Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc.

VERY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST OF THE FIVE RECORDED COVERS WITH THE KELLOGG'S PENNY POST STAMP, OF WHICH ONLY TWO ARE USED IN COMBINATION WITH THE 1851 ISSUE.

Kellogg's Penny Post & City Despatch was a relatively short-lived local post in Cleveland. Only two of the five recorded covers are year-dated, but it is believed that the post existed in 1853 and 1854. If the cover offered here was mailed on June 28 in 1853, then it is the earliest 92L1 usage (followed by a July 11, 1853 year-dated cover). The April 7 piece offered in lot 1286 must be an 1854 usage, because the 3c Nesbitt entire was not available before June 1853. These two items establish a date span from June 1853 through April 1854. Carrier service in Cleveland began in December 1853, which probably forced Kellogg's out of business by mid-1854.

Our records contain the following five Kellogg's covers, arranged by date (including assumed year dates): 1) Jun. 28 (ca. 1853) Cleveland datestamp ties 3c 1851, 92L1 cancelled by pencil on New England Hotel corner card cover to West Fairlee Vt., ex Caspary, Schenck and Skove, the cover offered here, 2) Jul. 11 (1853 content) Cleveland datestamp with "24" in circle tying 92L1 on folded letter to Mrs. Cowell, Dorset, England, from Harmer Rooke sale, Jul. 7-8, 1960, 3) Jul. 29 (1853 contents) Cleveland datestamp, tied by ms. cancel on folded letter originating in Cincinnati to New Orleans, carried to Cleveland and given to Kellogg's, ex Boker, 4) Sep. 1 (ca. 1853) Cleveland datestamp on cover to Newark O., one 92L1 remains from strip of three (other two torn off), ms. "Charge Johnson House" hotel notation, ex Knapp, Middendorf, and 5) Sep. 27 (ca. 1853) Cleveland datestamp and grid tie 92L1 and 3c 1851 on Waverly House corner card cover to Canton O., discovered in 1997, Siegel 1997 Rarities sale. In addition to the five covers, there are at least six 92L1 stamps known off cover.

All of the surviving Kellogg's covers were delivered to the post office (three from hotels), no city-delivery covers are known. Is it possible that Kellogg's post was incorporated into the Cleveland carrier department started by Henry S. Bishop on December 21, 1853? Bishop left the carrier department on July 1, 1854, to become an employee of the Cleveland post office (source: Elliott Perry). Bishop's move roughly coincides with the end of Kellogg's post, however, no official records are known to us that confirm Kellogg's involvement as a carrier.

Ex Caspary, Schenck and Skove. (Image)