Semi-Official Carriers 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 | 132 |
 Baltimore Md., 1c Black
(1LB8). Positions 1-2-1, horizontal strip of three, large
margins to touching at places, cancelled by single long pen stroke (not
tied, lifted and reaffixed), used on front page of March 1861 Journal
and Transactions of the Maryland College of Pharmacy to local address,
printed on blue-green paper, some minor folds and toning do not affect
strip, crack in part of pen cancel caused by ink erosionFINE APPEARANCE. A MAGNIFICENT EXHIBITION ITEM, REPRESENTING ONE OF TWO RECORDED USED MULTIPLES OF ANY BALTIMORE CARRIER STAMP -- THIS BEING THE ONLY MULTIPLE KNOWN ON COVER -- AND THE ONLY EXAMPLE OF A 3-CENT RATE FOR CARRIER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE. Although not specifically stated in the published records or advertisements, it is believed that magazines and journals such as this were rated 3c, possibly due to size (nearly 50 pages) or for bulk mailings. The only other used multiple of any carrier stamp from Baltimore, where the 1c rate prevailed, is the pair of 1850-55 1c Green (1LB4) in lot 82. Ex Caspary and Kelly -- illustrated and discussed in his CCP series (Vol. 51, No. 6, pp. 349-351). Unlisted in Scott. (Image) |
E. 3,000-4,000 |
| A | 133 |
 Baltimore Md., 1c Black
(1LB8). Large margins all around, ms. "G" carrier's initial, not
tied, used with 1c Blue, Ty. V (24), rich color, tiny perf tear at
right, tied by blue "Baltimore Md. Apr. 17" circular datestamp on ca. 1861
small cover to local street address, backflap partly intactVERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE COMBINATION OF STAMPS TO PREPAY THE ONE-CENT DROP-LETTER RATE AND ONE-CENT CARRIER FEE FOR DELIVERY TO THE ADDRESSEE. ONLY A FEW EXAMPLES OF SUCH COMBINATION FRANKINGS ARE KNOWN FROM BALTIMORE. A quirk of the postal regulations created the potential for a drop-letter and carrier-fee combination. If a letter were deposited at the post office ("drop letter") and delivered to the addressee by a carrier, both the 1c drop rate and 1c carrier fee would apply. However, if the letter were given to the carrier department, which was an entity separate from the post office, the drop rate did not apply, and the intra-city 1c carrier fee would be sufficient to have the letter delivered to the addressee by the carrier department. It is obvious that the cheaper method was used more often. In this rare instance, the sender used a 1c regular stamp, prepaying the drop-letter rate, and affixed a 1c carrier stamp for delivery to the street address. The Baltimore post office cancelled the 1c 1857, and the carrier applied his initial "G" cancel to the Horse & Rider stamp. Ex Kelly and illustrated in his CCP series (Vol. 52, No. 1, p. 40). This combination is unlisted in Scott. (Image) |
E. 1,000-1,500 |
| A | 134 |
 Baltimore Md., 1c Red
(1LB9). Large even margins, ms. "Busch" cancel (Henry Busch,
carrier), not tied, used on neat white cover to local street address,
lightly reduced at left, faint gum toning around stamp, Extremely Fine,
very rare, ex Kelly, illustrated in his series (CCP, Vol. 52, No. 1,
p. 37) (Image) |
E. 500-750 |