Lot 95
St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 5¢ black on pelure and 5¢ black on greenish (11X7, 11X1), four singles of first, each type I, position 1, one copy of latter, type III, position 5, full to large margins, arranged along top of a July 17, 1847double rate folded letter to Washington, D.C. with a 5¢ overpayment, all without the usual pen cancel, each with red "Paid" tying, matching "St. Louis Mo. 10 Jul. 19" c.d.s. with integral rate, manuscript "20" rate at far right and sender's manuscript "Paid" written below first stamp; first and third stamps masterfully repaired with small parts of frame and design added at lower left on each, far right stamp with small closed tear (all faults were pre-use), Very Fine appearance.
Estimate 50,000 - 75,000
A FANTASTIC USAGE AND A CENTERPIECE OF THE FAIMAN COLLECTION.THE LATEST RECORDED USE OF A ST. LOUIS BEAR, THIS IS ALSO THE ONLY RECORDED COVER USED IN THE PERIOD OF THE 1847 ISSUE AS WELL AS THE UNIQUE USAGE TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
Expertization: signed W.H.C. (Colson), 2003 P.F. Certificate.
Provenance: Moody
The curious combination of stamps and types is most likely explained by someone using up a supply of Bears before the postmaster began refusing to accept them as postage. The contents indicate an ongoing correspondence in addition to mentioning a second letter enclosed with this one, which explains the double rate, though the overpayment suggests some confusion with weight vs. postage requirements.
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| Realized $45,000 |
