S1E-C, 1872 1c Blue on white, Lipman postal card essay, all-over lithographed design with Ben Franklin indicia (clearly inspired by then-current 1c Banknote stamp) on .094" thick white wove card (132 x 79mm), ruled on back with light blue grid lines, face overprinted with black "Submitted As A Specimen Postal Card. (The Correspondence Lines To Be Ruled Across Only.)," Extremely Fine and fresh, a striking and attractive essay (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-C, $2,000) (Image)

CV. 1,000

S1E-C, 1872 1c Green on white, Lipman postal card essay, all-over lithographed design with Ben Franklin indicia (clearly inspired by then-current 1c Banknote stamp) on .094" thick white wove card (132 x 79mm), ruled on back with light blue grid lines, face overprinted with black "Submitted As A Specimen Postal Card. (The Correspondence Lines To Be Ruled Across Only.)," insignificant staining mentioned only for strict accuracy, still Extremely Fine and fresh, a striking and attractive essay (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-C, $2,000) (Image)

CV. 1,000

S1E-C, 1872 1c Red on white, Lipman postal card essay, all-over lithographed design with Ben Franklin indicia (clearly inspired by then-current 1c Banknote stamp) on .094" thick white wove card (132 x 79mm), ruled on back with light blue grid lines, face overprinted with black "Submitted As A Specimen Postal Card. (The Correspondence Lines To Be Ruled Across Only.)," Extremely Fine and fresh, a striking and attractive essay (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-C, $2,000) (Image)

CV. 1,000

S1E-Ea, American Post Card Co. Postal card essay, three, including one underinked or in a slightly lighter shade, "American Post Card Company / Address, Post Office Box 3838, New York." in frame and "Patented August 8, 1871" at top, all three folded but unsealed, one with reinforcement along bottom edge, Very Fine, an interesting postal card forerunner addressing the issues of security and privacy that some had with the concept of a postal card (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-Ea, $630) (Image)

CV. 150

S1E-Ga, 1872 1c Lees & Skeen postal card essay, lithograph essay from the July 6, 1872 group (Dismal faint orange-yellow card, .018" thick), vignette and card printing in dark blue, stamp frame in deep red, border 136 x 71mm, card 145 x 78mm, bright and fresh color, Very Fine, unique combination of colors, ex-Horton (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-Ga, $550) (Image)

CV. 200

S1E-Gb, 1872 1c Lees & Skeen postal card essay, lithograph essay from the July 15, 1872 group (Dismal faint orange-yellow card, .009" thick), vignette and card printing in dusky green, stamp frame in deep red, border 136 x 71mm, card 145 x 78mm, bright and fresh color, Very Fine, unique combination of colors, ex-Horton (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-Gb, $550) (Image)

CV. 200

S1E-Gb, 1872 1c Lees & Skeen postal card essay, lithograph essay from the July 15, 1872 group (Dismal faint orange-yellow card, .009" thick), vignette and card printing in yellow-orange, stamp frame in dusky green, border 136 x 71mm, card 145 x 78mm, bright and fresh color, extraneous ink on reverse, Very Fine, unique combination of colors, ex-Horton (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-Gb, $550) (Image)

CV. 200

S1E-Ha, 1872 1c Dull deep red-violet, American Bank Note Co.(?) postal card essay, typographed essay on Dismal pale orange-yellow card, rectangular indicia of Ben Franklin with lathe border, bright and fresh color, Very Fine, variously attributed to the American Bank Note Co. and National Bank Note Co., an attractive essay, ex-Horton (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-Ha, $800) (Image)

CV. 300

S1E-Hb, 1872 1c Dark yellow-orange, American Bank Note Co.(?) postal card essay, typographed essay on Dull pale orange-yellow card, rectangular indicia of Ben Franklin with lathe border, bright and fresh color, Very Fine, variously attributed to the American Bank Note Co. and National Bank Note Co., an attractive essay, ex-Horton (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-Hb, $800) (Image)

CV. 300

S1E-J, 1872 2c Continental Banknote Co. postal card essay, drawing in lead pencil on stiff white drawing paper, "Postal Message" at left, stamp deisgn (Lady Liberty in rectangle) 22 x 27.5mm, card 141 x 82mm, small stain at right but still Very Fine, a unique and attractive essay, ex-Horton (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-J, $2,900) (Image)

CV. 1,200

S1E-K, 1872 2c Continental Banknote Co. postal card essay, drawing in lead pencil on stiff white drawing paper, "Postal Message" at left, stamp deisgn (Lady Liberty in fancy wreath) 27 x 34mm, card 140 x 82mm, couple small stains but still Very Fine, a unique and attractive essay, ex-Horton (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-K, $2,900) (Image)

CV. 1,200

S1E-M, 1872 1c Continental Banknote Co. postal card essay, drawing in lead pencil on smooth white cardstock, .017" thick, "United States Postal Message" at left, stamp design (eagle and scroll) 23 x 23mm, card 139 x 82mm, Extremely Fine and fresh, unique and beautiful essay, ex-Horton (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-M, $3,000) (Image)

