United States Stamps continued...

(15) 1851-57 10¢ green Washington Type III, B Relief used with partial black town cds, nice margins all around, very fine.

With 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $145.

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(16) 1851-57 10¢ green Washington Type IV, position 64L1, A & B Reliefs recut at top and bottom, used with small doodle manuscript pen cancel around Washington's portrait, nice margins at top and left including portion of adjoining stamp, tiny thin at right, fine example of this hard to find twice recut Type IV stamp.

With 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $2,250.

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(15) 1851-57 10¢ green Washington Type III tied by black "Cleveland O. May 17 (1856)" cds on folded cover to Durango, Mexico. The U.S. had no postal agreement with Mexico at this time. Mail from the U.S. could be prepaid only to the border resulting in the "4" reales due handstamp. 

Cat value $190 (for a Sc. 15 on domestic cover).

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(16) 1851-57 10¢ green Washington Type IV, position 64L1, with recut outer lines at top and bottom, showing four large margins and used by manuscript cancel on an 1856 cover from Little Falls, Maine to Miss. Dunn in Chipman, Queens County, New Brunswick, British North America. Stamp with light creasing at top right and a small corner flaw at lower right, cover has some wear at edges and reverse. A nice example of position 64L1 used on covering paying the cross-border rate to New Brunswick.

Cat. value $2,250 for a used 64L1 off-cover.

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(17) 1851-57 12¢ black Washington, positions 91-92R1, horizontal sheet margin pair with margins all around to just in at bottom tied by nicely struck contrasting red grid cancels on 1856 cover from New York to London, England, matching red "New York 3 Dec 13" credit cds at bottom right of cover. Additional manuscript delivery instructions at top left and "Steamer Arago" indicating intended ship for Atlantic transit at bottom left, red December 26, 1856 arrival datestamp at center.

The large red "3" in the datestamp indicates 3¢ credit due from the U.S. to the U.K. for domestic postage within the U.K. The U.S. kept the remaining 21¢ with 16¢ paying for the packet carrying the cover across the ocean and 5¢ for the domestic postage delivering the cover to the ship in New York. 

The cover has a vertical file fold at left not affecting the stamps or the overall appearance in any way. An intriguing use of of a sheet margin pair of the 1851-57 12¢ Washington on cover to an addressee with a fascinating life and family.

With 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $750.

Background on addressee: The cover is addressed to Henry Stevens Esq at Morleys Hotel or 49 Camden Square in London, England. Almost certainly, the recipient is Henry Stevens, the American bibliographer and rare-bookseller who moved to London in the 1840s. According to the Antiquarian Booksellers Association (ABA) - "Henry Stevens arrived in London in the mid 1840s and rather set the book world ablaze, virtually inventing Americana as a bookselling category, helping to build some of the world’s greatest libraries – finding material for John Carter Brown Library, James Lenox, Pierpont Morgan, Henry Huntington, William Folger – and founding a business which passed on standards of bibliography, expertise in the rarest of books, and scrupulous collation to his son, Henry Newton Stevens , grandson, Henry Stevens, and great-grandson Henry Robert Peter Stevens." The addressees father, Henry Stevens Sr. established the Vermont Historical Society in 1838 at his home in Barnet, VT. The addressee's son, Henry Newton Stevens, born in London in 1855 would go on to become the first president of the ABA. 

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(17a) 1851-57 12¢ black Washington diagonal bisect tied by "San Francisco, Cal Aug 1 (1853)" cds on folded letter to Peapack, New Jersey. This letter departed San Francisco on August 1st aboard the Pacific Mail Steamship Company Northerner and arrived in Panama City on August 17th. The letter continued its journey from Aspinwall (modern day Colón) on August 19th aboard the US Mail Steam Ship Company Georgia and arrived into New York on August 29th.

The San Francisco Post Office ran out of 3¢ stamps in May 1853, so it accepted bisects of 12¢ stamps to pay the 6¢ rate. The bisects were accepted as payment in eastern post offices until 16 September 1853 when the Post Office Department declared bisects were no longer acceptable. It took about a month for San Francisco to get the word and stop their use.

The writer of this folded letter, Aaron Van Doren, described California as "I am very well pleased with this country; most of it is very beautiful, and very rich, and the climate is delightful. I have seen very little of the mines and have not dug myself a cent." For his next visit home, Van Doren hoped to avoid the journey across Panama "as several of us have a scheme of going home across the Pacific in one of the clippers, and by the way of Europe."

The cover has a central filing fold and light soiling, still a fine 12¢ bisect used on folded letter with fascinating details into early 1850s life in California.

With 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $2,500.

Full transcript below:

Dear Lewis,

I should like to hope that it will give you a part of the pleasure in receiving my letter that I would have in getting one from you; at least I write to give it the chance. I wish that you will find enough to write in return and let me know how you are getting on, and how Uncle William and the rest of my kind relations in New Jersey are doing.

