 This is one of the finest of the eight recorded covers with
the distinctive Millbury postmaster’s provisional stamp--the cartoon-like woodcut portrait of George Washington was undoubtedly inspired by the engraved provisional stamp issued earlier by the New York City postmasterDESCRIPTION
Millbury, Massachusetts, 5¢ Black on Bluish (7X1), large margins to ample at bottom, sharp impression, tied by red PAID” handstamp, matching Milbury Ms. Jan. 12” (1847) circular datestamp and 5” sans-serif numeral in circle handstamp (the
latest of four different numeral handstamps used on Millbury provisional covers) on light brown envelope to Mr. William E. Hoit, Care Loder & Co., 83 Cedar St., New York” PROVENANCE All sales private until 2012 Frelinghuysen
auction * Frank J. Dutcher * Henry G. Lapham (and his son, Raymond) * Warren H. Colson * Sen. Peter H. B. Frelinghuysen (bought privately from Colson), Siegel Auction Galleries, 3/28/2012, Sale 1020, lot 15, to William H. Gross
CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES * USPCS census no. 20240 * https://www.uspcs.org/resource-center/censuses/postmasters-provisionals-cover-census/ * Siegel census no. 7X1-COV-19 * https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/7X1 * New York International Philatelic Exhibition 1926 (Lapham) * World Stamp Show 2016 Court of Honor (Gross) CERTIFICATION * The Philatelic Foundation (2011)
CONDITION NOTES *Extremely Fine--a superb stamp on fresh cover--opening tear in backflap barely shows at top edge * Small W.H.C.” handstamp at lower right (Warren H. Colson) VIEW PDF OF HISTORY AND COMMENTARY at https://siegelauctions.com/2018/1188/6.pdf (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com |
