Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

To see new sales and other StampAuctionNetwork news in your Facebook newsfeed then Like us on Facebook!

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

Territorial and Florida

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

2260

10c Black (2). Large to gigantic margins showing parts of four adjoining stamps, manuscript "X" as always for this post office, clear "Doakes Ville Ark. May 30" circular datestamp on cover to Mrs. Clinton W. Lear, care of Martin G. Kennedy at Box 70 in the New Orleans post office, lightly toned

VERY FINE. THE FINEST OF THE SEVEN RECORDED 1847 COVERS FROM INDIAN TERRITORY.

Doaksville was located in the Choctaw Nation, but for administrative purposes the post office was attached to the Arkansas postal department. Supplies of the 1847 Issue, consisting of 100 5c and 100 10c arrived on Mar. 27, 1850. A second shipment of 200 5c and another 100 10c arrived May 15, and it is believed that all the known 10c 1847 covers are from this second shipment.

All of the known 10c covers are from the Lear correspondence. Lt. Clinton W. Lear was stationed at nearby Fort Towson, and he was writing to his wife in New Orleans. The known covers are dated May 30, June 13, 20, 24 and July 1. The only one with the original contents, June 24, establishes the year date as 1850. Each has a single 10c cancelled with a manuscript "X," and though none is tied in the traditional sense, the somewhat corrosive cancelling ink has bled through and is clearly visible on the inside of the envelope. This cover is unquestionably the best preserved of these covers, which usually show paper wear and ink deterioration to varying degrees.

The Lear group was the subject of an article by Creighton C. Hart in Chronicle 72. At that time (1971), only four Lear covers were known, in addition to a 5c from Doaksville and one from Eagletown (both Pitchlynn correspondence) (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

E. 5,000-7,500

SOLD for $28,000.00
Will close during Public Auction

2261

10c Black (2). Large margins to clear, intense shade, tied by red cork killer cancel, matching "Goshen N.Y. Jul. 6" circular datestamp and "Paid" handstamp on 1849 blue folded letter to St. Paul, Minnesota Territory, some slight wear, Fine, reported in the Spink-Shreves Risvold sale as the only reported cover to Minnesota Territory, the Risvold catalogue states "Alexander Wilkin, to whom the cover is addressed, came to St. Paul, following his service as a captain in the Mexican war, in 1849. At various times he was engaged in a law practice and at one time was the U.S. Marshal for Minnesota. In 1851 to 1853 he was secretary of the territory and in 1855 he went to the Crimea to study the Crimean War. In 1861 he organized the first company of the First Minnesota regiment and in 1862 he became the colonel of the Ninth Minnesota in the Civil War. Wilkin was killed in the battle of Tupelo, Mississippi on July 14,1864", ex Hart and Risvold (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

E. 750-1,000

SOLD for $700.00
Will close during Public Auction

2262

10c Black (2). Clear to large margins, toning and creased from file fold, tied by blue "Milwaukee Wis. Jan. 15" (1848) circular datestamp on year-dated 1848 folded letter to New York City, cover toning, still Fine appearing and rare use from Wisconsin Territory, which would become a state on May 29, 1848, only four such uses are recorded, with 1997 P.F. certificate (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

E. 1,500-2,000

SOLD for $750.00
Will close during Public Auction

2263

5c Red Brown, Dot in "S" (1 var). Large margins to clear, bright shade, tied by red grid cancel and matching "Chicago Ill. Oct. 28" circular datestamp on 1847 folded letter to Southport, Wisconsin Territory, clear strike of "5" in serrated oval handstamp, fresh and Extremely Fine, a pretty cover with the scarce and desirable cogwheel rate handstamp, very few 1847 Issue covers are known to Wisconsin Territory, ex Matthies and Sevenoaks, with 1998 P.F. certificate (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

E. 750-1,000

SOLD for $1,200.00
Will close during Public Auction

2264

10c Black (2). Large margins to clipped at bottom left corner, tied by red grid cancel, matching "New-York Mar. 30" circular datestamp on 1848 folded letter to Milwaukee, Wisconsin Territory, stamp with small scissors-cut in margin at top left and internal crease thru Washington's neck, file folds clear of stamp, Fine appearing and rare use to Wisconsin Territory, which would become a state on May 29, 1848, illustrated in Alexander on page 465, with 1998 P.F. certificate mentioning only the crease (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

E. 500-750

SOLD for $750.00
Will close during Public Auction

2265

10c Black (2). Ample to large margins except where nicked by scissors at top left, tied by green cancel, matching bold strike of green "Tallahassee Flor. Dec. 19" circular datestamp on blue 1849 folded cover to New York City, lightly cleaned to remove some toning

VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE ON COVER WITH A GREEN CANCELLATION.

Tallahassee was one of the few post offices in the 1847 Issue era to use true green ink for its postmark and cancellation.

Ex Hart. (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

E. 3,000-4,000

SOLD for $4,000.00
Will close during Public Auction

2266

10c Black (2). Large margins to ample, tied by black grid cancels, matching "Tallahassee Flor. Jan. 19" circular datestamp on blue 1851 folded cover to New York, file folds well away from stamp

VERY FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE USE OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE FROM TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA, WITH BLACK CANCELS.

Tallahassee is known for its use of a distinctive green cancel (see previous lot). It appears that a black cancel was used early in 1851 -- four are listed in the Alexander census.

Ex Chase, Hart and Boker. (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

E. 3,000-4,000

SOLD for $2,300.00
Will close during Public Auction

2267

10c Black (2). Three large margins, clear at left, cancelled by pen strokes, bold "St. Augustine Fl.T. Mar. 27" circular datestamp struck in black on 1848 folded letter to Savannah Ga., vertical file fold well clear of stamp and marking (some splitting), slight overall soiling

VERY FINE. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED USE OF THE 1847 ISSUE FROM ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, WHICH IS NORTH AMERICA'S OLDEST PERMANENT EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT.

Florida was admitted to the Union on March 3, 1845, but St. Augustine continued to use the territorial postmark. The distance from St. Augustine to Savannah is under 300 miles, so this cover was probably double-rated for weight.

Ex Rose. With 1976 P.F. certificate (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

E. 4,000-5,000

SOLD for $4,250.00
Will close during Public Auction