The Wagshal Collection, Part 1 - 1845-69 Issues continued...

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EXTREMELY FINE. THIS NOVEMBER 13, 1845, POSTMARK DATE REPRESENTS THE EARLIEST DOCUMENTED USE OF ANY ST. LOUIS POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL STAMP, IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE POSTMASTER'S ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THE NEW ISSUE. THE COVER OFFERED HERE IS THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE NOVEMBER 13 DATE, AND THE POSSIBILITY OF ANOTHER ST. LOUIS "BEARS" DISCOVERY PUSHING THIS DATE ANY EARLIER IS EXTREMELY REMOTE.

The St. Louis "Bears" were issued by Postmaster John M. Wimer from November 1845 until the first United States General Issue became available in July 1847. The stamps were issued in three denominations -- 5c and 10c at first and a 20c denomination later -- and were sold at a premium over face value to pay the cost of printing. The first announcement of the new stamps was made in the Wednesday, November 5, 1845, weekly edition of the Missouri Republican: "LETTER STAMPS. Mr. Wimer, the postmaster, has prepared a set of letter stamps, or rather marks, to be put upon letters, indicating that the postage has been paid. In this he has copied after the plan adopted by the postmaster of New York and other cities. These stamps are engraved to represent the Missouri Coat of Arms, and are five and ten cents. They are so prepared that they may be stuck upon a letter like a wafer and will prove a great convenience to merchants and all those having many letters to send post paid, as it saves all trouble of paying at the post-office. They will be sold as they are sold in the East, viz.: Sixteen five-cent stamps and eight ten-cent stamps for a dollar. We would recommend merchants and others to give them a trial." One week later, in the Missouri Republican of Wednesday, November 12, 1845, a second announcement appeared: "POST-OFFICE STAMPS. Mr. Wimer, the postmaster, requests us to say that he will furnish nine ten-cent stamps and eighteen five-cent stamps for one dollar, the difference being required to pay for the printing of the stamps." It seems likely that the second, more abbreviated announcement was published to amend the number of stamps sold for a dollar from "sixteen" to "eighteen" for the 5c and "eight" to "nine" for the 10c, which corresponds to 90 cents in stamps for one dollar in money. The earlier 80 cents for a dollar exchange rate might have been too high for the public to bear. The ambiguous wording of the announcements does not tell us if the stamps were available when the first announcement was made (November 5) or at the time of the second announcement (November 12). However, the earliest documented use of any St. Louis "Bears" stamp is the cover offered here, postmarked November 13 (1845) on a letter dated November 12.

Five large groups of St. Louis "Bears" have been discovered during the past 165 years. In 1869 J. W. Scott acquired a correspondence bearing 50 of the 5c, 100 of the 10c and three 20c stamps, probably all of which have been removed from their original covers. In 1880 the Riggs correspondence produced 20 examples of the 5c and 10c. In 1889 the J. & J. Stuart correspondence provided 25 examples of the 5c and 10c, most on Pelure paper. The huge "Louisville" find in 1895, salvaged by a janitor who was burning papers, yielded 75 of the 5c, 46 of the 10c and 16 of the 20c, including se-tenant multiples that revealed the plate layout and proved the authenticity of the 20c stamps, which had been in question since 1869. All of the stamps in the Louisville find were found on covers addressed to Tyler & Rutherford, a banking firm in Louisville, but many of the stamps were later removed. Additional material from the Tyler & Rutherford correspondence surfaced around 1902 and was acquired by C. H. Mekeel. In 1912 the first portion of the Charnley & Whelen correspondence reached philatelists, which provided another six of the 5c, 61 of the 10c and 16 of the 20c. Additional Charnley & Whelen covers were sold over the next three decades. The cover offered here comes from the December 1948 H. R. Harmer sale of the Charnley & Whelen correspondence.

Illustrated and described in Opinions IV, "An Important Change in Philatelic Foundation Policy: Certification of Earliest Known Date of Use", Jerome S. Wagshal (pages 42-60). Ex "Charnley & Whelen Find" (H. R. Harmer sale, Dec. 13, 1948, lot 12) and John D. Pope III (John A. Fox sale, Dec. 1, 1984, lot 52). With 1985 P.F. certificate stating "It is genuine. The earliest recorded usage of any St. Louis Bear stamp known to us as of this date." (Image)

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FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT ST. LOUIS POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL ON GREENISH PAPER. RARE CANCELLED SOLELY BY THE RED ST. LOUIS DATESTAMP.

