Sale 268

United States Stamps and Postal History


The 5¢ Blue Taylor - Used to Africa, Asia & Australia
 
 
Lot Photo Description
Lot 1634

5¢ Taylor (185), well-centered, tied by purple "Raton N.M. Oct. 17, 1881" octagon postmark on small cover to Alger, Algeria, purple star duplex at center, French transit postmarks front and back, Very Fine, handsome and rare usage, particularly desirable from a territory.
Estimate 1,000 - 1,500
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Lot 1635

5¢ Taylor (179), two singles, used with #158 and #174 on 1878 Landfear cover to Cape of Good Hope, stamps tied by grids and faint postmark with bold strike of "New Haven Conn. Jul. 13 10 AM" tying 2¢ all transit and receiving postmarks attractively interlocked on face with bold Cape Town c.d.s. at far right, fresh and colorful, Very Fine usage.
Estimate 300 - 400
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Lot 1636

5¢ Taylor (179, 185), two covers, 1878 and 1881, each used with 10c brown (161, 188), from New Haven, Ct. to Wellington, Cape of Good Hope, first 5¢ with pre-print paper crease and tied by Capetown c.d.s., transit and receiving postmarks on face, other cover with stamps tied by circle of wedges, all markings except New York are on reverse, 10¢ variety showing insufficiently wiped plate, Very Fine exhibit pair from the Landfear find.
Estimate 400 - 500
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Lot 1637

5¢ Taylor (179, 185), single of each on separate cover, first with #161 and addressed to "Gaboon River, West Africa," from Trenton, N.J., Jan. 1878 with original two enclosures, other is franked with #188 and addressed to "Kabenda, West Coast of Africa", from New Bedford, Mass., Jul. 1879; small faults but latter with stamps cut off on piece and reattached, Very Good.
Estimate 400 - 500
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Lot 1638

5¢ Taylor (179), single, used with 3¢ green (158) and 10c brown (161) pair, each cancelled by bold "78" handstamp, on cover to the captain of the bark Tamerlane at Jamestown, St. Helena, paying the 28¢ British mail rate via England, clear "Mattapoisett Mass. Sep. 3" c.d.s., red "New York Sep. 4" c.d.s. and "110" opera glass datestamp and London transit, St. Helena receiving postmark beneath 5¢ manuscript "Care Solomon Moss Gideon & Co. please forward" written along bottom; cover with the usual edge wear and small tears, 5¢ with minor perf flaws, Fine and very scarce, particularly desirable with this fancy date cancel.
Estimate 1,000 - 1,500

Expertization: 1997 P.F. Certificate.
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Lot 1639

5¢ Taylor (185), single tied by heavy cork cancel, "Philadelphia Pa. May 23, 1883" c.d.s. opposite it, on cover from the Missionary Society of the Presbyterian Church to Kangwe, Africa, reverse with "Zanzibar Jul. 15" c.d.s., handstamped "Detained at Consulate/ Sent to Dead Letter office/ `Unclaimed'" in purple in addition to "Return to Writer" pointing hand, final marking is a Dead Letter Office Foreign Office Feb. 1895 handstamp on reverse, Very Fine, unique usage.
Estimate 1,500 - 2,000
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Lot 1640

5¢ Taylor (185), two singles on separate covers, each to Burma, each with different fancy Spencerport N.Y. postmark, 1880 and 1882, first in purple with tiny Maltese Crosses and stamp tied by star, other in grayish black with serrated edge and star ornaments and stamp tied by negative star, Sea Post Office and Brindisi backstamps; former cover with small tear, otherwise Very Fine exhibit pair.
Estimate 300 - 400
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Lot 1641

