United States of America continued...

New Orleans, Louisiana, 1861, 2c red brown on bluish paper, exceptionally large margins at left and right, with adjacent framelines showing at top and bottom, tied to cover to Baton Rouge by neatly-struck New Orleans LA c.d.s. (3 Sep), docketing on reverse presumably by recipient notes year of 1861, a very early usage thus, some adhesions to reverse and flap mostly removed, but a choice on-cover example, ex Knapp.

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Salem, North Carolina, 10c black handstamped envelope, "POST OFFICE / O.A. KEEHLN / SALEM. N.C." with "Paid 10" in manuscript, postmarked "Salem / NC / SEP / 27", to W.H. Fries, New Orleans, manuscript notation at left "to be handed over immediately…" and on back flap "get some mercury if you can find it.", traces of edge staining, hinge remnants on back, a choice example of this rare provisional marking, the earliest of only two examples with the manuscript 10c rate recorded by Crown.

Provenance:
Richard Frajola sale, 25 January, 1991, lot 581.

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Selma, Alabama, 5c black, handstamped envelope with signature of Postmaster William H. Eagar in manuscript, postmarked "Selma / ALA / Jun 11" to Messrs. John T. Hardie & Co in New Orleans, light edge creasing, else a fresh and very fine example of this scarce provisional, with only fourteen such covers recorded in Crown; ex Walcott, Emerson, Brooks, Gehrman, and Worthington.

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Selma, Alabama, 10c black, handstamped envelope with signature of Postmaster William H. Eagar in manuscript, without postmark, to Messrs. John T. Hardie & Co in New Orleans, a bold strike of this rare provisional, one of only two such covers recorded in Crown, this being by far the finer example, the other with significant piece torn from the top the cover, an exceptional item of Confederate postal history.

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Talbotton, Georgia, 10c black, neatly-struck at left side of cover, matching "Talbotton GA” c.d.s. (14 Feb), to "Hon. Alexander H. Stephens Richmond, Va.", then Vice-President of the Confederate States, reverse with an all-over "letter" from "Miss Molly L. Grier / Talbot County” [Georgia] in which she gives updates on family members, envelope opened at bottom, year date in postmark with some enhancement, otherwise fresh and very fine; signed Dietz, with 2020 Philatelic Foundation certificate.
 

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Tuscumbia, Alabama, 5c black handstamped envelope, clear strike at upper right, without postmark, endorsed "Paid 25c" and "please delivery immediately", carried outside of the regular mails by private express to O.F. Prescott in Memphis, Tennessee, light wrinkles and skillfully repaired along top, a scarce provisional, one of seventeen recorded in Crown, but the only such without postal markings and privately carried.  

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Tuscumbia, Alabama, 10c black handstamped envelope, crisp strike at upper right, postmarked with "Tuscumbia / ALA / ? / 13" c.d.s., to the Alabama Hospital in Richmond, Virginia, some trivial light stains of little importance given the great rarity of this provisional, being the only recorded example in Crown; ex Walcott.

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Uniontown, Alabama, 5c green on grey, position 1, margins just touching to clear, tied to cover by light indistinct town cancellation, from the Cobbs correspondence to Montgomery, Alabama, adhesion remnants to reverse and piece torn from back, nevertheless a rarity of the Confederate Postmasters' Provisionals, with Crown recording thirteen examples on cover, four being from position 1, ex Emerson; with 1976 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

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Uniontown, Alabama, 5c green on embossed paper, from position 4, large to huge margins all around, small razor cut in extreme right margin, tied by indistinct black Uniontown c.d.s. to cover to Lexington, Mississippi, back flap removed and tear to back repaired with hinges, yet a remarkable and rare franking, and the only example recorded in Crown of this provisional on embossed paper; ex Brown, Brooks, Weatherly, Kilbourne, signed Ashbrook.

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Unionville, South Carolina, 5c black on grayish paper with blue ruled lines, margins all around, vertical pair tied to seven star flag patriotic cover by "Unionville S.C. / Jun / 14" c.d.s., to Col. William M. Gist, Care of Col. Gregg, Centreville, Virginia, hinge remnants on reverse from prior mounting, handstamped and signed "R.H.W. Co" (Raymond H. Weill), Ferrary trefoil handstamp on front, remarkably bright and fresh, a tremendous rarity; ex Ferrary, Caspary, Lilly.

The unique Unionville South Carolina pair on cover, one of the most historic and significant items in all of Confederate philately.

Crown records four covers franked with the 5c black, this being the only cover, and the latest recorded example of the four. There are no recorded examples off cover.

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Waxahachie, Texas, circa 1863, “PAID 10” in circle, struck on blue-bordered textured hexagonal label, affixed to cover front postmarked Waxahachie TEX (Jan 12), to Clement R. Johns in Austin, Texas, two horizontal filing folds, two light “W.H.C.” (Warren H. Colson) handstamps at lower right, previous Philatelic Foundation identification number label affixed to reverse, a most unusual and storied item, the only example recorded to date; 1994 Philatelic Foundation certificate no longer accompanies.
 
This example, along with the Wharton, Texas cover offered in the following lot, first made its appearance in the renowned Ferrary collection, where they were sold as part of a larger accumulation, this particular example being described only as a “stamp on piece” and misspelled “Waxahachir” (June, 1922, lot 114). It later found its way to famed dealer Warren H. Colson, confirmed by his two handstamps at the lower right of the piece. The cover made a more public appearance in the 1990s, when it was exhibited as part of the collection of Dallas collector John Hill, who displayed it and the cover in the following lot after they had obtained certificates attesting to their genuineness from the Philatelic Foundation in 1994. It later found its way to dealer Andrew Levitt, this being the first occasion since when it has appeared on the public market.
Despite this provenance, this “Provisional” remains a matter of much debate among specialists. It is unlisted in Scott, and was not referenced by Dietz, nor was it among the stamps recorded in the census’ of Phillips, Hart, or Crown. 
A colourful history of this cover is recounted in “The Great Texas Stamp Collection” by Charles W. Deaton.
A storied piece of Confederate philatelic history, still today a matter of much debate and conjecture.

