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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Lexington, Virginia, 1862, 5c blue, large margins on three sides, close at left, tied to cover with neatly-struck "Lexington / Va. / Jul / 29" c.d.s., adjacent "PAID / 5" Postmasters' Provisional rate handstamp of Lexington, paying the 10 cent uniform letter rate to Greenville, Augusta County, Virginia, tear to back flap, else a remarkably fresh and choice cover, rare with this combination, being the only known example of this provisional used with a postage stamp, providing further evidence that the handstaped PAID 5 covers were pre-sold at the post office and taken away by the eventual sender; with 2023 Civil War Philatelic Society certificate.

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Lynchburg, Virginia, 5c blue, stereotype on white wove paper, horizontal pair, margins touching at places and into at left, the left stamp showing constant plate variety, tied to cover by "Lynchburg VA Sep 4 1861" c.d.s., to Capt. S.Y. Tupper in Charlestown (sic), South Carolina, some light gum staining, and slightly trimmed along top, top of back flap removed, a scarce franking, one of five recorded covers with a 5c Lynchburg provisional pair; ex Seybold, Hind, Emerson, Brooks, and Everett, with 2002 Confederate Stamp Alliance certificate.

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Macon, Georgia, 5c black on yellow, floral border, typeset on wove paper, ample to large margins all around, affixed to embossed 'Wm. S. Williford" cover, postmarked with "Macon Geo." c.d.s. in black, date illegible, to Augusta, Georgia, piece torn from back flap, small pinholes at bottom of cover, a scarce and desirable franking; with 2023 Civil War Philatelic Society certificate.

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Macon, Georgia, 5c black handstamped envelope, with adjacent "Macon Geo. Oct. 19" c.d.s., embossed colour corner card for Fears & Pritchett (the latter crossed-out), dealers in groceries and staple goods, to Griffin, Georgia, slightly reduced at right, a scarce and attractive example of this Confederate provisional.

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Marion, Virginia, 5c black on ruled bluish laid paper, unused, without gum, margins clear on three sides, touching at right, upper margin repaired, small bleached dot on right frame, yet a presentable and fine-appearing example of this rare Confederate provisional issue; with 2023 Civil War Philatelic Society certificate.
 
At the time of the Caspary sale, in which this stamp was offered, bluish paper was not listed in the Scott catalogue, and the Philatelic Foundation considered the stamp "genuine, but whether issued for use on this paper is uncertain." Since that time, a used example has surfaced which has been recognized as genuine, proving that stamps on bluish laid were issued for postal use. A mere eleven 5c Marion provisionals are known on any paper (four on cover, three each on piece and used, and the stamp offered here, the sole unused example).  A rarity of Confederate philately.
Provenance: Alfred H. Caspary (H.R. Harmer Sale 990, 1956) 

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Memphis, Tennessee, 5c red, vertical pair, margins clear to large at left, showing portions of both adjoining stamps, tied by Memphis c.d.s. to bi-color red & blue Jefferson Davis Medallion patriotic cover (G-A-1p, Verse 13), to Mill Landing, North Carolina, endorsed "Soldiers’ letter / Company A 1st Reg / Ark Volunteers / P.B.C." on reverse, ironed fold clear of adhesives, the upper stamp with minor scuff, an exceptional cover of great rarity, and with tremendous visual appeal.
Provenance:
Rarities of the World, R.A. Siegel, 1983.
Elizabeth Pope, Christies, 1984.

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Montgomery, Alabama, "Paid 10 / T. Welsh",  clear strike partially obscured by 3c dull red, adhesive tied by blue grid cancel, alongside "Louisville KY / Aug 6" double-circle c.d.s., on clean North-South Express Cover to Northampton, Massachusetts, struck with choice "ADAMS EX. CO / LOUISVILLE KY / AUG / 6 / 1851" c.d.s. in black, manuscript "Paid Adc" in manuscript indicating payment of the Adams fee, cover with small repairs at right, light wrinkles, attractive and rare,  a very fine combined Postmaster's Provisional and Express Company usage; ex Haas.

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Nashville, Tennessee, 5c carmine, margins ample to large, tied to cover by blue "Nashville Sep 5 1861" c.d.s., blue PAID handstamp alongside, to Greenville, Tennessee, some staining to adhesive, else a fine example of this difficult provisional franking.

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