There are a half-dozen pieces known to us with the 5c stamp tied by the red St. Louis datestamp and without any pen cancellation.

Ex Col. E. H. R. Green. Scott Retail $8,000.00 for normally pen-cancelled stamp off cover (footnote states: "Values for used off-cover stamps are for pen-cancelled copies. Handstamp cancelled copies sell for much more.") (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. A MAGNIFICENT EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT ST. LOUIS POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL ON GREENISH PAPER, CANCELLED SOLELY BY THE RED 'PAID" HANDSTAMP AND WITHOUT ANY PEN CANCELLATION.

With 1979 P.F. certificate misidentifying stamp as No. 11X5 on Gray Lilac paper, which it clearly is not. Scott Retail $8,000.00 for normally pen-cancelled stamp off cover -- Scott pricing note states: "Values for used off-cover stamps are for pen-cancelled copies. Handstamp cancelled copies sell for much more." (Image)

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FINE-VERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS PAIR OF 10-CENT ST. LOUIS "BEARS" WITH OFFSET OF THE 20-CENT ON BACK REPRESENTS THE ONLY CONFIRMED EXAMPLES OF THE 10-CENT ON GREENISH PAPER FROM THE ALTERED PLATE.

The presence of a 20c impression on a 10c stamp on Greenish paper is significant, even as offset, for the reasons we shall explain. The original plate comprised three 5c stamps (left vertical row) and three 10c stamps (right vertical row), and the printing from the plate in this state was made exclusively on Greenish paper. Shortly after, two of the 5c subjects (Positions 1 and 3) were altered by burnishing out the "5" numeral on each and engraving a "20" in its place. Impressions from the altered plate containing two 20c subjects was made almost exclusively on Gray Lilac paper, but the existence of five 20c stamps on Greenish paper is evidence that at least some impressions from the altered plate were made on this paper color. It is assumed that a small supply of Greenish paper was mixed in with the Gray Lilac sheets when the second printing was made.

10c Greenish paper stamps cannot be assigned to the original or altered state of the plate, because the 10c subjects remained the same. However, there are two conditions that permit identification. The most obvious condition is when the 10c is part of a 20c multiple or has some part of an adjoining 20c (on Greenish paper). However, no 10c/20c se-tenant pairs are known on Greenish paper (the two known examples are on Gray Lilac). The second condition is more subtle and is demonstrated by the pair offered here: the back of the pair has offset of the 20c value, which is visual and undeniable proof that the pair was printed from the altered plate. It could only occur if the original sheet had been turned 180 degrees before being placed on the sheet beneath, which left the offset impression of the opposing vertical row.

Signed Colson. Ex Weill Brothers sale. With 1990 P.F. certificate stating "both stamps showing a light partial offset of the 20c on back" (Image)

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VERY FINE. THIS FEBRUARY 27, 1846, POSTMARK DATE IS THE EARLIEST RECORDED ON A FULL COVER BEARING ANY OF THE ST. LOUIS "BEARS" STAMPS PRINTED FROM THE ALTERED PLATE ON GRAY LILAC PAPER. AN IMPORTANT POSTMASTERS' PROVISIONAL COVER IN OUTSTANDING CONDITION.

The original plate of six subjects used to print the St. Louis "Bears" provisional stamps comprised three 5c and three 10c stamps. The first printing from this plate was made exclusively on Greenish paper and issued in early November 1845. Shortly after, two of the 5c subjects (Positions 1 and 3) were altered by burnishing out the "5" numeral on each and engraving a "20" in its place. Impressions from the altered plate containing two 20c subjects was made almost exclusively on Gray Lilac paper. The cover offered here is the earliest cover bearing a St. Louis "Bears" stamp on Gray Lilac paper (and from the altered plate), clearly postmarked February 27 (1846). There are a few stamps off cover with slightly earlier February dates, which could be 1846 or 1847.

Signed Ashbrook. Illustrated and described in Opinions IV, "An Important Change in Philatelic Foundation Policy: Certification of Earliest Known Date of Use", Jerome S. Wagshal (pages 42-60). Ex "Charnley & Whelen Find" (H. R. Harmer sale, Dec. 13, 1948, lot 28) and John D. Pope III (John A. Fox sale, Dec. 1, 1984, lot 56). With 1985 P.F. certificate stating "It is genuine. The earliest recorded use of the Gray Lilac paper known to date." (Image)

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FINE APPEARANCE. AN ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT ST. LOUIS POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL ON GRAY LILAC PAPER.

