Sale 273

The Robert L. Markovits Collection
of U.S. Official Stamps, 1873-1884


State Department - Postal History
 
 
Lot Photo Description
Lot 3127

State Dept., 1873, 2¢ dark green (O58), tied by fancy segmented cork cancel, "Washington D.C. Oct 20" c.d.s., on obsolete Department of State/Assistant Secretary free frank envelope addressed locally, backstamped red carrier c.d.s., fresh and choice Very Fine stamp and cover, single 2¢ local rate.
Estimate 1,500 - 2,000

1873 DOCKETING AND SIZE OF THE DATESTAMP CONFIRMS THIS TO BE THE EARLIEST DOCUMENTED USAGE.

Provenance: Waud
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Lot 3128

State Dept., 1873, 2¢ dark green (O58), tied by 1883 "New York, Dec 18" Station E duplex cancel on Department of State envelope to Muscatime, Iowa, stamp with negligible corner crease, fresh and Very Fine.
Scott $1,000

ILLEGITIMATE USE OF OFFICIAL STAMP ON PRIVATE MAIL FROM A DISPATCH AGENT TO HIS WIFE.

Provenance: Waud
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Lot 3129

State Dept., 1873, 2¢ dark green (O58), exceptionally fresh horizontal pair tied by violet quartered cork cancel with matching "Washington D.C. Oct 19, 1878" c.d.s. on small Department of State envelope to New York, N.Y., backstamped N.Y. receiver and carrier with Department of State wax seal on flap, Very Fine, a 1¢ overpayment of the 3¢ domestic rate".
Estimate 1,500 - 2,000

Provenance: Ackerman, Knapp, Waud
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Lot 3130

State Dept., 1873, 2¢ and 6¢ (O58, O60), tied by quartered cork cancels, weak "Washington, D.C." c.d.s., on blue legal size Department of State cover addressed locally to U.S. Marshal Frederick Douglass; 6¢ rounded corner, cover with small edge tears, hole on reverse where wax seal was removed, Very Fine, quadruple the 2¢ local rate.
Estimate 1,500 - 2,000

THE ONLY RECORDED COMBINATION OF THESE TWO VALUES.

Douglass, the famed African-American abolitionist and former slave, later became an advisor to President Lincoln and an unsuccessful vice-presidential candidate (1872). In 1877, while serving as police commissioner of the District of Columbia, President Hayes appointed him U.S. Marshal for the nation's capital.

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Lot 3131

State Dept., 1873, 10¢ dark green (O62), tied by quartered cork cancel, "Washington D.C., Feb 19" c.d.s. on legal size State Department cover to the Consul General of the Orange Free State in Philadelphia' stamp has a few short perforations and tiny red manuscript, cover with part of flap missing, Fine, 1¢ overpayment of triple 3¢ domestic.
Scott $1,200
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Lot 3132

State Dept., 1873, 15¢ dark green (O64), tied by segmented cork cancel, "Washington, D.C., Mar 31" c.d.s. (1874), on cover to Hartford, Conn., unusual manuscript "Department of State" corner card; reduced, repaired tears, other faults, but an exceedingly rare usage paying 5 time the 3¢ domestic letter rate.
Estimate 750 - 1,000

ONE OF ONLY SIX RECORDED 15¢ STATE COVERS.
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Lot 3133

State Dept., 1873, 1¢ dark green (O57), two singles, well tied by "Washington D.C. July 21 1884" fishtail numeral duplex cancels and again on July 22, to Department of State envelope, pale "United States Consulate Copenhagen" handstamp, repeated on reverse; small opening tear at top, Very Fine.
Estimate 2,000 - 3,000

ONE OF TWO RECORDED INCOMING DENMARK CONSULAR COVERS; THE ONLY RECORDED USE OF 1¢ STAMP TO PAY THIS RATE.

Provenance: Waud

This is an obsolete usage as the official stamps were discontinued as of July 5, 1884.

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Lot 3134

State Dept., 1873, 1¢ and 2¢ (O57, O58), tied by "Washington D.C., May 17, 1881" duplex cancels with "3" in a target on cover from Brazil to Huntington, Ind., U.S. consulate General, Rio de Janeiro corner card and "Department of State" handstamp endorsed by Consul Adamson; opened irregularly at right affecting 2¢ stamp, edge flaws at top, water stains, a very rare usage.
Estimate 1,000 - 1,500

ONE OF ONLY THREE 1¢/2¢ STATE COMBINATION USAGES AND ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED INCOMING DIPLOMATIC USAGES FROM BRAZIL.

Provenance: Waud

The other two 1¢ 2¢ combination usages were from Ackerman and Stone (Hamburg).

