2009 Rarities of the World continued...

FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE MASON'S NEW ORLEANS CITY EXPRESS ONE-CENT STAMP, WHICH EXISTS ONLY AS A MANUSCRIPT OVERPRINT ON THE HALF-CENT VALUE. AN EXTRAORDINARY AND UNUSUAL LOCAL.

Mason's New Orleans City Express, located at 23 Royal Street, is consistently reported to have operated from 1850 through 1857 (Huber and Wagner, Skinner, Perry, et al), yet all of the seven recorded Mason's stamp usages (and three stampless covers) fall into a much narrower timeframe, from July 5, 1850, to August 9, 1851 (a list of 102L2 covers is provided in lot 292). The latter date coincides with the inauguration of New Orleans postmaster Michel Musson's carrier service. Despite the obvious implications of this date sequence -- that Mason became an official U.S. carrier -- researchers have been frustrated in their attempts to locate any official documentation that Mason or his letter carriers joined the New Orleans carrier department in or after August 1851. The two-part Elliott Perry article edited by Robert B. Meyersburg (Chronicle 126 and 127) provides much of the information that has been uncovered so far, including the official carrier appointments from 1851 through 1860, to the extent they were published in city directories. There is still the possibility that further research will yield evidence to link Mason's with the New Orleans carrier department, which of course would change the status of Mason usages (after the appointment date) to a semi-official carrier status.

Only two examples of the blue stamp are recorded. Both have -1/2 cent printed denominations changed in manuscript to "1" cent. The other example is tied on a cover locally addressed to Leads Foundry in New Orleans, with a clear strike of the "N-Orls. City Express Post La. Feb. 6" circular datestamp (1851), ex Caspary and Boker. The Caspary cover was described in the 1956 sale as having had the stamp lifted and moved with some thinnings. The -1/2c stamp was probably printed for a special newspaper rate and overprinted with the one-cent rate as needed or after a change in the city-delivery rate. There has also been speculation that the stamp actually has a dual-rate denomination, which was fixed when sold. The point is somewhat moot, because there are only two known examples, and both show the "1" overprint.

This stamp is illustrated in the Scott U.S. Specialized Catalogue. Ex Burrus and Golden. From the Estate of Dr. Hubert C. Skinner. With 1999 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE. ONE OF SIX RECORDED COVERS BEARING MASON'S NEW ORLEANS CITY EXPRESS 2-CENT STAMP.

This is the earliest recorded cover during the period from July 1850 through August 1851, when Mason's operated prior to the formation of the New Orleans carrier department. As observed by Dr. Hubert C. Skinner (Texas Philatelist, Feb. 1969), two different city-delivery rates have been found on Mason's covers. This July 1850 usage is a 2c rate, while the Feb. 6, 1851, cover has a 1c stamp (see description of lot 291). There is no rate change evidenced by the four recorded Mason's 2c stamped covers delivered to or from the post office from July 1850 through August 1851. One local cover (number 4 below) is dated Apr. 21 (1851), but it has a 2c stamp, we have not read the letter, addressed to the Archbishop of New Orleans, but perhaps it originated outside New Orleans. Based on the Feb. 1851 1c cover, it seems that Mason reduced the local rate from 2c to 1c between Dec. 27, 1850, and Feb. 6, 1851, which may explain the need for a re-rated 102L1 stamp.

