(Grieg’s) City Despatch Post, New York, 40L1, 1842 3c Black on grayish, very large margined single showing the layout lines between stamps on all four sides, tied by red "City Despatch Post N.Y. 9 May 1 O'Clock" handstamp and bearing a matching strike of the boxed "Free" marking on locally used folded outer address sheet, choice Very Fine (Scott $2,500 for stamp tied by company handstamp)

Provenance: Judge Robert Emerson (Daniel F. Kelleher Sale 402, 1939)

When Greig's City Despatch Post issued their adhesive postage stamp in February of 1842, they became only the second entity in the world to issue a stamp for the prepayment of postage. To put this into perspective, it would be over a year before Zurich issued the 4- and 6-rappen and Brazil issued its famous "Bull's Eyes." The City Despatch Post only operated between February 1 and August 15, 1842, at which point it was purchased by the US government and operated as a carrier service.

Get Market Data for [United States 40L1]

Cole’s Post Office, City Despatch New York, NY, 40L8, 1847-52 2c Black on yellowish buff, four margined single with indistinguishable light black cancel, positioned at lower left of c.1852 folded outer address sheet addressed to "South Port Ct.," red "New-York Paid 3 cts May 17" postmark at top right and large penciled "3" at center, the tail of which ties the stamp, Very Fine and rare; the Siegel census notes that there are only 4 covers recorded with this stamp accepted as genuine, this is thought to be the latest usage (Scott $15,000 a stamp not tied on cover, with certificate), 2019 Philatelic Foundation certificate

Provenance: John R. Boker, Jr. (Private Transaction)

In a 2011 article, Larry Lyons (Penny Post, Vol. 19, No. 1) notes that "the City Despatch Post plate entered its third and final state of existence with the post's takeover by Charles Cole" sometime around late 1847. The design of the stamp was therefore modified to include Cole's initials "CC" on either side of Washington's head. The stamp offered here, on Yellowish buff paper, shows a very worn plate, and the known dates of use for this issue (between about September 1851 and May 1852) indiciate that this was probably the last stamp of this prolific and significant local post. For more information on this particular issue, as well as the other stamps issued by the various iterations of the City Despatch Post, we recommend Scott Trepel's The City Despatch Post 1842-1852 Issues: A Study of America's First and Most Versatile Stamp-Producing Plate (2003).

Get Market Data for [United States 40L8]

Cummings City Post, New York City, 55L5, 1844 2c Black on olive, single with margins clear to touching, used on locally addressed decorative gold on light gray cover front, lightly struck red oval "Cummings Express Post" vertically placed at the center of the front, stamp margins to touching, the front with a small piece out at the lower left and many hinge remainders on the back side; Fine and scarce (Scott $750 for used single, while no value is noted for a stamp on cover).

Provenance: Alfred H. Caspary (H.R. Harmer Sale 967, 1955)

A 2001 article by Calvet M. Hahn notes a combined total of 6 covers extant for the green and olive stamps on cover. All stamps are either manuscript cancelled or without cancel and none are tied on cover. There is debate as to whether the two paper colors warrant separate listings. Henry Needham, although notoriously wrong about many things, wrote in 1915 that "the pale olive is probably the same as the green glazed, the color and glazing having been changed or worn from exposure," and Hahn subsequently supported this opinion. The so-called "Cupid" design, one of the most whimisical and attractive of all local post stamps, is thought to have been the first stamp issued by Cummings City Post, and only very rarely appears on the philatelic market.

Get Market Data for [United States 55L5]

Hale & Co. Boston, 75L5, 1844 (6c) Blue, horizontal pair affixed but not tied on folded letter datelined "Boston 19th July 1844," lightly struck boxed Hale & Co. forwarded handstamps, addressed to New York (City), manuscript "Hale" at lower left, stamps clear to large margins, sealed cover tear passes under the upper right corner of the right stamp of the pair, but the stamp appears to be sound, Very Fine and attractive (Scott $900 for a pair on cover tied by handstamp but it does not price a pair not tied)

Provenance: Edward S. Knapp (Parke-Bernet Galleries Part One, 1941)

Get Market Data for [United States 75L5]

