United States Stamps continued...

(26) 1857-61 3¢ dull red Washington Type III tied by black “Rocheport, Mo” cds with "Aug 28" written in pen on cover addressed to Stockton, California with manuscript "Overland" below address. The stamp underpaid the 10¢t transcontinental overland rate so a straightline "Due 7" handstamp applied at left. Cover with a small piece added at bottom right corner not affecting the overall fine appearance of this Missouri to California overland use.

With 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

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(26) 1857-61 3¢ dull red Washington Type III, position 87R15, clearly displaying a dramatic double transfer with rosettes doubled and a strong line running through both “U.S. POSTAGE” and “THREE CENTS,” tied by a grid cancel on cover to Orange, Massachusetts. Red “Boston, Mass. Feb 13” cds at top. This position from Plate 15 is one of the most prominent double transfers found on the 1857–61 3¢ Issue with this position one of the most highly sought-after plate positions. Stamp with three repaired perforations at top along with light scuffing, still a fine example of this rare position used on cover.

2006 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $2,500 for used off-cover.

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(26) 1857-61 3¢ dull red Washington Type III tied by blue grid cancel on cover with matching bold “Chicago Supplementary Mail Dec. 18” cds, addressed to Albion, New York. A fresh and very fine example of supplementary mail service, accepted after the regular mail bag closed and carried on a scheduled steamer departure—typically requiring prepayment in cash equal to standard postage.

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Pair of covers franked by 1857–61 3¢ Washington Type III stamps, each tied by blue “Chicago Supplementary Mail” (Type C) cds, an iconic marking used for late mail handling in Chicago. One cover is addressed to Massachusetts, with 2008 PF certificate noting small faults and oxidized color on the stamp, and cover reduced at left. The second, sent to Ohio, bears an embossed corner card. A fine appearing duo showcasing this distinctive postal marking.

(26) 1857-61 3¢ dull red Washington Type III tied by large "PAID" in black grid cancel alongside clear red "Boston Ms. Nov 26, 1860" cds on political cover bearing a bold printed portrait of Vice President John C. Breckinridge with facsimile signature at lower left, addressed to Nashua, New Hampshire.

Southern Democratic candidate John C. Breckinridge ran against Stephen A. Douglas, Abraham Lincoln, and John Bell in a fractured four-way race. Breckinridge supported maintaining slavery where it already existed but opposed secession, later joining the Confederacy when war erupted. A very fine example of this 1860 presidential campaign cover sent during the politically volatile months leading into the Civil War.

Milgram No. JBK-5, with 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

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(26) 1857-61 3¢ dull red Washington Type III tied by blue "Chicago, Ills Jun 25" cds on 1860 Lincoln presidential campaign cover addressed to Samuel R. Brooks at 42 Union Square in New York City, with ornate illustration and captioned “Honest Abe Lincoln on his flat boat.” Striking design features a boldly engraved portrait of Abraham Lincoln, with a lower vignette depicting Lincoln’s flatboat journey down the Mississippi—an image that reinforced his frontier roots and “log cabin” candidacy during the 1860 presidential campaign. The illustrated panels are framed by a split-rail fence motif along the top and left borders. A very fine example of this highly desirable 1860 Lincoln campaign cover in sound condition.

Milgram AL-81, with 2001 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

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(26) Two 1857-61 3c dull red Washington Type III singles tied by blue "Chicago Ills Jun 23” cds on 1861 patriotic mourning cover to Williamstown, Massachusetts, with elaborate printed portrait of Senator Stephen A. Douglas, framed by a laurel wreath and surmounted by a mourning eagle and draped flags. Caption below reads: “Tell them to obey the Laws and support the Constitution of the United States.” 

This powerful and scarce double weight political mourning cover was mailed just three weeks after Douglas’s death on June 3, 1861, following his return to the Senate after his failed 1860 presidential campaign. Douglas had run as the Northern Democratic candidate, splitting from the pro-slavery Southern Democrats who nominated John C. Breckinridge. His death was mourned widely by Unionists. A very fine and attractive example of this Douglas mourning cover sent from his home state.

With 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

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(26) 1857-61 3¢ dull red Washington Type III tied by black grid cancel with matching "Montague Mass. Aug 15" cds on 1860 Constitutional Union Party campaign cover to Hubbardston, MA, stamp with slight perf toning. The cover features a finely engraved dual portrait of presidential candidate John Bell and his running mate Edward Everett at upper left, with "Bell. Everett." caption below and imprint of Carpenter & Allen, 247 Washington St., Boston.

Overall a very fine and attractive example of this 1860 campaign envelope for the Constitutional Union Party ticket of Bell and Everett. Their platform aimed to preserve the Union by avoiding divisive positions on slavery, appealing primarily to moderate voters in the border states and Upper South. The party garnered a modest showing in the 1860 election, carrying three states.

