Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

The Dr. Howard P. Green Collection of Confederate States Covers continued...

**Postmasters' Provisionals (Mobile to Nashville):**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description	Est/Cat	Realized
89		Mobile Ala., 2c Black (58X1). Ample margins to cut in at top, tied by "Mobile Ala. Sep. ?, 1861" double-circle datestamp on cover to Portersville Ala., addressee's last name crossed out, upper right corner torn off and repaired, still presentable and very rare (Image)	2,500.00	950.00
90		Mobile Ala., 5c Blue (58X2). Horizontal pair, large margins, dark shade, uncancelled but required by postal regulations, used with vertical pair of United States 3c Dull Red (26), guideline margin at right, slightly torn at left before use, affixed over black "Paid" in circle applied by Adams Express Co., tied by *"Adams Ex. Co.. Louisville, Ky. * Jul. 23, 1861"** circular datestamp on orange legal-size cover to United States Circuit Court in Louisville, ms. "Paid 4/6" (four bits, equal to 50c double rate), reduced approximately 1-1/2 in. at right VERY FINE. ONE OF THREE RECORDED MOBILE POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL COVERS CARRIED ACROSS THE LINES BY EXPRESS. THIS IS THE ONLY COMBINATION WITH THE UNITED STATES 3-CENT 1857 ISSUE, THE ONLY DOUBLE-RATE FRANKING AND THE ONLY SOUTH-TO-NORTH USAGE AMONG THE THREE KNOWN. AN OUTSTANDING COVER. Our records contain just three thru-the-lines express covers with the Mobile postmaster's provisional: 1) North to South, Adams Ex. Co. Philadelphia Jul. 18 (1861) datestamp, 58X2 tied by Mobile Jul. 30, 1861 datestamp on U.S. 3c Star Die entire to Leonard Cornish, Demopolis Ala., ex Mason, Haas, 2) North to South, Mobile Jul. 22, 1861 datestamp ties 58X2 on U.S. 3c Star Die entire from New York City to Leonard Cornish, Demopolis Ala., Adams Ex. Co. NYC oval backstamp, ms. "Paid 2/-" rate, ex Mason, Haas, and 3) South to North, Adams Ex. Co. Louisville Jul. 23, 1861 datestamp ties U.S. 3c 1857 pair used with uncancelled 58X2 pair on cover originating in Mobile, addressed to U.S. Circuit Court in Louisville, the cover offered here, ex Richey, Meroni, Freeland. The black "Paid" in circle beneath the 3c pair on this cover is found on very few Adams thru-the-lines covers and may be a marking applied to mail handled by the Mobile office. The other covers we have seen with this marking are addressed to Mobile or come from an unknown origin (Mobile?). This cover, when it left Adams Mobile office, had the 5c pair affixed and the ms. "Paid 4/-" marking, it may also have had the "Paid" in circle. Adams carried it outside the mails to their office in Louisville (presumably via Nashville) and delivered it locally. There are no government postal markings, Confederate or Federal, but postage on both sides had to be prepaid, according to regulations. Therefore, we have a cover on which 10c Confederate and 6c U.S. postage, together with the 50c express charge -- all double rates -- are correctly prepaid. The "6" of the "Paid 4/6" is evidently a code used by Adams agents. Very few covers are recorded with Confederate provisional stamps or markings used in conjunction with thru-the-lines express service. This group includes the provisionals of Atlanta (handstamp), Houston (handstamp), Lynchburg (press-printed entire), Memphis (adhesive), Mobile (adhesive), Montgomery (handstamp), Nashville (adhesive and handstamp) and New Orleans (adhesive). To the best of our knowledge, this is the only double-rate Mobile thru-the-lines express usage, and it is the only cover franked with a combination of the U.S. 3c 1857 Issue and Mobile provisional. Illustrated in Shenfield book (p. 19). Ex Richey, Meroni and Freeland. (Image)	E. 10,000-15,000	21,000.00
91		Mobile Ala., 5c Blue (58X2). Large margins to clear at top right, intense shade, tied by "Mobile Ala." double-circle datestamp on merchant's blue shield-shaped corner card cover to Bellemont Ala., Very Fine, a beautiful cover with the pictorial Mobile provisional (Image)	E. 1,000-1,500	1,800.00
92		Mobile Ala., 5c Blue (58X2). Top right corner margin horizontal pair, ample at left, touching at bottom, tied by "Mobile Ala. Nov. 9, 1861" double-circle datestamp on 3c Red Star Die entire to Washington N.C., upper right corner torn and expertly restored, very exhibitable and unusual (Image)	1,900.00	375.00
93		Mobile Ala., 5c Blue (58X2). Huge margins all around, dark shade, tied by "Mobile Ala. Aug. 13, 1861" double-circle datestamp on mourning envelope to New Orleans, very lightly toned, still an Extremely Fine stamp and choice cover (Image)	1,100.00	1,800.00
94		Montgomery Ala., 5c Red entire (59XU1). Clear strike of red provisional handstamp, bold "Montgomery Ala. Sep. 15, 1861" circular datestamp on cover to Eutaw Ala., soldier's notation at bottom left, flap partly torn away, faint waterstain, otherwise Very Fine (Image)	750.00	400.00
95		Montgomery Ala., 5c Blue entire (59XU2). Perfectly clear strikes of blue provisional handstamp and "Montgomery Ala. Oct. 14, 1861" circular datestamp on cover to Talladega Ala., horizontal crease thru markings has been expertly pressed, Extremely Fine appearance (Image)	900.00	400.00
96		Montgomery Ala., 10c Red entire (59XU3). Magnificent bold strike of provisional handstamp, "Montgomery Ala. Jul. 24, 1861" circular datestamp on buff entire to Norfolk, Extremely Fine, one of the finest strikes known of this scarce provisional -- only fourteen recorded in Crown book (Image)	800.00	475.00
97		Nashville Tenn., 5c Brick Red (61X3). Three huge margins, right margin and tiny bit of upper right corner expertly added to improve appearance, tied by blue "Nashville Ten. Aug. 7, 1861" circular datestamp on dry goods importer's building corner card cover to Huntsville Ala. AN EXTREMELY FINE APPEARING STAMP ON A FRESH AND ATTRACTIVE COVER. A nearly identical cover realized $13,500 hammer in our recent sale of the Kilbourne collection. Ex Meroni. (Image)	E. 4,000-5,000	5,250.00
98		Nashville Tenn., 5c Brick Red (61X3). Large margins except for small piece out of bottom margin (just into frameline), rich color, tied by blue "Nashville Ten. Oct. 18, 1861" circular datestamp on orange cover to Chattanooga Tenn., small sealed tear at right, Fine and very attractive (Image)	3,500.00	1,200.00