Our records contain seven 102L2 stamps, including the following six on covers, listed chronologically: 1) Jul. 4 (1850 contents) New Orleans datestamp (10c rate), stamp with wide left sheet margin and cancelled (not tied) by Mason's small circle (no datestamp) on folded letter to Chas. T. Pollard, Montgomery Ala., ex Ackerman, Caspary, the cover offered in this lot, 2) Dec. 26, 1850 folded letter locally addressed to J. R. Hyde, stamp tied by red grid, Dec. 27 company datestamp, ex Worthington, Caspary, Middendorf, 3) Mar. 25 (1851 contents) New Orleans datestamp (10c rate), stamp tied by red grid, Mar. 25 company datestamp on back of folded letter to Dr. Banks, New York City, ex Ferrary, Hollowbush, offered in this sale as lot 293, 4) Apr. 21 (1851?) company datestamp, stamp cancelled by red grid on folded letter to Rev. Anthony Blane, Archbishop of New Orleans, P.F. records, 5) Jul. 4 (1851 contents) New Orleans datestamp (new 5c rate), stamp tied by Mason's small circle (no datestamp) on folded letter to Eleanor Fratherly, Sodus Pt. N.Y., ex Boker, and 6) Aug. 9 (1851 contents) New Orleans datestamp, "Way 6" and "Adv. 1" handstamps on Aug. 7 folded letter from Mobile to Carl Marten, New Orleans, stamp has trace of red ink but not cancelled, ex Golden. In addition to the six stamps on covers, we record one off-cover stamp on piece with the Mason's small circle (lot 294 in this sale).

The manner in which the Mason small circle is struck on this stamp leads us to believe it might have been applied as a precancel when Mason carried letters to the post office for mailing to another city. This cover is accompanied by a handwritten original "rough-up" copy of the Mason's ad in the New Orleans City Directory for 1851 and a copy of the printed ad. The cover and these collateral items would make a perfect exhibit display.

Ex Ackerman and Caspary. From the Estate of Dr. Hubert C. Skinner. With 2009 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE. ONE OF SIX RECORDED COVERS BEARING MASON'S NEW ORLEANS CITY EXPRESS 2-CENT STAMP, OF WHICH ONLY THREE ARE TIED TO THE COVER. A MAGNIFICENT LOCAL POST RARITY IN SUPERB CONDITION, BEARING ALL THREE MARKINGS ASSOCIATED WITH MASON'S POST.

Our records contain seven 102L2 stamps, including the following six on covers, listed chronologically: 1) Jul. 4 (1850 contents) New Orleans datestamp (10c rate), stamp with wide left sheet margin and cancelled (not tied) by Mason's small circle (no datestamp) on folded letter to Chas. T. Pollard, Montgomery Ala., ex Ackerman, Caspary, the cover offered in lot 292, 2) Dec. 26, 1850 folded letter locally addressed to J. R. Hyde, stamp tied by red grid, Dec. 27 company datestamp, ex Worthington, Caspary, Middendorf, 3) Mar. 25 (1851 contents) New Orleans datestamp (10c rate), stamp tied by red grid, Mar. 25 company datestamp on back of folded letter to Dr. Banks, New York City, ex Ferrary, Hollowbush, the cover offered here, 4) Apr. 21 (1851?) company datestamp, stamp cancelled by red grid on folded letter to Rev. Anthony Blane, Archbishop of New Orleans, P.F. records, 5) Jul. 4 (1851 contents) New Orleans datestamp (new 5c rate), stamp tied by Mason's small circle (no datestamp) on folded letter to Eleanor Fratherly, Sodus Pt. N.Y., ex Boker, and 6) Aug. 9 (1851 contents) New Orleans datestamp, "Way 6" and "Adv. 1" handstamps on Aug. 7 folded letter from Mobile to Carl Marten, New Orleans, stamp has trace of red ink but not cancelled, ex Golden. In addition to the six stamps on covers, we record one off-cover stamp on piece with the Mason's small circle (lot 294 in this sale).

This cover has all three markings associated with Mason's post: the grid, small circle and large circular datestamp.

Ex Ferrary and Hollowbush. From the Estate of Dr. Hubert C. Skinner. With 1966 and 2009 P.F. certificates (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF FOUR EXAMPLES OF THE MENANT & CO. LOCAL POST STAMP AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS. A GREAT PHILATELIC RARITY.

According to The Great Mail, Menant & Co.'s Express Post commenced operations in 1853 at 21 Conti Street and were still in business as late as 1856, although at a different address, 118 Exchange Place, near the post office.