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Lot 3135

State Dept., 1873, 1¢ and 3¢ (O57, O59), tied by "Washington D.C. Apr 28, 1884" c.d.s. on cover, "Legation of the United States, Peking" corner card, "Department of State" handstamp; piece out at top affecting c.d.s., no flap, stamps with small unnoticeable faults, a rare usage.
Estimate 1,000 - 1,500

ONE OF ONLY SIX RECORDED 1¢ DEPARTMENT OF STATE COVERS, ONE OF ONLY THREE INCOMING CONSULAR MAIL FROM PEKING AND THE ONLY RECORDED 1¢/3¢ COMBINATION USAGE.
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Lot 3136

State Dept., 1873, 1¢ and 10¢ (O62, O57 [2]), tied by "Washington, D.C., May 2, 1882" numeral "6" target duplex cancels on reduced legal size cover from London, England to New York, N.Y., weak strike violet B. F. Stevens, U.S. Despatch Agent, London oval; part of printed U.S. Consulate corner card missing as a result of reduction at left, edge tears top and bottom, stamps with perforation faults but a rare usage, quadruple the 3¢ domestic letter rate.
Estimate 2,000 - 3,000

ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED CONSULAR COVERS FROM ENGLAND AND THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THIS PARTICULAR COMBINATION FRANKING.

Provenance: Waud
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Lot 3137

State Dept., 1873, 2¢ dark green (O58), tied by neat "Washington, D.C. Mar 27, 1882" numeral "2" target duplex cancel on cover from Belfast, Ireland to Washington D.C., American Consulate, Belfast corner card and "Department of State" handstamp, violet B.F. Stevens, U.S. Despatch Agent, London handstamp, Washington carrier backstamp; stamp with few perforation faults, cover with closed spindle hole at upper left and light fold, still a Very Fine and rare usage.
Estimate 2,000 - 3,000

ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED CONSULAR COVERS FROM IRELAND.

Provenance: Waud
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Lot 3138

State Dept., 1873, 3¢ bright green (O59), tied by " Washington, D.C., Nov 4, 1881" numeral "6" target duplex cancel on mourning cover [six weeks after death of President Garfield] from London England to Pomeroy, Ohio, printed "Despatch Agency of the United States, London" corner card rather than the usual B.F. Stevens oval, "Department of State" handstamp; closed opening tears at top and left, otherwise Very Fine and attractive.
Estimate 1,500 - 2,000

ONE OF FOUR RECORDED DEPARTMENT OF STATE MOURNING COVERS, ONE OF THREE CONSULAR COVERS FROM ENGLAND AND THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE PRINTED U.S. DESPATCH AGENCY CORNER CARD.
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Lot 3139

State Dept., 1873, 6¢ bright green (O60), tied by "7" in circle, "New York, Feb 19" c.d.s. on cover from Paris, France to Honolulu, Sandwich Islands, U.S. Legation in Paris corner card; stamp a bit faulty, pinhole at top of cover, otherwise Fine, 6¢ treaty rate from U.S. to Hawaii.
Estimate 3,000 - 4,000

ONE OF FIVE RECORDED INCOMING CONSULAR COVERS FROM FRANCE ONE OF ONLY TWO OFFICIAL COVERS TO HAWAII.

Provenance: Waud
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Lot 3140

State Dept., 1873, 6¢ bright green (O60), tied by "Washington, D.C., Aug 4, 1880" target duplex cancel on cover from Dublin, Ireland to Oquawka, Ill., U.S. Consulate, Dublin corner card, red B.F. Stevens, U.S. Despatch Agent, London oval handstamp, endorsed "B.H. Barrow, US Consul", magenta Oquawka backstamp; couple opening tears at top, one repaired with tape resulting in light tape stain, Fine and rare double 3¢ domestic rate cover.
Estimate 2,000 - 3,000

ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED CONSULAR COVERS FROM IRELAND.

Provenance: Ehrenberg
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Lot 3141

State Dept., 1873, 7¢ dark green (O61), tied by quartered cork cancel, "Washington, D.C., Nov 17" c.d.s., on cover from Guatemala to Shreveport, La., ms "U.S. Legation at Central America, Geo. Williamson, U.S. Minister" corner card, blue "Department of State" handstamp; light stain in address area, Fine, 1¢ overpayment of 6¢ domestic rate.
Estimate 1,500 - 2,000

ONE OF ONLY THREE CONSULAR COVERS FROM GUATEMALA.

Provenance: Hughes, Waud
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Lot 3142

State Dept., 1873, 12¢ dark green (O63), tied by quartered cork cancels, "Washington, D.C., Jul 20" c.d.s., on cover from Mexico City to Baltimore, Md., U.S. Consulate Gen'l corner card and red "Department of State" handstamp, green oval "Consulate General/of the United States/Mexico City" on reverse along with Baltimore receiver; opened at left, slight edge and corner wear, Fine-Very Fine, quadruple 3¢ domestic rate.
Estimate 2,000 - 3,000

ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED CONSULAR COVERS FROM MEXICO.

Expertization: 1981 P.F. Certificate.

