in the South Carolina House of Representatives, and later as an aide to the Governor; he was promoted to brigadier general by Jefferson Davis prior to the Penninsula Campaign. Samuel Cooper was Adjutant General of the United States Army prior to the Civil War, later serving as both Adjutant General and Inspector General of the Confederate Army.  Robert E Lee, at the time this cover was despatched, was leading the Army of Northern Virginia, having assumed command only two months prior in June, following the wounding of Joseph E. Johnston. Lee had been ordered to Gordonsville, in what would become the Second Manassas Campaign.  

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10c rose, 1862, block of four, large to very large margins, part disturbed and toned original gum, small thin spots and surface flaws, as often seen on such blocks, still a rare multiple, fine appearance.

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10c rose, 1862, lower left corner single, large margins at top and right, tied to cover by "Atlanta / Ga / Aug / 3 / 1862" c.d.s., to Covington, an exceptional franking with tremendous eye-appeal, very fine.

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5c blue, 1862, vertical pair, fair to large margins on three sides, touching at left, tied to cover by "Gordonsville / VA / Aug 28 / 1862" c.d.s., to Hanover Court House, Virginia, endorsed "R.E. Lee / Genl" at upper right, some trivial creasing and adhesive-mounted to black card, fine and rare; with 2023 Civil War Philatelic Society certificate.  
General Lee's field correspondence was typically carried via military courrier; examples sent through the postal system and bearing general issues of the Confederate States are particularly scarce. 

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5c blue, 1862, horizontal strip of ten, with sheet margins and right and left, and two singles, cancelled in black manuscript, the singles tied by "Milledgeville / Ga / Feb / 6" c.d.s., to "The Honorable Justices of the Court of Oglethorpe County", paying the six times letter rate, to Lexington, Georgia, a remarkable franking with tremendous eye-appeal.

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5c blue, 1862, upper left corner pair, Richmond printing, margins clear to ample at bottom and right, showing filled-in border along left, tied to cover by neatly-struck "Atlanta / Ga. / May / 18" c.d.s., to Augusta, adhesives with some very light soiling, a scarce and visually-striking franking, ex-Lehman; with 2023 Civil War Philatelic Society certificate.

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10c brown red, 1863, upper right corner block of twenty, positions 5 through 40 of the righthand pane of the sheet, hinging mostly confined to margin, and lower left stamp, leaving nineteen examples never hinged, showing over-inking on positions 10, 16, 20, and 38, an important and very fine positional block.

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10c blue, 1863, block of twenty four, unused, part original gum, mostly clear to ample margins, a few examples showing partial short transfer at bottom, the lower left corner stamp showing the “bruised plate” variety, rich colour, folded between each row and column, many stamps show varying degrees of wrinkling, piece torn from two stamps at bottom, small thin between positions 16 and 17, yet a block of great rarity, being the largest recorded multiple of this issue; with 2023 Civil War Philatelic Society certificate.

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10c milky blue, 1863, large to very large margins all around, showing portion of adjoining stamp at top, tied to cover by cleanly-struck "Marietta / Geo / Jul / 24" c.d.s., to Browns Bridge, Forsyth County, a lovely cover; ex Haas, Emerson, Eben, Dickey Finney, Jr, with his handstamp on reverse.

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10c blue on soft porous paper, 1863, margins mostly clear on all sides, just touching at lower left, fresh and bright color, tied to folded letter by ideal strike of "Blakely Ala / Jun / 12 / 1863" c.d.s, free strike alongside, to Mobile, Alabama, internally reinforced at bottom, which shows signs of separation as well as slight discoloration, but an exceptional franking, combining a choice single with a superb stike. Illustrated in "New Dietz Confederate States Catalog and Handbook", with 1981 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

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10c blue Steel Plate Issue, Type II, Sc. 11, right sheet margin single with large margins all around, tied to adversity cover by Augusta, GA c.d.s. (9 Sep, 1864), to Graniteville, South Carolina, a desirable franking on an innovative use of a printed form used to create an envelope.