The St. Louis "Bears" stamps were printed from a single plate of six subjects (two horizontal by three vertical) that was modified twice to change the denominations of two positions. The original plate contained three 5c stamps at left and three 10c stamps at right. All stamps from the first state of the plate were printed on Greenish paper. The plate was then altered by burnishing out the "5" on Positions 1 and 3 and engraving a new "20" denomination. A small printing on Greenish paper was made from this altered plate. 5c stamps (Position 5) and 10c stamps (Positions 2/4/6) on Greenish Paper cannot usually be identified as original or altered plate impressions (the 20c on Greenish paper is a great rarity). The larger portion of stamps from the altered plate are on Gray Lilac paper. However, because only one of six subjects was a 5c value, the 5c on Gray Lilac is an extremely rare stamp -- perhaps even rarer than the 20c on Gray Lilac. The plate was modified again by burnishing out each "20" and engraving the old "5" denomination (third state). At the time of this second alteration, a large ball was engraved inside the end curl of the numeral "5" on Position 5. As far as we know, all stamps from the third state of the plate were printed on a very thin pelure paper. These were the last stamps used before the 1847 Issue was placed on sale in St. Louis.

Ex Weill Brothers sale. With 1984 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail $55,000.00 (Image)

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VERY FINE. THIS MARVELOUS STAMP AND COVER REPRESENT THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF ANY UNITED STATES POSTMASTER PROVISIONAL STAMP PRINTED ON BOTH SIDES AND THE EARLIEST RECORDED USE OF A ST. LOUIS "BEARS" STAMP FROM THE THIRD STATE OF THE PLATE ON PELURE PAPER.

The second and final alteration to the St. Louis "Bears" plate restored the two "5" (cent) denominations to Positions 1 and 3, where the "20" (cent) numerals had been engraved during the first alteration of the plate. The "20" numerals had been engraved in an entirely different style, but the re-engraved "5" numerals closely match the numerals on the original plate. When this alteration was made, the engraver also strengthened the dot inside the ball at the bottom end of the "5" in Position 5, which gives us an easy way to differentiate between Position 5 stamps printed on Gray Lilac paper (without the large dot) and stamps from the same position printed on Bluish Pelure paper (with the dot). The 5c stamps from the re-engraved Positions 1 and 3 have noticeably different numerals and should really be called Types IV and V, rather than "Types I and II re-engraved." The stamp on the cover offered here has a part impression of the re-engraved 5c Position 1 (Type IV). To the best of our knowledge, this stamp is not only a singular example of a Postmaster's Provisional printed on both sides, but it is the earliest United States postage stamp printed on both sides and one of three stamps in American philately with two different denominations on the same stamp (the other two are revenue stamps).

The St. Louis "Bears" stamps on Pelure paper are the among the rarest stamps in the world. The census data reproduced in the Faiman collection sale catalogue (Matthew Bennett, Oct. 31, 2003) lists six covers (one of which is a front) for the 5c Pelure (Scott 11X7) and two covers and two fronts for the normal 10c (Scott 11X8), plus the unique 11X8a cover offered here. The earliest date for any Pelure stamp is November 25, 1846 (the cover offered here), and the next two sequential dates for any of the "Bears" are December 4, 1846 (10c Gray Lilac), followed by December 17 (5c Gray Lilac, Position 5 without the retouch). The next sequential date for a Pelure stamp is January 11, 1847 (bearing two 5c Pelure, addressed to Benton). The use of St. Louis "Bears" seems to have dropped significantly by mid-1847, and, starting in July the new 1847 Issue rendered the provisional stamps obsolete.

Information about the addressee, Wayman Crow (1808-85), is available on Wikipedia. He was a businessman and politician, and one of the founders of Washington University. He moved to St. Louis in 1835 and was elected in 1840 to the Missouri state senate. In 1846 he secured the charter for the St. Louis Mercantile Library Association, the oldest library west of the Mississippi River. In 1853 he secured the charter for Eliot Seminary, the precursor to Washington University. He continued as a member of the board of trustees until his death in 1885, when he was assassinated on the campus of Washington University.