The five examples of 104L1 in our records (all unused) are: 1) ex Souren, illustrated in The Great Mail (p. 133), ex Hall and Sale 878 (realized $5,500), 2) ex Middendorf (faults incl. hole at top right), 3) ex Caspary (thin and pinhole), the stamp offered here, 4) a recent discovery, offered in Sale 811 (realized $22,000), and 5) the copy in the British Library, Tapling Collection

Ex Caspary. From the Estate of Dr. Hubert C. Skinner. With 2009 P.F. certificate which declines opinion as to the significance of pen marks (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. THE ONLY RECORDED PENNY EXPRESS COMPANY SHEET WITH REED'S INITIALS -- THESE ARE ALL OF THE INITIALLED STAMPS THAT ARE KNOWN.

The "Penny Express" stamps were issued in 1866 by Henry Reed of the Holladay Overland Mail and Express Co., which in 1867 became part of Wells, Fargo & Company. One of the entries from Henry Reed's journal, published by Henry C. Needham in his American Philatelist series (Apr. 1920), makes reference to the stamps: (excerpt from entry datelined Salt Lake City, June 26, 1866) "Charge yourself ten cents for the red stamps instead of twenty cts. as first verbally instructed by me." Although the numeral "5" appears on both the Red and Blue stamps (114L2 and 114L3), as well as the Black, Reed's instructions and advertisements indicate that the standard letter rate was 10c up to a half ounce, and 10c for each additional half-ounce. No used examples of the adhesives are known, and it appears that the printed envelopes were used for Holladay's express, perhaps because the "5" denomination of the stamps caused confusion. Several sheets of Red and Blue stamps, without gum, reached the stamp market. However, only this one sheet of Black stamps with Reed's initials and original gum is known.

Ex Chapman, Middendorf and Golden (Image)

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FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF SEVEN RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE RICKETTS & HALL STAMP, OF WHICH ONLY FOUR HAVE THE NAME AND ADDRESS AROUND THE PERIMETER STILL INTACT AND ONLY THREE ARE KNOWN ON COVER. THIS IS THE ONLY COPY KNOWN WITH SQUARE MARGINS. ONE OF THE MOST SOUGHT-AFTER OF AMERICAN LOCAL-POST STAMPS.

Denwood N. Kelly provided an excellent overview of what little is known about Ricketts & Hall in his Collectors Club Philatelist series on Baltimore (Vol. 50, No. 6). Stephen Gronowski updated the census of known examples in The Penny Post (Apr. 1994) and Steven M. Roth included the three recorded covers in his February 1997 Baltimore survey (Chronicle 173). A review of our own records (including the Costales and Sloane notes and P.F. files) produced no additional examples or information, and the following information is drawn from the sources noted.

The stamps and advertisements from The Sun (Feb. 10-11, 1857) give the address of Ricketts & Hall as 4 Rechabite Hall, the location of Cook's Dispatch three years earlier (considered by Kelly to be purely coincidental). Several candidates for the proprietors are found in city directories, but nothing is known that directly links any of them to the post. Kelly speculated that John Ricketts, a printer, and Robert Hall, a tailor, were the best choices, given their proximity to 4 Rechabite Hall. The post started in February 1857 (the year appears on the stamp) and probably did not exist more than a few months. The three recorded 127L1 stamps with the surrounding name and address cut away have led to speculation that the post was sold to a new owner, who removed his predecessor's imprint, this is not an unreasonable theory, but no evidence beyond the stamps has been found to support it. If this occurred, it would have to pre-date the May 15, 1857 cover listed below as number 7, which bears a stamp with the outer circle and label cut away.

The Gronowski census is current with seven recorded examples: 1) cut to shape, pencil cancel, ex Caspary, Middendorf, Gronowski collection, 2) cut to shape, pencil cancel, ex Ferrary (?--as reported by Sloane), Needham, Hollowbush, Richardson and Golden (Siegel Sale 817, lot 1459, realized $8,000 hammer), 3) outer circle with name and address cut away, uncancelled, ex Burrus, 4) outer circle with name and address cut away, tied by Baltimore blue datestamp (date?) on piece with 3c 1851, 1991 Park Cities net price sale, 5) cut to shape, uncancelled, used on back of Justice of the Peace corner card cover to George C. Whiting, Comm. of Pensions, Washington D.C., 3c 1851 tied by Baltimore Feb. 17, 1857 datestamp on front of cover, ex Lilly, Boker, 6) the only cut square stamp, pencil cancel, used on cover to Master Hammie Keplinger, local address, Valentine enclosure, illustrated in Kelly article, the cover offered here, and 7) outer circle with name and address cut away, uncancelled, used on front only, 3c Red Nesbitt embossed stamp, Baltimore May 15, 1857 datestamp, to George N. Forney, Hanover Pa., discovered in 1909, ex Hollowbush, Lowe. Therefore, there are only four 127L1's with the outer label intact, including two covers and two off-cover stamps (cut to shape except for one stamp on cover).