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10c blue, 1863-4, good to large margins on three sides, tied by "Richmond / VA. / May / 28 / 1863" c.d.s. in blue to all-over "Spotts & Harvey / Grocers & Commission Merchants" illustrated advertising cover, to Washington County, small scissor cut to lower left adhesive margin, a scarce coloured cancel and advertising cover from this stamp's first month of issue; ex Van Dyk Macbride, Jack Solomon.

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10c greenish blue on thin paper, 1863-4, tied to 3c United States stamped envelope, which has been overprinted in black "Confederate States of America / Post Office Department", postmarked Richmond, Virginia, from the Chief of the Central Bureau of the CSA Post Office Department to the Chester Court House, an unusual private usage of this overprinted stationery cover, and  rare and with tremendous visual appeal, ex Robert W. Wiseman, with his backstamp, Haas, and MacBride; with 2023 Civil War Philatelic Society certificate.

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10c dark blue, 1863-4, used in combination with United States 1861-2 3c rose, tied by Andersonville, Georgia c.d.s. and segmented cork cancel, neatly-struck "Old Point Comfort VA / Aug 25" double-circle c.d.s. beside, from Prisoner of War R.D. Rowe held at Camp Sumter, to his wife in Hartland, Connecticut, endorsed "via flag truce / Prisoner of War Letter" at left, with contents, small piece trimmed from back flap, the 10c adhesive faulty, but a rare mixed-franking prisoner of war cover; ex Milgram, with 1980 Philatelic Foundation certificate.,

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20c green, 1863, diagonal bisect used as 10c, margins just touching at right, large at foot, tied to cover by "Charleston S.C. / Jul / 11 / 1864" c.d.s., to Columbia, South Carolina, manuscript docketed "July 11th / 263" at upper left, reduced at left, a remarkably fresh cover and choice example of this rare usage; ex Baer, 1993 Confederate Stamp Alliance certificate no longer accompanies.

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7-Star Confederate Flag, 5c blue, 1862, horizontal pair, large even margins all around, deep color, tied by Charleston, South Carolina c.d.s. (30 Nov) to C.S.A. Seven-Star Flag patriotic cover, to Aberdeen, Mississippi, cover with signs of cleaning, else a most attractive entire, and rare patriotic.

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11-Star Confederate Flag, 1c green, 1861, tied to 11-Star Confederate Flag patriotic cover, by neatly-struck "Pensacola / Fla / DEC / 3 / -" c.d.s., to Prattville, Alabama, affixed to black card, still a most attractive patriotic cover and desirable Florida usage; with 1976 Confederate Stamp Alliance certificate.

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11-Star Confederate Flag & "To arms! to arms!", 5c light blue, 1862, two singles, margins clear to large, tied by "Richmond / Va. / AUG / 1?" c.d.s. to patriotic "To arms! to arms!" Eleven Star Flag cover, to New Center Post Office, York District, South Carolina, various stains and tone spots, yet an uncommon Confederate patriotic cover.

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12-Star Confederate Flag & "Fredonia Hards, Capt. A.J. Jones" Verse Confederate patriotic, 1861, handstamped PAID / 5 and twice postmarked "Broodhaven, Mississippi" on each of November 11 and 12, to Borelson, Alabama, slightly reduced at right and affixed to black backing card, some uniform aging, but a rare and attractive patriotic design; ex Everett. (Dietz F11-5)

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12-Star Confederate Flag & "Run Yank or Die!", 1c green, 1861, tied to 12-Star Confederate Flag, Cannon and "Run Yank or Die!" patriotic cover by Corinth, Mississippi c.d.s., to Cushing, Alabama, the odd spot of soiling, scarce and attractive.

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12-Star Confederate Flag, c. 1862, patriotic cover, endorsed "Soldiers' Letter / D.W. ? / Adams Battery" in manuscript at upper right, postmarked with neat "Fayetteville / Ark. / Jan / 26" c.d.s., to Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, small stains at top, adhered to black mounting card, else a remarkably fresh appearing patriotic cover used for soldier's mail.

