Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc.

VERY FINE. THE LARGEST RECORDED BLOCK OF THE AMERICAN LETTER MAIL COMPANY LARGE EAGLE STAMP -- FOUR BLOCKS OF FOUR AND A STRIP OF FOUR ARE THE ONLY OTHER KNOWN MULTIPLES.

The Large Eagle stamp, issued in Blue and Black, was probably printed soon after Lysander Spooner left American Letter Mail Company in July 1844. It is reasonably scarce on cover, and multiples in any form are very rare. Perry recorded this block of 12, four blocks of 4, and a vertical strip of 4, all unused.

Ex Worthington and Hollowbush. (Image)

VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE TRIPLE CONJUNCTIVE USAGE, INVOLVING WYMAN'S, AMERICAN LETTER MAIL COMPANY AND POMEROY'S FOR TRANSPORTION FROM BOSTON TO BUFFALO.

This remarkable cover was the subject of an article by Richard Schwartz (The Penny Post, Apr. 1995), in which he describes the process that involved three different inter-city letter expresses. The sender gave the letter to Wyman, whose main office was located in Boston and whose principal route was New York-Boston. Because Wyman did not serve Buffalo, the letter was given to the American Letter Mail Co. (ALM) in Boston for transmission to its Albany office. ALM had an arrangement with Pomeroy, who served the area west of Albany, including Buffalo. It was Pomeroy who brought the letter to its final destination.

The total postage paid by the sender was 12-1/2 cents, as indicated by the manuscript rate applied first (covered by the stamp). At the time Mr. Schwartz wrote his analysis, he was unaware of the 12-1/2 rate next to Wyman's small "Paid" handstamp. It is uncertain how the prepaid postage was divided among the three firms. The Large Eagle stamp clearly indicates that ALM received half of the 12-1/2 cents paid. Pomeroy's large red "Paid" at lower left also indicates that nothing was expected from the addressee, and we presume Pomeroy was paid for its services. Wyman, who did nothing but convey the letter to ALM within Boston, may have received a share of the postage or nothing at all. There are no records or contemporary instructions that provide the answer to this question.

In terms of rarity, Schwartz commented "I know of only two other triple conjunctive usages entirely by independent mails: a Pomeroy to Hale to Crofoot...[and] the other triple use cover originated in Cleveland, destination New Haven, bearing Letter Express, Pomeroy, and American Letter Mail stamps..." (Image)

VERY FINE, ONE OF TWELVE RECORDED COVERS BEARING THE RARE BLUE EAGLE STAMP OF AMERICAN LETTER MAIL COMPANY.

This use of the rare Blue Eagle stamp occurred during the last month in which the independent letter expresses operated. On July 1, 1845, the postage rate for distances under 300 miles was reduced to 5c per half-ounce. By the same Act of Congress, Federal law prohibited the carrying of letters by private companies between cities where the Post Office Department offered inter-city mail service. American Letter Mail Company, which had aroused popular support for cheaper domestic postage, was a catalyst for the 1845 legislation. However, it could no longer sustain its fight with the government over mail routes and closed on June 30, 1845.

The Large Eagle stamp in Blue is recorded on covers dated from August 1844 through June 1845, with about half of the reported covers addressed to Hopkins & Weston in New York. It is not known why a second color was issued, nor is there any discernible pattern of usage among the dozen covers known.

Backstamped Toaspern. (Image)