5¢ Taylor (185), tied by quartered cork and "Newburyport Mass. Nov. 14" c.d.s. on 1882 cover to the bark Agate off the Island of Celebes, E.I. (East Indies), manuscript "Via Brindisi" at upper left, redirected several times with eight different datestamps on reverse, front with "Missent In Indian Mail" boxed handstamp and similar "Missent To Hongkong", though the last destination appears to be the U.S. Consulate at Hong Kong; cover opened up to display both sides, Very Fine and rare usage.
Estimate 750 - 1,000
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Lot 1642

5¢ Taylor (185), four covers to Foochow, China, all to J.C. A. Wingate, U.S. consulate, postmarked from Bristol & Stratham, N.H. and Ipswich, Ms., 1881-82, each with single cancelled by different obliterator, each with different markings including perfect strike of S.F. "Too Late" in magenta oval, another with U.S. Consulate General Shanghai backstamp, two with "U.S. Postal Agcy. Shanghai" postmark. and one with blue "Shanghai Local Post" backstamp, Very Fine lot.
Estimate 300 - 400
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Lot 1643

5¢ Taylor (185), tied by target cancel of cover to Shanghai, China via San Francisco and Yokohama, postmarked Seville, Tenn., Oct. 4 [1884], handstamped "Due 10" in circle ("10" manuscript) and then "25/T" on arrival in Yokohama, where a Japan 10s blue Koban was applied (not tied, most likely precancelled) to pay the postage due to Shanghai, backstamped San Francisco, Yokohama and Shanghai; part of flap missing leaving only part of the Yokohama c.d.s. Otherwise Very Fine and very rare.
Estimate 3,000 - 4,000

Expertization: 1989 P.F. Certificate.
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Lot 1644

5¢ Taylor, 12¢ violet (179, 162), single of each, cancelled by matching segmented cork cancels in blue, 5¢ tying, on small ca. 1875 cover to Genl. Emory Upton in Calcutta, India, matching c.d.s. of Palmyra N.Y. mostly struck off edge, Calcutta backstamp; slightly reduced at left, Fine and rare; although endorsed "(Via) San Francisco" (a routing by American packet no longer in effect), it was franked for the short-lived 17¢ German mail rate.
Estimate 300 - 400

At the time of this mailing, General Upton was on a tour of inspection, gathering material for his study, "The Armies of Europe and Asia", published in 1878. Less than three years later he committed suicide at The Presidio at the age of 42.

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Lot 1645

5¢ Taylor (179), single used with 10c brown (161), each tied by targets, matching "Bedford Station N.Y. Jul. 7" c.d.s. on cover to Yokohama, Japan, red New York and London postmarks, the former with "50" struck out in red pencil, there is also a "3" at far right to indicate this was triple the 5¢ treaty rate, reverse with Hong-Kong Marine-Sorter double circle datestamp and Yokohama receiver; cover with sealed opening tear at upper right, otherwise a Very Fine and rare usage.
Estimate 750 - 1,000

The treaty rate of 1875, originally 15¢ was reduced twice, first to 12¢ in Jan. 1876 and then to 5¢ in April of the same year, ending in June 1877 with Japan's entrance into the General Postal Union.

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Lot 1646

5¢ Taylor (179), single tied by target with 10c brown (161) on 1875 cover to Yokohama, Japan, "Buffalo N.Y. Aug. 17 3 PM" c.d.s., paying the short-lived 15¢ treaty rate (Jan. `75 to Jan. `76), manuscript "via San Francisco", Yokohama Sep. 26 receiving postmark and pencil docketing, "Recd Tieutsu China Oct. 17th 1875", Very Fine usage.
Estimate 750 - 1,000
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Lot 1647

5¢ Taylor (185), single with cork cancel and tied by Cambridge, Mass. c.d.s. on cover to physicist Thomas C. Mendenhall in Tokyo, Japan, redirected to Columbus, Ohio, "Yokohama May 24, 1882" c.d.s. opposite stamp, reverse with Boston, two different San Francisco transits, an earlier Yokohama postmark. and finally a Columbus, O. receiving postmark (Mendenhall had returned in 1881 to teach at Ohio State), Harvard College Observatory corner card, Very Fine usage.
Estimate 150 - 200
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Lot 1648
 
