The Dr. William A. Litle Collection of United States Encased Postage continued...

EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST ONE-CENT STEINFELD FRENCH COGNAC BITTERS ENCASED POSTAGE STAMPS AMONG AN ESTIMATED POPULATION OF ELEVEN TO FIFTEEN.

Simon Steinfeld was a New York City merchant who started advertising himself as the "sole importer and agent" for French Cognac Bitters in 1855. At this point Steinfeld converted his 70 Nassau Street candy and confections store into a saloon. When coins became scarce in 1862, Steinfeld ordered encased postage stamps to make change for his customers. His encasements have a lengthy pitch for French Cognac Bitters: "An unfailing remedy for diseases of the liver and digestive organs." Steinfeld also used Civil War tokens and postage envelopes, and he apparently preferred them since his encasements are extremely rare.

The Ford sale offered a remarkable three specimens of the 1c Steinfeld and noted "rare, with only about 10 to 15 known, and because the 1 Cent is the only issue most collectors can ever hope to buy, is usually quite expensive." Each of three Ford specimens realized $3,250 hammer.

Ex Summit. (Image)

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VERY FINE. THIS EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT STEINFELD FRENCH COGNAC BITTERS ENCASEMENT MAY WELL BE UNIQUE.

Simon Steinfeld was a New York City merchant who started advertising himself as the "sole importer and agent" for French Cognac Bitters in 1855. At this point Steinfeld converted his 70 Nassau Street candy and confections store into a saloon. When coins became scarce in 1862, Steinfeld ordered encased postage stamps to make change for his customers. His encasements have a lengthy pitch for French Cognac Bitters: "An unfailing remedy for diseases of the liver and digestive organs." Steinfeld also used Civil War tokens and postage envelopes, and he apparently preferred them since his encasements are extremely rare.

The Reed book assigns this a rarity of R-9 (two to four known) but with a question mark. Reed also records only five transactions of this rarity between 1891 and 1994. The Ford sale catalogue (Stack's 6/23/2004, lot 610) comments "we have no records of another 10 Cents piece and have thought it was unique since 1989." The Hodder-Bowers book also describes the 10c as unique.

Ex Ford and Mayer (Image)

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