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Waxahachie] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

Wharton, Texas, circa 1863, circular “10” in black and PAID struck on lined adhesive with ornate blue border, affixed to cover postmarked with Wharton, Texas c.d.s., to the Hon C.C. Herbert in Richmond, Virginia, endorsed at upper left “If - Herbert has left the city / the Post Master will please / hand this to the Post Master General / as it relates to P.O. Business / A.B. Betts.”, some creasing,  but a most unusual cover, to date the unique example of this adhesive; 1994 Philatelic Foundation certificate no longer accompanies.  
This cover shares a similar history to the Waxahachie front offered in the previous lot. Like its companion, this  cover first appeared for sale in the Ferrary auction, offered with the other cover and twenty nine others, it being described merely as “stamp on cover” (June, 1922, lot 114). Warren H. Colson’s small “W.H.C.” handstamp is also faintly visible at the lower right corner of this cover, suggesting that this accompanied the Waxahachie front to his inventory. It also reappeared in the 1990s, displayed with other material belonging to well-known collector John Hill, and also later formed part of Andrew Levitt’s stock.
This ultimate status of this cover is also a matter of much debate. It is not listed by Scott, was not referenced by Dietz, and is not found among the stamps recorded in the census’ of Phillips, Hart, or Crown.
Regardless, it is a most charming and mysterious cover.

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Wharton] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

New Orleans, Louisiana, 1861, folded cover to Bordeaux, with partial contents, franked with 30c orange, tied by New Orleans c.d.s. (5 Feb), handstamped with Rochereau & Co sender’s mark, endorsed “Steamer” in manuscript above, red “NEW YORK PAID / 24” c.d.s. (13 Feb) and adjacent “ET UNIS SERV BR AC.25” entry mark (25 Feb), with Paris (25 Feb) and Bordeaux arrival backstamps, adhesive colour slightly darkened from storage, a rare entire to France, postmarked the day after Louisiana joined the Confederacy; ex Allen, Knapp, Birkinbine, Walske.

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Kingston, Georgia, 5c black, clear strike on folded entire, adjacent "5", contents datelined Woodland, 29 June, to Charleston, South Carolina, endorsed "Paid" in manuscript and postmarked with "Kingston Ga Jun 30" c.d.s., light filing folds, contents skillfully and sensibly repaired in places and cover cleaned, scarce and fine, ex Everett; with 2023 Civil War Philatelic Society certificate.
The letter itself provides a remarkable glimpse into the political climate of the period, with the sender freely sharing his views, noting "…being from Charleston you will not meet with any extra civility in Abraham's dominions…" and "Genl. Johnston was too wide awake to be caught by Scott - the retreat from Harpers Ferry was admirably arranged and the necessity for it has been explained." He also comments on challenges and irregularities in delivery of the mails, including delays in the receipt of letters and newspapers.

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Kingston] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

Fort Washita, Arkansas, Choctaw Nation, c. 1863, embossed cover struck with “Fort Washita / Ark.” c.d.s. (Apr 17) with manuscript “Pd 10c”, to Mrs. Fanney Keesee in Sterlin, Texas, endorsed “to leave of Thomas Keesee”, trivial edge faults, tear to back and some scattered stains, of little importance given the tremendous rarity and historical significance of this cover, believed to be the only recorded example of a Confederate handstamp used in Indian Territory, ex McCarren, Walske; 1974 C.S.A. certificate (#526) no longer accompanies. 
Fort Washita was established by Zachary Taylor in 1842, to protect citizens of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations. Following the attack on Fort Sumter in April, 1861, Union forces under Colonel William Emory at Fort Washita left for Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.  Confederate troops quickly occupied the fort, using it as a supply depot and military hospital for their forces in the Indian Territory until the end of the war, when it was abandoned and burned. 

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5c green, Stone 2, 1861, horizontal pair with full gutter, from the top row of the sheet (1), tied to cover by "Marietta Geo. / Feb / 22" c.d.s., to Alexander Stephens in Richmond, Virginia, back flap removed, tear to envelope at top of franking, not impacting adhesives, a few light stains to stamps, else a dramatic and unique franking.

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10c blue, 1861-2, Paterson, horizontal pair, large to very large margins all around, showing portion of adjoining stamp at left, pleasing pastel-like shade, tied to piece by two Mobile, Ala. double-circle c.d.s., barest trace of gum staining to right stamp, else very fine.

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10c dark blue, 1861-2, Hoyer & Ludwig, four mostly large margins, touching outer frameline at lower right, showing the "shooting star flaw" at upper left, tied to cover by "Savannah Ga." c.d.s. and circular grid cancel, to Columbus, Georgia, hinge adhesions on reverse and some overall aging, adhesive with gum soak at foot, else a desirable franking. 

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10c dark blue, 1861-2, Paterson printing, mostly large to very large margins, bright color, touching at lower left, tied to cover to Sparta, Georgia, by indistinct c.d.s., some trivial stains, else fine; with 2023 Civil War Philatelic Society certificate.

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2c green, 1862, ample to large margins, rich colour, tied to cover to locally-addressed cover by "Richmond / Va. / Feb / 14 / 1863" c.d.s., fresh an very fine; recorded in the Warren census (2011, VA-056).

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