2016 Rarities of the World continued...

FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE AND DESIRABLE 2-CENT MEMPHIS PROVISIONAL USE ON COVER. ONLY ELEVEN COVERS ARE KNOWN TO US.

Matthew Campbell Gallaway (1820-1898), a colorful newspaper editor and aide-de-camp to General Nathan Bedford Forrest, was the Memphis Confederate postmaster who issued adhesive stamps and press-printed envelopes until Memphis fell to Federal forces in June 1862. Gallaway was often referred to as "Colonel," but military records show that he was paroled on May 10, 1865, as a 1st Lieutenant and Acting A.D.C. on General Forrest's staff (www.fold3.com). In August 1866 Gallaway, after resuming his position as editor of the Avalanche, was shot through the hand in a murder attempt by a United States tax collector named G. W. Wood (New York Times, Aug. 26, 1866). Gallaway survived and continued working as a newspaper editor until his retirement in 1887. He lived another decade, almost long enough to experience the arrival of the 20th century.

We have attempted to verify and locate images for each of the Memphis 2c provisional covers listed in the census by Billy Matz (Confederate Philatelist, Mar. 1967) and the Hart survey in the Crown book. We have located images for 11 of the 13 covers listed. Two of the covers are addressed to James Street Esq. in Memphis and apparently have never been publicly offered (they were shown to us by the owner). One of the Street covers has an illegible datestamp, and the stamp on the other is tied by the target cancel. We assume that the dates in the Matz census (Aug. 2 and Oct. 7, 1861) were taken from the letters in these two covers, because we cannot find any other covers addressed to James Street. The two covers which we have been unable to verify with photographs are: "November 10, 1861; to Rev. Thomas Taylor, Newcastle, Tenn." -- this entry is apparently based on the Charles J. Phillips census, which identifies the cover as coming from the Manning collection, but a cover addressed to another post office would require 5c unless it was a circular rate. We would like to see a photograph of this cover. (From the Frank Hart survey): "H. C. Crane has Hon. J. G. Ham, Gov. of Tennessee, Nashville, Tenn." -- again, it seems odd that this cover is addressed to another post office. We would like to see a photograph of this cover.

Ex Matz, Rudy and Dr. Brandon. (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE AND ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT MOBILE PROVISIONAL PAYING THE DROP RATE.

The Crown census records only 23 covers with the 2c Mobile provisional.

Pencil note on back "12/27/88 Durbin & Hanes" (sold in 1888 by this old Philadelphia stamp firm). Ex Dr. Simon and D.K. Collection (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE APPEARING PAIR OF THE NASHVILLE 5-CENT CARMINE PROVISIONAL ON COVER.

Probably no more than twelve pairs of the 5c Nashville provisional are known on covers, including all shade varieties and in all grades of condition. This pair is one of the finest on-cover multiples of the Carmine (two or three known) and ranks among the top three pairs for any of the Scott-listed colors.

Ex Brooks, Emerson, Dr. Simon and D.K. Collection. With 2012 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE. AN ATTRACTIVE NASHVILLE POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL COVER ADDRESSED IN CARE OF CONFEDERATE GENERAL GIDEON J. PILLOW.

Lieutenant Colonel Thomas H. Logwood commanded "Logwood's Battalion" (6th Tennessee Cavalry), and operated in Kentucky and near the state line during the fall of 1861.

With 1986 C.S.A. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT NASHVILLE PROVISIONAL WITH A CLEAR JULY 27, 1861 NASHVILLE TOWN CANCEL. THIS IS THE EARLIEST RECORDED USE OF THE 10-CENT.

Only approximately 25 examples of the 10c Nashville are known, most of which are faulty. A review using Power Search and our Levi records reveals how rare this stamp is with any sort of identifiable dated cancel. We located only one other off-cover example with a recognizable date (also July 27). The six recorded full covers with 61X6 are all dated in August or September.

Ex Caspary and Dr. Brandon. With 2014 P.F. certificate showing the stamp tied to small piece of cover, which accompanies (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF SIX RECORDED COVERS BEARING THE RARE 10-CENT NASHVILLE POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL. THIS IS THE ONLY ADVERTISING COVER AMONG THE SIX KNOWN.

Our records contain six genuine covers with the 10c Green provisional issued by the Nashville postmaster:

1) Tied by Aug. 1 (1861) Adams Express oval, to Hardy & Bros., Norfolk Va.

2) Tied by Sep. 15, 1861, Nashville datestamp, to Shelbyville Tenn., ex Caspary

3) 5c & 10c used together, tied by Aug. 21, 1861, Nashville datestamp, to D. Cleage, Athens Tenn., ex Caspary

4) Tied by Aug. 1 (1861) Adams Express oval, used on 3c Star Die entire to Rev. Leavenworth, Petersburg Va., ex Kilbourne

5) Tied by Aug. 1 (1861) Adams Express oval, used on 3c Star Die with additional 3c 1857, to Albert F. Ryan, Norfolk Va., ex Gallagher

6) Tied by "10" rate handstamp, Sep. 18, 1861, Nashville datestamp, on building corner card cover to Thos. H. Caldwell, Shelbyville Tenn., ex Needham, Kimmell, Haas, Rudy and Powell, the cover offered here.

Ex Needham, Kimmell, Haas, Rudy and Powell. With 1976 and 2015 P.F. certificates (Image)

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