Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

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The Harvey Mirsky Collection of the United States 1847 Issue continued...

Precursor to 1847 Issue: City Despatch Post

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

2006

(Greig's) City Despatch Post, New York N.Y., 3c Black on Grayish (40L1). Part original gum, large and even margins all around, small natural inclusion speck, Extremely Fine Gem, the first stamp issued in the Western Hemisphere, ex Sheriff, with 1984 P.F. certificate (Image)

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400.00

SOLD for $700.00
Will close during Public Auction

2007

(Greig's) City Despatch Post, New York N.Y., 3c Black on Grayish (40L1). Positions 13-14/19-20, left sheet margin block of four, original gum, huge margins all around including full framelines at bottom and right, couple tiny translucencies in left margin far from printed design, fresh and Extremely Fine, a choice block of the first stamp issued in the Western Hemisphere (Image)

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2,000.00

SOLD for $1,600.00
Will close during Public Auction

2008

(Greig's) City Despatch Post, New York N.Y., 3c Black on Grayish (40L1). Full to large margins, tied by red "Free" in frame, matching "City Despatch Post N.Y. 30 May 4 O'Clock" (1842) double-line circular datestamp on locally-addressed cover front only, Very Fine, Scott Retail as off-cover (Image)

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350.00

SOLD for $550.00
Will close during Public Auction

2009

(Greig's) City Despatch Post, New York N.Y., 3c Black on Grayish (40L1). Ample to large margins, tied by pen strokes, red "New-York May 30" circular datestamp on 1842 folded letter to Madison N.J., magenta "6" due marking, stamp with two small tears in margin at right

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE USE OF THE CITY DESPATCH POST ISSUE ON AN OUTBOUND LETTER.

This cover dates from the two-month period (April-May 1842) when letters carried by the City Despatch Post to the mails for delivery outside the city were cancelled in manuscript and received no local post markings. Very few examples (less than six) of the City Despatch Post stamp are known on covers to other cities.

Ex Kuphal. With 1979 P.F. certificate (Image)

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E. 1,500-2,000

SOLD for $2,400.00
Will close during Public Auction

2010

U.S. City Despatch Post, New York N.Y., 3c Black on Grayish (6LB1). Cancelled by lightly inked but strongly impressed orange-red "U.S." in frame (ties thru lettersheet), matching "U.S. City Despatch Post Sep. 19 1 O'Clock" (1842) Type I double-line circular datestamp on folded cover to local address, stamp has minor stains and wrinkles

A FINE STAMP AND ATTRACTIVE COVER. ONE OF ONLY NINETEEN RECORDED COVERS WITH GREIG'S 3-CENT STAMP USED FOR UNITED STATES CITY DESPATCH POST CARRIER SERVICE -- THE FIRST STAMP ACCEPTED AS GOVERNMENT POSTAGE.

In August 1842 the privately-owned City Despatch Post was bought out and re-established as the carrier department of the New York City post office. Stamps sold by Greig for the City Despatch Post remained valid for prepayment of carrier fees and were used months after the buyout. In the period before U.S. City Despatch Post stamps were issued, the use of Greig's stamps has provisional status among collectors. By September 1842, the mailing date of this cover, Greig's stamps in public hands were accepted concurrently with the government carrier issues (6LB3 and 6LB5, primarily). The carrier stamp, 6LB1, can be distinguished from 40L1 only when cancelled with the "U.S."-designated cancel or postmark. Such examples are very rare, with nineteen covers contained in the Lyons census, as well as ten off-cover stamps. Of the 19 6LB1 covers recorded by Lyons, only 15 are confirmed as genuine full covers (two are fronts or pieces, one is unconfirmed, and a fourth 6LB1 stamp is on an 1844 cover).