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Cannon Firing & Poem Confederate patriotic, postmarked with Leesburg, Virginia double-circle c.d.s. (22 Jan), indicating prepayment of postage, to Charlottesville, Virginia, two small corner tears at right, adhered to black backing card, the only recorded example of this design, a rarity of Confederate patriotic postal history.

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"Dragoons and Verse", 5c blue, 1862, horizontal pair, ample to large margins, tied by "Petersburg VA / Jul / 11" c.d.s. in blue to "Dragoons and Verse" patriotic cover, to Huntsville, North Carolina, trace of toning to top of right stamp, a particularly desirable usage on a fine and scarce Confederate patriotic cover, ex Haas, Paliafito; with 2023 Civil War Philatelic Society certificate.

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Fort Washita, Arkansas, Choctaw Nation, c. 1863, embossed cover struck with “Fort Washita / Ark.” c.d.s. (Apr 17) with manuscript “Pd 10c”, to Mrs. Fanney Keesee in Sterlin, Texas, endorsed “to leave of Thomas Keesee”, trivial edge faults, tear to back and some scattered stains, of little importance given the tremendous rarity and historical significance of this cover, believed to be the only recorded example of a Confederate handstamp used in Indian Territory, ex McCarren, Walske; 1974 C.S.A. certificate (#526) no longer accompanies. 
Fort Washita was established by Zachary Taylor in 1842, to protect citizens of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations. Following the attack on Fort Sumter in April, 1861, Union forces under Colonel William Emory at Fort Washita left for Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.  Confederate troops quickly occupied the fort, using it as a supply depot and military hospital for their forces in the Indian Territory until the end of the war, when it was abandoned and burned. 

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Austin, Texas, 10c black handstamped envelope, "State of Texas / Adjustant and Inspector General's Office / Official Business" cover, to Brigadier General Robert Beahem, Commander, 31st Brigade [Texas Troops], New Braunfels, Texas,  with "AUSTIN / TEX / PAID 10" Postmasters' Provisional, corresponding Austin c.d.s. beside (Sep 16, 1862), slightly reduced at left, else fresh and very fine; ex-Walcott, Camina. 

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Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 5c green & carmine, Maltese Cross border, margins clear on three sides, into at foot, tied by partial Baton Rouge c.d.s. to cover with GEORGE A. PIKE corner card in blue, to Mount Lebanon, Louisiana, a few opening tears at top and some adhesion repairs to reverse, a rare usage, one of only six recorded examples in the Crown census showing the Pike advertisement, ex Meroni.

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Beaumont, Texas, 10c black on pink, four large to very large margins, on cover to Mrs. C. Saml. Watson in Galveston, Texas, endorsed "care of Mrs. C.M Seymour" at lower left, without postal markings, cover with significant restoration, piece on which stamp has been affixed torn off and subsequently replaced, despite the cover's repairs, a lovely and rare stamp, quite fresh, and with exceptional provenance; ex Caspary, Lilly.

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Camden, South Carolina, 10c rose, 1862, large to huge margins on three sides, showing portion of adjoining stamp at top and bottom, just touching outer frameline at right, the adhesive having been tied to cover by red "Camden / SC / Apr / 21" c.d.s., lifted and lowered to show the Camden Postmaster's Provisional rate handstamp PAID 10, to Collingsburgh, Louisiana, reduced at right, fine and most unusual; with 2023 Civil War Philatelic Society certificate.

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Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 5c black entire, neatly-struck provisional handstamp on 1862 10-star Confederate Flag patriotic cover to Fort Defiance, Alabama, handstamped PAID and postmarked with "Chapel Hill N.C. / Jan / 24" c.d.s., a rare and attractive cover, one of only eight recorded Chapel Hill provisional examples in the Crown census, three of which are patriotic covers.