Provenance: Ackerman, Ehrenberg
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Lot 3143

State Dept., 1873, 24¢ dark green (O65), tied by quartered cork cancel, "Washington, D.C., Jun 29" c.d.s., on legal size cover from Beirut, Syria to Alexander Stephens, former C.S.A. vice-president in Crawfordsville, Ga., partly printed U.S. Consulate, Beirut corner card and magenta Dept. of State handstamp, endorsed "Honorable George S. Fisher, Consul to Beirut, Syria"; minor cosmetic refolding. slightly refreshed corner and edge wear, faint water staining, overall Fine-Very Fine appearance, 8-times the 3¢ domestic letter rate.
Estimate 10,000 - 15,000

THE ONLY RECORDED CONSULAR COVER FROM SYRIA AND THE ONLY RECORDED 24¢ STATE COVER AVAILABLE (ONE OTHER WAS IN THE STARNES COLLECTION AND IS PRESUMED LOST).

Provenance: Ackerman, Knapp, Waud

The Charles J. Starnes collection of postal history of the U.S. departments, which contained several high value official covers, was stolen in 1983. Those covers are now presumed lost to philately forever.

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Lot 3144

State Dept., 1873, 6¢ bright green (O60), tied by New York simplex vertical barred ellipse, "Philadelphia Pa Aug 28, 1883" c.d.s. on penalty envelope Post Office Department corner card to Norway, six-line "Deficiency in Postage supplied by U.S. boat Despatch Agency, New York…" in violet on reverse, opened at top, negligible edge flaws, Very Fine 1¢ overpayment of 5¢ U.P.U. rate to Norway".
Estimate 3,000 - 4,000

THE ONLY RECORDED OFFICIAL COVER TO NORWAY.

Provenance: Waud

The penalty clause was not accepted for overseas postage except on official Post Office business.

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Lot 3145

State Dept., 1873, 10¢ dark green (O62), tied by "New- York Dec 11" duplex cancel with 5¢ brown Garfield (#205) and by cork cancel, "Cleveland O" c.d.s. on 1883 cover to Cape Town, South Africa via South Hampton, three line handstamp on reverse reads in part "Forwarded by the United States Government Genl…"; New York & Cape Town backstamp, reduced a bit at right, Fine, 15¢ British mail rate to South Africa.
Estimate 4,000 - 5,000

THE ONLY RECORDED OFFICIAL COVER TO SOUTH AFRICA AS WELL AS A VERY RARE STATE MIXED FRANKING.

Expertization: 1981 P.F. Certificate.

Provenance: Ehrenberg
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Lot 3146

State Dept., 1873, 30¢ 90¢ and 6¢ (O66-67, O60), tied by circle-of-Vs cancel, "Washington, D.C., Jun 17" c.d.s., on large imprinted Department of State parcel wrapper front to the U.S. Consul in Matamoros, Mexico with manuscript instruction "Via Brownsvile, Texas", manuscript rate "41" and handstamped "3.10"; file crease through 30¢ one Very Fine.
Estimate 20,000 - 30,000

THE ONLY RECORDED COMBINATION OF THESE VALUES, ONE OF ONLY TWO 90¢ STATE COVERS, ONE OF ONLY EIGHT 30¢ STATE COVERS AND ONE OF ONLY TWO OFFICIAL COVERS FROM ANY DEPARTMENT TO MEXICO.

Provenance: Waud

The other 90¢ cover has not been seen in over 50 years. The manuscript "41" indicates 41 half-ounce units (1 lb. 4½ oz.) at the domestic letter rate of 3¢ per ½ oz. plus 3¢ for the weight of the wrapper or $1.26 to the border. The handstamped "3.10" indicates 3.10 pesos Mexican postage due assessed in pesos at 2½ times the U.S. postage in dollars.

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Lot 3147

State Dept., 1873, $2 green & black (O68, O66 [17], O62), the 30¢ includes two pairs and strips of three and four, tied by "New York, Oct 25, 82" duplex cancels to parcel wrapper front to the American Public Library, Stuttgart, Germany; several 30¢ with small or minor faults otherwise Fine, a magnificent usage, Illustrated in the "Chronicle", #188, page 288.
Estimate 50,000 - 75,000

THIS IS THE ONLY KNOWN STATE DOLLAR VALUE ON COVER. IT WAS REFERRED TO IN THE ACKERMAN SALE CATALOGUE AS THE "KOHINOOR" OF ALL OFFICIAL DEPARTMENT COVERS AND IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE MARKOVITS COLLECTION.

Provenance: Ackerman, Knapp, Hughes, Waud

After the penalty clause handstamp was applied by the Department of State mailroom, the cover (or package) was posted at the main post office in Washington, D.C. There are no D.C. markings as 3rd class mail did not require a datestamp, and there were no stamps to cancel. The package was then posted to New York where the despatch agent applied the proper postage for international printed matter: 11.25 lbs at 2¢ per ½ oz. for a total of $7.20. Interestingly, the New York duplex canceller that was applied was actually appropriate for domestic mail -- not for foreign packages. For an example of the dated oval cancel that was used for foreign parcels, see lot 3115.
The 30¢ strip of four is the largest known multiple of that value; the 10¢ stamp is position 29 showing the short transfer at upper left.

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