The William H. Gross Collection: United States Postal History continued...

Great Central Fair, Philadelphia, 20¢ Green (WV12), well-centered, rich color, tied by "Great Central Fair. June 28, 1864" circular datestamp on the last day of the fair, second strike also ties stamp on immaculate cover addressed to "Mr. Kline, Central Fair", probably A. C. Kline, a pioneering Philadelphia stamp and coin dealer who must have been keenly interested in the Sanitary Commission post office at the Great Central Fair, Extremely Fine, easily one of the finest of the fewer than 20 recorded covers bearing stamps of the Great Central Fair, ex White (1937 sale), Steele and Kantor (illustrated in their book, fig. 114) (Image)

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Northern Ohio Sanitary Fair, Cleveland, Ohio, 22d February, 1864, three-line imprint in truncated frame on buff cover addressed to Hon. James Monroe (nephew of President Monroe) at U.S. Consul in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, "Cleveland O. Feb. 8" double-circle datestamp, matching "15" in oval handstamp stating unpaid rate to France, "New York 9 Feb. 13" debit circular datestamp, endorsed "Pr. French Packet via Bordeaux", red Calais transit datestamp (February 25), Bordeaux "F/23" handstamp and red pencil "540" reis Brazilian postage due below imprint, Extremely Fine, the Northern Ohio Sanitary Fair envelopes are scarce in any form and this use to a foreign destination is believed to be unique, ex Kantor and illustrated in their book (fig. 179) (Image)

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"Dallas Tex. Aug. 20", clear strike of circular datestamp and manuscript "pd 5" Confederate rate on John Gooch's Law & Collection Exchange overall illustrated advertising cover, lovely design in pink with woodcut vignette in green, showing farmer, livestock, Indian, train and mountains in background, text in frame at left in green reads "Claims collected in Eastern and Middle Texas. Remittances Promptly Made in Sight Drafts on Galveston, New Orleans, or New York", additional printing on flap, 1861 docketing at right, original 4-page enclosure in a peculiar but readable script, mostly regarding a controversy over land, though towards the end the war intrudes: "Don't entertain the idea of going off to the wars. We have duties to perform at home as well as abroad, there are enough who are prepared & willing to go, & when our state is invaded or about to be, thens the time for us. I have a first rate shot gun for my wife who can load & shoot as well as I can & as fast. She can beat me a long ways shooting Mr. Prairie Chicken." There is also talk of a Colonel Stone raising "a Regiment for Mo.", etc.

Very Fine; cover slightly reduced at left just touching outer frame of design.

This is one of the most stunning Confederate illustrated designs in existence--reminiscent of obsolete currency of the period as well as the Confederate Montgomery $500 note. Only a handful are known. (Image)

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5¢ Blue, Local (7), horizontal pair, clear to large margins, tied by "Palestine Tex. Mar. 9" circular datestamp on John Gooch's Law & Collection Exchange overall illustrated advertising cover, lovely design in gray with woodcut vignette in green, showing farmer, livestock, Indian, train and mountains in background, text in frame at left in green reads "Claims collected in Eastern and Middle Texas. Remittances Promptly Made in Sight Drafts on Galveston, New Orleans, or New York"

Very Fine appearance; cover reduced at top with staining along a small tear, also a small tear at right and right stamp with creases.

One of the most stunning Confederate illustrated designs in existence--reminiscent of obsolete currency of the period as well as the Confederate Montgomery $500 note. This is the only example we have encountered among the tiny population with this design that is franked with Confederate adhesive stamps. It would make the perfect "page" with the cover in lot 394, the same design in different colors.

Ex Van Dyk MacBride and Rex H. Felton. (Image)

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Get Market Data for [United States (Confederate States) 7]