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Danville, Virginia, 10c black entire, showing both types of the PAID 10 in Danville circle provisional, further handstruck PAID 10 in black for the over 500 mile rate to Greenwood, South Carolina, toning spots at right, piece cut from back flap and the odd repaired tear, but a rare entire, with only seven examples of any Danville 10c handstamped envelope listed in the Crown census, this being the unique example bearing both types; 1982 Confederate Stamp Alliance certificate no longer accompanies.

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Galveston, Texas, 10c black handstamped envelope, "3" of "3 PAID" not removed, black "10" struck above, fair strike at upper right, with "Galveston / Tex / Apr / 19 / 1864" double-circle c.d.s. postmark, paying the uniform letter rate to Anderson, Texas, some hinge repairs to back, of no importance given the tremendous rarity of this provisional, the finer of the only two examples recorded in Crown of this change in denomination.

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Galveston, Texas, 20c black handstamped envelope, fair strike at upper right, corresponding "Galveston / Tex / Aug / 18 / - " double-circle c.d.s. at left, double-weight folded cover to His Excellency Governor Henry W. Allen in Shreveport, Louisiana, light vertical filing fold, the only recorded example by Dietz or Crown of this 20c marking, an important Confederate rarity; ex Hill, Camina, illustrated in Dietz.

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Goliad, Texas, 5c black on white, large margins at right and foot, just touching at top and lower left, signed “Clarke – PM” in red and cancelled with black “PAID” handstamp, central repaired thin and some light aging, a fine-appearing Postmaster Provisional rarity, one of only two off-cover examples recorded by Crown; ex Kirkland.

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Goliad, Texas, 5c black on rose, large margins on three sides, clear at top, signed “Clarke – PM” in black, cancelled with black PAID handstamp, pressed crease at top, repaired tear at right extending to "M" of "PM", else a fine-appearing example of this Confederate rarity, the sole off-cover example recorded by Crown; ex Steves, Caspary, Kirkland.

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Goliad, Texas, 10c black on rose, signed "Clarke / PM" large margin at right, else lightly touching in places, affixed to patriotic cover depicting a soldier, tents, and ten-star flag,  to Col. D. Hardeman, Santa Gertrudas, Kings Ranch, Texas, backstamped "R.H.W. Co" (Raymond H. Weill), cover with some toning and trivial edge faults, adhesive with vertical crease, yet a Confederate rarity of great renown, having graced several of the most famed collections ever formed; the only on-cover example recorded by Crown, and one of only two examples extant, the other being a used single. ex Ferrary, Hind, Caspary, and Lilly. 
Illustrated in Dietz "The New Dietz Confederate States Catalog and Handbook"
Dietz records that " these provisionals were press-printed from typeset forms in the office of a local newspaper, the Messenger, owned by the Rev. A.M. Cox, a Methodist minister, who set the time and did the printing."
 

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Horn Lake, Mississippi, 1861, 3c red postal stationery cover, handstamped PAID in black with “10” in manuscript above, adjacent Horn Lake, Mississippi c.d.s. (Oct), affixed overtop indicia with small black boxed “10” adhesive on very thin bluish pelure paper, to Montgomery, Texas, docketed on flap “Rec’d Oct 30th /61”, tear at upper right into indicia with small sealed tear extending into label, some light toning at right edge, a most unusual item, to date the only recorded example.
 
Very little is known of the origins of this purported Postmaster Provisional. Hugo Dietz in his 1929 “the Postal Service of the Confederate States of America” shows a partial illustration, referring to it as the “Horn Lake, Miss. Curio”, and identifying it as being from the collection of Mr. Fred Green of Fort Sam Houston. Dietz does not comment on its legitimacy, and instead asks the question “Who will define its status?”  Despite first being documented nearly 100 years ago, it remains the only known example, and continues to be unlisted in Scott.  

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Iuka, Mississippi, 5c black handstamped envelope, bold strike of provisional marking, on cover postmarked "Iuka Miss Sep 25 1861", to Autauga(ville) Alabama, one of only ten recorded covers, a choice strike, arguably the clearest extant, and the earliest recorded example of this rare provisional.

