California Mails and Western Expresses, Carriers, Locals and Independent Mails continued...

FINE. ONE OF FIVE RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE JEFFERSON MARKET POST OFFICE STAMP ON BLUE PAPER -- EACH USED ON COVER, OF WHICH TWO ARE TIED.

The Jefferson Market P.O. was not officially connected to the New York Post Office, but used the "Post Office" designation in its name, much like Swarts and other contemporaries. The post is believed to have been operated by Godfrey Schmidt, who was listed in the 1850-51 city directory as Godfrey Smith at 6 Greenwich Avenue (source: Elliott Perry). In addition to the stamps issued by the Jefferson Market P.O., a stampless cover was reported by Thomas C. Mazza in The Penny Post (Jan. 1995). The stampless folded letter is addressed to Sing Sing N.Y. and bears a clear strike of a large Eagle-type frame containing "Jefferson Market Post Office/Y G. SCHMIDT & CO." in two lines. It also has a red New York Jun. 30 datestamp, and the letter is year-dated 1850. This 88L2 cover is clearly postmarked Apr. 15 (1851), which establishes at least a ten-month existence for the post, corresponding to the city directory listing for Godfrey Schmidt (Smith).

Our records contain four examples of 88L1 (Pink paper), all uncancelled off cover, and five of 88L2 (Blue paper) used on separate covers. The stamps were not cancelled by the post, but in two cases they are coincidentally tied by a postal marking. The five 88L2 examples are listed here: 1) tied on Mar. 8, 1851 folded letter to Germany, ex Caspary, Boker, 2) uncancelled (scissors cut), New York Jan. 4 (1851) datestamp on cover to Baltimore, ex Caspary, Hall (realized $6,500) 3) tied by New York datestamp on cover to Julia Lampher, no other details, John A. Fox sale, Oct. 27, 1950, Sloane's notes, 4) uncancelled, used on back of 1851 folded letter to Louis Kremp Mercer, Reading Pa., "New-York 5cts. Apr. 15" datestamp, letter in German gives 208 Grand St. address for writer, ex Schwartz, D.K. Collection, the cover offered here, and 5) uncancelled on cover to Adrian Mich., New York Dec. 6 (ca. 1850) datestamp, ex Needham, Harmer Rooke sale Jul. 11, 1963, lot 358 (appreciation to Stephen Gronowski for this citation).

Ex Schwartz and D.K. Collection. With 2003 P.F. certificate (Image)

A VERY FINE EXAMPLE OF JENKINS' CAMDEN DISPATCH 89L1 ON COVER. THIS IS THE SCARCER TYPE 3 PRINTING.

An overview of the post and different stamp printings is provided in the description of lot 1273 in our Golden sale (www.siegelauctions.com/1999/817/yf817209.htm#222). Our records and information kindly provided by John P. Halstead contain eleven complete covers bearing 89L1 (either Halstead Type 3 or 4). The lithographed stamp was printed by Wagner and McGuigan, a Philadelphia firm, in June 1854 and January 1857. The eleven covers are as follows: 1) Ty. 4, two diagonal pen lines, not tied, with 3c 1851 on cover to James Shaw, Philadelphia, Sloane file, pictured in an article by Eugene Klein, Siegel Sale 853, 2) Ty. 3, tied by two red diagonal crayon lines on cover to Hudson Sheeve, Engineer at W. Jersey Ferry, ex Ferrary, Hall (Siegel Sale 830), 3) Ty. 4, tied by two diagonal red crayon lines on cover to P. L. Vorhees, N. Camden, ex Caspary, Middendorf, 4) Ty. 4, tied by wavy pen line on cover to Judge Carpenter, Trenton N.J., with Camden Jan. 18 datestamp and "5" rate (1855 or 1857, year?), ex Abt, Golden (Siegel Sale 817), 5) Ty. 3 on Mar. 24, 1856 folded invitation to Joshua J. Benson, ex Arch (Siegel Sale 825), 6) Ty. 4, tied by red crayon on cover to John Gardiner, ex Arch (Siegel Sale 825), 7) Ty. 4, tied by ms. lines on large Valentine cover to Miss Amy W. Brooks, ex Arch (Siegel Sale 825), 8) Ty. 4, ms. cancel, on cover to Eleanore H. Davis, Schwartz collection, 9) Ty. 3, uncancelled on Girard House (Phila.) corner cover to "Proprietor of Jenkin's Despatch", ex J. W. Brown collection, 10) Ty. 3, tied by ms. on cover to Joseph Frain, reported to Halstead by Gordon Stimmell, and 11) Ty. 3 tied by wavy pencil line on small folded Jan. 1, 1855 letter to Hudson Sheeve, ex Caspary, Hall (Siegel Sale 830), the cover offered here. The Type 4 lithographs are attributed by Halstead (Penny Post, Jan. 1991) to the January 1857 printing.

Ex Caspary and Hall. With 2001 P.F. certificate (Image)

VERY FINE. ONE OF ELEVEN RECORDED COVERS WITH JENKINS' CAMDEN DISPATCH LITHOGRAPHED STAMP (89L1), OF WHICH THIS IS THE ONLY TO-THE-MAILS USAGE WITH REGULAR POSTAGE.

With 2003 P.F. certificate (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. THE ONLY VALENTINE AMONG THE ELEVEN RECORDED COVERS WITH JENKINS' CAMDEN DISPATCH LITHOGRAPHED STAMP (89L1).

Ex Arch (Image)