Illustrated in Kelly CCP series (Vol. 50, No. 6, p. 358), where described as follows: "...discovered in an original find in Virginia in late 1969. Shown in Figure 79, the envelope bears the only Ricketts & Hall stamp so far recorded which is not cut to shape. It is manuscript cancelled in pencil and has a slight imperfection in the lower right corner which does not involve the design. Addressed to a young boy, the envelope encloses a Valentine of the period, there are no postal markings of any sort on front or back." (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF 21 RECORDED TYPE II EAST-TO-WEST PONY EXPRESS FRANKED ENTIRES AND ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED PONY EXPRESS COVER ORIGINATING IN PHILADELPHIA.

According to The Pony Express--A Postal History, there are only 20 examples of the Type II $1.00 East-to-West frank, including a few that have stamps added or have been extensively repaired. This entire is not listed in the census and now becomes the second known Pony Express cover that originated from Philadelphia during any time period. These two are the only examples of the Type II frank used from Philadelphia (almost all originated in New York City).

The $1.00 franked entire and $1.00 "Garter" adhesive were needed by Wells, Fargo & Co.'s eastern offices when the Pony Express entered its official U.S. government mail contract period on July 1, 1861. The 1861 10c "Pumpkin" entire with the Type II printed frank was ordered from George F. Nesbitt & Co. (New York) by the Overland Mail Company after they obtained approval for the design and imprint from the Postmaster General's office (a June 21, 1861, letter and essay submitted for approval are recorded). Nesbitt was specifically asked to produce envelopes on a thinner, tougher paper than that used for regular stamped envelopes, presumably to reduce weight for the Pony riders. Comparing the Type II franked entires with others, it does appear to be a thinner, less opaque paper, although the Scott Catalogue does not list the 10c entires on more than one kind of white paper.

The period commencing July 1, 1861, was an important one for the Pony Express. Under new management and connected with Wells, Fargo & Co.'s vast network of offices and routes, the Pony Express was authorized by Congress to carry mail under government contract at the rate of $1.00 per half ounce. Although collectors generally perceive all Pony Express stamps and franked entires to be unofficial non-government forms of postage, effective July 1, 1861, the new stamps and entires are semi-official issues intended to prepay goverment contract rates.

This August 16, 1861, usage from Philadelphia comes just as the old stamp issues were being demonetized and the new 1861 Issue was released, due to the Civil War. This Pony Express cover entered the post office and was treated as regular mail until it reached the Wells, Fargo & Co. agent at St. Joseph, Missouri. From there it made the August 18, 1861, westbound Pony trip to California. At Placerville, it was carried by Wells, Fargo & Co. to San Jose. For no apparent reason, the St. Joseph office did not apply a Pony Express datestamp to this entire or one of the other Type II entires carried on this trip.

This becomes Census No. W51A to fit in chronological order. With 2006 P.F. certificate (Image)

VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE VIRGINIA CITY PONY EXPRESS USAGE WITH ADDITIONAL UNITED STATES POSTAGE PAID BY THE 3-CENT 1861 ISSUE.

Covers with the 25c Red stamp are very scarce, and only a few are known with additional U.S. stamps. This cover originates from the famous Crittenden correspondence. The letter was franked with double-rate U.S. postage at Virginia City, but only one Pony Express stamp. Presumably the additional express rate was collected from the addressee by Wells, Fargo & Co.'s agent in San Francisco.

Ex Ishikawa and Kuphal. With 2007 P.F. certificate (Image)

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