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Jackson, Mississippi, 5c black handstamped envelope, neatly-struck with "Jackson Miss / Dec / 20" c.d.s. alongside, to Natchez, Mississippi, a clean cover and the latest recorded usage of the Jackson Provisional.

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Jetersville, Virginia, 5c black, handstamped with "AHA" initials of Postmaster A.H. Atwood, vertical pair, affixed to cover postmarked "Jetersville VA / Jul / 25," manuscript "Paid" at upper right, to Waterproof, Tensas Parish, Louisiana, endorsed "via Memphis", hinge remnants on reverse and tear through back flap, of no importance given the exceptional rarity of this Provisional, the sole example recorded in the Crown census.
The unique example of this Confederate Postmaster’s Provisional Rarity.

Provenance:
Philip Ferrari de La Renotière (14 June, 1922, lot 8)
Alfred H. Caspary (March 5-7, 1956, lot 152)
Josiah K. Lilly (April 27, 1967, lot 321)
In his census, Crown records that this provisional was "prepared by handstamping a small "5" in rows or columns on a piece of paper multiple times, allowing room for the Postmaster, A.H. Atwood, to write his initials to the right of the numeral."  The first reference to this stamp was in the 29 September, 1894 issue of the American Journal of Philately, in which little detail is provided other that its noteworthiness as a new discovery.  August Dietz, writing in "the Postal Service of the Confederate States", notes its similarity in concept to the provisional of Greenwood, Virginia, remarking "all great minds run in the same (inventive) channels."
The cover made its way into the Ferrary collection, and was sold in the June 14, 1922 auction of his material, described only as "5c black, pair on cover, the only examples known." Its next appearance was in the 1956 Caspary sale, where August Dietz in his forward referred to it as "another interesting object that will arrest your attention." It was described rather more elaborately than in the Ferrary sale, describe as "remarkably fine for such a fantastic rarity…" and "one of the great Confederate rarities." Offered again in the renowned Lilly collection, it realized $6,250; the May, 1967 edition of the Confederate Philatelist records it as selling to the Weill Brothers.

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Jonesboro, Tennessee, 5c dark blue handstamped envelope, with "Jonesboro Nov 30" c.d.s. overtop, to Kingsport, Tennessee, quite fresh, one of fourteen recorded examples, only six of which are postmarked, scarce and fine; ex-Emerson.

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Lenoir, North Carolina, 1861 10c (5c+5c) blue entire, two clear impressions of the 5c woodcut provisional handstamp struck at the top center of a Union Patriotic envelope, with embossed "Union Constitution" with Eagle on backflap, blue target cancel ties both handstamps adjacent "Lenoir N.C. Nov. 11" (1861) c.d.s., manuscript "Paid 10c" at upper left, addressed in the hand of Postmaster James Harper to his son "Lieut. G. W. F. Harper, 58th N.C. Regt., Big Creek Gap, Knoxville Tenn.", pressed vertical fold at center and lightly cleaned, a 3c stamp likely removed from upper right, an exceptional provisional rarity, being the unique 5c+5c double-rate envelope; 1966 Philatelic Foundation certificate no longer accompanies.
Illustrated in Dietz, "The Postal Service of the Confederate States of America" (1929, pg 69), Crown, "Surveys of the Confederate Postmasters' Provisionals" (1982 Quarterman reprint, pg 177), "Confederate Philatelist" (Jan-Feb 1980, pg 6). "W.H.C." handstamp (Colson) at lower right, ex "Kilbourne" (1999). 
The 58th North Carolina Regiment was organized in July, 1862. The 58th participated in the campaigns of the Army of Tennessee from Chickamauga to Atlanta, guarded prisoners at Columbia, Tennessee, during Hood's operations, then moved to South Carolina and skirmished along the Edisto River. Later it returned to North Carolina and saw action at Bentonville. The unit was included in the surrender on April 26, 1865.

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