Sale 275

The Dr. John L. Robertson Collection
of U.S.-B.N.A. Cross-Border Postal History


British North America Used from the United States
 
 
Lot Photo Description
Lot 206

Canada 1851, 6d slate violet, laid paper (2), large to clear margins on three sides, cut in at bottom and marginal corner creases, tied by criss-cross pen strokes on 1853 envelope to Perth, Canada West (Oct. 28 arrival) showing "Ledyard Ct./Oct 24" origin c.d.s. and "U. States" exchange handstamp in arc over shield in red applied at Cape Vincent and handstruck circular "6d" and manuscript "10" adjacent indicating non-acceptance of postage and amount due, envelope with light wrinkling, Very Fine usage. Illustrated in Boggs, p.86. SG 2.
Estimate 10,000 - 15,000

ONE OF TWO RECORDED USES OF THE 1851 SIX PENCE FROM THE U.S., THIS BEING NOT ACCEPTED AS VALID.

Provenance: Dale-Lichtenstein

For the other six pence usage from the U.S. see the next lot.

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Lot 207

Canada 1851, 6d brownish purple, laid paper (2), deep color and large to ample margins, tied by target cancellation on 1852 envelope to Petersborough showing "Ogdensburgh N.Y./Apr 13" origin c.d.s. adjacent, the Ogdensburgh exchange office (located across the river from Prescott, U.C.) having applied the fancy "U.States" scroll type handstamp and handstruck "10" (indicating postage due) next to the stamp which it did not accept and therefore left uncancelled, while once it crossed the river the postal clerk at Prescott accepted the stamp and cancelled it with his target device as well as obliterating the "10" due marking with the same canceller, adjacent to which is the "Prescott U.C./Apr. 13" double arc d.s. in red indicating pre-payment of postage backstamped "Kingston U.C." (Apr. 15) and "Cobourg U.C." Apr. 16) transits along the Lake Ontario route; also 3d orange vermilion on laid paper (1a, SG1a) with large margins, cancelled by target on 1852 (May 1) envelope to Petersborough via Kingston (May 2) and Cobourg (May 5) which confirms the routing within Canada; Very Fine and a splendid pair of covers illustrating cross river and cross-border routing along Lake Ontario. SG 2.
Estimate 4,000 - 5,000
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Lot 208

Canada 1852, 3d red, thin paper (4d), pair with large to clear margins on three sides, touched at left, few barely perceptible faults, boldly tied by "Portland Me. Paid/Jun 20" c.d.s. on 1856 folded letter to Montreal (June 21 arrival) and showing "U. States" exchange handstamp in arc adjacent, the letter has reinforced splitting at joins, nevertheless a visually stunning and exceptionally rare usage. SG 5 var.
Estimate 15,000 - 20,000

ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED USES OF CANADIAN STAMPS ON A FULLY PRE-PAID CROSS-BORDER COVER FROM THE U.S.A.

Provenance: Caspary

There was apparently not authorization for such usage, in spite of the Treaty of April 6, 1851.

The other cover from the U.S. is dated 1857 (July 6) from Saratoga Springs, N.Y. to Montreal and likewise bears a 3d pair. The cover was sold by Matthew Bennett Auctions on March 23, 2002, see lot #34 in the "Como" sale.

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Lot 209

New Brunswick 1851, 3d red (1), pair with large to ample margins, folded between and tied by "New York/Sep 4" c.d.s. and "United/States" oval exchange handstamp on 1856 envelope (embossed "American Institute of the City of New York" seal on reverse) to Sussex, New Brunswick (arrival d.s.) via St. Johns (Sept. 9) showing straight-line "Held for Postage" handstamp which has been crossed through and a "10" (postage due) in manuscript applied over it, the sender having apparently misunderstood U.S. postal regulations and wrongly presumed New Brunswick stamps would be accepted by the U.S. post office, Very Fine and appealing. SG 1.
Estimate 20,000 - 30,000

THE ONLY RECORDED USAGE OF THE NEW BRUNSWICK PENCE ISSUES FROM THE U.S.A.

Expertization: 1993 B.P.A. Certificate.

