United States Postal History continued...

Crossroads, Double Segments (Rohloff C-8), bold full strike ties 1873 3c Green (Scott 158) on circa 1875 cover with "Waterbury CT Mar 11" town marking, addressed to New York City (March 12 backstamp), cover opened at right and with an 8mm edge break just to the left of the stamp but not affecting the marking, Rohloff rarity "RRR" (not more than 8 examples known), Fine and scarce

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

Garden Paths (Rohloff D-3), excellent strike in blue ties 1873 3c Green (Scott 158) on July 28, 1875 cover (contents enclosed), matching "Waterbury CT Jul 28" town marking, addressed to Jamesville, New York, envelope neatly opened at right and with some very trivial aging, Rohloff rarity "RRRR" (not more than 5 examples known), Very Fine

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

The unpublished Crowe census has recorded only three examples with this cancel in blue, including this cover, a postal card, and a postal stationery envelope. As there are no other Waterbury fancy cancellations known in blue ink, this cover is significant as the only example of a blue Waterbury fancy cancellation on a postage stamp. Despite their scarcity remarkably little has been written on the blue Waterbury cancellations, and as would be expected the reason behind them remains a complete mystery.

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Circle of Four Wedges with White Cross (Rohloff D-9), extremely fine strike ties 1879 3c Green (Scott 184) on salmon colored cover addressed to Plantsville, Connecticut, light strike of "Waterbury Conn. Jul 26 6 AM" town marking; envelope, which has an 1880 datelined enclosure, open at top and right and partially along bottom (couple tiny edge breaks) and left sides, Rohloff rarity "RRR" (not more than 8 examples known) while the unpublished Crowe census has recorded only 5 examples on cover, Fine overall, illustrated in Rohloff (page 53, figure 52)

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

Man with Hat (Rohloff E-5), extremely Fine strike ties 1861 1c Blue (Scott 63) on locally used Red and Blue Civil War patriotic cover depicting an Eagle flying with a US Flag (Bischel 4663 without verse), matching "Waterbury Con Apr 21 '66" double circle town marking, cover with small edge flaws including a sealed tear above the patriotic design but still fine, Rohloff rarity RRRR (not more than 5 examples known), illustrated in Rohloff (page 68, figure 73)

Provenance: Dr. Glenn Jackson (Robert A. Siegel Sale 369, 1970)

Amos Eno (Richard C. Frajola Sale 25, 1986)

Dr. John Robertson (Private Transaction, 1994)

John R. Boker, Jr. (Private Transaction)

Only two covers with this spectacular cancel are known to exist with an 1861 1c franking, although the other cover is not a patriotic. The Dr. Glenn Jackson Collection included an 1867 cover with a padlock cancellation (Rohloff O-10) that had an embossed flap and red and blue edges on its reverse, which that catalogue identified as the only other known patriotic cover with a Waterbury fancy cancellation. However, given the subtlety of that cover, we are confident in calling this by far the more spectacular of the two, as well as the only cover in existence with a Waterbury fancy cancellation that is readily identifiable as a patriotic cover. The combination of a scarce, attractive cancel on such a striking patriotic cover makes this, in our opinion, amongst the most desirable of all Waterbury covers, alongside the famed "Running Chicken" in terms of scarcity and eye-appeal.

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Chrysanthemum (Rohloff F-3), excellent strike of a very difficult to find cancel ties 1869 3c Ultramarine (Scott 114) on Chase correspondence cover addressed to Washington, Connecticut, ms 1870 docketing, Rohloff rarity "RRRR" (not more than 5 examples known), Very Fine and choice

Provenance: "Chase" Correspondence (Richard C. Frajola Sale 23, 1985)

John R. Boker, Jr. (Private Transaction)

Get Market Data for [United States 114]

Three-Leaf Shamrock, Type 5 (Rohloff F-12), excellent strike ties 1870 3c Green (Scott 147) on cover addressed to Bridgeport, Connecticut, matching "Waterbury CT Mar 2" town marking at top right, cover with a few light bends clear of the stamp and light toning on reverse from previous mounting, Fine overall, Rohloff rarity "RRR" (not more than 8 examples of this cancel exist on cover) although the unpublished Crowe census has recorded only 4 examples on cover

Provenance: Paul C. Rohloff (Private Transaction)

Get Market Data for [United States 147]

Acorn (Rohloff G-4), choice full detailed strike ties 1869 3c Ultramarine (Scott 114) on dark amber cover addressed to Easthampton, Massachusetts, matching "Waterbury CT Feb 28" town marking to the left of the stamp, cover slightly reduced at right just trimming off a couple of perforations of the stamp at the top right, Fine and attractive, Rohloff rarity "RRRR" (not more than 5 examples of this cancel exist on cover), Philatelic Foundation certificate 232,775 (not included)

Provenance: Dr. Glenn Jackson (R.A. Siegel Sale 369, 1970)

Katherine Matthies (R.A. Siegel Sale 503, 1977)

Henry Houser (Christie's Robson Lowe, 1990)

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Initial “A,” Type 2 (Rohloff K-2), excellent strike ties 1861 3c Rose (Scott 65, few toned perforations) on cover addressed to Prospect, Connecticut, matching "Waterbury Con Jun 20 '66" double circle town marking to left of the stamp, cover slightly reduced at right, Very Fine, Rohloff rarity "RRR" (not more than 8 examples of this cancel exist) and the unpublished Crowe census has only recorded 7 covers

Provenance: Paul C. Rohloff (Private Transaction)

Gordon Eubanks (Private Transaction)

John R. Boker, Jr. (Private Transaction)

