| Postmasters' Provisionals |
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| Lot |
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Description |
Lot 3 |
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Baltimore, Md., 1845, 5¢ black on white (3X1), position 4, two large margins with framelines, others slightly in with top showing part frameline, tied by file fold that breaks paper, on cover front to Warrenton Va. bearing blue "Baltimore Md. Jan 15" c.d.s. and matching "Paid" handstamp, additional manuscript "Paid 5" in hand of addressor; stamp with lightened pen cancels, lifted and hinged in place; Fine.
Scott $12,500
THE EARLIEST DOCUMENTED USE OF THE 5-CENT BALTIMORE PROVISIONAL ON WHITE PAPER.
Expertization: 1976 P.F. Certificate.
Hayes Census, Number 1.
Hayes, Muriel Bemis, The 1845 Provisional Postage Stamps of James M. Buchanan, The Collectors Club Philatelist, Vol. 49, No. 1, p. 19-35.
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Lot 4 |
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Baltimore, Md., 1845, 10¢ black on white (3X2), type II, position 9, large margins showing framelines on all sides, tied by file fold and blue oval "10" rating handstamp on folded cover to Kentucky bearing matching "Baltimore Md. Oct 12" c.d.s. and "Paid" handstamp, stamp additionally cancelled by manuscript; stamp lifted and replaced with pressed out filing crease, address mostly erased; Fine, the earliest documented usage.
Scott $60,000
ONE OF THE RAREST POSTMASTER PROVISIONALS, WITH ONLY FIVE RECORDED, ALL OF THEM ARE ON COVER.
Expertization: 2006 P.F. Certificate.
Provenance: Lord of Crawford
The five recorded examples are:
1. 1846, Oct. 12, to Kentucky, the example offered here. (Hayes No. 2)
2. (1847) Feb. 26, cover to Montgomery Ala., returned to Baltimore Md. (Hayes No. 1)
3. (1847) Mar. 13, to Rev. William I. Enter in Boston Mass. (Hayes No. 3)
4. (1847) Mar. 28, to B. Webster at the Theatre Royal in London, England. (Hayes No. 4)
5. (1847) May 5, to Mr. Nathan Smith Lincoln, Member of the College at Hanover N.H. (Hayes No. 5).
Philatelic Journal of America. Volume 23.
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Lot 5 |
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Baltimore, Md., 1845, 5¢ black on bluish (3X3), position 4, large margins showing part of frameline on all sides and without usual manuscript cancellation, tied solely by blue "Paid" handstamp on buff cover to Washington D.C., matching "Baltimore Md. Aug 3" c.d.s.; stamp and surrounding paper cut out and expertly rejoined to cover; Fine.
Scott $12,500
THE EARLIEST DOCUMENTED USE OF THE 5-CENT BALTIMORE PROVISIONAL ON BLUISH PAPER.
Expertization: 2000 P.F. Certificate.
Provenance: Philip T. Wall
Hayes Census, Number 1.
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Lot 6 |
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Baltimore, Md., 1845, 5¢ red (3XU2), usual lightly inked strikes of provisional markings on entire from the Mayer find to Miss Julia Mayer in Philadelphia Pa., blue "Baltimore Md. Apr 27" c.d.s., interior edges silked, repaired at right and lightly cleaned, Very Fine appearing.
Scott $9,000
THE EARLIEST OF ONLY SIX DOCUMENTED EXAMPLES OF THE 5¢ RED ON MANILA ENTIRE.
Expertization: 1999 P.F. Certificate.
Provenance: W.C. Colson, John R. Hill, Jr.
Hayes Census, Number 12.
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Lot 7 |
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Baltimore, Md., 1845, 10¢ red (3XU4), signature handstamp faintly struck, other provisional markings struck clearly, strong "Baltimore Md. Jun 12" c.d.s. in blue on entire addressed to Silas Parsons at Huntsville Ala.; restored at left, Fine.
Scott $19,000
THE EARLIEST OF ONLY FOUR DOCUMENTED EXAMPLES OF THE 10¢ RED ON MANILA ENTIRE.
Expertization: 1969 P.F. Certificate.
Provenance: Weill Brothers, John R. Hill, Jr.
Hayes Census, Number 18.
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Lot 8 |
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Brattleboro, Vt., 1846, 5¢ black on buff (5X1), position 9, large margins to just touching bottom frameline, small scrapes at lower left and upper right, tiny manuscript "FNP" initials below the engraved initials of the postmaster, tied by red "Paid" straightline with matching "Brattleboro Vt. 28 Aug" c.d.s. on 1846 folded letter datelined "Brattleboro Aug. 27, 1846" to Matthew Hale at Chelsea, Vermont; right side of center file fold is slightly toned, Very Fine.
Scott $35,000 Estimate 50,000 - 75,000
THE EARLIEST DOCUMENTED USE OF THE BRATTLEBORO POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL.
Expertization: 2000 P.F. Certificate.
Provenance: C. F. Bishop,"Troy" collection, and Philip T. Wall
It can be theorized that this letter may actually have been sent close to the first day of issue for the Brattleboro provisional. The August 27, 1846 letter is written from William R. Hale to his brother Matthew, with a postscript that lends credence "I pay this just to shew you the stamp. It's against my principles you know." It was a relatively new practice in America to prepay postage, and the sender obviously felt that his brother would enjoy seeing the novelty item, the Brattleboro stamp.
In Cal Hahn's article (CCP, Jan-Feb 1988, pg. 17), he discusses the tiny "FNP" initials on this stamp as a possible authenticating practice. He assumes they were applied by the postmaster, Dr. Frederick N. Palmer, and the practise was quickly abandoned. Because this is the earliest recorded date, it is possible that the first sheets sold were initialled by the postmaster, similar in practice to the New York City postmaster.
After this August 28 postmark date, the next earliest Brattleboro cover recorded in Cal Hahn's census is September 3, 1846 (Census number 24).
No. 6 in the Hahn Census, "The Plating of the Brattleboro", Collector's Club Philatelist, May-June 1988, P. 161-166.
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Lot 9 |
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New York, N.Y., 1845, 5¢ black on bluish, without signature (9X1e), horizontal pair, positions 10-11, full to large margins all around, tied by arced "Paid" handstamps on large part folded cover to Dundee, Scotland, additional "Paid" handstamp adjacent and red "New-York 10cts. 15 Jul", endorsed per "Acadia", black "1/-" rating handstamp, Liverpool JY29 1845 and London Jul 31 backstamps; some restoration, a Fine usage.
Scott $30,000
THE ONLY RECORDED PAIR USED ON JULY 15, 1845, THE EARLIEST DOCUMENTED DATE OF USAGE AND QUITE LIKELY THE FIRST DAY OF ISSUE. A HANDSOME AND IMPORTANT NEW YORK PROVISIONAL COVER.
Expertization: 1999 A.P.S. Certificate.
According to the Cal Hahn census in the Collector's Club Philatelist, there are eleven recorded usages on July 15, with nine to foreign destinations and two used domestically. He also notes that Farrington records only eight surviving uninitialed pairs, on or off cover.
This is the first time this cover is being offered at public auction.
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