Postmasters' Provisionals (Mobile to Nashville):

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

Est/Cat

Realized

Mobile Ala., 2c Black (58X1). Ample margins to cut in at top, tied by "Mobile Ala. Sep. ?, 1861" double-circle datestamp on cover to Portersville Ala., addressee's last name crossed out, upper right corner torn off and repaired, still presentable and very rare (Image)

2,500.00

950.00

Mobile Ala., 5c Blue (58X2). Horizontal pair, large margins, dark shade, uncancelled but required by postal regulations, used with vertical pair of United States 3c Dull Red (26), guideline margin at right, slightly torn at left before use, affixed over black "Paid" in circle applied by Adams Express Co., tied by "Adams Ex. Co.. * Louisville, Ky. * Jul. 23, 1861" circular datestamp on orange legal-size cover to United States Circuit Court in Louisville, ms. "Paid 4/6" (four bits, equal to 50c double rate), reduced approximately 1-1/2 in. at right

VERY FINE. ONE OF THREE RECORDED MOBILE POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL COVERS CARRIED ACROSS THE LINES BY EXPRESS. THIS IS THE ONLY COMBINATION WITH THE UNITED STATES 3-CENT 1857 ISSUE, THE ONLY DOUBLE-RATE FRANKING AND THE ONLY SOUTH-TO-NORTH USAGE AMONG THE THREE KNOWN. AN OUTSTANDING COVER.

Our records contain just three thru-the-lines express covers with the Mobile postmaster's provisional: 1) North to South, Adams Ex. Co. Philadelphia Jul. 18 (1861) datestamp, 58X2 tied by Mobile Jul. 30, 1861 datestamp on U.S. 3c Star Die entire to Leonard Cornish, Demopolis Ala., ex Mason, Haas, 2) North to South, Mobile Jul. 22, 1861 datestamp ties 58X2 on U.S. 3c Star Die entire from New York City to Leonard Cornish, Demopolis Ala., Adams Ex. Co. NYC oval backstamp, ms. "Paid 2/-" rate, ex Mason, Haas, and 3) South to North, Adams Ex. Co. Louisville Jul. 23, 1861 datestamp ties U.S. 3c 1857 pair used with uncancelled 58X2 pair on cover originating in Mobile, addressed to U.S. Circuit Court in Louisville, the cover offered here, ex Richey, Meroni, Freeland.