I shall always look back to the long visit I spent at Uncle William's as one of the pleasantest of my life. I hope to be in New York again before a great many months, as several of us have a scheme of going home across the Pacific in one of the clippers, and by the way of Europe. I may have the pleasure of seeing all of you again before a year has passed, and it would certainly be very pleasant to know, after so long a voyage, that there is some one at the first port of our native country to welcome me home.

It is not probable that you will leave home permanently, as long as your father lived, so I may expect to find you in or near New York when I arrive. I suppose Cousin Ann has gone to live with her husband, although I do not see how Uncle could spare her, and Miss Jane is also married upon this, I suppose (I hope not). But you will write me to let me know all the news.

I do not conjecture any farther about it.

I have been in California since last September. I have been principally engaged in surveying either under contract with the Government or marking out Spanish Grants or Ranches, as they are called. I have made this place my headquarters, but I have visited various parts of the valley.

Soon after landing here last fall, I got the surveying of a very large Grant, 15 miles long and seven wide, about thirty miles north of Benicia, for which I received two thousand dollars. That set me on my legs, and I have done pretty well since. I have not saved a great deal of money because I am too extravagant to do that anywhere, but I have made a great deal.

I am very well pleased with this country; most of it is very beautiful, and very rich, and the climate is delightful. I have seen very little of the mines and have not dug myself a cent.

I should be very glad to see you out here. Any one with a small capital to commence on and with ordinary prudence can very easily make a fortune here, and I think you would like the country exceedingly. It is a great farming country too, well-watered, and likely to be settled fast. Land is cheap now, but it will not be so a few years hence. The great rail road will be completed in 6 or 8 years, when such an impetus will be given to the wealth of this country that fortunes will descend like rain upon its inhabitants.

I do not wish to direct your course hither, but if you should determine to strike out in the world for yourself, I think you will direct your course hither.

Give my best love and respects to Uncle William and his wife, to Ann and Ferdinand, and to Mr. Barclay and the rest of my kind friends near you. Say to Miss Jane, if she is married before I get back, that I think we took a wild goose on the hill sides near Peapack with Cousin Ann and her intended.

Be very sure to write me about them all and about your prospects and intentions, and ever believe me, your sincere Cousin,

Aaron Van Doren

With 1974 & 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificates, cat. value $2,500.

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(18/19/19b/20/21/22/23/24/24var) Complete set of major Scott-listed used types of the 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin, mounted on two well-annotated exhibit pages. This group includes key perforated examples from Plates 1L, 2, 4, 11, and 12, representing the full range of Scott-recognized design types produced under the 1851–61 Toppan, Carpenter contract. The first page features six types derived from plates initially used for imperforate production and later adapted for perforations: Type Ia (19), position 93L4 with pen cancel, few short perfs, scuffs at top with 2002 PF certificate; Type Ic (19b), position 82R4 with black grid cancel; Type II (20) from Plate 2 with blue datestamp; Type III (21), possibly 76L4, with pen cancel and 2006 PSE certificate (graded F–VF 75); Type IIIa (22) from Plate 4; and Type IV (23), cleanly cancelled.

The second page contains four types produced from plates engraved with perforation use in mind, including Type I (18), position 98L12 with black cds; two Type II stamps (20) from positions 7R11 and 5L12—the latter with sheet margin; and two Type V stamps—one standard (24) and one Type Va (24 var) showing the distinguishing short transfer characteristic, the latter cancelled by both black "PAID" and red strikes.

Overall a very fine appearing group, with typical small faults here and there. A valuable and visually instructive reference set for specialists and a strong addition to any classic U.S. collection focused on the complexities of the 1857-61 1c Franklin Issue.

Cat. value $13,085.

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(18/20/22) 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin Type I/II/IIIa, positions 81-82L/91-92L12, unused with original gum, previously hinged block of four, with top left stamp a Type II (20) believed by Wagshal to be an A Relief, the only one in the interior of the plate, the top right stamp a Type IIIa (22) and the bottom two stamps Type I (18). The Type II has some scissor blunted perforations at left, the Type IIIa with a diagonal crease and the bottom left Type I has a thin and perforations trimmed away at left. Even considering the faults, this remains a fine and particularly rare Type I/II/IIIa combination unused block from Plate 12. 

Ex. Neinken & Wagshal, with color copy of 2011 Philatelic Foundation certificate for block of eight (the block offered here is the left-side block of four), cat value $10,500.

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(20) 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin Type II, position 89R2, showing major double transfer variety, used by partial black cds cancel, tiny tear at top above the "P" in "POSTAGE", otherwise fine-v.f. appearing example of this scare double transfer position.

With 2011 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $1,500.

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(20) 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin Type II, positions 2-3L11, T Reliefs with L3 layout lines from the left pane of Plate 11, left stamp with double transfer, used on manuscript pen cancels, few perf separations but overall very fine. 

