Session Three (lots 360-563): Thursday, October 29, 2020, at 1:30pm continued...

10¢ Black (2), Positions 21-23R, horizontal strip of three with large left sheet margin, huge top and right margins on all stamps, full at bottom left to barely in along bottom right, fine impression on deeply blued paper, each stamp cancelled by red grid, matching "PANAMA" straightline handstamp clearly struck on folded letter datelined "Panama, Sept. 14th, 1850" from a California Gold Rush Forty-Niner to his wife and family in Lockport, Illinois, routed via New York City where the "STEAM/SHIP" two-line handstamp was boldly struck

Very Fine--the earliest 1847 Issue cover from Panama with a 10¢ strip of three and perfect strike of the red "PANAMA" straightline.

USPCS census no. 10217.

Ex Colonel James T. DeVoss, Duane B. Garrett, Dr. Leonard Kapiloff, Guido Craveri ("Como") and Joseph Hackmey.

With 1979 P.F. certificate.

HISTORY AND COMMENTARY

The 1847 Issue in Panama: Amos B. Corwine served as the U.S. commissioner in Panama. His responsibilities included arranging for mail to be carried across the Isthmus and to receive mail for transport on the Pacific Mail Steam Ship Co. line. Official records of 1847 stamps distributed to post offices indicate that 25 sheets of 10¢ 1847s (2,500 stamps) were sent to Corwine on 6/22/1850 (received 7/16). Another 25 sheets (2,500 stamps) were sent on 1/17/1851 (received 3/21). The basic rate was 30¢ per half-ounce, so 10¢ was the required denomination. The USPCS census lists ten 1847 covers originating in Panama.

PANAMA” Straightline -- This cover is the earliest of the ten recorded 1847 covers with stamps used in Panama. The strip comes from the first supply received. The red grid cancels and matching PANAMA” straightline were applied by Corwine in Panama. The 7-page letter contains references to cholera, the rising price of passage across the isthmus, the writer’s friendship with The U.S. Mail agent Mr. Whitney” (William Whitney, appointed 8/22/1850, resigned 4/26/1852), disgust over Sabbath Day sins (drinking, cock fights, bull fights) and mention of a doctor’s wife committing adultery with the ship captain, as well as heartfelt homesickness, pledges of fidelity and pleas to his children to behave. (Image)

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10¢ Black (2), Positions 77-79R, horizontal strip of three, mostly large margins, clear to touching at upper right, red grid cancels, matching "Pan. & San Fran. S.S. Dec. 4" (1851) route agent's circular datestamp on blue folded cover originating in Lima, Peru, and addressed to Tepic, Mexico, Barron Forbes & Co. correspondence, clearly struck "E. & T. Serruys & Ca. Panama" double-line oval forwarder's handstamp, this cover and its companion (same addressee and December 4 datestamp) were sent from Peru in November 1851, making this a post-demonetization use of the 1847 Issue

Very Fine overall appearance; right stamp small closed tear at right, strip lifted and reaffixed in its original position, cover with internal archival silking and small faults.

A very rare and noteworthy 1847 Issue cover, showing use of the 10¢ in Panama after the issue was demonetized on the mainland.

USPCS census no. 14302. Illustrated in Creighton C. Hart, "1847 Covers from Panama," Chronicle 58; Jesse L. Coburn, Letters of Gold, p. 97; Theron Wierenga, The Gold Rush Mail Agents in California and Their Postal Markings 1849-1852, pp. 101-107.

Ex Rep. Ernest R. Ackerman, J. Waldo Sampson, Charles A. Shierson, Creighton C. Hart and John R. Boker, Jr.

With 2013 P.F. certificate.

HISTORY AND COMMENTARY

The 1847 Issue in Panama: Amos B. Corwine served as the U.S. commissioner in Panama. His responsibilities included arranging for mail to be carried across the Isthmus and to receive mail for transport on the Pacific Mail Steam Ship Co. line. Official records of 1847 stamps distributed to post offices indicate that 25 sheets of 10¢ 1847s (2,500 stamps) were sent to Corwine on 6/22/1850 (received 7/16). Another 25 sheets (2,500 stamps) were sent on 1/17/1851 (received 3/21). The basic rate was 30¢ per half-ounce, so 10¢ was the required denomination. The USPCS census lists ten 1847 covers originating in Panama.

Pan. & San Fran. S.S.” Route Agent’s Datestamp: The Pan. & San Fran. S.S.” circular datestamp was used between November 1850 and June 1852 on mail handled by route agents aboard PMSS Co. ships. The Wierenga census records 25 examples of this rare marking, two of which have 1847 stamps. The two 1847 covers originated in Peru (one in Lima, the other in Paita) and are addressed to Barron, Forbes & Co. in Tepic, Mexico. The other is dated November 11, 1851, at Paita. They were both datestamped on December 4, 1851. Since the two covers traveled together, the following explanation applies to both. This cover was sent from Lima in early November 1851, and carried outside the mails or inside another cover to the care of E. & T. Serruys Co., the Panama forwarding agents. It was stamped there with the 10¢ strip obtained from Corwine--it did not matter that the stamps were no longer valid on the mainland. The mail was given to Gouverneur A. Ferris, the route agent on board the PMSS Co. California, which departed Panama on November 13. On its northbound run, the California evidently did not off-load the mail to Mexico at the ports of Acapulco, San Blas or Mazatlan, but carried it all the way to San Francisco, where the California arrived on December 2, carrying 179 bags of mail. The 1847 covers to Mexico were postmarked by Ferris on December 4, one day before he departed on the PMSS Co. Golden Gate. On the southbound trip, the two covers were off-loaded at San Blas and then carried to Tepic. (Image)

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10¢ Black (2), Positions 31-33R, horizontal strip of three, left stamp Type B double transfer, three large to huge margins including left sheet margin, right two stamps ample margins at bottom, left stamp just touched to just in at bottom, cancelled by light strikes of red grid on folded cover from Panama to G. W. P. Bissell in San Blas, Mexico, docketed at right "1850 Panama Nov. 21--Perry Gmo and Bissell acknowledging receipt of silver last reunited in the steamer to Panama"

Very Fine despite some minor wrinkles and creases in strip--an outstanding example of the 1847 Issue used entirely outside the United States, from Panama to Mexico.

This cover originated in Panama and was stamped by the U.S. mail agent and consul, Amos B. Corwine, before it was carried on a Pacific Mail Steamship Co. steamer on the coastal route to San Francisco. Among the stops made on this route was the Mexican port city of San Blas.

Official records of 1847 stamp distribution indicate that 25 sheets of the 10¢ (2,500 stamps) were sent on June 22, 1850, to Corwine in Panama, and received on July 16. Another 25 sheets were sent on January 17, 1851, and received March 21. The stamps on this cover come from the first supply.

The USPCS 1847 census lists ten covers originating in Panama. This is one of three addressed to a destination outside of the United States, including one to Mazatlan and two to San Blas/Tepic. It is written on paper watermarked "J WHATMAN / 1850".

USPCS census no. 10219. Illustrated in Creighton C. Hart, "1847 Covers from Panama," Chronicle 58. Ex Judge Robert S. Emerson, Karl Burroughs, Capt. Barrett G. Hindes, Duane B. Garrett, Ryohei Ishikawa and Joseph Hackmey. Signed by Stanley B. Ashbrook. (Image)

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