Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc.

FRESH AND VERY FINE. APPROXIMATELY ELEVEN EXAMPLES OF THE STATEN ISLAND EXPRESS POST 3-CENT STAMP ARE KNOWN TO US. AN EXTREMELY RARE AND OFTEN UNDERRATED NEW YORK LOCAL.

The Staten Island Express Post was a combination local post, inter-city mail route and package express operated from 1849 to 1851 by the publisher of the Staten Islander newspaper, Francis L. Hagadorn (whose name is frequently misspelled). Hagadorn & Co. maintained offices at Stapleton on Staten Island and on the Manhattan side of the ferry at the foot of Whitehall Street. Relations between Hagadorn and the principals of Cornelius Vanderbilt's ferry line were evidently very good, and it is reported that the Manhattan office was provided free of charge by Vanderbilt (Konwiser, Stamps, Oct. 5, 1946). By using express wagons, the ferry and through links with Boyd's, Adams & Co. and Wells & Co., Hagadorn's express advertised a full range of transportation services, including mail delivery. However, in 1851 ten post offices were established on Staten Island, and the express seems to have closed. Hagadorn became postmaster of Stapleton from 1854 through 1856. (Source: Elliott R. Burgher, "The Staten Island Express Post", Proceedings of the Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences, Jan. 1949).

Two denominations of stamps were issued, 3c and 6c, both printed in bright Vermilion, presumably at the offices of the Staten Islander. Seven 3c covers and three 6c covers are recorded. In addition, four off-cover 3c stamps have been found in the auction catalogues and other sources reviewed.

With 1961 P.F. certificate. (Image)

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF SEVEN RECORDED COVERS WITH THE STATEN ISLAND EXPRESS POST 3-CENT STAMP, OF WHICH FIVE ARE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH BOYD'S.

An overview of the Staten Island Express Post is provided in the description of lot 1488. Our records contain seven 3c covers: 1) tied by ms. line, ms. "Stapleton N.Y. Mch 6" postmark and "5" rate on 1850 folded cover to Stockbridge Mass., offered in lot 1490, 2) uncancelled, used on cover to Wm. Hagadorn, 28 Spruce St., addressed in the hand of Francis L. Hagadorn (proprietor), Boyd's oval datestamp (May 12, 1850?), P.F. records, 3) uncancelled, used on cover to Edward H. Seeley, 28 Fulton St., addressed in the hand of F. L. Hagadorn (proprietor), Boyds Apr. 7 (ca. 1850) oval datestamp, ex Chapman, Caspary, Lilly, the cover offered here, 4) tied by grid on folded cover with addressee's name crossed out, appears to be in the hand of F. L. Hagadorn, Boyd's Oct. 10 (ca. 1850) oval datestamp and "Paid" straightline, P.F. records, 5) uncancelled, used on cover to Jos. Johnson, corner Pearl and Chatham, handwriting similar to Hagadorn's, Boyd's Dec. 28 (ca. 1850) oval datestamp, John A. Fox sale, Mar. 31, 1961, 6) tied by ms. "X" and red New York datestamp on 1849 folded letter to Capt. Henry Prince, Bellevilleport Mass., Boyd's oval datestamp (blurry date), Siegel Sale 723, and 7) uncancelled on cover to Dr. Geo. Cooke, Albany N.Y., with New York Jul. 23(?) 5c datestamp, stamp and corner torn off and replaced, illustrated in Burgher article. Four of the seven 3c covers (and one 6c cover) appear to be addressed by the proprietor, Francis L. Hagadorn. The comparison can be made between these covers and the "Free F.L.H." cover addressed in his hand to James Gordon Bennett (illustrated here). The distinctive "New York" is a key to recognizing Hagadorn's handwriting.

Ex Chapman, Caspary and Lilly. (Image)

FINE. ONLY THREE OF THE SEVEN RECORDED STATEN ISLAND EXPRESS POST 3-CENT COVERS HAVE TYING CANCELLATIONS. AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF THIS RARE STAMP USED TO DELIVER A LETTER TO THE MAILS.

Of the seven covers listed in the description of lot 1489, only this cover was brought to the post office at Stapleton on Staten Island, where it entered the government mails for Stockbridge, Massachussetts. (Image)