Ex. Neinken & Wagshal, census T12, cat. value $1,650 with no premium for double transfer.

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(20) 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin Type II, position 7L11, T Relief with L1 layout line from the left pane of Plate 11, used by partial black 1861-dated town cancel, fine-v.f.

Census T70 with 2003 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $750.

View Robert Boyd's manuscript dedicated to the fascinating stamps and reconstruction challenges of the 1¢ Plate 11 - click here to view.

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(20/22/22) 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin Type II/IIIa/IIIa, positions 3R11-13R11-23R11, T/A/B Reliefs from the right pane of Plate 11, vertical strip of three used by black Pittsburgh CDS cancels, top Type II stamp with some short perfs at left, otherwise a fine and scarce combination strip showing all three reliefs from Plate 11.

Census T65/A138/B181, with 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $2,025 as Type II/IIIa Plate 11 pair plus a Type IIIa Plate 11 single.

View Robert Boyd's manuscript dedicated to the fascinating stamps and reconstruction challenges of the 1¢ Plate 11 - click here to view.

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(20) 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin Type II, position 4R11, T Relief with R2 layout line from the right pane of Plate 11, tied by black grid cancel on cover to Washington, Ohio, small stain at top left of cover, still a fine and scarce example of a Type II from Plate 11 used on cover.

Census T34, cat. value $1,000.

View Robert Boyd's manuscript dedicated to the fascinating stamps and reconstruction challenges of the 1¢ Plate 11 - click here to view.

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(20) Group of five 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin Type II, used T Relief singles from Plate 11, including position 8R11 used by grid cancel (census T28), position 4R11 used by partial cds cancel, ex. Neinken & Wagshal (census T30), position 7L11 used by grid cancel (census T31), position 7L11 used by partial CDS cancel (census T32) and position 2L11 used by partial cds cancel (census T33). A few faults noted but overall a fine and useful group of Plate 11 T Relief stamps.  

Cat. value $3,750. 

View Robert Boyd's manuscript dedicated to the fascinating stamps and reconstruction challenges of the 1¢ Plate 11 - click here to view.

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(20) Group of nine 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin Type II, used T Relief stamps across three horizontal pairs and one strip of three from Plate 11, including positions 9-10R11 with major double transfer in 9R11 used by grid cancels (census T21a-b), positions 3-4L11 used by black cds cancel (census T53a-b), positions 4-5L11, rejoined with hinges on reverse used by pen cancels, and positions 6-7-8L11 reperforated at top used by black grid cancels. A few faults noted but overall a fine and useful group of Plate 11 T Relief multiples.  

Cat. value $7,350+ not counting the premium for a strip of three which is unpriced in Scott. 

View Robert Boyd's manuscript dedicated to the fascinating stamps and reconstruction challenges of the 1¢ Plate 11 - click here to view.

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(20) Group of five 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin Type II, used T Relief singles from Plate 11, including position 1R11 with double transfer used by New York cds (census T23), position 2R11 used by segmented cork cancel, ex. Neinken & Wagshal (census T24), position 2R11 (census T25), position 9R11 used by partial New York cds (census T27) and T Relief used by partial grid cancel (census T29). Range of faults noted but overall a fine and useful group of Plate 11 T Relief stamps.  

Cat. value $3,750 with no premium for double transfer. 

View Robert Boyd's manuscript dedicated to the fascinating stamps and reconstruction challenges of the 1¢ Plate 11 - click here to view.

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(20) Group of four 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin Type II, used T Relief singles from Plate 11, including position 3R11 used by partial cds cancel, 2013 PFC noting tiny perforation repairs at left and bottom (census T67), position 8L11 used by grid cancel (census T85), position 10L11 with guideline at right and small part of stamp at right used by partial cds cancel (census T4), and T Relief single used by grid cancel (census T42). A few faults noted but overall a fine and useful group of Plate 11 T Relief stamps.  

Cat. value $3,000. 

View Robert Boyd's manuscript dedicated to the fascinating stamps and reconstruction challenges of the 1¢ Plate 11 - click here to view.

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(22) 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin Type IIIa, position 85L4, used by a partial black town cds cancel with "Nov 30" date legible, fine-v.f. centering for this notoriously difficult issue.

With 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $500.

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(22) 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin Type IIIa, position 78-80L4, sheet margin horizontal strip of three from Plate 4 used by two strikes of "Washington D.C., Aug 6, 1857" cds, left stamp with light crease and right stamp with pulled perf at top, still a very fine appearing and scarce early used Plate 4 strip.

Ex. Celler, with 2022 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $1,850.

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(22) 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin Type IIIa, B Relief from Plate 11, unused with original gum, never hinged, fine and scarce in this condition.

Census B199, with 2013 Professional Stamp Experts certificate graded “G 30”, cat. value $2,400 for unused o.g.

View Robert Boyd's manuscript dedicated to the fascinating stamps and reconstruction challenges of the 1¢ Plate 11 - click here to view.

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