Steinmeyer's City Post,
Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Bluish (4LB18). Variety with straight bar
at bottom of "2" and numerous misaligned pearls in border, unused (no gum),
large margins around, a few faint toned spotsEXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THREE RECORDED EXAMPLES OF STEINMEYER'S BORDER-OF-PEARLS STAMP, INCLUDING ONE IN THE BRITISH LIBRARY'S TAPLING COLLECTION. THIS IS THE ONLY SOUND EXAMPLE AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS. ONE OF THE GREATEST CARRIER RARITIES IN EXISTENCE.
Soon after Eliab J. Kingman retired in March 1858, Joseph G. Martin and John F. Steinmeyer Jr. became carriers. In 1859 or 1860, John C. Beckman was appointed as a carrier. The Kingman 4LB14 and Martin's 4LB16 stamps are identical in style and composition. The Steinmeyer 4LB18 and Beckman 4LB17 stamps are identical, but they differ from the Kingman/Martin stamps in that the names are set in italic type, not Roman caps. Steinmeyer also issued entirely different typeset stamps on blue, pink and yellow papers, which are not known genuinely used on covers.
The album page in the Hall collection contains the following write-up by Elliott Perry: "Evidently referring to the pearl border type which preceded the stamps on pink and yellow [and blue] papers, a statement by Steinmeyer says: 'I had some stamps printed but on common bluish-gray paper, not gummed, and tried to gum them myself, but they would not take. I used some of them and destroyed the rest. Mr. Beckman had stamps of his own, I am certain of that. I have seen them myself. They were like mine, with the exception of the substitution of Mr. Beckman's name for my own.'"
Our records contain three examples of Steinmeyer's Border-of-Pearls 4LB18 stamp: 1) Straight bar at bottom of "2", unused (no gum), faint toned spots, ex Caspary, the stamp offered here, 2) Straight bar at bottom of "2" [from another position with different pearl arrangement than example No. 1], uncancelled, upper left corner repaired, used on cover to Judge John Johnson, ex Caspary, Middendorf, and 3) Curved bar at bottom of "2", uncancelled, used on cover to John R. Pickett, Okland S.C., with 3c 1857 tied by Apr. 3(?), 1860 circular datestamp, Tapling collection, British Library.
The cover in the British Library, if genuine, indicates an April 1860 date of use for the Steinmeyer 4LB18 stamp. The unique Beckman's 4LB17 cover is dated June 18, 1860. These dates and the Steinmeyer statement relayed by Perry indicate that the Steinmeyer and Beckman Border-of-Pearls stamps were available between April and June 1860, and the Steinmeyer losenge-border stamps on blue, pink and yellow were issued later -- they probably were never used, perhaps due to the outbreak of the Civil War.
Ex Caspary, where acquired by the Halls in 1957. (Image)
Steinmeyer's City Post,
Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Bluish (4LB19). Position 10 with bottom
right corner sheet margins and large margins all around, original gum,
couple small gum soaks as usual, pinhole in borderEXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF THE FINEST OF FIVE OR SIX KNOWN EXAMPLES OF THIS RARITY.
Ex Col. Green. (Image)
Steinmeyer's City Post,
Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Yellow (4LB21). Complete pane of ten,
original gum stains paper, signed by J. F. Steinmeyer Jr. in bottom
margin, trivial thin specks and corner creases in sheet marginsAN OUTSTANDING EXHIBITION ITEM AND ONE OF THE FEW SIGNED SHEETS IN EXISTENCE.
Ex Col. Green. (Image)
Steinmeyer's City Post,
Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Pink (4LB20). Complete pane of ten,
original gum, signed by J. F. Steinmeyer Jr. in bottom
marginEXTREMELY FINE. A GREAT RARITY IN SHEET FORM, AND ONE OF THE FEW SIGNED BY STEINMEYER.
Ex Col. Green. (Image)