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

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONLY SEVEN EXAMPLES OF PRICE'S EIGHTH AVENUE POST OFFICE STAMP ARE KNOWN TO US -- ALL BUT ONE ARE UNCANCELLED ON COVERS.

Although little documentation has been produced, the accepted history of the Eighth Avenue Post Office is that it was operated by James Price in 1854 and sold that year to David Russell. Price may have issued the unique Eighth Avenue Post Office stamp (Scott 63L1), which is reported to have been used in 1852, however, we do not know the basis of the 63L1 year date, because the one recorded example is on a cover without a letter, postmark or other indication of date. The portrait on the 120L1 stamp issued by Price is thought to be his own. Price's successor, David Russell, is listed at 387 Eighth Avenue in 1854 and then at 410 Eighth Avenue until 1857-58. The 1855-56 directory lists his occupation as "express" and in 1856-58 it is given as "subpost." Russell issued a stamp very similar in design to Price's.

We have located seven examples of Price's 120L1 stamp, all uncancelled, six of which are on covers (at least three did not originate). We cannot be certain this stamp originated, although the "Paid 3 cents" -- applied to the cover before the 3c 1851 was affixed -- is positive evidence that a local post was involved in bringing it to the post office for mailing. Such notations were usually made when a coin was given to the post.

Ex Caspary and Hall. With 2001 P.F. certificate as a genuine stamp but declining opinion as to usage. (Image)

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONLY SIX PRIEST'S 121L6 COVERS ARE RECORDED IN ROTH CENSUS.

The Roth census (Penny Post, January 1994) lists six 121L6 covers, including four in combination with the 3c 1851. wITH 2001 P.F. certificate (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE STAMP AND ONE OF NINE RECORDED PRIEST'S DESPATCH BLACK-ON-PINK USAGES.

Steven M. Roth's census lists eight covers with 121L4, and we have added one additional cover (see Golden sale, lot 1445). Not all of the recorded covers have stamps that necessarily originated.

Pencil note on back "Found in Phila. 1919." Ex Needham, Boker, Lilly and Golden. With 1999 P.F. certificate. (Image)

VERY FINE. ONE OF OF THE FINEST OF THE SEVEN REPORTED OFF-COVER EXAMPLES OF ROBISON & CO.'S LOCAL-POST STAMP.

Robison & Co. was a relatively small local post in Brooklyn, New York. Elliott Perry located three Robisons in the city directory listings who were in the express business: Cornelius D. Robison at 140 Chambers, 1857-58, Francis Robison at 707 Greenwich, 1857-58, and William Robison at 64 Cedar, 1852-53. It is not known which, if any, of these men was the proprietor.

The most famous example of the Robison & Co. local-post stamp is the one tied on cover to Jas. H. Watson, 231 Henry Street in Brooklyn. The cover was discovered circa 1895 by F. E. Kneeland Jr., a Brooklyn teen-aged boy who found it while searching through a relative's papers. It passed to Ferrary, then to Caspary, and was later to become one of the cornerstones of the Boker collection. Other examples of Robison & Co.'s stamp must have been discovered in the 1860's, because catalogues published in 1864 and 1865 contain listings for a Robison & Co. post.

Our records contain eight examples of 128L1, including seven off cover and the one on cover. Five of the off-cover stamps are known to have small faults. The stamp offered here and possibly one other (shown in Sloane's records) are the two finest of the group.

Ex Lilly, Perry and Schwartz. With 2000 P.F. certificate (Image)