5¢ Taylor (179, 185), four covers, all to Japan, postmarks include Kobe and two different Yokohama datestamps, one 5¢ tied by blue "SHIP" handstamp; mixed condition, Good-Very Fine.
Estimate 500 - 750
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Lot 1649

5¢ Taylor (185), single tied by bold quartered cork, matching "Newburyport Mass. Feb. 26" c.d.s. on 1881 cover to Singapore, well struck "Missent In/ Indian Mail" boxed handstamp, reverse with Boston, Brindisi, Sea Post Office and Singapore postmarks, the latter in red with "Paid" at center, pretty multicolor fan vignette in corner; cover with small tears at top and tear in stamp, Fine appearance.
Estimate 100 - 150
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Lot 1650

5¢ Taylor (179), three covers, each addressed to a different city in Syria from three towns in Massachusetts incl. stamp tied by Star in Circle of Lancaster Mass., one with printed address, each with different routing instructions, various transit postmarks incl. Vienna and Trieste, Very Fine lot.
Estimate 200 - 300
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Lot 1651

5¢ Taylor (185), horizontal pair, used with #183 on 1880 mourning envelope to Kilmore, Australia, dark blue Cincinnati duplexes tie stamps, San Francisco transit, ms. "Not in first delivery" written at left, Very Fine.
Estimate 400 - 500
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Lot 1652

5¢ Taylor (185), horizontal pair, well tied by "New-York Sep. 17 80" c.d.s. and "6" duplex on 12¢ treaty rate cover to Sydney, New South Wales, attractively addressed, blue crayon "Due 2" and perfectly struck "N.Y.P.O./ One Rate/ Short Paid" at lower left, manuscript "Via San Francisco" at top, New York Sep. 20 backstamp in addition to Sydney receiving postmark, fresh and Very Fine, handsome usage.
Estimate 400 - 500
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Lot 1653
 
5¢ Taylor (179, 185), two covers, first with Continental single (straightedge at left) tied by quartered cork on 1876 wrapper to Victoria, manuscript "Via San Francisco," reverse with New York and Melbourne backstamps, other is 1880 cover with two 5¢ (one with tiny tear & gum wrinkle) and #183 from Cincinnati to Kilmore, Victoria & with manuscript note "not in first delivery 10.10 AM" with "2nd" added to it; Fine lot.
Estimate 300 - 400
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Lot 1654

5¢ Taylor (179), cork cancel, on undated cover to Victoria, via San Francisco, "Frankfort Ind. Jan. 10" c.d.s. and bold "Returned For Postage" circle handstamp and pencil "Due 7¢", Chicago backstamp rather than San Francisco postmark, stamp with tiny scuff in top margin, Fine and unusual.
Estimate 500 - 750
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Lot 1655
 
Registered Covers with the 5¢ Taylor, 12 covers, all different domestic and foreign usages with either #179 or #185 including. pairs (also one cover to Italy with 3 singles), additionally franked with 2¢ 3¢ or 10¢ includes July 12, 1875 cover from dealer L.W. Durbin to England with 5¢ pair and single- at one time the earliest known use, mixed condition, generally Fine lot.
Estimate 400 - 500
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Lot 1656

5¢ Taylor (179, 185), nine covers, each with different illustrated ad, all transatlantic usages, includes Dr. Scott's Electric Hair Brush to England, surgical & dental instruments to Austria, U. of Michigan Class of `82, and a 3-color corner card for book & job printing from Concord, never hinged to Paris, Fine-Very Fine, a scarce group.
Estimate 300 - 400
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Lot 1657
 
5¢ Taylor (179, 18), eleven covers, including five with pairs or two singles, each with different New Orleans fancy cancel, mostly to France, all in black except one stylized leaf in blue, Very Fine or better strikes.
Estimate 500 - 750
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Lot 1658

