Part II - LOCALS A - G continued...
SPECIAL NOTE: Lot Numbers with an "A" preceding them will be offered in three special sessions. Please refer to the Arrangement of the Sale web page for the schedule.
| Lot | Lot Description | ||
| A | 843 |
 Browne & Co.'s City Post
Office, Cincinnati O., 1c Black (29L1), Ample margins to just touched
at upper left, tied by clear strike of bluish-black "City Post" in circle,
dark blue "Cincinnati.O. Aug. 17" circular datestamp on cover to London,
England, ms. "24" unpaid rate notation, "21" New York exchange office
debit handstamp, "1/-" ms. due, no receiving backstamps, neat 1852
docketing, very slight wearA VERY FINE AND EXTREMELY RARE USE OF THE BROWNE & CO. STAMP FOR DELIVERY TO THE MAILS ON A TRANSATLANTIC COVER. The Browne & Co. 1-cent local stamp prepaid the fee for delivery to the Cincinnati post office. This is one of two known examples of the Browne & Co. local stamps on a transatlantic cover, the other being an earlier usage from the same correspondence, with a 3c 1851 stamp that was disregarded as partial prepayment of the U.S.-British treaty postage. Ex Brown. (Image) |
E. 3,000-4,000 |
| A | 844 |
 Browne & Co.'s City Post
Office, Cincinnati O., 1c Black (29L1). Three, the two stamps at right
originally formed a pair, ample margins to slightly in, lightly cancelled
in pencil from left to right "X", "2" and "3", on buff cover to local
street address, pristine conditionVERY FINE. THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF BROWNE & CO.'S 3-CENT SPECIAL RATE PREPAID BY STAMPS. ONLY ONE OTHER EXAMPLE OF THIS RATE IS RECORDED. Browne & Co.'s City Post was established in Cincinnati in early 1852, with daily advertisements appearing in the Cincinnati Commercial from April 15 through May 17, 1852 (Perry, Pat Paragraphs reprint, p. 390). In the advertisement, it was stated that "no money or valuable whatever will be transmitted unless booked at the Central Office and paid for in proportion to the risk incurred." (our italics for emphasis). This form of registration for valuable letters provides one basis for the 3c rate shown on the cover offered here. Another basis is the stampless Valentine cover that bears a Browne & Co. "3 CENTS" circular rate marking that has not previously been reported, which establishes beyond question that a 3c rate existed. The "City Post" circle that appears on Browne & Co. covers later turns up on mail handled by the official carrier, C. C. Williams. The transfer of this device from Browne & Co. to Williams in late 1854 (see lot 276 description), as well as the similarity between advertising copy and the stamp designs, creates a logical link between the two posts, one private and the other official. Ex Knapp, Caspary and Middendorf. Signed Sloane. (Image) |
E. 5,000-7,500 |
| A | 845 |
 Browne & Co.'s City Post
Office, Cincinnati O., 2c Black (29L2). Large margins showing parts of
adjoining stamps, outer framelines just touched in places, fine impression,
tied by red "Browne & Co. City Post. Paid" circular handstamp on lady's
small cover to local street address, with polite letter on decorative
stationery (no date)EXTREMELY FINE. A CHARMING EXAMPLE OF THE BROWNE & CO. 2-CENT STAMP ON COVER. VERY SCARCE AND MOST DESIRABLE WITH THE STAMP TIED BY THE COMPANY'S RED HANDSTAMP. The 1c stamp, 29L1, was designed with the "Brown & Co." spelling error. The correct spelling, Browne (with an "e"), appears on the 2c stamp and the markings used by the post. (Image) |
E. 2,000-3,000 |
| 846 |
 Browne & Co.'s City Post
Office, Cincinnati O., 1c Black (29L1). Two, each on separate cover
with 3c Dull Red (11), one tied by "City Post" in circle with 3c tied by
blue "Cincinnati O. May 31" circular datestamp on blue folded letter to
Patterson N.J. (1c roughly separated with top of stamp partly torn away),
other uncancelled but tied by stain with 3c tied by blue "Cincinnati O.
Jun. 22" (1853) circular datestamp on small cover to Tuscaloosa Ala., Very
Good to Fine stamps on attractive and scarce covers
(Image) |
1,700.00 | |
| 847 |
 Browne & Co.'s City Post
Office, Cincinnati O., 2c Black (29L2). Three on pieces, one faulty and
uncancelled, other two on separate pieces, each with 3c 1851 stamp, one is
tied by blue circular datestamp, the other uncancelled (3c tied), last two
have only minor faults, otherwise Fine
(Image) |
360.00 | |
| 848 |
 Browne & Co.'s City Post
Office, Cincinnati O. Bold red "City Post" in circle with blue
"Cincinnati O. 5 May 2" integral-rate circular datestamp on 1853 folded
letter to Charleston S.C., ms. "paid 1 cent" for Browne & Co.
delivery to the mails, file folds, slight wear and small tear at bottom,
still Extremely Fine, beautiful and colorful strikes
(Image) |
E. 400-500 | |
| A | 849 |
 Browne & Co.'s City Post
Office (A. J. M. Browne), Cincinnati O. Bold bluish-black "City Post A.
J. M. Browne" circular handstamp on full copy of June 1852 edition of
Western Horticultural Review, local street address written faintly
at top, there is only very minor wear and soiling, the condition of this
publication is remarkably soundVERY FINE. THE DISCOVERY EXAMPLE OF THE A. J. M. BROWNE HANDSTAMP -- A DIFFERENT NAME THAN JOHN W. S. BROWNE, PROPRIETOR OF THE CITY POST. A MAGNIFICENT ITEM IN MANY RESPECTS, WHICH WAS UNKNOWN TO POSTAL HISTORIANS UNTIL 1952. This copy of the Western Horticultural Review was discovered in 1952, along with two other editions bearing examples of the rare Sullivan's Dispatch Post stamp (see lot 1499). The three journals were acquired by Frank A. Hollowbush and appeared at auction in the John A. Fox sale of his estate (Part II, Jan. 4-5, 1966). Although John W. S. Browne is listed as the proprietor of the post in the city directory (see Pat Paragraphs, reprint, p. 390), the "A. J. M. Browne" designation in this handstamp suggests involvement by another member of the Browne family. Another example was offered in the Robson Lowe Mar. 1, 1973 sale. Ex Hollowbush (from an original find) and Boker. (Image) |
E. 3,000-4,000 |