The Brandon Collection, Part 1: Postmasters' Provisionals continued...

EXTREMELY FINE. THE EARLIEST DATED EXAMPLE OF A GOLIAD TYPE II PROVISIONAL AND ONE OF THE FINEST OF THE FOUR 10-CENT TYPE II GOLIAD COVERS AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS.

The Confederate postmaster of Goliad was John (Jno.) A. Clarke, whose name was signed by hand on stamps of the first provisional issue and set in type as part of the setting for the second issue. Clarke also served as Secretary to the Board of Trustees of the Paine Female Institute, which later became Goliad College. Clarke signed an oath of allegiance after the war on January 9, 1866 (an image of the document is available at www.fold3.com).

August Dietz reported that the Goliad provisional stamps and the similar stamps of Helena, Texas, were printed at the offices of the Goliad Messenger. The editor of this newspaper was Reverend Alexander F. Cox (his middle initial was incorrectly stated as "M." by Dietz). The publisher was R. W. Peirce. The November 12, 1864, edition of the Goliad Messenger is available on-line at http://texashistory.unt.edu . Reverend Cox died on April 5, 1897, and his obituary appeared in the Weekly Picayune (April 9, 1897).

The Goliad provisionals were printed from typeset forms in denominations of 5c and 10c. The Type I setting, without Clarke's name, was used to print stamps issued prior to the Type II setting, probably in 1861 and 1862. The Type II setting was probably made in 1863.

Of the eight normal Goliad 10c Type II (29X7) stamps in our records, five are used on covers, including an uncancelled stamp on a cover in the Tapling collection at the British Library, which leaves four covers available to collectors. Only three of the four covers have stamps tied by the town datestamp or "Paid" straightline. In addition to the normal 10c Type II, there are two other covers with the Type II "GOILAD" spelling error. This cover with its original October 21, 1863, letter is the earliest recorded date for any Goliad Type II provisional. The Type I provisionals (without the postmaster's name) were probably issued in 1861 or 1862. The Type II setting with "J. A. Clarke" and "Post Master" added to each typeset stamp was probably put to press in 1863.

Ex Hessel, Haas, Hill, and D.K. collection. With 1998 P.F. certificate.

History of the Goliad provisionals: http://siegelauctions.com/enc/pdf/GoliadTX.pdf

Census of Goliad provisionals: http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/29X1-29X9/29X1-29X9.pdf (Image)

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THE UNIQUE GOLIAD 5-CENT PROVISIONAL ON DARK BLUE PAPER -- ONE OF FIVE RECORDED 5-CENT TYPE II GOLIAD PROVISIONALS AND THE ONLY EXAMPLE KNOWN ON COVER. A GREAT RARITY OF CONFEDERATE AND UNITED STATES PHILATELY.

The Goliad provisional stamps were printed by Rev. A. M. Cox and issued by the postmaster, J. A. Clarke, whose name is included in the Type II stamps. It is our theory that the Type I stamps with the postmaster's signature control mark were issued in 1861-62, and the Type II stamps were issued in 1863 or 1864. The 5c Type II stamps were unnecessary after June 30, 1862, because the rate was increased to 10c. However, they were printed and used, as evidenced by surviving cancelled stamps on Gray paper and by this cover.

Our records contain four examples of 29X6 (5c Black on Gray) and this single example of 29X8 (5c Black on Dark Blue). The 29X6 stamps are: 1-2) pair with one stamp showing the "GOILAD" error, ex Caspary; 3) pen cancel, 1998 Rarities sale; and 4) pen cancel, small repair at bottom left, ex Hessel, offered in lot 249. No 5c Type II Gray Paper stamps are known on cover.

The only recorded examples of Goliad 5c and 10c provisionals on Dark Blue paper are as follows:

1) Repaired 5c on a cover from which another stamp was removed, ex Ferrary, Hind, Dr. Graves, Weill, Gross, the example offered here. The stamp removed from the cover has never been recorded and is probably destroyed

2) 10c on piece with Feb. 15 datestamp, discovered by Albert Steves in 1930 (Crown book, page 117), but never offered at auction until our 2012 D.K. collection sale

3) Off-cover 10c stamp cancelled by pen "X", ex Worthington, Hind and Lilly, offered in lot 252

4) Off-cover 10c stamp cancelled by pen "X", last seen in a photograph taken by Steves before 1911.

Ex Ferrary, Hind, Dr. Graves, Weill and Gross.

History of the Goliad provisionals: http://siegelauctions.com/enc/pdf/GoliadTX.pdf

Census of Goliad provisionals: http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/29X1-29X9/29X1-29X9.pdf (Image)

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FINE APPEARANCE. ONLY FOUR GOLIAD POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL STAMPS ARE KNOWN PRINTED ON DARK BLUE PAPER -- ONE 5-CENT AND THREE 10-CENT. ONE OF THE RAREST STAMPS ISSUED BY A SOUTHERN POSTMASTER.

The use of Dark Blue surface-coated paper probably occurred after the printing on Gray paper. The 10c stamp on piece (ex D.K., Siegel Sale 1022, lot 1027) and the 5c cover offered in lot 251 have February postmark dates, which we believe are 1865 year dates.

The only recorded examples of Goliad 5c and 10c provisionals on Dark Blue paper are as follows:

1) Repaired 5c on a cover from which another stamp was removed, ex Ferrary, Hind, Dr. Graves, Weill, Gross, offered in lot 251

2) 10c on piece with Feb. 15 datestamp, discovered by Albert Steves in 1930 (Crown book, page 117), but never offered at auction until our 2012 D.K. collection sale

3) Off-cover 10c stamp cancelled by pen "X", ex Worthington, Hind and Lilly, the example offered here

4) Off-cover 10c stamp cancelled by pen "X", last seen in a photograph taken by Steves before 1911.

Ex Worthington, Hind and Lilly. With 1960 and 2006 P.F. certificates.

History of the Goliad provisionals: http://siegelauctions.com/enc/pdf/GoliadTX.pdf

Census of Goliad provisionals: http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/29X1-29X9/29X1-29X9.pdf (Image)

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