The Peter Sharrer Collection of Confederate Postmasters' Provisionals continued...

VERY FINE. AN ATTRACTIVE COVER FROM THE COBB CORRESPONDENCE. ONLY TWELVE ON-COVER EXAMPLES OF THE UNIONTOWN POSTMASTER’S 5-CENT PROVISIONAL ON GRAY BLUE PAPER ARE RECORDED BY CROWN.

The Cobb correspondence was found by R. S. Nelson of Birmingham, Alabama. According to reports at the time of the discovery, Mrs. Cobb had been ill in a Montgomery hospital, and her husband wrote to her from Uniontown daily, and sometimes twice a day, for some three weeks” (Crown book, page 344).

Ex Caspary, Hart, Telep and Dr. Maffeo. With 1990 P.F. certificate. (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

VERY FINE. ONLY THIRTEEN ON-COVER EXAMPLES OF THE UNIONTOWN POSTMASTER’S 5-CENT PROVISIONAL ON WHITE PAPER ARE RECORDED BY CROWN.

The Cobb correspondence was found by R. S. Nelson of Birmingham, Alabama. According to reports at the time of the discovery, Mrs. Cobb had been ill in a Montgomery hospital, and her husband wrote to her from Uniontown daily, and sometimes twice a day, for some three weeks” (Crown book, page 344).

Ex Carnahan. With 1986 C.S.A. and 1999 P.F. certificates. (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

EXTREMELY FINE STAMP AND AN IMMACULATE COVER. ONLY EIGHT EXAMPLES OF THE UNIONTOWN POSTMASTER’S 10-CENT PROVISIONAL ARE RECORDED, OF WHICH FIVE ARE SOUND STAMPS ON COVER.

Eight examples of the Uniontown 10c Red are recorded by us. These are (in order of plate position):

1) Pos. 1 with stationer’s embossed crest, on cover to Maria L. Kidd, Port Royal Va., ex Kimmel, Haas, Birkinbine, D.K. collection (lot 1121)

2) Pos. 1 on cover to John D. Pitts, near Richmond Va., ex Ferrary, Caspary, Isleham” (Peyton), Hill, the cover offered here

3) Pos. 2 on cover to Col. A. P. Calhoun, Pendleton S.C., ex Dr. Simon, D.K. collection (lot 1120)

4) Pos. 2 on cover to Maria Louisa Kidd, Port Royal Va., ex Brooks, Meroni, Kilbourne and Gross

5) Pos. 2 repaired stamp on repaired cover to Mrs. John B. Carey, ex Weill Stock

6) Pos. 3, corner crease, small tear, on lady’s embossed cover to Mr. Richmond Christian, Richmond Va., ex Hind

7) Pos. 4 on cover to Col. A. P. Calhoun, Pendleton S.C., ex Sweet, Muzzy, Boker

8) Pos. 4 uncancelled on large piece dated Sep. 27 (1861) with part of addressee’s name S. Price”, Virginia destination, ex Caspary

Very few post offices east of the Mississippi River issued and used 10c adhesive (A) or press-printed (E) provisionals. This small group is as follows: Baton Rouge La. (A--three known), Charleston S.C. (E--unique), Danville Va. (E--probably not used), Fincastle Va. (E--unique), Fredericksburg Va. (A--never used), Greenville Ala. (A--two known), Greenwood Depot Va. (A--six known), Knoxville Tenn. (A--unique, and E--rare used), Marion Va. (A--seven known on cover), Nashville Tenn. (A--six known on cover), Tellico Plains Tenn. (A--never used), and Uniontown Ala. (A--eight known, seven on covers). All other 10c provisionals were used in Texas or were issued as handstamped entires.

The addressee, John Davidson Pitts, was a member of the Canebrake Rifle Guards, Co. D., 4th Alabama Infantry. He was killed in action on June 27, 1862, the day of his 19th birthday, while storming the Federal breastworks at Gaines’ Mill in the third of the Seven Days’ Battles. This cover was probably in Private Pitts’ possession when he died. His body was hastily buried under an apple tree in the Watt’s orchard. It was later recovered by his father and removed to Uniontown. John’s father, Phillip Henry Pitts, kept an extensive diary that sadly recorded the retrieval of his boy’s body (source: www.cowanauctions.com ).

Ex Ferrary, Caspary, Isleham” (Peyton) and Hill. Caspary’s note on back reads Cost $3,500 1929”. W.H.C.” Colson and Ferrary trefoil handstamps at lower right (Ferrary sale notation in pencil at left). With 2004 P.F. certificate. (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. BY FAR THE FINEST OF THE FIVE RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE VICTORIA 5-CENT POSTMASTER’S PROVISIONAL.

The five recorded examples of the 5c Victoria provisional are all unused and off cover, as follows:

1) Sound with original gum, top right corner margins, ex Ferrary, Hind, Hall and D.K. collection, the stamp offered here

2) Described as having original gum, top left corner margins, ex Hessel (small faults”)

3) Described as having some original gum”, top right corner margins, vertical crease, ex Caspary, Lilly and Kilbourne

4) Uncancelled, left sheet margin, torn into design at bottom, Albert Steves photo

5) Unused, no gum, bottom right corner margins, light chipping and natural paper bubble, from a recent find, ex Felton (Siegel Sale 1016, lot 645)

No cancelled Victoria 5c stamps or on-cover examples are known. Of the five recorded stamps, the example offered here is by far the finest.

Ex Ferrary (with his purple trefoil handstamp on back), Hind, Hall and D.K. collection. With 2000 P.F. certificate. (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

VERY FINE. ONE OF FOUR RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE VICTORIA 10-CENT TYPE II POSTMASTER’S PROVISIONAL, ALL OF WHICH ARE OFF COVER, INCLUDING TWO UNUSED STAMPS. THIS IS BY FAR THE FINER OF THE TWO USED EXAMPLES, AND IT IS ONE OF TWO SOUND COPIES EXTANT.

We record four examples of the Victoria 10c Type II (bold slanting numerals):

1) Unused, small thin, ex Ferrary, Hind, Brooks, Moody and Kilbourne

2) Unused, sound, Siegel 1968 Rarities sale

3) Used, part of circular datestamp at lower right, ex Sotheby Parke Bernet sale, Apr. 15, 1979, Camina” (Castillejo) and Dr. Maffeo, the stamp offered here

4) Used, part of datestamp with Oct” month, extensively repaired across lower right, ex Caspary

The only other used example of the Victoria 10c Type II provisional is the ex- Caspary stamp, which is heavily repaired. The only other sound stamp is the unused copy listed as number 2 above.

Illustrated in Crown book (page 357). Ex Camina” (Castillejo) and Dr. Maffeo. With 1994 P.F. certificate. Scott Value as unused (unpriced as used) (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com