Ex Hind. With 1999 P.S.E. certificate (Image)

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10,000.00

SOLD for $2,600.00
Will close during Public Auction

2011

U.S. City Despatch Post, New York N.Y., 3c Black on Blue Green Glazed (6LB5). Large margins including portions of adjoining stamps at sides, brilliant color, just tied by red "U.S." in frame, matching "U.S. City Despatch Post Jan. 29, -- O'Clock" circular datestamp on 1845 folded letter to local street address, file fold well clear of stamp, Extremely Fine, with 1999 P.S.E. certificate (Image)

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E. 300-400

SOLD for $475.00
Will close during Public Auction

2012

U.S. City Despatch Post, New York N.Y., 3c Black on Blue Glazed (6LB5b). Large margins, tied by red "U.S." in frame, matching "U.S. City Despatch Post Jul. 29, -- O'Clock" circular datestamp on 1846 folded letter to local street address, Extremely Fine, ex Caspary and Golden, with 2000 P.F. certificate (Image)

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E. 400-500

SOLD for $350.00
Will close during Public Auction

2013

U.S. City Despatch Post, New York N.Y., 3c Black on Blue Green Glazed (6LB5). Large even margins, cancelled by red "U.S." in frame, which ties by impression thru paper, red "New-York Sep. 8" circular datestamp and blue manuscript "12-1/2" rate on 1843 folded letter to New Milford Conn., fresh and Extremely Fine, a superb example of the U.S. City Despatch Post carrier stamp on inter-city mail, ex Hall (Image)

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E. 750-1,000

SOLD for $1,600.00
Will close during Public Auction

2014

U.S. City Despatch Post, New York N.Y., 3c Black on Green Glazed (6LB5d). Two horizontal pairs -- originally forming a block from upper left corner of right pane -- and single, all with large margins, trivial flaws and tiny tear at top of single, each stamp cancelled by red "U.S." in frame, middle pair tied by red "Paid" in arc, matching "New-York May 30" (1843) circular datestamp on folded cover to Philadelphia, blue manuscript "12-1/2" rate, beneath the stamps is the manuscript endorsement "Paid/3 cents for City Dispatch/12-1/2 cents for Philadelphia/Paid", the -1/2c difference between rate paid and franking probably made up in coin or disregarded by carrier

VERY FINE COVER. THIS IS THE FINEST OF THE EIGHT RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE UNITED STATES CITY DESPATCH POST CARRIER STAMP USED TO PREPAY INTER-CITY POSTAGE. AN OUTSTANDING POSTAL HISTORY ARTIFACT.

This cover and seven other similar examples mark the beginning of prepayment of inter-city postage by adhesive stamps in the Western hemisphere. In each case, the United States City Despatch Post stamps prepaid the regular postage and carrier fee for delivery to the New York City post office, where the letters were marked "Paid" in full.

Our records contain eight inter-city covers with full prepayment, including one front and one with a stamp missing (listed chronologically by New York postmark date):

1) May 25 datestamp, 1843 folded letter to Henry Morris, Philadelphia, strip of 3 and pair, ex Caspary, Middendorf, Kapiloff, Siegel 1995 Rarities sale

2) May 30 datestamp (1843), folded cover to F. Packard, Philadelphia, 2 pairs and single, the cover offered here, ex Caspary, Pope, Kapiloff and Kuphal (Siegel Sale 925)

3) Jun. 16 datestamp, 1843 folded letter to Henry Morris, Philadelphia, strip of 4 and single, ex Caspary, Hall (Siegel Sale 830), Gordon N. John (Siegel Sale 868)

4) Jul. 5 datestamp, 1843 folded letter to Henry Morris, Philadelphia, strip of 5, ex Caspary, Middendorf

5) Aug. 23 datestamp, 1843 folded letter to Henry Morris, Philadelphia, 4 singles (1 missing), ex Seybold, Hall (Siegel Sale 958)

6) Nov. 1 datestamp, 1843 folded letter to Julia Welling, Pleasant Valley N.Y., 5 singles, badly creased and restored, from a recent find (Siegel Sale 958)

7) Oct. 18 datestamp (1844), folded cover to Dr. Wheeler, Athens N.Y., strip of 4 and single, ex Caspary, Hall, Gordon N. John (Siegel Sale 868)

8) Jun. 13 (ca. 1845), front only to Lewis Riley, Ridgefield Conn., three singles, ex Caspary, Middendorf, Kapiloff, Siegel 1995 Rarities sale

Three of the covers have stamps on Blue paper (6LB5b) from the later printing. The others are Green or Blue Green (1843 printings).

Ex Caspary, Pope, Kapiloff and Kuphal. Signed Stanley B. Ashbrook. With 1985 P.F. certificate (Image)

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E. 30,000-40,000

SOLD for $50,000.00
Will close during Public Auction