Initial “W” with Serifs at the top (Rohloff K-15), bold "on-the-nose" strike on 1861 3c Rose (Scott 65) on cover addressed to Shelburne, Massachusetts, matching double circle "Waterbury Con Mar 2 '66" town marking just ties stamp, cover with small tear and diagonal crease at the top center passes to the left of the town marking, Fine, Rohloff rarity "RR" (not more than 15 copies known), Philatelic Foundation certificate # 232,799 (not included)

Provenance: Henry Houser (Christie's Robson Lowe, 1990)

John R. Boker, Jr. (Private Transaction)

Holly Sprig (Rohloff L-4), excellent strike of this complicated cancel and matching "Waterbury CT Dec 28" town marking tie 1869 3c Ultramarine (Scott 114) on cover addressed to Baltimore, Maryland, Very Fine and one of the nicer strikes of this cancel, Rohloff rarity "RRR" (not more than 8 examples of this cancel exist on cover)

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Maple Leaf (Rohloff L-6), bold strike ties 1869 3c Ultramarine (Scott 114) on cover addressed to Aiken SC, matching "Waterbury CT Apr 7" town marking, cover with tear that passes under the stamp, still Very Fine, Rohloff rarity "RRRR" (not more than five covers known), illustrated in Rohloff (page 144, figure 158)

Provenance: Clarence Eagle (Morgenthau Sale, 1923)

Paul C. Rohloff (Private Transaction)

Gordon Eubanks (Private Transaction)

John R. Boker Jr. (Private Transaction)

Get Market Data for [United States 114]

Shoo Fly (Rohloff M-2), excellent strike and matching "Waterbury CT Jun 23" town marking tie grilled 1870 1c Ultramarine (Scott 134) on locally addressed cover, envelope neatly opened (and slightly reduced) at left, with 1870 enclosure included, Very Fine, Rohloff rarity "RRRR" (not more than 5 examples of this cancel exist on cover) while the unpublished Crowe census has recorded only 3 examples (and this is the only one with a grilled banknote stamp), illustrated in Rohloff (page 166, figure 197)

Provenance: Paul C. Rohloff (Private Transaction)

Gordon Eubanks (Private Transaction)

Get Market Data for [United States 134]

Barrel (Rohloff O-1), excellent nearly full strike and matching double circle "Waterbury Con Nov 9 '67" town marking tie 1861 3c Rose (Scott 65) on amber cover addressed to Detroit, Michigan, stamp slightly affected by insect erosion below the stamp (removes one perforation) and a second small hole above the stamp, envelope without portions of the backflap, otherwise Fine, Rohloff rarity "RRR" (not more than 8 examples of this cancel existed on cover), the unpublished Crowe census records only 7 examples, illustrated in Rohloff (page 178, figure 206)

Provenance: Mattatuck Historical Society (Harry B. Keffer Sale, 1959)

Paul C. Rohloff (Private Transaction)

Gordon Eubanks (PrivateTransaction)

John R. Boker, Jr. (Private Transactions)

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Buttonless Shoe, Congress Gaiter (Rohloff O-12), choice strike of an uncommon cancellation ties 1869 3c Ultramarine (Scott 114) on cover with matching "Waterbury CT Mar 24" town marking, addressed to Aiken, South Carolina, stamp with small creases at the bottom, envelope with some light wrinkling, Fine and scarce; this short lived cancel was only used between March 19 and March 26, 1870, Rohloff rarity "RRRR" (not more than 5 examples known)

Provenance; Katharine Matthies (R.A. Siegel Sale 503, 1977)

Henry Houser (Christie's Robson Lowe, 1990)

Dr. John Robertson (Private Transaction)

John R. Boker, Jr. (Private Transaction)

Get Market Data for [United States 114]

Rosette, Eight Segments (Rohloff P-19), cleanly struck cancel and matching "Waterbury CT Nov 24" town marking on 1874 3c Green on white entire (Scott U163, slightly reduced at right into indicia) addressed to Princeton, New Jersey, Fine use, Rohloff rarity "RR" (not more than 15 copies known)

Rosette, Eight Hollow Segments, Type I (Rohloff P-25), choice strike ties 1873 3c Green (Scott 158) on cover with matching "Waterbury Conn Feb 20 12M" town marking, addressed to Wilbraham, Massachusetts, cover with trivial toning along the top edge and in the address area, Fine, Rohloff rarity "RRR" (not more than 8 copies known)

“A J” on Tombstone (Rohloff R-5), inverted strike ties 1867 3c Red "F" grill (Scott 94) on cover with lightly struck matching "Waterbury CT Mar 26" town marking, addressed to Warren, Connecticut, trivial tiny cover tear on top edge does not affect the stamp, Very Fine, Rohloff rarity "RRRR" (not more than 5 examples known)

Provenance: Paul C. Rohloff (Private Transaction)

Gordon Eubanks (Private Transaction)

John R. Boker, Jr. (Private Transaction)

This cover represents the earliest recorded date of usage (March 26, 1869) for a Waterbury "AJ" on tombstone fancy cancel, which was used only between March 26 and April 8, 1869. Postmaster John W. Hill created this marking to commemorate (perhaps celebrate?) the termination of Andrew Johnson's presidency, which ended March 4, 1869. After a battle regarding the attempted firing of Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, Johnson faced impeachment by Congress. Athough the House of Representatives approved the articles of impeachment, the Senate came one vote short of the necessary two-thirds majority to drive Johnson from office. Regardless, his presidency was seen as a failure by many, and his opposition of the 14th Amendment has marred his reputation to this day.

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