Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

INDEPENDENT MAILS continued...

**Hartford Conn. Mail Route**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description
356		Hartford Conn. Mail Route, (5c) Black on Yellow Glazed (80L1). Position 2, ample margins, ms. "Hartford" (applied before use), usual slight oxidation, Very Fine, scarce example of the manuscript "Hartford" (Image)	E. 500-750
357		Hartford Conn. Mail Route, (5c) Black on Yellow Glazed (80L1). Position 10, ample margins to just touched at top right corner, ms. "Jan 14" cancel, usual slight oxidation, still Very Fine, choice example of this distinctive stamp (Image)	E. 500-750
358		Hartford Conn. Mail Route, (5c) Black on Yellow Glazed (80L1). Position 3, ample margins all around, unusually bright paper with only a tiny trace of oxidation, tied by two strikes of Hale & Co. red "Paid" straightline, third strike at right on Feb. 2 (1845) folded letter from Hartford to Philadelphia street address, sender's endorsement "Single Paid" EXTREMELY FINE. THE ONLY HARTFORD MAIL ROUTE COVER KNOWN TO US WITH THE STAMP CANCELLED AND TIED BY HALE & COMPANY'S RED "PAID" STRAIGHTLINE. According to published research by Francis E. Stern (Collectors Club Philatelist, Vol. 41, No. 3), the Hartford Mail stamps were prepared by E. W. Parsons and a partner named Fuller. Parsons was a Hartford bookseller who later became the New England superintendent for Adams Express Company and then a prominent figure in the Hartford insurance business. Mr. Fuller was an agent for Thompson & Co.'s express in Springfield Mass. The apparent function of the Parsons-Fuller Hartford Mail was to carry mail between Hartford and other cities. They also linked with other inter-city expresses that served the region, such as Adams and Hale. The more than 60 surviving covers indicate that the Hartford Mail did not deliver mail between correspondents within the city. The operation commenced in 1844 -- the earliest known cover dates from August 1844 -- and it appears to have discontinued service on June 30, 1845, the latest recorded date and the point when inter-city letter expresses were outlawed. The stamps were printed from an engraved copper plate of 12 subjects, each different in its details. Glazed paper was used, in Yellow for 5c stamps and Pink for 10c stamps. Some believe that a third Buff-colored paper was used, others believe that the Buff paper is chemically changed. In an 1895 interview with E. W. Parsons, reported by W. H. Bruce in The Eastern Philatelist, the design of a giant mail-carrier stepping across hemispheres was attributed to a Shakespearian metaphor, which Stern cited in Julius Caesar, Act 1, Scene II: Cassius speaks "Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world, Like a Colossus, and we petty men, Walk under his huge legs, and peep about, To find ourselves dishonourable graves." Shakespeare or not, the more relevant message is that the Hartford Mail express carrier would deliver mail faster than the government. The Hartford Mail Route stamps were usually pre-cancelled or cancelled with the words indicating the direction (South, West, East), location (Hartford) or date. It is difficult to describe the entire population of Hartford covers, because many of the more than sixty reported covers are held by one collector, including some that have not been photographed for the public record. However, a thorough search of auctions dating back sixty years and our photo files failed to turn up even one additional example of the Hartford Mail Route stamp tied by a handstamped marking of any kind. The "Paid" straightline on this cover is identical to the marking used by Hale & Co. to cancel stamps and mark letters paid. Similar strikes have been seen on numerous Hale covers, and it seems that the offices in Boston, New York, New Haven and Philadelphia received nearly identical devices. The "Paid" on this cover may have been applied at origin (which is not indicated in the letter), in transit at New York, or on arrival in Philadelphia. The pair on cover in our Golden sale, also addressed to Philadelphia (from Hartford), had the same "Paid" marking. Notation on back "Chicago, Ill., Dr. A. B. Merrill, Sept. 30, 1909 @ 4.00" appears to be a past philatelic sale record. (Image)	E. 10,000-15,000
359		Hartford Conn. Mail Route, (5c) Black on Yellow Glazed (80L1). Position 3, full margins all around, bright color without any oxidation, ms. "South" applied before use, used on Feb. 27, 1845 folded letter from Hartford to New York City street address, sender's note "Hale's Express paid feb. 27", a few letters of address changed in ink, some paper erosion on back and very slightly worn along file fold EXTREMELY FINE STAMP ON AN ATTRACTIVE SOUTHBOUND COVER CARRIED BY THE HARTFORD MAIL ROUTE. The relationship between the Hartford Mail Route and Hale & Co. was extremely close, however, to the best of our knowledge, no one has been able to establish whether Hale had an ownership interest. The sender's notation on this cover demonstrates how the public perceived the Hartford Mail Route. Ex Ackerman. (Image)	E. 5,000-7,500
360		Hartford Conn. Mail Route, (10c) Black on Pink Glazed (80L3). Position 7, two full margins, other sides slightly in, ms. "West" applied before use, usual slight oxidation, diagonal internal crease, used on folded letter datelined Hartford, Nov. 21, 1844, with addressee's name and location cut out of cover (another name and address has been pasted in its place) A FINE COPY OF THE HARTFORD MAIL ROUTE 10-CENT PINK -- ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL INDEPENDENT MAIL STAMPS, WITH NINE CONFIRMED EXAMPLES, INCLUDING FIVE ON COVERS. According to an 1895 interview with one of the Hartford Mail Route principals (reported by W. H. Bruce in The Eastern Philatelist), the Yellow stamps were sold for 5c each, and the Pink stamps for 10c each. Approximately 60-70 examples of the Yellow are reported, but only nine of the Pink have been confirmed through auction records and our photo files. Five of the Pink stamps are on covers, one on piece and three off cover, as follows: On covers: 1) "West", Pos. 7, Hartford Nov. 21, 1844, folded letter with address cut out, the cover offered here, 2) "Hartford", Pos. ?, creased, Hartford Jan. 25, 1845, folded letter to Joseph Goddard, NYC, endorsed "Hale's Express", ex Mason, Sloane's records ("poor cover, patched"), 3) "West", Pos. 2, on 1844 folded cover to J.L.L.F. Warren, NYC, red Hale & Co. Hartford oval, ex Chapman, Caspary, 4) "West", Pos. 6, to Boston, red Hale & Co. Hartford oval, ex German Sale, 5) "West", Pos. 8, on folded letter (no details), ex Needham (our photo files), On piece: 6) "South" ties Pos. 12 on piece to "Newman", ex Caspary, Off cover: 7) "East", Pos. 2 off cover, Sloane records, 8) "West", Pos. 6 off cover, Sloane records, and 9) "W", Pos. 12 off cover, ex Worthington, Middendorf. This cover was acquired by the Halls from Charles J. Phillips in 1925. (Image)	E. 7,500-10,000