Provenance: Dale-Lichtenstein
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Lot 210

Canada Manitoba - The Red River Settlement, 1856 envelope (flap at back missing) to Mr. James Ross (brother of the postmaster at Red River), Knox's College, Toronto (partial Mar. 13 arrival c.d.s.), showing hand drawn "Red River/Feb 11th 1856/B.N.A." circular marking and Postmaster Provisional "Paid 10" two-line handstamp and "United States 6D." oval handstamp in red of the Detroit exchange office, Very Fine and remarkable manuscript provisional postal marking from the earliest period of regular postal service between the Red River and Pembina.
Estimate 5,000 - 7,500
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Lot 211

Canada 1857 envelope to James Ross, at Knox College, Toronto showing manuscript "Pembina/Jan 12" origin marking and "United States 6D" oval exchange handstamp, backstamped "Toronto C.W./Feb. 20", Very Fine usage.
Estimate 1,500 - 2,000
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Lot 212

Canada 1860 envelope (small piece of back missing) to Toronto (Apr. 23) redirected to Montreal (Apr. 25) showing unframed "Paid" handstamp + "10 cts" in manuscript applied at Red River, "Pembina Min" c.d.s. and partly framed circular "U. States/Paid 10D" handstamp in red of the Detroit exchange office, rare and appealing.
Estimate 1,500 - 2,000

Provenance: de Volpi
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Lot 213

Canada 1863 envelope with original enclosure, datelined "Fort Chipewyan Athabasca, August 2 to Miss Annie Ermatinger, St. Thomas, Canada West" (partial arrival d.s.) showing "Pembina Min./Feb. 7" and "Detroit Mich. 10/Jul 22" c.d.s., backstamped Windsor U.C. (July 22) and London U.C. (July 23), taking a remarkable more than eleven months to arrive.
Estimate 2,000 - 3,000

Provenance: de Volpi

Written by Robert McDonald, a missionary who spent more than forty years in the Yukon, to Miss Annie Ermatinger, daughter of the fur trader and trapper Edward Ermatinger, the letter refers to his appointment to the Mackenzie River District, passing through Fort aux Lairds, then a possible visit to the Yukon the following summer, before eventually returning to the Red River. "I shall again write by the winter packet that leaves Fort Simpson on the first December and at the same late one leaves R. River for MacKenzie River".

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Lot 214

U.S. 1863, 2¢ black (73), vertical pair, tear at top, and 3¢ rose (65) horizontal pair cancelled by targets on 1865 envelope with original highly descriptive enclosure datelined "Red River Settlement Nov. 27, 1865" to Freelton, Canada West, showing "Pembina Dakota/Dec 11" transit c.d.s. through which this mail was routed, backstamped Dundas U.C. (Dec. 28) and received on same day, Fine and rare example of mail from this isolated settlement.
Estimate 1,000 - 1,500

The Hudson Bay's outpost on the Red River was Fort Garry, where U.S. stamps were sold. Mail was routed through Pembina, and in addition to the stamps, a penny sterling was charged for the conveyance to the U.S. post office at Pembina.

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Lot 215

U.S. 1861, 10¢ yellow green (68), cancelled by target on 1866 cover (with original enclosure from Rev. James Nisbet datelined "Edmonston House Saskatchewan Oct. 1, 1866" and continued "On the plains midway between Forts Pitt and Carlton October 11th, 1866", from Red River to Freelton, showing "Pembina Dakota/Nov 30" c.d.s., backstamped Dundas U.C. (Dec. 14) and Freelton U.C. (Dec. 14), carried by favor to Red River and then posted from there, as Rev. Nisbet writes "I hope to get this sent to the Red River by two miners that I believe intend going on", and then in a postscript dated October 12 "miners gone - this must remain for next opportunity", thereby explaining the delay in posting.
Estimate 500 - 750
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Lot 216

U.S. 1861, 12¢ black (69), target cancel, on legal size blue envelope to Montreal from Ft. Garry, Manitoba, via Dakota Territory, mostly clear "Pembina Dakota Oct. 4" c.d.s., 1870 Montreal backstamp, docketing at left indicates origin, vertical file creases at left, Fine and rare.
Estimate 500 - 750
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Lot 217

Canada 1859, 5¢ vermilion (15), and 10¢ brown (17, SG36) tied by target cancellations on 1862 envelope (W. Couper, Naturalist, sender's label) to "Mr. Mactavish Esq., F.B.S.C., Chief Factor, Governor of Assiniboia, Secretary of Institute of Rupert's Land, Red River Settlement, Northwest", showing "Quebec L.C." single arc origin d.s. adjacent backstamped Montreal (Apr. 15), the cover has a few tears at top around but not affecting stamps and at bottom, crossing through origin c.d.s, nevertheless Fine 10¢ rate cover to Red River Settlement overpaid by 5 cents. SG 32.
Estimate 5,000 - 7,500

Provenance: de Volpi
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Lot 218

Canada 1859, 10¢ violet (17a), tied by straight-line "Paid" handstamp in blue on 1867 envelope to "Mr. Alexander Matheson, Hudsons Bay Company's Service, Ft. Garry, Red River Settlement, By St. Paul, Minnesota, United States", showing "Sault St. Marie C.W./ JY 16 67" single arc origin datestamp in blue adjacent, slight aging, Very Fine usage. SG 37.
Estimate 1,000 - 1,500

ONLY FOUR COVERS BEARING DECIMAL STAMPS HAVE BEEN RECORDED TO THE RED RIVER.
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