Lot 111 1¢-5¢ 10¢ Columbians (230-234, 237), matched set, each with a single value tied by first day "New-York N.Y. D. Jan 1, 1893" duplex cancellation on small cover neatly addressed locally in the same hand to C. A. Burger; a few trivial imperfections. Very Fine. Estimate 150,000 - 200,000 THE CELEBRATED "BURGER" UNIQUE MATCHED HANDSTAMPED SET OF TRUE COLUMBIAN ISSUE FIRST DAY COVERS. ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BERKUN COLLECTION. Expertization: Each accompanied by 1982 AFDCS Certificate. Provenance: Siskin, Martin Sunday, January 1st was the official day of release for the Columbian stamp issue by the Post Office Department. However, since this was a Sunday, not all post offices were open. Specialists also consider Monday, January 2nd covers as first days, but the exceedingly rare January 1 covers, as one would imagine, are the most coveted. The only denominations recorded as cancelled on Sunday, January 1st are 1¢ (three), 2¢ (five), 3¢ (two), 4¢ (two), 5¢ (two), and 10¢ (two). The Burger set consititutes a complete set used on January 1st. New York City is the only post office from which January 1 Columbian Issue first day covers are recorded.

Realized $115,000

Lot 163 1901, 1¢ Pan-American, center inverted (294a), rich color, nicely centered, tied by neat strike of "Bessemer Ala. Aug 2 1901" duplex c.d.s. on small cover addressed to Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Hendrick in Bessemer; stamp with a tiny completely unnoticeable repair at lower right, otherwise Very Fine. Estimate 100,000 - 150,000 A WORLD CLASS INVERTED CENTER RARITY, THE EARLIEST OF ONLY THREE RECORDED COVERS BEARING THE ONE-CENT PAN-AMERICAN INVERT. Expertization: 1999 P.F. Certificate. Provenance: Seybold, Atwood, Skinner Exhibited at the Collectors Club of New York as one of the ten most important items in U.S. Philately. The display was titled, "Aristocrats of Philately". The three recorded covers are: 1. August 2, 1901, Bessemer, Alabama local use -- the location of the first discovery of the 1¢ Inverted Center. The example offered here. 2. August 24, 1901 Oakland, California to Paris, France bearing 1¢ Inverted Center and 4¢ normal used together for the 5¢ rate 3. January 9, 1903, St. Louis philatelic usage with normal 1¢ mailed long after the Inverted Center error was recognized. According to the 1937 revised Johl-King book (p. 7), "The first known copies of this error were discovered at Bessemer, Alabama, by the Carrel Jewelry Company on some circulars just prior to mailing them. When they realized the find they had made they lost no time in removing the stamps from the circulars and thus saved them for Philately." It is not known if the Carrel Jewelry Company had purchased the entire sheet, or whether this stamp originates from another source within Bessemer.

Realized $184,000

Lot 184 1904 Louisiana Purchase set complete (323-327), natural straight edge singles, each neatly tied by individual strikes of the "New York Madison Square Apr 30 1904" circular datestamp portion of duplex cancellations on large cover to Magazine Ala., reverse with "Magazine Ala. May 2 1904" backstamp, endorsed by sender "This envelope was mailed on the same day above stamps were issued…Apr 30 - 1904", printed "Scott Stamp & Coin Co, New York" corner card; some insignificant stamp flaws and light cover creasing (not mentioned in certificates), Very Fine. Scott $80,000 THE UNIQUE FIRST DAY COVER BEARING A COMPLETE LOUISIANA PURCHASE SET. A CORNERSTONE TO ANY MAJOR COLLECTION OF THIS AREA. Expertization: 1976 AFDCS and 1996 P.F. Certificates. Provenance: Burger, Unicover Museum On each occasion this cover has been offered at public auction in the past, it has set the price recorded for any United States 20th century cover. Illustrated in Alan Berkun's article "The 1904 Louisiana Purchase FDCs", First Days, June 2000, p. 2.