Milgram No. JBL-16, with 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

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(26) 1857-61 3¢ dull red Washington Type III tied by blue circular grid cancel on wonderful red, white, and blue all-over flag design Union patriotic cover from Chambersburg to St. Clair, Pennsylvania with "Chambersburg, PA June 12 1861" cds struck at left, very fine. 

With 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate. 

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(26) 1857-61 3¢ dull red Washington Type III used by black grid cancel on beautiful U.S. Civil War patriotic cover from White Pigeon to Liberty, Jackson County, Michigan, "White Pigeon Mich Sep 16 (1861)" cds at center. Stunning patriotic imagery at left features "Thou Art Weighed in the Balance, and Art Found Wanting" below red and blue design showing "Constitution" over the "Holy Bible" outweighing treason snake on a hand-held scales of justice. A desirable patriotic cover with an 1857-61 3c stamp which was officially demonetized a month earlier.

With 1994 Professional Stamp Experts certificate.

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(26) Pair of patriotic covers commemorating Colonel Elmer Ellsworth, the first Union officer killed in the Civil War, both mounted on exhibit page, each franked with a (26) 3¢ 1857–61 dull red Washington Type III stamp. The first is a striking red and blue design depicting Ellsworth with crossed U.S. flags, a radiant starburst, and the quote “He who noteth even the fall of a sparrow will have some purpose even in the fate of one like me.” Mailed from Washington, D.C., to Delta, New York on 28 June 1861 with the stamp tied by Washington City "FREE" cds; this was a soldier’s letter sent shortly before formal postage exemptions went in effect in July 1861. The second cover features a dramatic “Remember Ellsworth!” patriotic design of Ellsworth standing over a Confederate flag, stamp tied by Tiffin, Ohio cds dated August 19, 1861. Both covers show the immediate popular response to Ellsworth’s death, which became a rallying cry for the Union cause. The second cover with wear around stamp and repaired tear at bottom right, but overall a visually compelling and fine pair.

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(26) Two 1857-61 3¢ dull red Washington Type III singles tied by black grid cancels on red, white, and blue all-over flag design Union patriotic cover from Alexandria, Virginia to Medina, Michigan. Alexandria July 1861 cds struck at left, a matter of days after the updated U.S. flag officially came into effect on July 4, 1861, following Kansas’s admission to the Union. The double-weight franking reflects the enclosed letter’s heavier contents.

A visually striking and historically significant Union patriotic usage, combining July 1861 usage of the 34-star flag design with a postmark from the recently reoccupied city of Alexandria, Virginia. Some edge wear and a backflap tear but overall fine.

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(26) 1857-61 3c dull red Washington Type III tied by bold black "New York Mar 1 1861" on cover to Bristol, Rhode Island — sent just six weeks before the outbreak of hostilities at Fort Sumter. Affixed at upper left is a vivid multicolor patriotic label featuring a cannon and American flag, one of approximately 100 known label designs produced for private patriotic use, and part of a sheet series of nine designs. This label highlights a biblical verse penned at left from Isaiah 25:12: "And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust." A scarce and evocative example of early Union patriotic sentiment expressed with a label, posted just a few days before Lincoln was inaugurated, very fine.

With 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate. 

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(26) 1857-61 3¢ dull red Washington Type III tied by black circular grid cancel on dramatic U.S. Civil War patriotic cover from Harrisburg to Alexandria, Pennsylvania with accompany "Harrisburg PA May 30 1861" circular datestamps at center. Patriotic imagery at left features "Fate of Traitors" below red and blue design featuring a troop of Pennsylvania Zouaves overseeing the handing of Confederate President "Jeff Davis". A very fine Union patriotic design portraying a hanging as the just price of treason especially where the Confederate President was concerned.

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(26) 1857-61 3¢ dull red Washington Type III tied by blue circular grid cancel on ornate U.S. Civil War patriotic cover from Chicago, Illinois to Williamstown, Massachusetts with accompany blue "Chicago Ills JUL 10 (1861)" cds cancels at right. Patriotic imagery at left features the progression from "Agriculture" crops to a "Manufactures" spinning wheel with the words "Hemp for Traitors / North or South" connected to "Fine Arts" hanging gallow. Words above the design: Them pesky Treason fellers hev got to hev ROPE and "more tew," and we mite jest as well be gettin the wemp dewins ready first as last and give em full swing". A very fine Union patriotic design portraying Uncle Sam preparing the gallows rope for traitors.