CV. 1,200

S1E-N, 1872 1c Continental Banknote Co. postal card essay, drawing in lead pencil on smooth white cardstock, .0205" thick, "US Postal Card" at left, stamp design (eagle in square frame) 21 x 21mm, card 131 x 76mm, few small stains but still Very Fine, unique and attractive essay, ex-Horton (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-N, $2,900) (Image)

CV. 1,200

S1E-O, 1872 1c Continental Banknote Co. postal card essay, drawing in lead pencil and sepia wash on smooth white card, .022" thick, pencil border line 131 x 77mm, card 142 x 90mm, stamp design (Lady Liberty inside circle) 25mm in diameter, small piece out at left but still Very Fine and unique, an exceptionally attractive design, once thought to be a design submitted by the American Banknote Co. but discovered by Brazer to be the sixth design by Continental, ex-Horton (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-O, $2,600) (Image)

CV. 1,000

S1E-Wa, 1872 1c Blue on white, National Bank Note Co. postal card essay, beautiful design with Benjamin Franklin, typographed from a pentograph engraving (design attributed to James Macdonough), on hard white wove paper .005" thick, stamp design 20.5 x 26mm, card design 131 x 78mm at corners, card 137 x 84mm, small tear at top, light toning on reverse, and extraneous ink spot, still Very Fine and fresh, a rare and beautiful essay, ex-Horton (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-Wa, $1,800) (Image)

CV. 750

S1E-Wa, 1872 1c Brown on white, National Bank Note Co. postal card essay, beautiful design with Benjamin Franklin, typographed from a pentograph engraving (design attributed to James Macdonough), on hard white wove paper .005" thick, stamp design 20.5 x 26mm, card design 131 x 78mm at corners, card 137 x 84mm, Very Fine and fresh, a rare and beautiful essay, ex-Horton (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-Wa, $1,800) (Image)

CV. 750

S1E-Wa, 1872 1c Green on white, National Bank Note Co. postal card essay, beautiful design with Benjamin Franklin, typographed from a pentograph engraving (design attributed to James Macdonough), on hard white wove paper .005" thick, stamp design 20.5 x 26mm, card design 131 x 78mm at corners, card 137 x 84mm, tiny edge tear at left, still Very Fine and fresh, a rare and beautiful essay, ex-Horton (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-Wa, $1,800) (Image)

CV. 750

S1E-Wb, 1872 1c Green on white, National Bank Note Co. postal card essay, on white wove paper 213 x 136mm, with manuscript "First Postal Card. All by pentograph including the Franklin head J.F.M. [J. Macdonough]" below design, light creases but still Very Fine, unique as an untrimmed sheet, a spectacular showpiece (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-Wb, $3,250 (Image)

CV. 1,500

S1E-Xb, 1872 1c Gray on white, National Bank Note Co. postal card essay, beautiful design with Lady Liberty, typographed from a pentograph engraving (design attributed to James Macdonough), on hard white wove paper .005" thick, stamp design 20.5 x 26mm, card design 131 x 78mm at corners, card 137 x 84mm, tiny nick at top right, still Very Fine and fresh, a gorgeous essay, ex-Horton (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-Xb, $1,800) (Image)

CV. 750

S1E-Xb, 1872 1c Red on white, National Bank Note Co. postal card essay, beautiful design with Lady Liberty, typographed from a pentograph engraving (design attributed to James Macdonough), on hard white wove paper .005" thick, stamp design 20.5 x 26mm, card design 131 x 78mm at corners, card 137 x 84mm, insignificant tear at top and nick at bottom, still Very Fine and fresh, an exquisite essay, ex-Horton (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-Xb, $1,800) (Image)

CV. 750

S1E-Y, 1873 National Bank Note Company 1c Black unadopted design essay, black typographed impression from an engraved steel die, stamp design 21 x 25mm, huge margins all around but sensibly reduced from size of full die, on thin (.004") wove paper, Very Fine and rare, unadopted design attributed to James Macdonough (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-Y, $750) (Image)

CV. 150

S1E-Z, 1873 1c Essays on buff, five cards, including two cards with rough surface one side (green and olive green, Z-c) and three with both sides smooth (red, yellow, purple, Z-d), toning affects two rough cards, otherwise Very Fine, colorful and attractive group (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-Zc-d, $1,000) (Image)

CV. 200

S1E-Za, 1873 National Bank Note Company 1c Black vignette-only essay, typographed essay on 34 x 37mm thin wove paper, sensibly reduced from full die, Very Fine, scarce and attractive, ex-Horton (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-Za, $675) (Image)

CV. 200

S1E-Za, 1873 National Bank Note Company 1c Embossed vignette-only essay, albino embossed impression on 47 x 57mm purple wove paper, diagonal crease, still Very Fine and attractive, a striking and rare essay, ex-Horton (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-Za, $675) (Image)

CV. 150

S1E-Zb, 1873 National Bank Note Company 1c Black stamp die essay, black impression of typographed design on 28 x 36mm glazed white wove paper, large margins (sensibly reduced from full die), Very Fine, ex-White, Horton (Scott UX1E; USPCC S1E-Zb, $2,400) (Image)

CV. 1,000