The black "Paid" in circle beneath the 3c pair on this cover is found on very few Adams thru-the-lines covers and may be a marking applied to mail handled by the Mobile office. The other covers we have seen with this marking are addressed to Mobile or come from an unknown origin (Mobile?). This cover, when it left Adams Mobile office, had the 5c pair affixed and the ms. "Paid 4/-" marking, it may also have had the "Paid" in circle. Adams carried it outside the mails to their office in Louisville (presumably via Nashville) and delivered it locally. There are no government postal markings, Confederate or Federal, but postage on both sides had to be prepaid, according to regulations. Therefore, we have a cover on which 10c Confederate and 6c U.S. postage, together with the 50c express charge -- all double rates -- are correctly prepaid. The "6" of the "Paid 4/6" is evidently a code used by Adams agents.

Very few covers are recorded with Confederate provisional stamps or markings used in conjunction with thru-the-lines express service. This group includes the provisionals of Atlanta (handstamp), Houston (handstamp), Lynchburg (press-printed entire), Memphis (adhesive), Mobile (adhesive), Montgomery (handstamp), Nashville (adhesive and handstamp) and New Orleans (adhesive). To the best of our knowledge, this is the only double-rate Mobile thru-the-lines express usage, and it is the only cover franked with a combination of the U.S. 3c 1857 Issue and Mobile provisional.

Illustrated in Shenfield book (p. 19). Ex Richey, Meroni and Freeland. (Image)

E. 10,000-15,000

21,000.00

Mobile Ala., 5c Blue (58X2). Large margins to clear at top right, intense shade, tied by "Mobile Ala." double-circle datestamp on merchant's blue shield-shaped corner card cover to Bellemont Ala., Very Fine, a beautiful cover with the pictorial Mobile provisional (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500

1,800.00

Mobile Ala., 5c Blue (58X2). Top right corner margin horizontal pair, ample at left, touching at bottom, tied by "Mobile Ala. Nov. 9, 1861" double-circle datestamp on 3c Red Star Die entire to Washington N.C., upper right corner torn and expertly restored, very exhibitable and unusual (Image)

1,900.00

375.00

Mobile Ala., 5c Blue (58X2). Huge margins all around, dark shade, tied by "Mobile Ala. Aug. 13, 1861" double-circle datestamp on mourning envelope to New Orleans, very lightly toned, still an Extremely Fine stamp and choice cover (Image)

1,100.00

1,800.00

Montgomery Ala., 5c Red entire (59XU1). Clear strike of red provisional handstamp, bold "Montgomery Ala. Sep. 15, 1861" circular datestamp on cover to Eutaw Ala., soldier's notation at bottom left, flap partly torn away, faint waterstain, otherwise Very Fine (Image)

750.00

400.00

Montgomery Ala., 5c Blue entire (59XU2). Perfectly clear strikes of blue provisional handstamp and "Montgomery Ala. Oct. 14, 1861" circular datestamp on cover to Talladega Ala., horizontal crease thru markings has been expertly pressed, Extremely Fine appearance (Image)

900.00

400.00

Montgomery Ala., 10c Red entire (59XU3). Magnificent bold strike of provisional handstamp, "Montgomery Ala. Jul. 24, 1861" circular datestamp on buff entire to Norfolk, Extremely Fine, one of the finest strikes known of this scarce provisional -- only fourteen recorded in Crown book (Image)

800.00

475.00

Nashville Tenn., 5c Brick Red (61X3). Three huge margins, right margin and tiny bit of upper right corner expertly added to improve appearance, tied by blue "Nashville Ten. Aug. 7, 1861" circular datestamp on dry goods importer's building corner card cover to Huntsville Ala.

AN EXTREMELY FINE APPEARING STAMP ON A FRESH AND ATTRACTIVE COVER.

A nearly identical cover realized $13,500 hammer in our recent sale of the Kilbourne collection.

Ex Meroni. (Image)

E. 4,000-5,000

5,250.00

Nashville Tenn., 5c Brick Red (61X3). Large margins except for small piece out of bottom margin (just into frameline), rich color, tied by blue "Nashville Ten. Oct. 18, 1861" circular datestamp on orange cover to Chattanooga Tenn., small sealed tear at right, Fine and very attractive (Image)

3,500.00

1,200.00