Hussey's Post, NY City, 87L1, 1856 (1c) Blue, single tied by "Free" handstamp on 1856 locally addressed folded letter (printed form letter of the Aetna Fire Insurance Co at 56 Wall Street), nice strike of "Notice & Circular Distributing Office, 82 Broadway Upstairs" oval handstamp, stamp full to large margins and, along with cover, affected by some light aging, still Very Fine and rare as there just three recorded covers franked with Hussey's first issue (Scott $2,750), 2019 Philatelic Foundation certificate

Get Market Data for [United States 87L1]

Mercantile Library Association, NY City, 105L3, 1870-75 5c Blue, horizontal pair (probably from upper left corner) tied by double oval blue "Mercantile Library Association Nov. 18 1875" and "Dec 13 1875" handstamps on addressed card used for delivery of a book to the client, stamps fresh color and clear to large margins, card with edge flaws, Very Fine overall; signed "Geo. B. Sloane" (Scott $1,400 for a pair on "postal card and $1,000 for two used stamps)

The library delivered books to patrons by horse and wagon for a fee of five cents, until business declined and it stopped service at the end of 1873. It re-opened in December 1874, using messengers for home delivery, but with the fee increased to ten cents. This accounts for the two five cent stamps on this library loan form. For an interesting and in-depth look at this particular local post, we recommend the article by Larry T. Nix, John D. Bowman, and Gordon Stimmell ("Unraveling the Story of the Delivery Stamps of the Mercantile Library of New York") from the December 2007 issue of the American Philatelist.

Mercantile Library Association, NY City, 105L6, 1870-75 10c Black on yellow, single tied by double oval "Mercantile Library Association Feb 27 2 1877" handstamp on addressed card used for delivery of a book to the client, additional handstamps dated Mar 5, Mar 26, Apr 16 and May 8, stamp clear margins but with a trivial corner fault lower right from placement, card is in excellent shape (rare thus) with only a couple of tiny corner creases and a light central vertical fold, Very Fine and rare (Scott $750 for used stamp with no value stated for usage on card)

A new ten cent stamp was issued for the higher delivery fee, possibly in 1877 and perhaps because the supply of five cents stamps was depleted. Only one example used on library form was known to Nix, Bowman, and Stimmell at the time of their 2007 article (it is illustrated in Donald Patton's Private Local Posts of the United States on page 226). In addition to this stamp, the Mercantile Library of New York also produced a pre-printed 10c card (105LU1) to meet the new rate; only two such cards, both mint, are known.

Pomeroy’s Letter Express, 117L2, 1844 (5c) Black on yellow surface colored paper, Value incomplete, single bearing red Pomeroy's "Cd." cancel on folded letter datelined "Buffalo 25 July 1844" and addressed to New York (City), the stamp has been cut out and replaced on this folded letter of origin with a small portion of the bottom sliced off, but left adhering to the folded letter, otherwise Very Fine, less than 25 covers known franked with this variety, 1961 British Philatelic Association certificate as "... genuine. It has been cut out and replaced on its original cover" (Scott $4,500 for stamp on cover with a handstamp cancellation and not tied, $1,500 for a used single)

Get Market Data for [United States 5c]

Pomeroy’s Letter Express, 117L6, 1844 5c Lake on thin bond paper, top margin single tied by manuscript cancellation on folded letter, datelined July 18, 1844 addressed to Little Falls, New York, stamp ample to wide margins, Very Fine and attractive (Scott $1,500 for a single tied by manuscript cancellation on cover)

David Snow in his chapter on Pomeroy's in the Independent Mails book notes that he has only recorded 15 examples of this stamp on cover. Of particular interest to the postal historian, this letter notes that postage is now lower and the writer hopes that there will be more correspondence in the future. Based on the content it appears that the letter originated in the New York City area.

Get Market Data for [United States 117L6]

Price’s Eighth Avenue Post Office, NY City, 120L1, 1854 (2c) Red on bluish, single affixed but uncancelled on stampless folded to-the-mails letter without additional postage, addressed to "Newark, New York," black "New-York 5 Cts May 9" due marking at upper right, stamp clear to ample margins except just touching at right, the folded letter with repairs at left and right and cleaned to lighten staining, still Fine and scarce, presumably sent unpaid by the New York Post Office, probably in the mid-1850s (Scott $7,500 for an uncancelled stamp on cover with certificate), 2019 Philatelic Foundation certificate (mentions "extraneous ink mark" on stamp)

In a 2004 article in the Penny Post (Vol. 12, No. 2) Larry Lyons estimated that there are only six or seven covers with this stamp extant and that at least five of them are to the mails usages franked with 3c imperforate stamps. While this cover does not have the additional franking it does fit the usage noted by Lyons. A review of known covers shows that this local did not receive a company handstamp.