Hartford Conn. Mail Route

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

356

Hartford Conn. Mail Route, (5c) Black on Yellow Glazed (80L1). Position 2, ample margins, ms. "Hartford" (applied before use), usual slight oxidation, Very Fine, scarce example of the manuscript "Hartford" (Image)

E. 500-750

357

Hartford Conn. Mail Route, (5c) Black on Yellow Glazed (80L1). Position 10, ample margins to just touched at top right corner, ms. "Jan 14" cancel, usual slight oxidation, still Very Fine, choice example of this distinctive stamp (Image)

E. 500-750

358

Hartford Conn. Mail Route, (5c) Black on Yellow Glazed (80L1). Position 3, ample margins all around, unusually bright paper with only a tiny trace of oxidation, tied by two strikes of Hale & Co. red "Paid" straightline, third strike at right on Feb. 2 (1845) folded letter from Hartford to Philadelphia street address, sender's endorsement "Single Paid"

EXTREMELY FINE. THE ONLY HARTFORD MAIL ROUTE COVER KNOWN TO US WITH THE STAMP CANCELLED AND TIED BY HALE & COMPANY'S RED "PAID" STRAIGHTLINE.

According to published research by Francis E. Stern (Collectors Club Philatelist, Vol. 41, No. 3), the Hartford Mail stamps were prepared by E. W. Parsons and a partner named Fuller. Parsons was a Hartford bookseller who later became the New England superintendent for Adams Express Company and then a prominent figure in the Hartford insurance business. Mr. Fuller was an agent for Thompson & Co.'s express in Springfield Mass. The apparent function of the Parsons-Fuller Hartford Mail was to carry mail between Hartford and other cities. They also linked with other inter-city expresses that served the region, such as Adams and Hale. The more than 60 surviving covers indicate that the Hartford Mail did not deliver mail between correspondents within the city. The operation commenced in 1844 -- the earliest known cover dates from August 1844 -- and it appears to have discontinued service on June 30, 1845, the latest recorded date and the point when inter-city letter expresses were outlawed.

