West Sumner Me, April 29, neat manuscript postmark with matching "Paid 5" on a clean folded letter to Norway, Me. with no year in evidence. Very Fine. The American Stampless Cover Catalog notes "1 known" (photo). Estimate 100 - 150 (Image)

OXFORD-VILLE, N. H., perfectly struck red arc - 43x20mm - with manuscript "Dec 15" date and red handstamped "5" rate on an 1847 folded letter to Gilmanton, N.H.; internal split. F.-V.F (photo). Estimate 100 - 150 (Image)

CLIFTON, O FEB 19, red straightline with manuscript day on an 1847 folded cover to Philadelphia with a manuscript "10" rate; two vertical file folds (one through the postmark). F.-V.F (photo). Estimate 150 - 200 (Image)

[Pennsylvania] Scrantonia, full, complete strike of the fancy orange "SCRAN/TONIA/Pa/JUNE 7" handstamp with matching "5" on a folded letter datelined "Lackawanna Iron Works, Scrantonia June 6/50". Very Fine. A marvelous example of this rare postmark, the frame representing a cross-section of an iron rail (photo). Estimate 750 - 1,000

Provenance: Knapp.

The Scrantonia post office was established on February 12, 1850; the name was changed to Scranton in January of 1851. (Image)

[Pennsylvania] Philadelphia Full-Rigged Ship, fairly complete strike of the red pictorial handstamp with a matching bold "PHILA./6/MAR." octagon and manuscript "20¾" rate on an incoming folded letter datelined "Santos [Brazil?], Dec. 14th, 1834". Fine (photo). Estimate 200 - 300 (Image)

NASHVILLE Augus. 12, mostly clear italic straightline handstamp with matching "FREE" on an 1814 folded letter to the U.S. Army Paymaster in Washington D.C. transmitting a record of payments made in the second quarter of 1814. F.-V.F (photo). Estimate 100 - 150 (Image)

SAM. RICKER JR./ NEW ORLEANS/ AGENT OF THE TEXIAN POST OFFICE, oval agent's handstamp with straightline "RETURNABLE 1st SEPT. 1838" and a clear "STEAM PACKET/ COLUMBIA" two-line handstamp (Milgram 266) on the reverse of a folded cover from Philadelphia to Houston, Tex. with a blue Feb 4 Philadelphia c.d.s. and manuscript "25" rate on the front; also on the reverse manuscript "Unpaid in the U States 25¢, Free from this place, Galveston, Mch 5/38". Very Fine (photo). Estimate 750 - 1,000

A CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THIS RARE TEXAS REPUBLIC MARKING. (Image)

WARRENTON VA, 28 FEB, Very Fine strike of the double-lined octagon with manuscript "10" rate on an 1836 folded letter to Secretary of War, Lewis Cass, asking for an army commission in order to fight in the Seminole Wars in Florida. Very Fine (photo). Estimate 100 - 150 (Image)

[Virginia] Christiansville, tiny cover with manuscript postmark "Christiansville Va June 20th Paid 10" ("10" circled), to Hollin's Institute, Botetourt County; includes original 4-page family letter datelined Christiansville, Jan 19, 1863. Very Fine (photo). Estimate 100 - 150 (Image)

1847 Issue Collateral, Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson, Engravers, signature of Freeman Rawdon on a folded letter from New York to Albany, N.Y., the letter being a a partly-printed receipt form for a printing plate used by the Farmers Bank of Malone, dated January 3, 1845; cover postmarked with a red Jan 3 New York c.d.s. and a manuscript "20" rate; internal split slightly affecting Rawdon's signature. Still Very Fine (photo). Estimate 100 - 150

Provenance: Wagshal. (Image)

1847, 5¢ red brown (1). Four margins, on folded cover to Baltimore, Md., datelined Wrightsville, July 1849, pen cancel and manuscript "Way" marking, stamp with small light toned spot (trivial), otherwise Very Fine cover (Photo). Estimate 300 - 400

Expertization: with 1999 P.F. certificate.

