United States and Confederate States Postal History

**Autographs and Free Franks**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description
401		George Washington. Free frank "President U.S." as President on folded cover addressed in another hand to "His Excellency Governor Huntington, Connecticut", light strike of "New-York Dec. 23" straightline and "FREE" handstamps, docketing on back indicates 1789 mailing date, vertical file fold well away from free frank, expertly rebacked VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF GEORGE WASHINGTON'S "PRESIDENT U.S." FREE FRANK. After Washington resigned as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, his non-private mail continued to arrive in great volumes. On April 28, 1784, his franking privilege was extended. Technically, he did not receive the right to free frank mail as President until the Act of March 3, 1792 (effective June 1, 1792, and just over three years into his first term), but he began franking in his own particular way as soon as he took office. Washington is the only president to use the "President U.S." form of free frank without a signature. Accompanied by typed transcript of contents. Ex Hessel. (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 2,000-3,000 SOLD for $4,250.00 Will close during Public Auction
402		Thomas Jefferson. Light but clear free frank "Th. Jefferson" as Secretary of State with "FREE" straightline and "25/IA" (Jan. 25) Franklin mark on ca. 1791-93 folded cover addressed to Childs & Swaine, printers in New York, light central file fold and minor soiling FINE. AN ATTRACTIVE AND RARE THOMAS JEFFERSON FREE FRANK AS SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE FIRST YEARS OF THE WASHINGTON ADMINISTRATION. A review using Power Search failed to locate another example of Jefferson's free frank as Secretary of State or on a cover with a Franklin-style datestamp, making this a particularly early example. Jefferson served as the first United States Secretary of State, from March 22, 1790, to December 31, 1793. Francis Childs and John Swaine were prominent early printers and newspaper publishers in New York, responsible for the New York Daily Advertiser, which was the first daily newspaper in the United States as well as the bound Acts Passed at a (First) Congress of the United States of America, more popularly known as the Acts of Congress book (source: National Archives). (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 2,000-3,000 SOLD for $4,750.00 Will close during Public Auction
403		James Monroe. Clear free frank "Free Jas. Monroe" as a United States Senator, partly clear strike of Mar. 7 Franklin mark and "FREE" straightline on March 6, 1794 docketed folded cover to Judge Morris at Brunswick N.J., file folds and some central toning, still a Very Fine early career free frank from this future president (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 500-750 SOLD for $500.00 Will close during Public Auction
404		John Quincy Adams. Signature on 2pp folded letter datelined "Amsterdam November 17, 1794", addressed to Mr. John Stockdale, bookseller at Piccadilly, London, manuscript due notation and Bishop's mark of Nov. 22 on flap, contents relate to books Adams ordered for himself and a friend, some minor faults on side flaps but letter and cover panel are completely intact and boldly penned VERY FINE AUTOGRAPHED LETTER FROM 26-YEAR OLD JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, SON OF A PRESIDENT AND FUTURE PRESIDENT, WRITTEN DURING THE WASHINGTON ADMINISTRATION, LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AFTER THE START OF HIS CAREER IN PUBLIC SERVICE. John Quincy Adams served his country during the course of more than 50 years in an astonishing number of positions, spanning the terms of each of the first 11 Presidents of the United States. He served as minister to the Netherlands (1794-97), minister to Prussia (1797-1801), United States Senator from Massachusetts (1803-1808), minister to Russia (1809-1814), minister to the Court at St. James (1814-1817), United States Secretary of State (1817-1825, under President Monroe), President of the United States (1825-1829), and finally as a United States Representative from Massachusetts (1831-1848), where he was a tireless anti-slavery advocate until his death on Feb. 23, 1848. This letter dates from the first weeks of his illustrious career. (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com (imagea) (imageb)	E. $ 2,000-3,000 SOLD for $1,800.00 Will close during Public Auction
405		Martin Van Buren. Free frank "Free M. Van Buren" on undated (probably as ex-President) folded cover addressed to Mr. Fairfield in Saco Me., bold strike of red "Kinderhook N.Y. Oct. 9" circular datestamp and "FREE" handstamp, missing bottom flap, Very Fine (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 300-400 SOLD for $425.00 Will close during Public Auction
406		John Tyler. Free frank "J. Tyler" and autograph letter signed "John Tyler" as ex President on inner sheet of folded letter to Cambridge Mass., red "North Shore N.Y. Oct. 20" double-circle datestamp with date in manuscript, "FREE" handstamp, datelined Oct. 19, 1833 and reads "You will be pleased to accept this as my autograph in compliance with your repeated applications, Very Respy. yrs." and signed, fresh and Very Fine (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 750-1,000 SOLD for $550.00 Will close during Public Auction
407		John Tyler. Free frank "J. Tyler" as ex-President on folded cover addressed in his hand to his son Robert Tyler in Philadelphia, "Richmond Va. Jun. 23" circular datestamp and "FREE" straightline in blue, pencil 1853 notation, missing one leaf but majority of back is present, Very Fine frank, with 1989 P.F. certificate (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 400-500 SOLD for $550.00 Will close during Public Auction
408		John Tyler. Free frank "J. Tyler" on undated blue folded cover to Alexander Gardiner, Clerk of the U.S. Circuit Court in New York, red "Niagara Falls N.Y. Sep. 6" circular datestamp and "FREE" handstamp, addressed in Tyler's hand and with his note on side flap "I hope that we shall see you at Saratoga about the 13th", light vertical file fold does not affect frank, some slight overall wear, Very Fine (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 400-500 SOLD for $425.00 Will close during Public Auction
409		Millard Fillmore. Free frank "M. Fillmore" as President on cover to the Hon. Joseph B Varnum Jr. in New York City, red "Washington D.C. Oct. 1 Free" circular datestamp, docketing at left, minor toned spots and light crease near bottom far from frank which is Very Fine, Varnum, who served as Speaker of the New York State Assembly, was a Whig and later a member of the American or nativist "Know Nothing" party, Fillmore was the nominee of the Know Nothings in the election of 1856 (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 300-400 SOLD for $275.00 Will close during Public Auction
410		Millard Fillmore. Autograph free frank and autograph letter signed "M. Fillmore M.C." as member of Congress, blue "Buffalo N.Y. OC 22" oval datestamp with fleurons, red crayon "f", to Black Rock N.Y., the ALS dated 1840 states "You see by the enclosed they have given up their mutiny at Medina and therefore it will not be necessary for you to attend" with full "Millard Fillmore" signature, horizontal file fold well away from markings, Very Fine (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 400-500 SOLD for $225.00 Will close during Public Auction
411		James Buchanan. Free frank "Free James Buchanan" on cover addressed in his hand to Meadville Pa., red "FREE" straightline handstamp, undated (he used the same style of free frank during both his time as Senator and President so unclear which period this represents), some faint toning, Very Fine frank, signed Brian Green (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 300-400 SOLD for $160.00 Will close during Public Auction