Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

Bishop's City Post:

Lot

Lot Description

278

Bishop's City Post, Cleveland O., (1c) Blue (10LB1). Vertical pair, margins mostly clear to ample except bottom right corner where paper is nicked, pencil cancel -- faint but impressed thru to envelope, effectively tying pair -- affixed by carrier to indicate payment of 2c delivery fee on inbound cover to Cleveland street address, 3c Dull Red (11), three huge margins, clear at bottom, tied by "Ogdensburgh N.Y. Aug. 9" (1854) circular datestamp, pair has tiny tear at bottom, cover has very slight wear at edges

VERY FINE. THE ONLY RECORDED MULTIPLE OF THE BISHOP'S BLUE CARRIER STAMP, ON OR OFF COVER, AND ONE OF SEVEN COVERS EXTANT. AN OUTSTANDING CARRIER USAGE AND IMPORTANT 1851 ISSUE COVER.

Henry S. Bishop was appointed to operate the Cleveland carrier department on December 21, 1853. Research by Elliott Perry shows that Bishop became an employee of the post office on July 1, 1854, but the city post continued to function, with or without his direct participation. Bishop issued two stamps: the 10LB1 Blue with blank oval, presumably designed to accommodate more than one denomination, and the 10LB2 Black with 2c value. Both are very rare. The census by Thomas F. Allen (19th Century Cleveland, Ohio, Postal Markings) is still current with seven 10LB1 covers recorded, of these, only one cover has the stamp tied by a cancel (offered in the following lot), and only this cover is addressed to Cleveland with the 2c delivery fee paid by stamps.

Ex Hollowbush. Signed Sloane. Unlisted in Scott. (Image)

E. 15,000-20,000

279

Bishop's City Post, Cleveland O., (1c) Blue (10LB1). Large to huge margins showing traces of adjoining stamps at right and top, probably a left sheet margin position, deep rich color, small tear at left, tied by red "Cleveland O. Paid Feb. 9" circular datestamp with date changed to "10" in ms., box-charge notation on legal-size buff cover to a Philadelphia attorney, with original 1854 letter referring to enclosed documents, some wear and small tears around edges of cover

VERY FINE. THE ONLY TIED EXAMPLE AMONG THE SEVEN RECORDED COVERS BEARING BISHOP'S BLUE CARRIER STAMP.

Of the seven recorded 10LB1 covers in the Allen census, only this cover has a tying cancellation. The stamp paid the 1c carrier fee to the mails, and the box-charge notation ensured prepayment of postage to Philadelphia, The red Cleveland datestamp with "Paid" indicates prepayment, and its placement at left coincidentally ties the carrier stamp.

Ex Boker. Signed Costales. (Image)

E. 10,000-15,000

280

Cleveland City Post, "One Cent" Coin Handstamp. Full strike made from an actual one-cent coin (reversed and partly readable), ms. "2" for city delivery on brown cover to local addressee, originated at North Dover O. on Sep. 5, 1854 (based on letter enclosure, a copy of which is provided), hand-carried to Cleveland "per Mr. W. Aldrich" as noted, delivered to addressee during the period in which Henry Bishop worked for the post office and the carrier department continued to function, possibly under George Agar, Very Fine, the only recorded example of this marking -- the only one-cent coin handstamp in U.S. postal history, as far as we know -- reported in Chronicle 132 and illustrated in the Cleveland book, ex Meyersburg, with 1997 P.F. certificate that declines to state what the coin impression represents (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500