The stamps were printed from an engraved copper plate of 12 subjects, each different in its details. Glazed paper was used, in Yellow for 5c stamps and Pink for 10c stamps. Some believe that a third Buff-colored paper was used, others believe that the Buff paper is chemically changed. In an 1895 interview with E. W. Parsons, reported by W. H. Bruce in The Eastern Philatelist, the design of a giant mail-carrier stepping across hemispheres was attributed to a Shakespearian metaphor, which Stern cited in Julius Caesar, Act 1, Scene II: Cassius speaks "Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world, Like a Colossus, and we petty men, Walk under his huge legs, and peep about, To find ourselves dishonourable graves." Shakespeare or not, the more relevant message is that the Hartford Mail express carrier would deliver mail faster than the government.

The Hartford Mail Route stamps were usually pre-cancelled or cancelled with the words indicating the direction (South, West, East), location (Hartford) or date. It is difficult to describe the entire population of Hartford covers, because many of the more than sixty reported covers are held by one collector, including some that have not been photographed for the public record. However, a thorough search of auctions dating back sixty years and our photo files failed to turn up even one additional example of the Hartford Mail Route stamp tied by a handstamped marking of any kind. The "Paid" straightline on this cover is identical to the marking used by Hale & Co. to cancel stamps and mark letters paid. Similar strikes have been seen on numerous Hale covers, and it seems that the offices in Boston, New York, New Haven and Philadelphia received nearly identical devices. The "Paid" on this cover may have been applied at origin (which is not indicated in the letter), in transit at New York, or on arrival in Philadelphia. The pair on cover in our Golden sale, also addressed to Philadelphia (from Hartford), had the same "Paid" marking.

Notation on back "Chicago, Ill., Dr. A. B. Merrill, Sept. 30, 1909 @ 4.00" appears to be a past philatelic sale record. (Image)

E. 10,000-15,000

359

Hartford Conn. Mail Route, (5c) Black on Yellow Glazed (80L1). Position 3, full margins all around, bright color without any oxidation, ms. "South" applied before use, used on Feb. 27, 1845 folded letter from Hartford to New York City street address, sender's note "Hale's Express paid feb. 27", a few letters of address changed in ink, some paper erosion on back and very slightly worn along file fold

EXTREMELY FINE STAMP ON AN ATTRACTIVE SOUTHBOUND COVER CARRIED BY THE HARTFORD MAIL ROUTE.

The relationship between the Hartford Mail Route and Hale & Co. was extremely close, however, to the best of our knowledge, no one has been able to establish whether Hale had an ownership interest. The sender's notation on this cover demonstrates how the public perceived the Hartford Mail Route.

Ex Ackerman. (Image)

E. 5,000-7,500

360

Hartford Conn. Mail Route, (10c) Black on Pink Glazed (80L3). Position 7, two full margins, other sides slightly in, ms. "West" applied before use, usual slight oxidation, diagonal internal crease, used on folded letter datelined Hartford, Nov. 21, 1844, with addressee's name and location cut out of cover (another name and address has been pasted in its place)

A FINE COPY OF THE HARTFORD MAIL ROUTE 10-CENT PINK -- ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL INDEPENDENT MAIL STAMPS, WITH NINE CONFIRMED EXAMPLES, INCLUDING FIVE ON COVERS.

According to an 1895 interview with one of the Hartford Mail Route principals (reported by W. H. Bruce in The Eastern Philatelist), the Yellow stamps were sold for 5c each, and the Pink stamps for 10c each. Approximately 60-70 examples of the Yellow are reported, but only nine of the Pink have been confirmed through auction records and our photo files. Five of the Pink stamps are on covers, one on piece and three off cover, as follows: On covers: 1) "West", Pos. 7, Hartford Nov. 21, 1844, folded letter with address cut out, the cover offered here, 2) "Hartford", Pos. ?, creased, Hartford Jan. 25, 1845, folded letter to Joseph Goddard, NYC, endorsed "Hale's Express", ex Mason, Sloane's records ("poor cover, patched"), 3) "West", Pos. 2, on 1844 folded cover to J.L.L.F. Warren, NYC, red Hale & Co. Hartford oval, ex Chapman, Caspary, 4) "West", Pos. 6, to Boston, red Hale & Co. Hartford oval, ex German Sale, 5) "West", Pos. 8, on folded letter (no details), ex Needham (our photo files), On piece: 6) "South" ties Pos. 12 on piece to "Newman", ex Caspary, Off cover: 7) "East", Pos. 2 off cover, Sloane records, 8) "West", Pos. 6 off cover, Sloane records, and 9) "W", Pos. 12 off cover, ex Worthington, Middendorf.

This cover was acquired by the Halls from Charles J. Phillips in 1925. (Image)

E. 7,500-10,000