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United States and Confederate States Postal History continued...

Carrier Departments cont: Philadelphia thru St. Louis
Lot Sym. Lot Description  
1683 c ImageNorthern Liberties News Rooms, Sub Post Office. Type I circular mark impressed at left on Jan. 30, 1836 folded letter to Turbitville Pa., sender's directive "The Postmaster will forward this letter as soon as it comes to hand", faint red "Phila. 31 Jan." in octagonal frame, red ms. "12-1/2" rate, splits and wear along file fold and folds at sides are reinforced

VERY FINE. ONE OF 12-14 RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE NORTHERN LIBERTIES NEWS ROOMS MARKING, WHICH WAS APPLIED TO MAIL HANDLED BY THE SUB POST OFFICE OPERATED BY ANDREW McMAKIN.

Prior to 1854, the Northern Liberties area (north of Vine Street) was outside Philadelphia's city limits. Carriers were used to transport mail between outlying areas and the main post office in Philadelphia. The term Sub Post Office refers to a location where letters could be deposited for delivery to the main post office. The Northern Liberties News Rooms, which advertised its services as early as 1833, established a Sub Post Office in 1835. The proprietor at this time was Andrew McMakin. A news item appearing in the October 10, 1835, edition of the Philadelphia Saturday Courier states: "The enterprising, attentive and indefatigable proprietor of that popular establishment, the Northern Liberties Free Admission News Room, has found the business of his Sub Post Office so much on the increase, as to induce him to prepare a new and appropriate stamp, which we perceive is now imprinted upon all letters deposited at his office." (from research by Elliott Perry and J. William Middendorf). Later advertisements link the Sub Post Office in Northern Liberties with the main Philadelphia post office, which reinforces its status as an authorized drop point for mail. The sender's directive on the letter offered here recognizes the fact that the letter would be conveyed from the Sub Post Office to the main post office.

Debate among postal historians (Perry, Hahn et al) has focused on when the distinctive marking (Type I or II) was applied to letters. Some have argued that it is a press-printed impression applied to lettersheets prior to use and is, therefore, a carrier stamp. In support of the press-printed argument is the consistent orientation of the marking at the left side and at the same degree relative to the paper upon which it is impressed; it would be impossible to apply a hand-held striking device so consistently. Arguing against this press-printed theory are those who cite the effects of folds on the markings and impressions thru the paper, physical evidence that proves the marking was applied after the lettersheet had been folded. Our opinion is that the markings were applied after the letter was folded and given to the Sub Post Office, but that a mechanical device -- similar to a corporate seal -- was used to make the impression. Each letter, when inserted into the device along the guides, would receive the impression in the same relative position and orientation, not unlike a three-hole paper-punch device commonly used today. On the example offered here, the impression appears above the sender's note, but it does cover one word, showing that a) the sender did not write around an existing mark, and b) the person applying the mark was careful not to obscure the directions, except for the first word "The".

In summary, historical evidence supports the status of the Northern Liberties News Rooms Sub Post Office as an official carrier drop point for mail to the main Philadelphia post office. As such, we have positioned the Northern Liberties covers in the Philadelphia carrier section. However, physical evidence refutes the claim that these lettersheets were sold to patrons as stamped stationery to indicate prepayment of the carrier fee; the marking is better classified as an elaborate and mechanically-applied indication of letter handling.

Calvet M. Hahn records between 12 and 14 examples of Type I (some duplication of items is possible). Ex Hollowbush, Golden and D.K. Collection. With 2000 P.F. certificate (Image)

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 E. $ 7,500-10,000

SOLD for $10,000.00
Will close during Public Auction
1684 c Image1c Blue, Ty. IV, 3c Dull Red, Ty. II (9, 11A). 1c huge margins incl. portion of adjoining stamp above, 3c large margins to slightly in, 1c cancelled by grid (a carrier marking), both stamps tied by "Philadelphia Pa. Jun. 4" (1856) circular datestamp on cover to New York City street address, waterstain around stamps indicates possible removal and replacement, small wax seal stain at center, otherwise Very Fine, rare use of the 1c 1851 stamp to pay carrier fee in Philadelphia after supply of the Eagle stamp was exhausted in 1856, with 2003 P.F. certificate (Image)

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 E. $ 300-400

SOLD for $250.00
Will close during Public Auction
1685 c Image1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Ample margins to slightly in at top, tied by "U.S.P.O. Despatch/Pre-Paid/OneCent" double-oval handstamp on buff cover to Philadelphia post office box number, stamp evidently precancelled with grid, the grid is firmly struck and stops at the bottom edge of the stamp, indicating it was applied before the stamp was affixed, Very Fine, this is another piece of evidence supporting our theory that the Philadelphia carrier department began using 1c 1851 stamps for carrier fees when supplies of the Eagle Carrier ran out in 1856 (see article on Carriers in The 1851 Issue of United States Stamps: a Sesquicentennial Retrospective, U.S. Philatelic Classics Society); in this case the 1c stamp was obviously precancelled by the carrier department before it was applied, which suggests that at one point the carrier department distributed 1c stamps for prepayment of carrier fees and precancelled them to prevent the stamps from being used for regular postage, to prevent accounting problems for the post office and carrier department, each of which kept its own books -- a fascinating artifact of the period, ex Kuphal (Image)