Get Market Data for [United States 120L1]

Russell 8th Ave. Post Office, NY City, 130L3, 1854-58 (2c) Red on bluish, single affixed, but uncancelled, on mourning cover addressed to "New Milford Ct.," additionally franked with an 1851 3c Dull red (Scott 11) to pay the government postage (tied by New York cds), local stamp with very faint soiling, stamp margins to just cutting, Very Fine; an extremely rare and seldom seen local (Scott $5,750 for an untied stamp on cover used in conjunction with 3c Scott 11 with certificate), 2019 Philatelic Foundation certificate stating genuine stamp varitey with "dash and dot under the 'E' of 'Ave' missing" but declining an opinion regarding whether the stamp originated on cover

A 2008 census of this stamp on cover by R.A. Siegel records only 5 examples, three of which are «to the mails» usages (this cover not included in that census). There is no mention in Donald S. Patton's Private Local Posts of the United States and very little mention in the Penny Post. According to Larry Lyons (Penny Post Vol. 19, No. 2), "In late 1854 David Russell bought Price's Eighth Avenue Post Office from James Price and issued his own adhesive stamps." The post served the Abingdon Square neighborhood of lower Manhattan, roughly where 8th Avenue meets 12th Street.

Get Market Data for [United States 130L3]

Spaulding’s Penny Post, Buffalo, New York, 156L2, 1848-49 2c Carmine, single with ornamental border surrounding text around a central design affixed, but not cancelled, on folded letter sheet used c.September 10, 1849, addressed to "Mrs. James Purdy, Mansfield, Ohio," stamp with large margins all around, the cover shows trivial edge toning and a light file fold at center away from the stamp, some light aging just affects stamp, a Fine and rare cover not seen for generations (Scott does not price this stamp on cover, and it prices the similarly unique unused stamp at $40,000), 2019 Philatelic Foundation states that "some letters in 'Letters to' and 'Spaul(ding's)' strengthened where a stain or marking was removed

Provenance: John R. Boker, Jr. (Private Transaction)

The history of Spaulding's Penny Post of Buffalo, New York was long shrouded in mystery. The existence of the post was entirely unknown until 1915, when a Mr. Harry C. Flierl of Buffalo reported the discovery of a stamped envelope to Mekeel's Weekly Stamp News (July 24, 1915). The writer concluded that Enos W. Spaulding must have taken inspiration for the design of his stamp from Gordon's City Express in New York City, as the two designs are nearly identical. The article in Mekeel's also reprinted a contemporaneous newspaper advertisement which helped to confirm the existence of this local post.

The dating of the cover offered here is based on the postmark, which is thought not to have been placed in use prior to December 1848, combined with the fact that Spaulding sold his firm in October 1849. This is the only recorded example of this stamp used on cover and one of two known examples of the stamp. The second copy is an unused single and was sold in 2017 for $22,000. This cover was discovered sometime around 1952, at which point it was described by Pitt Petri in a 1953 article in the Collectors Club Philatelist (Vol. XXXII, No. 2). As this was the discovery copy (the unused example first appeared at a 1973 Robson Lowe sale), the existence of this stamp was entirely unknown to philatelists for over a century. John R. Boker, Jr. purchased this cover privately, as did Haub, which means that this cover has never been made available at public auction. Its late discovery and limited ownership history make this, in our opinion, one of the most important offerings of a local stamp cover in recent philatelic memory.

Get Market Data for [United States 156L2]

Get Market Data for [United States (Confederate States) 12X1]

Charleston, S.C., 16X1, 1861 5c Blue, single with four full frame lines tied by double circle "Sep 20 Charleston" town marking on dark buff cover addressed to Scuppernong, North Carolina, oval embossed "Butler & Bee, Charleston S.C." corner card on backflap, the stamp with a very tiny scuff in the top margin just touching the outer frameline, Very Fine and choice; the census in Richard L. Calhoun's Charleston, South Carolina and the Confederate Postmaster Provisionals (2012) lists a cover with the same destination and a September 30 town marking, which we presume to be the same cover offered here with an erroneous date (Scott $2,250)

Get Market Data for [United States (Confederate States) 2012]

