The Harvey Mirsky Collection of the United States 1847 Issue continued...

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EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL BISECTED USE OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE, TIED ACROSS THE BISECT CUT BY THE BLUE NUMERAL "5" HANDSTAMP OF CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

The fascinating history of the discovery of the Stilphin correspondence is detailed in a six-page article by Susan M. McDonald (Chronicle 115). An elderly lady in Syracuse N.Y., the last of her family, decided to destroy her family's correspondence, which was in several trunks in her attic. When all but one trunkful was destroyed, she stopped to rest and noticed an advertisement to buy old stamps in a magazine. She eventually sold the contents of the trunk to a collector, Wallace MacLaren, who had placed the ad. The correspondence included several stampless and 1851 Issue covers, and also seven 5c 1847 covers and five 10c bisects. She almost destroyed the bisects, fearing the torn stamps were valueless. She later discovered another four bisects, and three others have subsequently been found, for a total of twelve from the Stilphin correspondence. Most were sent to Mary Stilphin by her future husband, Rev. John B. Foote.

Ex Alvin Good and Dr. Graves. 1980 P.F. certificate no. 87064 no longer accompanies. Signed Ashbrook. Accompanied by Chronicle article. Scott Retail $13,000.00 (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE VERTICAL BISECT OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE, USED TO PAY THE 5-CENT UNDER-300 MILES RATE. THIS WAS USED JUST THREE DAYS PRIOR TO DEMONETIZATION OF THE 1847 ISSUE.

Effective July 1, 1851, the basic letter rate was reduced to 3c for domestic letters sent up to 3,000 miles. New stamps were issued to accommodate the new rates, and the old stamps were demonetized and invalid for postage after June 30 of 1851. This letter was sent June 28, 1851, just three days before demonetization.

Ex Seybold, Schenck, Garrett and Boker. 1963 P.F. certificate no. 18391 no longer accompanies. Scott Retail $35,000.00 (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE HORIZONTAL BISECT OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSSUE ON PIECE.

Vertical and diagonal bisects are far more common than horizontal bisects, because the denomination is visible on both parts of the stamp in those configurations, whereas it only appears on the bottom half of a horizontal bisect. This top-half horizontal bisect has no indication of the denomination, and it was used from a small post office. Franklin, Louisiana, received a supply of 400 5c stamps and 100 10c stamps. One 5c cover is known (to France), and this is the only reported use of the 10c from that post office. Franklin is approximately 100 miles from New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

Signed "S.A." (Spencer Anderson). With 2006 P.F. certificate. Listed but unpriced in Scott as a horizontal bisect. Scott Retail as diagonal bisect on cover $13,000.00 and as vertical bisect on cover $35,000.00 (Image)

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