CV. 300

CV. 150

4LB17, Beckman’s City Post, Charleston, SC, 2c Black, single with wonderful margins, used alongside US 1857 3c Dull red (26), both stamps tied by perfect strike of “Charleston S.C. Jun 18 1860” cds, Beckman’s stamp additionally lightly tied by pencil, on cover addressed to Brunswick, Georgia, small piece of backflap out, Extremely Fine and unique on- or off-cover, we are reticent to speak in superlatives but we feel confident in quoting Herbert J. Bloch when he wrote in the 1957 Caspary catalogue: “In marvelous condition and generally considered the most outstanding carrier cover in existence,” quite simply one of the gems of American philately which has been off the market for 64 years (Scott listed but unpriced)

In the 1957 H.R. Harmer Caspary sale of Carriers and Locals, this cover realized an astounding $11,000. The next highest realization, for the October 19, 1861 Crouise “Garter” Pony Express cover, was half the Beckman’s hammer price ($5,500). In terms of covers bearing unique examples of postage stamps used in the United States, it is in an elite class alongside the Alexandria “Blue Boy,” the Lockport and Boscawen provisionals, and very few others. The combination of uniqueness and beauty makes this a singularly desirable and impressive cover.

Provenance: Count Philipp von Ferrary (Gilbert Sale 7, 1924)

Alfred H. Caspary (H.R. Harmer Sale 1072, 1957)

John R. Boker, Jr. (Private Transaction)

CV. 75,000

4LB18, Steinmeyer's City Post, Charleston, SC, 2c Black on bluish, stamp in upper righthand corner of neat envelope addressed simply to "Judge John Johnson," stamp with full margins, small repair at top left and cover with sealed tear at top, Extremely Fine appearance, one of three known examples of the Steinmeyer's "Border-of-Pearls" stamp and the only cover in private hands, therefore one of the rarest and most extraordinary of all carriers covers (listed but unpriced in Scott)

There are only three examples of the Steinmeyer's "Border-of-Pearls" stamp recorded, one of which (an on-cover stamp) is housed in the British Library's Tapling Collection and is therefore unlikely come onto the market. The other stamp, an unused single, was sold as part of the Hall Collection in 2000. Joseph G. Martin, John C. Beckman, and John F. Steinmeyer, Jr., all carriers in Charleston, South Carolina, each issued their own adhesive stamps in the period around 1860. All are exceptionally rare. Postage stamps of a different design issued by Steinmeyer on bluish, pink, and yellow paper are not known used genuinely, and may or may not have actually seen service.

Provenance: Alfred H. Caspary (H.R. Harmer Sale 1070, 1957)

Ambassador J. William Middendorf, II (Frajola Net Price Sale 4, 1990)

CV. 7,500

CV. 150

CV. 1,000