Emory, Virginia, 24X1, 1861 5c Blue on selvage of 1c US stamp, Type I, Handstamped “Paid” above Handstamped “5” in Circle, uncancelled single on cover addressed to "Mr. Ambrose W. Winston, Castle-Craig, Campbell Co. Va.," blue "Emory Jul 1 Va." town marking at center of the cover, "June 8 1861" docketing at left, Very Fine and rare (Scott $27,500)

Provenance: Sidney A. Hessel (H.R. Harmer Sale 2291, 1975)

Richard L. Calhoun in his 2012 work on Confederate Postmaster Provisionals of Virginia notes the existence of a total of nine covers with the Emory provisional stamp. Six of those covers bear the Type I stamp ("5" below "Paid") and three bear the Type II stamp ("5" above "Paid"). Of those nine covers, four bear uncancelled stamps as does this cover.

It is interesting how history repeats itself. The Emory Provisional was made by applying a handstamp to the selvage of the US 1857 1c stamp, perforated on three sides. The only other similar occurrence in the history of this nation was the production of the Philadelphia Carriers stamps (7LB16 and 7LB18, the former of which is being offered in this sale as Lot 31), which used the selvage of the US 1851 1c issue.

Get Market Data for [United States (Confederate States) 24X1]

Gonzales, Texas, 30X2, (10c) Gold on garnet, four margined single tied by two pen strokes on folded letter datelined "Gonzalez July 14th 1864," addressed to "Elder G. H. Thurmond, San Antonio, Texas," lightly struck straight line "Paid" to left of the stamp and double circle "Gonzales Tex" town marking at upper left, small sealed break at bottom, a Very Fine and attractive use; 1981 Philatelic Foundation certificate (Scott $25,000)

Provenance: Alfred H. Caspary (H.R. Harmer Sale 989, 1956)

Josiah K. Lilly (R.A. Siegel Sale 317, 1967)

A. Earl Weatherly (R.A. Siegel Sale 420, 1972)

Charles Deaton in his 2012 book, The Great Texas Stamp Collection, notes the existence of only three covers bearing this stamp and one additional example off cover. The stamp on all three of the covers is pen cancelled. Gonzales, Texas used advertising labels from the firm of Coleman & Law as provisional stamps twice during the Civil War (first in 1861 and later in 1864-65). John V. Law, co-owner of the firm, also served as the town's postmaster. As these labels were also attached to the insides of books (and perhaps medicine bottles) there have been numerous counterfeits produced over the years, and genuine uses on cover remain exceedingly scarce. The cover offered here was known as early as 1903, when it was used as the frontispiece of an issue of Mekeel's Stamp Collector describing various Confederate Provisionals.

Get Market Data for [United States (Confederate States) 30X2]

Greenwood Depot Va., 35X1, 10c Black on gray blue, uncancelled stamp made from laid letter paper with manuscript "Ten Cents" at top, hand stamped "Paid" at center, and manuscript "J. Bruce" (the postmaster) at bottom affixed, but not tied, on small envelope addressed (as are all known covers franked with this issue) to "Rev Paul Whitehead, Macfarlands P.O., Lunenburg Co., Va.," strong strike of "Greenwood Depot Va. Sep 21" town marking, envelope missing backflap and with numerous hinge remainders on back, also some tiny tears into the postmark, Very Fine and choice, 1975 Philatelic Foundation certificate (Scott $22,500)

Provenance: Sidney A. Hessel (H.R. Harmer Sale 2291, 1975)

Richard L. Calhoun in his 2012 work Confederate Postmaster Provisionals of Virginia notes the existence of a total of six covers with this stamp and of that number, only five are available to collectors as one cover is part of the Tapling Collection in the British Museum. The October 1887 issue of the American Philatelist reported that "Gilbert M. Bastable, of Catlett, Va.,...writes that he found five of these local stamps—all that are known to exist—in the correspondence of the Rev. Paul Whitehead, who sent him several thousand envelopes to examine." This particuar cover offered here was the first illustration to ever appear in the American Philatelist.