Realized $63,250

Lot 148 1898, 1¢-5¢ Trans-Miss. (285-288), singles, plus an extra 2¢ & 5¢ tied by "Camden, N.J. Jun 17 '98" circular datestamps on registered 4¢ entire (U324) addressed to Ootacamund, India, registry control handstamp and crayon number, New York exchange label affixed, reverse with purple Camden (6.17) registry handstamp, New York (6.18) registry oval, Sea Post Office (7.10) and Ootacamund (7.11) arrival datestamp, flap with light blue "Geo. D. Woodward, Camden N.J." sender's handstamp; 4¢ & 5¢ with tiny flaws, minor cover edgewear, Very Fine. Estimate 75,000 - 100,000 A SPECTACULAR TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMBINATION FIRST DAY COVER TO AN EXOTIC DESTINATION. Expertization: 1999 P.F. Certificate. This is the only Trans-Mississippi first day cover to a foreign destination other than Germany. There are only three recorded Trans-Mississippi combination first day covers as follows: 1. 1¢ 4¢ & 5¢ legal size P.O. Dept. business envelope registered from Washington D.C. to Wrentham Mass. 2. 1¢-5¢ with two 2¢ & 5¢ Camden N.J. registered to Ooctacamund, India. The cover offered here. 3. 1¢ to 10¢ values, from J.M. Bartels of Washington D.C. registered to Metz, Germany. Ex-McCoy.

Realized $63,250

Lot 4 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.

Realized $60,375

Lot 8 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.

Unsold

Lot 66 1869, 24¢ green & violet (120), rich colors, used with 10¢ yellow (116), both slightly creased at top, cancelled by N.Y. foreign mail four-squares grid cancellations on cover to Shanghai, China, red "New York Paid All Br. Transit Apr 7" (1869) origin backstamp and red "24" credit handstamp, sender's routing "Via Southampton", red London (4.17.1869) transit datestamp, red crayon "1" British colonial credit, rare Hong Kong-to-Shanghae Marine Sorter "JU 3/8 69" backstamp (Webb type 6); small piece of cover missing from under 10¢ minor edge wear and couple tiny edge tears, a Very Fine usage paying the 34¢ British mail rate to China via Southampton. Estimate 50,000 - 75,000 AN EXTRAORDINARY 1869 PICTORIAL COVER. THE EARLIEST DOCUMENTED USAGE OF THE 24¢ 1869 PICTORIAL, AS WELL AS THE EARLIEST USE OF THE EXCEEDINGLY RARE HONG KONG-SHANGHAE TYPE 6 MARINE SORTER. Expertization: 1949 P.F. Certificate. Signed Bartels with his note "Found II.8.32". Also signed Ashbrook with his note "Earliest Known Use of The 24c 1869". Provenance: Ezra Cole, Gordon Harmer, Millard Mack Only three 24c 1869 covers to China are recorded in the 1869 Census. This cover is the earliest of all known 24c 1869 covers, followed by an April 23 usage from New York to Mobile. This is also the earliest 1869 10¢ cover in private hands. The April 1, 1869 cover to Spain is part of the legendary Hirzel collection that is permanently ensonced in the Swiss PTT Museum. Webb states the Hong Kong-to-Shanghae Marine Sorter type 6 is rare. He records only one example from the first period dated 13/19 March 1870, the example offered here quite early, dated June 1869. The marking was apparently reintroduced in 1874 and used until 1876. Illustrated in Michael Lawrence's article, "British Mail Covers to the Orient during the 1869 Period," The Chronicle, Whole No. 87, p. 174. Illustrated in the 1869 Census book (Color Plate 10). Illustrated Jeffrey Forster's Auction Review article, The Chronicle, Whole No. 204, Nov. 2004, p. 284.

Realized $83,375

Lot 67 1869, 30¢ ultramarine & carmine (121), well centered single, used with 12¢ green (117), tied on cover by N.Y. foreign mail wedges cancellation on Archer correspondence cover to Hong Kong, China, red "New York Paid All Br. Transit May 22" exchange office backstamp and red "32" credit handstamp, endorsed "per City of Brooklyn, via Marseilles", red London (6.7.1969) transit and "1D" colonial credit handstamp, scarce Singapore-to-Hong Kong Marine Sorter "JY 7/15 69" backstamp (Webb type 2); slight stamp toning (not mentioned on certificate), part of flap missing, minor mended edge faults do not affect stamps; a Very Fine and handsome combination usage paying the 42¢ British mail rate via Marseilles. Estimate 50,000 - 75,000 THE ONLY RECORDED 1869 30¢ USAGE TO CHINA, AND THE EARLIEST DOCUMENTED USAGE OF THIS STAMP. Expertization: 1984 P.F. Certificate. Provenance: Gehrmann, Knapp, Haas, Forster, "Lafayette" According to Webb, the Singapore-to-Hong Kong type 2 Marine Sorter was used from November 1868 to August 1882.