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(26) Pair of U.S. Civil War patriotic covers featuring the newly updated 34-star American flag design, which officially came into effect on July 4, 1861 following Kansas's admission to the Union on January 29 of that year. Each cover is postmarked within ten days of the new flag’s official debut. The first, franked with a (26) 3¢ dull red Washington Type III is tied by a black “Syracuse N.Y. Jul 13 (1861)” circular datestamp on an all-over flag design cover sent to Stamford, Connecticut, with printed patriotic motto above: “And This Be Our Motto – In God Is Our Trust.” Slightly reduced at right from opening, ex. Walcott Collection, Lot #2843. The second cover, also bearing a (26) 3¢ dull red Washington Type III is tied by black “Worcester Mass. Jul 11 (1861)” cds on a medallion-style 34-star flag patriotic envelope inscribed “Stand By The Flag” and addressed to Cambridge, Massachusetts; the stamp includes a visible guideline at left. The 34-star arrangement was the dominant Union patriotic motif in 1861, with designs ranging from official layouts to artistic interpretations like the medallion style seen here. A very fine and historically resonant pair of early Civil War patriotic covers commemorating the arrival of the 34-star Union flag.

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(26) 1857–61 3¢ dull red Washington Type III used by black cds on desirable Civil War patriotic cover from Syracuse, New York to Washington, D.C., dated 20 June 1861, bold Syracuse cds partially ties the stamp at upper right. The dramatic black-and-white patriotic vignette at top left features a black pirate-style flag emblazoned with a skull and crossbones above the inscription “J. D. His Marque,” a pointed reference to Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Addressed to Lieutenant Abbott of the 12th New York Volunteer Infantry, which had been mustered into service just weeks earlier on 8 May 1861. A powerful early Civil War usage of this dramatic Union patriotic design, very fine. 

2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

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(26) 3¢ dull red Washington Type III tied by bold “Westchester Pa. May 6 1861” cds on striking red and blue patriotic cover featuring waving American flag with ribbon reading “The Union Now & Forever”, addressed to James Risk in Muncy, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania.

Accompanied by the original matching patriotic lettersheet bearing the same flag design and full printed poem titled Our Country’s Flag. The letter, written from “Camp Wayne, May 6th, West Chester,” vividly reflects the early days of the Civil War and the youthful enthusiasm of Union soldiers and officers. The sender writes his father requesting funds for a recently purchased revolver, knife belt, and other accoutrements totaling $12.50—adding that he had to borrow $10.00 and asks for $2.00 more, to be sent by express.

This matched cover and lettersheet form a moving and beautifully preserved artifact of early wartime correspondence, showing both patriotic sentiment and practical concern in the opening weeks of the conflict, fine-v.f.

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(26) 1857-61 3¢ dull red Washington Type III stamps arranged as a horizontal strip of three and a horizontal pair, used by red grid cancels on cover from New York to Paris. Red "New York Am. Pkt. Aug 17" (1861) exchange office cds and red boxed "P.D." handstamp at center. Blue French transit datestamp, “Et Unis Serv. Br. A. C. 29 Aout 61,” indicating entry to France via British packet on August 29. Striking red, white and blue patriotic design of 34-star U.S. flag label at upper left. 

Though the PF declined opinion on whether the flag label originated on the cover, we believe it did originate on the cover at the time it was sent given the timing and national sentiment. Kansas had just joined the Union on January 29, 1861, and the updated 34-star flag officially came into effect on July 4, 1861—just weeks before this letter was sent. In this context, a patriotic label celebrating the new configuration of the Union flag would have been freshly relevant and widely embraced, particularly during the early months of the Civil War when expressions of national unity were both timely and symbolic. The alignment of dates strongly supports the contemporaneous use of this label.

This 15¢ franking prepaid the standard U.S.–France single treaty rate under the 1857 Postal Convention. The letter was carried on the Fulton, a Havre Line steamer that departed New York on August 17, 1861, and arrived at Havre on August 29. The presence of a patriotic envelope—featuring the 34-star flag in use from 1861 to 1863—adds an emotionally resonant backdrop to a transatlantic letter sent during the early months of the Civil War. A very fine and visually striking U.S.–France treaty-rate cover combined with a patriotic flag label.

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Group of four Union patriotic covers, each bearing a (26) 1857–61 3¢ Issue stamp showcasing vivid Union-themed designs mailed during the early months of the Civil War including Washington, DC to Irvington, NJ popular “Loyal States” patriotic series cover, Providence, RI to Washington, DC – 13 June 1861, addressed to a soldier in the Rhode Island Regiment shortly after the April 1861 call for troops, with bold red and blue eagle and flag design inscribed “Stand by Forever”, Osage, IA to Salisbury, CT sent 13 June 1861, with dramatic “Liberty and Union!” design showing clasped hands beneath the Constitution and U.S. flag, and Pottsville, PA to Bloomsburg, PA sent on 15 July 1861, with cannon and flag design and the resolute motto “Death to Traitors.” Few cover edgewear faults, though overall a fine and interesting group of Civil War patriotic covers, each representing the intense symbolism and pride that accompanied the Union war effort.

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