Get Market Data for [United States (Confederate States) 35X1]

Grove Hill, Alabama, 36X1, 5c Black, single with fresh and clear impression of the wood cut design tied by "Grove Hill Ala Oct 26" town marking at the upper left of 1861 cover addressed to "John S. Dickinson, Esq., Newtown Academy, Munroe Co. Ala.," red embossed "Dickinson & Kilpatrick Attorneys at Law, Grove Hill, Ala." corner card, stamp ample margins except just touching at bottom right, the envelope is missing the backflap, a small nick in the top edge, and small abrasions from adhesive tape at the sides, the manuscript "Oct 26 1861" notation appears to be non-contemporary, still Very Fine showpiece (Scott $75,000)

Provenance: Count Philipp von Ferrary (Gilbert Sale 4, 1922)

Arthur Hind (Charles J. Phillips Sale 1, 1933)

Alfred H. Caspary (H.R. Harmer Sale 989, 1956)

Weill Brothers Stock (Christie's NY, 1989)

Considered to be the finest of the three examples (two covers and one off cover stamp) recorded of this stamp and the only example on a complete cover. In fact, Herbert Bloch, describer of the Caspary sales, lauded this cover as "...one of the most famous and celebrated of all Confederate items in existence." Mr. Bloch was probably being somewhat humble in his assessment; we would go as far as to say that this cover is one of the most celebrated of items in all of American philately, having been illustrated in the 1959 edition of the Dietz handbook, Linn's Philatelic Gems III, Life Magazine's "World's Rarest Stamps" (May 3, 1954), and the 1986 Ameripex exhibition catalogue. The Christie's sale of the Weill Brothers Stock of Confederate States in 1989 featured an enlargement of this stamp on the front cover of the catalogue, selected over even the "Livingston Pair" and the "Big Beaumont."

The Grove Hill Provisional is one of a number of United States stamps that has, in our opinion, suffered due to its extreme scarcity. When this cover was offered in the Ferrary sale in 1922 it was one of a number of items picked up by the contemporary presses, both philatelic and general. Newspapers across the country pictured the Grove Hill cover alongside the Mauritius "Post Paid" stamps and the Hawaiian Missionaries. Through the time it was featured by Life in 1954 the Grove Hill Provisional was something of a household name amongst philatelists, alongside the Alexandria "Blue Boy" and the "Big Beaumont." However, the long delays between appearances at auction and near-lack of public exhibition have resulted in a reduced awareness for the cover. Very nearly nothing has appeared in the philatelic literature for some time regarding this attractive and rare issue; it is our hope that the sale of this cover will work to rectify this unfortunate fact.

Get Market Data for [United States (Confederate States) 36X1]

Macon, Georgia, 53X3, 5c Black on yellow, Ornamental frame, uncancelled four margin stamp on dark buff cover addressed to "Mrs. Martha Service, Care of J. H. Service, Esq. Augusta, Geo.," lightly struck Macon, Georgia town marking to left of the stamp, colorless embossed "Wm. S. Williford" at lower left, stamp with a small scissor cut in lower left margin well away from the design, envelope missing portion of backflap, Very Fine (Scott $6,000)

The 1982 Frank Crown Survey of Confederate Postmaster Provisionals notes the existence of only 26 covers with this stamp. Macon, Georgia produced provisional stamps in four distinct designs; this design is believed to have been the second 5c stamp issued (earliest known example dated June 21, 1861).

Macon, Georgia, 53X4, 5c Black on yellow, Plain frame, right margin single (ample to huge margins the other sides) tied by double circle "Macon Ga. Jun 7" town marking on blue all over "H. N. Ells & Co. Groceries, Provisions" ad cover addressed to Milledgeville, Georgia, the stamp with a couple of trivial margin creases, the cover some light soiling, very slightly reduced at the right and with a trivial corner extension at the lower right, Very Fine and rare; 1979 Philatelic Foundation certificate (Scott $7,500)

Provenance: "Tara" Collection (Christie's Robson Lowe, 1986)

Morris Everett (R.A. Siegel, Sale 754, 1993)

Dr. Karl Agre (R.A. Siegel, Sale 850, 2002)

1982 Crown Survey of Confederate Postmaster Provisionals notes the existence of 14 total covers with this stamp; of that number 12 are single frankings and only two covers exist with all-over advertising. A 2012 Siegel census shows a total of four advertising covers (two with 53X3 and two with 53X4). The plain-bordered 5c stamp (53X4) seems to have been issued prior to the floral-bordered 5c stamp (53X3) based on covers with legibile dates, although the Scott catalogue listings for Macon provisional stamps are in the wrong order.

Get Market Data for [United States (Confederate States) Collection]