Realized $60,375

Lot 164 1901, 2¢ Pan-American, center inverted (295a), unusually well centered for the 2¢ inverted center, bright color, partial but clear strike of "Brooklyn Feb 26" circa 1902 c.d.s.; barely noticable small stain spot at lower right, invisible small surface scrape at left (not even mentioned on 1964 or 1984 certificates); Very Fine appearance. Scott $55,000 ONE OF THE FINEST OF ONLY SEVEN RECORDED USED EXAMPLES OF THE 2¢ PAN-AMERICAN INVERTED CENTER, AND THE ONLY ONE WITH A DATED CANCELLATION. Expertization: 1964, 1984 and 2001 P.F. Certificates. Provenance: Col. Green (illustrated on front cover of part XX), Twigg-Smith All examples of the 2¢ Pan-American invert in used condition have faults. The example offered here has faults that are barely noticable. From Silberberg's monograph on the Series of 1901, "Approximately one week after the first date of issue, information came out of the existence of an additional pane of the inverted two cent stamp. These inverted stamps originated from the Brooklyn, New York Post Office." An individual was reported to have purchased ten of these stamps and used three of them on his business mail, before noticing the variety. He proceeded to write to the B.E.P. complaining of their defective nature. This stamp originates from this second find of 2¢ Pan-American inverts and was most likely used on business correspondence by an unsuspecting person on February 26, 1902.

Realized $83,375

Lot 1 New York, N.Y., U.S. City Despatch Post, 1842, 3¢ black on grayish (6LB1), four margins, cancelled by boxed "US" handstamp on 1842 folded cover carried privately from Boston and entered the mails in New York City for local delivery to a street address, matching red "City Despatch Post, U.S., Aug 16" rimmed c.d.s., docketed in blue manuscript "Charles Jackson Jr., Boston, Ans. Aug 17. 1842"; slight edge splitting and light soiling, stamp faulty, but absolutely unnoticable, a Very Fine usage. Estimate 50,000 - 75,000 THE ONLY RECORDED FIRST DAY COVER OF THE FIRST UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT ADHESIVE. Expertization: 1991 P.F. and 2000 A.P.S. Certificates, signed by F.W. Hunter on inside of lettersheet beneath the stamp. Provenance: Hunter, Brooks, Wilson, Kapiloff The United States Postmaster General established a carrier service in New York City by purchasing Greig's City Desptach Post on August 1, 1842. Service as a government carrier service commenced on August 16, 1842 as the United State City Despatch Post and utilized the same stamps previously circulated by Greig. The postmark device used was altered to include "U.S." at foot and the stamps were canceled with boxed "US" handstamp. These were the first adhesive postage stamps authorized to be used by the post office and the cover above was posted on the first day of service. Accompanied by copy of a February 20, 1922 letter from F. W. Geissenhainer to Vahan Mozian, "In reply to your favor of the 18th inst., would say that the City Dispatch envelope, together with a number of others, was found by me about six years ago among a lot of old papers and letters belonging to my grandfather, the Reverand F. W. Geissenhainer." Also includes a photocopy of the cover referred to by the grandson to the Reverend mailed October 15, 1842 with 1976 P.F. Certificate (52,323). Note on reverse from prior sale, "Nassau Stamp Co., Oct 1926, $447.00". No. 1 in the Larry Lyons Census, The Penny Post, Vol. 12 No. 4, Oct. 2004, p. 29. Subject of article by Richard Schwartz, "The Long, Long Road to Acceptance: A First Day Cover of the U.S. City Despatch", Opinions VI, Philatelic Foundation, 1992, pp. 1-6.

Unsold

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