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 E. $ 750-1,000

SOLD for $700.00
Will close during Public Auction
1686 c ImageU.S.P.O., Philadelphia Pa., 1c Black on Rose, "L P" (7LB1). Large margins at bottom and right, uncancelled, used on Aug. 15, 1850 blue folded letter to Winchester Va., faint blue circular datestamp and framed "Paid", notation at upper right "postage 5 / carrier 1 / 6 cents", fresh and Very Fine, rare (12-15 covers reported by Lyons), ex Hessel, Golden and Kuphal (Image)

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 E. $ 500-750

SOLD for $300.00
Will close during Public Auction
1687 c ImageU.S.P.O., Philadelphia Pa., 1c Black on Rose, "S" (7LB2). Two full margins at right and bottom, uncancelled, used on brown cover to College of St. James Md., blue "Philada. Pa. Jun. 16/5" integral-rate circular datestamp, ms. "1849" year date

VERY FINE. ONE OF THREE RECORDED COVERS WITH THE PHILADELPHIA "S" CARRIER STAMP. AN IMPORTANT CARRIER RARITY.

The initial "S" is believed to designate carrier G. B. Schock. Our records of 7LB2 covers include one used June 6 (1849) with a 5c 1847 (Dr. Morris collection), the cover offered here (June 16, 1849) and another to the same addressee, dated June 29, 1849 (Gronowski collection). In addition to the three known covers, there is at least one (probably two or three) off-cover stamps.

Ex Worthington (cost code on back), Caspary, Middendorf, Golden and D.K. Collection. With 2000 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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 E. $ 1,500-2,000

SOLD for $1,800.00
Will close during Public Auction
1688 c ImageU.S.P.O., Philadelphia Pa., 1c Black on Rose, "H" (7LB3). Top left corner sheet margins, framelines complete, tied by blue "Philada. Pa. Aug. 10/5" integral-rate circular datestamp on lady's small cover to New York City street address, scalloped flaps, with original 1849 letter enclosed, stamp and cover have minor stains (could easily be cleaned), Extremely Fine, only three of the seventeen reported covers have the "H" stamp tied, the "H" possibly represents carrier Philip Henty, ex Ackerman and Hall, with 2001 P.F. certificate (Image)

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 E. $ 750-1,000

SOLD for $750.00
Will close during Public Auction
1689 c ImageU.S.P.O., Philadelphia Pa., 1c Black on Rose, "L S" (7LB4). Huge margins at bottom and left, touched at top and just shaved along right frameline, uncancelled, blue "Philada. Pa. 5 May 26" integral-rate circular datestamp on blue May 25, 1849 folded letter to Smithport Pa., sender's routing "Via Harrisburg & Bellefonte" (railroad), file fold clear of stamp, Extremely Fine, this May 26 postmark on a clearly-dated 1849 letter is an appropriate date of use of the "LS" stamp, 12-15 7LB4 covers are reported in Lyons census (The Penny Post, July 2006), ex Caspary and Geisler (Image)

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 E. $ 750-1,000

SOLD for $750.00
Will close during Public Auction
1690 c ImageU.S.P.O., Philadelphia Pa., 1c Black on Yellow Glazed (7LB9). Large margins to in, uncancelled as usual, used on buff ca. 1849 cover to West River Md., blue "Philada. Pa. 5 cts. Jun. 9" integral-rate circular datestamp, slight waterstaining, stamp lifted and placed back, slightly reduced on three sides and with hinges reinforcing reattached flap, otherwise Fine and rare with only 18 reported examples on cover, ex Caspary and Kuphal, with 2009 P.F. certificate (Image)

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 E. $ 750-1,000

SOLD for $800.00
Will close during Public Auction
1691 c ImageU.S.P.O., Philadelphia Pa., 1c Gold on Black Glazed (7LB11). Full margins, usual faint wrinkles, tied by two strikes of blue "Philada. Pa. 10 May 5" integral-rate circular datestamp on small neat cover to Cincinnati, Extremely Fine, one of the rarest tied uses among the carrier issues, ex Seybold, Knapp and Meyersburg, with 1997 P.F. certificate (Image)

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 E. $ 400-500

SOLD for $425.00
Will close during Public Auction
1692 c ImageU.S.P.O., Philadelphia Pa., 1c Blue (7LB12). Large margins, rich color, cancelled by well-struck red Star, second strike at left, on blue cover to Princeton N.J., used with 3c Orange Brown, Ty. II (10A), large margins to just in, tied by blue "Philadelphia Pa. Oct. 21" circular datestamp, docketing on back with 1851 yeardate, Extremely Fine, a gorgeous cover, ex Maffeo, with 1989 P.F. certificate (Image)

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 E. $ 1,000-1,500

SOLD for $1,100.00
Will close during Public Auction
1693 c ImageU.S.P.O., Philadelphia Pa., 1c Blue (7LB12). Ample to huge margins with trace of adjoining stamp at right, faint pre-use crease, tied by red star cancel on Dec. 1852 blue folded letter to local street address, couple file folds clear of stamp, Very Fine, ex Meyersburg, with 1997 P.F. certificate (Image)

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 E. $ 300-400

SOLD for $350.00
Will close during Public Auction

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