Illustrated and described in the 1951 Congress Book, "St. Louis, Missouri, Postmaster's Provisional", C. Turner Nearing (pages 129-149) and Opinions IV, "An Important Change in Philatelic Foundation Policy: Certification of Earliest Known Date of Use", Jerome S. Wagshal (pages 42-60). Ex John D. Pope III (John A. Fox sale, Dec. 1, 1984, lot 59). With 1985 P.F. certificate stating "It is a genuine usage with a small tear at top left in the stamp, the earliest usage of a pelure paper 'St. Louis Bear' stamp known as of this date" (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF SIX RECORDED COVERS OR FRONTS BEARING THE RARE ST. LOUIS 5-CENT "BEARS" PROVISIONAL ON PELURE PAPER, OF WHICH THREE HAVE MULTIPLE FRANKINGS. A SENSATIONAL UNITED STATES PROVISIONAL RARITY AND CERTAINLY ONE OF THE HIGHEST RANKING ST. LOUIS "BEARS" ITEMS EXTANT.

The second and final alteration to the St. Louis "Bears" plate restored the two "5" (cent) denominations to Positions 1 and 3, where the "20" (cent) numerals had been engraved during the first alteration of the plate. The "20" numerals had been engraved in an entirely different style, but the re-engraved "5" numerals closely match the numerals on the original plate. When this alteration was made, the engraver also strengthened the dot inside the ball at the bottom end of the "5" in Position 5, which gives us an easy way to differentiate between Position 5 stamps printed on Gray Lilac paper (without the large dot) and stamps from the same position printed on Bluish Pelure paper (with the dot). The 5c stamps from the re-engraved Positions 1 and 3 have noticeably different numerals and should really be called Types IV and V, rather than "Types I and II re-engraved" (we hope to cause a change in the Scott Catalogue with this description). The stamps on the cover offered here are Types IV and V.

The St. Louis "Bears" stamps on Pelure paper are the among the rarest stamps in the world. The census data reproduced in the Faiman collection sale catalogue (Matthew Bennett, Oct. 31, 2003) lists six covers (one of which is a front) for the 5c Pelure (Scott 11X7) and two covers and two fronts for the normal 10c (Scott 11X8), plus the unique 11X8a cover offered in lot 12. Two of the 5c covers have two stamps for the 10c rate (including this one), and one has four 5c Pelure stamps and a 10c Greenish, but the stamps are extensively repaired.

Ex Arthur Hind (Phillips-Kennett sale, Nov. 20-24, 1933, lot 82), Alfred H. Caspary (H. R. Harmer sale, Nov. 15, 1955, lot 147), T. Cullen Davis ("Texas Collector", Siegel Sale 278, Nov. 19, 1964, lot 59) and John D. Pope III (John A. Fox sale, Dec. 1, 1984, lot 58). With 1985 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE. EXCEPTIONALLY CHOICE CONDITION FOR THIS RARE ST. LOUIS "BEARS" PROVISIONAL ON PELURE PAPER, EXAMPLES OF WHICH ARE SELDOM ENCOUNTERED IN SOUND CONDITION AND WITH A LIGHT CANCELLATION.

A survey of our Levi records and auction catalogues produced a tally of approximately 35 examples of the 5c Pelure off and on cover. The vast majority of these stamps has faults or margins cutting into the design. This lightly-cancelled stamp with a tiny scissors-cut is one of the most attractive of all, and it is essentially sound.

Ex Caspary and Pope. With 1985 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail $11,000.00, but footnote states: "Values of Nos. 11X7-11X8a, on and off cover, reflect the usual poor condition of these stamps, which were printed on fragile pelure paper. Attractive examples with minor defects sell for considerably more." (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RELATIVELY SOUND AND QUITE HANDSOME EXAMPLE OF THE RARE ST. LOUIS "BEARS" 5-CENT PROVISIONAL ON PELURE PAPER.

A survey of our Levi records and auction catalogues produced a tally of approximately 35 examples of the 5c Pelure off and on cover. The vast majority of these stamps has faults or margins cutting into the design.

Ex Col. E. H. R. Green and Pope. Scott Retail $11,000.00, but footnote states: "Values of Nos. 11X7-11X8a, on and off cover, reflect the usual poor condition of these stamps, which were printed on fragile pelure paper. Attractive examples with minor defects sell for considerably more." (Image)

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