Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 | 388 |
 U.S.P.O. Despatch/Pre-Paid/One
Cent. Double-oval handstamp with eagle in red on brown envelope, which
was turned upside down when handstamped at the upper left corner (as usual)
-- the envelope was positioned in its correct upright orientation when
addressed by sender -- evidently deposited into a Blood's Penny Post box,
bold "Blood's Despatch 2 cts." rimless-circle due handstamp, "Blood's Penny
Post 1858 May 27 5 P.M. Philada." double-circle datestamp, small tear at
top, some minor wear and toningFINE. AN EXTRAORDINARY COVER THAT PROVES BEYOND DOUBT THAT THE RED U.S.P.O. HANDSTAMP WAS APPLIED TO ENVELOPES SOLD TO THE PUBLIC. A similar cover with the carrier handstamp at lower right was sold in our auction of the Robert B. Meyersburg collection (Sale 791, lot 282). The Meyersburg cover was described as evidence that the U.S.P.O. handstamp was applied to envelopes sold to the public, thereby qualifying them as prepaid postal stationery. The subtle difference between this cover and the Meyersburg cover is that this envelope was never handled by the carrier department. Although bearing the U.S.P.O. handstamp, it was used in May 1858 and dropped into a Blood's Penny Post box. The Blood's markings indicate 2c due from the addressee. The red U.S.P.O handstamp should never have been applied to a cover handled by Blood's, unless it was on the envelope prior to mailing. Ex Hollowbush. See Scott U.S. Specialized footnote under "Envelopes" on p. 289. (Image) |
E. 2,000-3,000 |
| A | 389 |
 U.S.P.O., Philadelphia Pa., 1c
Blue on Buff (7LB14). Pencil rule line and adjoining impression show in
left margin, clear at top and bottom, in at right, uncancelled, affixed to
cover to Baltimore with blue "Philada. Pa. 5 cts. May 30" circular
datestamp, may or may not belong -- gum residue and scuff at upper left
corner indicates that a type C28/29 stamp was removed -- sealed tears in
coverA FINE STAMP. FEWER THAN A DOZEN EXAMPLES ARE REPORTED TO EXIST, ON OR OFF COVER. Ex Gibson and Lilly. Scott value off cover. (Image) |
2,250.00 |
| A | 390 |
 U.S.P.O., Philadelphia Pa., 1c
Blue on Buff (7LB14). Pencil lines at left and bottom, part of
adjoining stamp at bottom, other sides touched or slightly in, slight
bendA FINE EXAMPLE OF THIS EXCEEDINGLY RARE CARRIER STAMP. FEWER THAN A DOZEN EXAMPLES OF 7LB14 ARE REPORTED. Ex Caspary and Boker. (Image) |
2,250.00 |
| A | 391 |
 U.S.P.O., Philadelphia Pa., 1c
Black (7LB16). Rectangular margins, which are most unusual for this
stamp, tied by grid on small cover to Florence Heights N.J., a 3c stamp has
been removed from upper left, but part of tying Philadelphia circular
datestamp still shows, original letter enclosedVERY FINE EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE WORLD'S RAREST STAMPS, WHICH WAS MADE BY APPLYING THE U.S.P.O. EAGLE HANDSTAMP TO THE MARGINS OF ONE-CENT 1851 SHEETS. ONLY FIVE EXAMPLES OF THE 7LB16 ARE RECORDED. The Philadelphia carrier stamps printed on the sheet selvage of imperforate 1c 1851 stamps hold a unique position in United States philately. Elsewhere in the world there are very few instances in which sheet selvage was used to produce adhesive stamps -- the Emory Va. Confederate provisional and early stamps of Zanzibar come to mind as other examples. Two handstamps were used to create the Philadelphia carrier stamps: the Eagle oval (Scott type C31), which produced 7LB16, and the large oval (type C32), from which 7LB18 was made. Both are rare, but 7LB16 is considerably rarer, with only five examples recorded: 1) rectangular margins, on cover with 3c 1851 removed, ex Hessel, the cover offered here, 2) rectangular margins, used on cover with strip of three 1c 1851, ex Caspary, 3) diamond-shaped margins, on piece with one 1c 1851 intact, ex Caspary, Boker, offered in this sale as lot 392, 4) rectangular margins showing part of imprint, used on cover to San Francisco with 10c 1855, Siegel 1993 Rarities sale, lot 338, and 5) irregular but mostly rectangular margins, grid cancel, Siegel Dec. 12-14, 1995 (Sale 771, lot 1151). Ex Hessel. (Image) |
E. 5,000-7,500 |
| A | 392 |
 U.S.P.O., Philadelphia Pa., 1c
Black (7LB16). Diamond-shaped margins slightly into oval at lower left,
used with 1c Blue, Ty. IV (9), ample margins, both stamps tied by
"Philadelphia Pa. Jun. 18" circular datestamp on small mourning cover to
New York, from which two 1c stamps in the original strip of three have been
cut out (along with cover), folded to be displayed as a pieceA FINE EXAMPLE OF THE U.S.P.O. EAGLE CARRIER ADHESIVE STAMP, OF WHICH FIVE ARE RECORDED. The description of the previous lot contains our census of 7LB16. Only one of the five recorded stamps is found on an intact cover. Ex Caspary and Boker. (Image) |
E. 4,000-5,000 |