New York Foreign Mail Cancels, includes 17 singles and one pair (off-cover), and five covers, all with #179, usages including. cover to St. Thomas with GE-EP3, pristine "gem" example of TR-S5 to France, pair with GE-S1A, etc., some duplication and small faults, Fine-Very Fine.
Estimate 500 - 750
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Lot 1659

5¢ Taylor (179, 185), five covers with six singles, all but one are American printings, each with different county or postmaster datestamp, includes Florence Mass. Hampshire Co. in purple (1878) to France; Bath, N.Y. Steuben Co. to England with Soldiers' & Sailors' Home corner card (1881); Black Jack Mo. St. Louis Co. Julius Nolte, P.M., with two 5¢ and three #206 (registered, 1882); Brimfield Mass. Hampden Co. to Constantinople (`82), and Cottonville Iowa F.M. Purdy P.M. to Germany (`82); reg. cover with small tear and Iowa with faint narrow toning band at center, otherwise Very Fine group with virtually all superb strikes.
Estimate 400 - 500
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Lot 1660

5¢ Taylor (179), six covers, each with different stamp dealer's corner card, mostly addressed to Ernst Petritz in Saxony, includes C.F. Adams, C.H. Bechtel (with running chicken vignette), Jno. Biedenstein, M. Kottshofski, F. Trifet to J.D. Russell in England, also Scott & Co. on registered cover with #185 pair and #184 single; some small faults, a Fine group, though the Scott cover is Extremely Fine.
Estimate 200 - 300
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Lot 1661
 
5¢ Taylor Postal History balance, mounted collection balance of about 50 covers well written on album pages. There are 11 domestic usages (much scarcer than overseas usages, for which the stamp was intended) including two parcel tags (one bearing a block of 6 plus a single 3¢ the other 6 singles) and a 7x rate (strip of 4 plus a 1¢ blue). Of the overseas usages we note several scarcer destinations such as Australia, Cape of Good Hope, Hawaii, Japan (2), Peru (1878, with a 2¢ vermilion & a 10¢ brown, marked for 12¢ postage due, which was paid with a 10c Peruvian due stamp; cover with tape repairs and part of Peruvian stamp missing due to its having been applied over the flap). Also includes a rare non-G.P.U. 9¢ rate to France (with two 2¢ vermilion) used during the six-month period after France had joined the G.P.U. but before it gave up its former treaty rates. Plus, there are many more unusual covers and a little collateral. Condition is a bit mixed but is generally Fine-Very Fine. A wonderful lot.
Estimate 3,000 - 4,000
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Lot 1662
 
Balance of 5¢ Taylor Postal History, nearly 260 covers, the vast majority of which are foreign destinations, though interesting domestic usages including. registered, two courthouse covers (reduced) with single 30c Bank Notes, illustrated or imprint covers including. Morgan Park Military Academy with flag, Blackwell's Durham Telegraph, Consulate of German Empire at St. Louis, etc., six incoming covers including N. York Steamship postmarks. Besides generous amount of covers to England, France and Germany, destinations (and quantities) include Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bermuda, Brazil (5 including. two #185 on registered 15¢ entire), Chile (2 including. cover used from Chile with Consulate corner card), China (2), Colombia (3), Ecuador (strip of 4), Egypt (3), Gibraltar, Haiti, Hawaii, India (2), Japan (3), Netherlands (3), Nova Scotia, Panama (2), Spain (12), Sweden (3), Syria (8), Trieste, Turkey (11), Uruguay, etc. In addition to multiple frankings and uses with other values, there are several "oddball" frankings of either non-existent or obsolete rates, the most striking of which is a single 5¢ on a 2¢ Columbian entire to Florida (bank correspondence). Although the owner favored foreign usages there are also unusual cancels and small town usages to be found; despite the length of time involved in assembling this enormous group, it is still waiting to be lovingly written up on exhibit pages; Good-Very Fine.
Estimate 6,000 - 8,000
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