The William H. Gross Collection: 1847 and 1851-56 Issues continued...

VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE USE OF A PRINTED ILLUSTRATED POST OFFICE MARKING ON A COVER FROM KELLEY'S ISLAND, OHIO, TO SWITZERLAND, WITH A COMBINATION OF 1851 IMPERFORATE AND 1857 PERFORATED ISSUES PAYING THE DOUBLE 21-CENT RATE BY FRENCH MAIL.

Kelley's Island measures more than four square miles and is the largest American island in Lake Erie. Located near Sandusky, the island was first settled by Native Americans. During the War of 1812 the island served as a military rendezvous post. After the war, the Native Americans finally abandoned the island. Several attempts were made to settle it, to take advantage of its natural resources, but none was hugely successful until two brothers, Datus and Irad Kelley, purchased almost half of the island in August 1833. Other purchases followed, and they eventually owned the entire island. The name was changed to Kelley's Island in 1840. Prior to settling the island, Irad was based in Cleveland, where he was a successful merchant, postmaster, sailor and real estate investor. The brothers started a very successful business exporting timber, limestone, fruit and wine from the island.

A postmaster was first appointed to Kelley's Island in 1852. The first postmaster was George Kelley, the eldest of Irad's six sons, who ran a general store. From 1854 to 1868 William S. Webb was postmaster, after George sold him the store.

The use of a printed design for the postmark is very unusual. This marking was the subject of an article in Chronicle 76. The author notes the existence of eight covers with this marking. All others bear single 3c imperforate or perforated stamps. This is the only example with other stamps or that was sent to a foreign destination.

Illustrated in Chronicle 76 (p. 193, copy accompanies). Ex Beals, Giamporcaro and Hackmey. With 1997 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM STRIP. EVERY ELEMENT OF THIS COVER WAS APPLIED WITH CARE 157 YEARS AGO AND PRESERVED IN PRISTINE CONDITION SINCE MAILING. WITHOUT DOUBT ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND FINEST-QUALITY CLASSIC UNITED STATES COVERS EXTANT.

This immaculate cover comes from the Cohn correspondence, from which the cover bearing a 5c 1856, 1c and 12c 1851 pair originated (realized $85,000 in our 1981 Rarities sale).

Ex LeBow and Hackmey. With 2005 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE 10-CENT 1855 MULTIPLE CONTAINING A VERTICAL PAIR OF THE RARE TYPE IV, USED ON A COVER CARRIED BY THE COLLINS LINE--ESSENTIALLY A UNIQUE USE OF THE 10-CENT 1855 ISSUE.

The 42c postage pays the double 21c British Open Mail rate to Germany via American Packet. Vertical strips of the 10c 1855 are quite uncommon, thus the great rarity of a vertical pair from the conjoined Type IV positions.

Illustrated in Graham's "Great Stamps Make Greater Covers" (American Philatelist, Oct. 1977). Ex Caspary, Baker, Grunin, LeBow and Hackmey. With 1987 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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VERY FINE. CLASSIC COVERS FROM THE UNITED STATES TO LUXEMBOURG ARE EXTREMELY RARE. THIS IMPERFORATE FRANKING COULD WELL BE UNIQUE. THE ADDED PHILATELIC ATTRACTION OF A TYPE IV STAMP FROM POSITION 3R1 MAKES THIS A COVER OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE AND RARITY.

The first 10c plate of 200 (left and right panes of 100) was laid down using a three-subject transfer roll with relief types A, B and C. The C Relief was used only for the bottom row (all Type I design). The A Relief (Type II design) was used to enter the entire second row, and the B Relief (Type III design) was used for the third row. This A/B alternating relief pattern was followed consistently for the fourth through ninth rows. The top row was entered with the A Relief, except for three positions: Positions 1 and 2 in the left pane, and Position 3 in the right pane. These misplaced reliefs” are B Reliefs, and Positions 1L and 2L are Type III designs, while Position 3R was recut (Type IV). Position 3R1, one of the three misplaced relief positions on the plate, is also one of eight recut (Type IV) positions and the only recut position on the entire right pane of the plate.

Ex Giamporcaro and Hackmey. With 1999 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE AND DESIRABLE FRANKING PAYING THE 21-CENT BRITISH OPEN MAIL RATE TO BELGIUM BY AMERICAN PACKET.

Ex Giamporcaro and Hackmey. With 1999 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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VERY FINE. A RARE COMBINATION OF THE 10-CENT AND 12-CENT 1851-55 ISSUES ON A COVER FROM ILLINOIS TO BELGIUM, OVERPAYING BY ONE-CENT THE 21-CENT BRITISH OPEN MAIL RATE BY AMERICAN PACKET.

Illustrated in Baker's U.S. Classics on p. 282. Ex Knapp, Baker, Grunin, LeBow and Hackmey. With 2005 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A UNIQUE AND BEAUTIFUL FRANKING COMBINING THE 5-CENT AND 12-CENT 1851-56 ISSUE AND THE 1857 ONE-CENT PERFORATED ISSUE ON A PRUSSIAN CLOSED MAIL COVER TO SWITZERLAND. THIS WAS CARRIED ON THE LAST EASTBOUND VOYAGE OF THE COLLINS LINE.

Our records of the 5c 1856 Issue used to Switzerland contain six covers used with other stamps. All pay the 35c rate via Prussian Closed Mail. The other five are used with strips of three of 10c stamps.

Ex Ferrary, Gibson, Rohloff, Ishikawa and Hackmey. (Image)

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