Provenance: Craveri. (Image)

1855, 10¢ green, type II (14). Four margin pair tied on cover to San Francisco by bold grid, Hingham Mass 4/4 c.d.s. and matching "Paid" straight line, Very Fine cover (Photo). $350 Scott $350 (Image)

Scott $350

1851, 12¢ gray black (17). Four margins, tied on neatly refolded court cover by New Orleans, La. c.d.s., court docketing vertically at left, scarce 4x domestic rate, Very Fine cover (Photo). $1,500 Scott $1,500 (Image)

Scott $1,500

1857, 1¢ blue, type IIIa (22). About Fine for issue, deep color, tied on drop cover to Providence, RI by partial c.d.s., few cover flaws, still Fine usage (Photo). $325 Scott $325 (Image)

Scott $325

1861, 3¢ pink (64). Fine, tied on small cover to Danesville, Pa., by Norristown Sept. 20, 1861 c.d.s., fresh color, minor rust stain at upper left of cover, otherwise Very Fine cover (Photo). $775

Expertization: with 1967 P.F. certificate. Scott $775 (Image)

Scott $775

Hingham Mass Fancy "Bat" Cancel (65). Well struck fancy cancel with matching Hingham, Mass c.d.s. on cover to Plympton, Mass, 3¢ (65) not tied (as usual), some experts suggest this is an early pre-cancel as most of the few examples known are not tied, stamp with trivial rounded corner, otherwise Very Fine and desirable cover (Photo). Estimate 150 - 200 (Image)

1867, 1¢ blue, F. grill (92). Fine, rich color, tied on 1¢ drop cover by segmented cork, Pittsfield Mass. c.d.s., slightly rough opening at right, still Fine cover (Photo). $475 Scott $475 (Image)

Scott $475

Boston "Seeing Eye" Fancy Cancel (Blake & Davis 1985) (183). Choice strike on 2¢ vermilion (183), overall illustrated advertising for 1888 "International Exhibition of Foreign Products, Arts and Manufacturers", missing backflap, Arthur Beane pencil notation on reverse "only one I have seen", Very Fine cover (Photo). Estimate 300 - 400

Provenance: Beane. (Image)

2¢ rose, type I, A.E.F. single from booklet pane (499f). Left margin single, tied on by a mostly clear "U.S. Army Postal Service No. 2, Oct 9, 1917" duplex handstamp on a cover endorsed "Soldiers Letter" with censor's handstamp and two signatures at the lower left; edge faults. Fine (photo). Estimate 500 - 750 (Image)

World War I Patriotic Letter Sheet, a marvelous, 2-sided letter sheet franked with a 2¢ Washington tied by a Tacoma, Wash. machine cancel, Apr 4, 1918; the letter has been removed, but the cartoon-style illustration and captions are fabulous. Extremely Fine. Cartainly among the finest World War I Patriotic covers extant (photo). Estimate 150 - 200 (Image)

U.S. Postal Agency, Siberia, duplex handstamp, Oct 17, 1918, on a spectacular multicolored Japanese illustrated cover with a marvelous, "folksy" letter written on three similar letter sheets, each with a different illustration, and all made from an unusual paper-backed bamboo; the cover bears the censor signature of F.I. Moats above the violet handstamp, "1st. Lieut. 31st Inf."; remarkably well preserved and Very Fine (Photo). Estimate 200 - 300 (Image)

U.S. Postal Agency, Siberia, duplex handstamp, Sep 26, 1919, ties a 3¢ purple on a cover with an illustrated Associated Press, Peking corner card and an oval Base Censor's handstamp (uninitialed); to the Associated Press Office in New York. Very Fine (photo). Estimate 150 - 200 (Image)

American E.F. Archangel, Russia, endorsement on a "Soldiers Mail" cover postmarked "Army Post Office, P.B. 2" c.d.s., Mar 28, 1919, with a small oval handstamp "PE/C/25" and manuscript "Censored, R.E. MacAllister, 1st Lt.", to Blenheim, Ont., Canada, backstamped Blenheim on May 6. Very Fine (photo). Estimate 100 - 150 (Image)

American Letter Mail Co., New York and Philadelphia, three different red handstamps on a folded letter from Providence, R.I. to Philadelphia: New York's 56 Wall Street oval and small boxed "Collect/ 6-1/4 Cents/ New York/ Office" and Philadelphia's 101 Chestnut Street circle without date; letter datelined Providence, Apr 21, 1845. Very Fine. A scarce combination of markings (photo). Estimate 150 - 200 (Image)

DOWNIEVILLE AND HOWLAND FLAT EXPRESS/Paid, printed type 2 fancy-framed frank (Haller FD6-127) on a 3¢ pink entire (U59) to Downieville, Cal., canceled with a manuscript "X", penciled "Rising Sun, Biles (docketing?); reduced irregularly at the right in opening, some edge wear. Otherwise Fine. An exceedingly rare version of the Downieville & Howland Flat Express frank (photo). Estimate 500 - 750 (Image)