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THE ONLY RECORDED BLOCK OF THE HALE & COMPANY 5-CENT FIRST ISSUE WITH "13 COURT ST." ADDRESS. A SPECTACULAR MULTIPLE THAT WAS INITIALED BY AMOS BATES, THE HALE AGENT AT NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.
There are three distinct states of the stereotype plate used to print Hale's stamps. In the First State, the "13 Court St." address is included in the design (Scott 75L1 in Blue and 75L2 in Red). The address line was removed from each position on the plate after Hale closed its 13 Court Street office, which gives us the Second State of the plate (Scott 75L5 in Blue only). This occurred sometime in May 1844, and the earliest recorded date of use of a stamp from the modified plate is May 20, 1844. The Third State of the plate resulted from damage to positions in the left and right vertical columns, especially Position 1, which shows a severe dent at upper left.
Unused blocks of Hale's stamps are extremely rare. We record four, all offered in this sale of Dr. Puliafito's collection: 1) 75L1, block of 12 with original gum, ms. "AB" initials (Amos Bates, New Bedford agent), offered here; 2) 75L5, the unique complete sheet, Third State, ex Lilly, Hall, Gordon N. John, offered in lot 109; 3) 75L5, block of fifteen with original gum, Second State Positions 1-3/6-9/11-14/16-19, ex Hall, offered in lot 110; and 4) 75L5, unused block of nine, Third State Positions 1-3/6-8/11-13, ex Schwartz, offered in lot 111.
Until this block emerged from hiding in a 2013 Spink New York auction, not one block of the Hale & Co. First Issue with "13 Court St." address was known. The existence of this block was not even recorded in the published and unpublished references. As recently as 2005, when Michael S. Gutman published his book on Hale & Co., he stated "...no full plate or large multiple of the 75L1 exists..." The only complete sheet of the 5c with address deleted is offered in lot 109, and the few other unused multiples come from the modified plate.
The Hale & Co. agent in New Bedford, Massachusetts, was Amos Bates, whose office was located at 92 Union Street. Bates also ran his own express company under the name Bates & Co. The Hale stamps used from New Bedford are known with the manuscript initials "NB" (New Bedford) and "AB" (Amos Bates). This block of twelve dramatically shows how these initials were applied to each stamp in the sheet before sale. The same use of control initials would be practiced at the New York post office in 1845.
We are unable to provide provenance for this important artifact of the Independent Mail era. Illustrated in Independent Mails book. (Image)
Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com
VERY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING TRIPLE-RATE FRANKING PAID BY A CHOICE STRIP OF THE "13 COURT ST." ISSUE WITH THE "WAIL" PLATE VARIETY.
The Hale & Co. stamps were often cut into singles for convenience, making strips of three or larger extremely unusual. This strip contains Position 17, which shows the broken letter in "Wall" that produced the "Wail" variety.
Signed Robson Lowe. Ex Boker and Golden. With 2000 P.F. certificate (Image)
EXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB STRIP OF THE HALE & COMPANY "13 COURT ST." FIRST ISSUE ON PELURE PAPER, USED ON AN ATTRACTIVE TRIPLE-RATE COVER.
Sloane notes on back. Ex Souren and Schwartz. (Image)
EXTREMELY FINE. A MAGNIFICENT SHEET-MARGIN STRIP OF THE FIRST HALE & CO. ISSUE USED ON AN ATTRACTIVE COVER.
The Hale stamps were usually cut into singles for convenient use, making multiples scarce and strips of three or larger rare.
Ex "German" sale and Hall. With 2001 P.F. certificate (Image)
VERY FINE. THE ONLY RECORDED USE OF A HALE STAMP ON A SHIP LETTER ORIGINATING IN EUROPE. ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE INDEPENDENT MAIL COVERS EXTANT.
The letter was directed by the sender to go via "Halifax Steamer of 4th March, via Liverpool, England", but in fact it was sent by another ship. On arrival at Boston, it was marked 6c due for an inbound ship letter. The Boston forwarder, S. C. Thiving, paid the 6c and affixed the Hale stamp for transit to the addressee in New York City.
The Gutman Hale book records three covers from France, two of which have Hale stamps. These are the only covers of foreign origin with Hale adhesives. The letter offered here is the only cover that entered the U.S. as a ship letter with the appropriate 6c charge. The others were carried outside the mails and sent by Hale to their destinations.
Illustrated in Gutman Hale book (page 335). Ex Hall. With 2001 P.F. certificate as 75L1 var (Image)
Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com (imagea)
EXTREMELY FINE. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED GENUINE COVER WITH THE HALE & COMPANY WARREN OFFICE STRAIGHTLINE.
Warren lies between Providence R.I. and New Bedford Mass., approximately ten miles southeast of Providence. The "N" initial is probably a cancellation applied by one of Hale's agents in Providence. The unusual straightline handstamp used on this cover is possibly an independent agent's own creation, as it is unlike the standard markings used by Hale's offices. Only one other example is recorded, which is a stamp with two strikes that has been affixed to an 1838 stampless cover.
Illustrated and described in Gutman's Hale book (page 325) and in the Independent Mails book. Ex Hall. With 2001 P.F. certificate (Image)