Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

LOCALS continued...

**Barnard's City Letter Express (Bostom MA)**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description
412		Barnard's City Letter Express, Boston Mass., (unstated value) Black on Yellow Glazed (7L1). Unused (no gum), large margins all around, dark shade on bright yellow paper, Extremely Fine Gem, approximately ten covers are known with this stamp, which is also very scarce off cover (a cover realized $3,250 hammer in our Golden sale) (Image)	1,000.00
413		Barnard's City Letter Express, Boston Mass., (unstated value) Red (7L2). Three large margins, rough separation at right just impinging on design, ms. "MHB" initials of Moses H. Barnard, proprietor of the post, cancelled by pencil "X" -- impression of cancel and natural gum toning ties thru lettersheet -- used on folded letter dated first on Mar. 8, 1846, and again on Mar. 10, from Stoddard N.H. to Boston street address "to the care Mrs. Hariet Robinson", to whom the writer refers in his letter: "I take up my pen to write in haste for Hariet Robinson by whom I expect to send these lines is a going to start sooner than expected.", Mrs. Robinson carried the letter to Boston and left it with Barnard's City Letter Express for delivery VERY FINE COVER. IN OUR OPINION, THIS IS THE ONLY GENUINE COVER BEARING THE RED BARNARD'S CITY LETTER EXPRESS STAMP, OF WHICH ONLY TWO COPIES HAVE BEEN RECORDED. AN IMPORTANT LOCAL-POST RARITY. This cover and another with the Barnard's Red stamp were offered in the Caspary collection -- they are the only examples of the Red stamp on or off cover. The stamp on the other cover (also ex Lilly) is deeply cut in and uncancelled. It is affixed to an 1847 folded letter with Boston Feb. 11 datestamp. The use of Barnard's stamp in February 1847 raises questions. Genuinely stamped Barnard covers are dated from July 1845 into early 1846 -- February 1847 would be an extremely late use of the stamp, and it would create a much broader time period, making the rarity of Barnard covers inconsistent with the period of use. In our opinion, the Red stamp on the February 1847 cover is genuine, but did not originate, which leaves this March 1846 cover as the only genuine usage. Ex Caspary (where acquired by the Halls). (Image)	E. 5,000-7,500

Barnard's City Letter Express (Bostom MA)

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

412

Barnard's City Letter Express, Boston Mass., (unstated value) Black on Yellow Glazed (7L1). Unused (no gum), large margins all around, dark shade on bright yellow paper, Extremely Fine Gem, approximately ten covers are known with this stamp, which is also very scarce off cover (a cover realized $3,250 hammer in our Golden sale) (Image)

1,000.00

413

Barnard's City Letter Express, Boston Mass., (unstated value) Red (7L2). Three large margins, rough separation at right just impinging on design, ms. "MHB" initials of Moses H. Barnard, proprietor of the post, cancelled by pencil "X" -- impression of cancel and natural gum toning ties thru lettersheet -- used on folded letter dated first on Mar. 8, 1846, and again on Mar. 10, from Stoddard N.H. to Boston street address "to the care Mrs. Hariet Robinson", to whom the writer refers in his letter: "I take up my pen to write in haste for Hariet Robinson by whom I expect to send these lines is a going to start sooner than expected.", Mrs. Robinson carried the letter to Boston and left it with Barnard's City Letter Express for delivery

VERY FINE COVER. IN OUR OPINION, THIS IS THE ONLY GENUINE COVER BEARING THE RED BARNARD'S CITY LETTER EXPRESS STAMP, OF WHICH ONLY TWO COPIES HAVE BEEN RECORDED. AN IMPORTANT LOCAL-POST RARITY.

This cover and another with the Barnard's Red stamp were offered in the Caspary collection -- they are the only examples of the Red stamp on or off cover. The stamp on the other cover (also ex Lilly) is deeply cut in and uncancelled. It is affixed to an 1847 folded letter with Boston Feb. 11 datestamp. The use of Barnard's stamp in February 1847 raises questions. Genuinely stamped Barnard covers are dated from July 1845 into early 1846 -- February 1847 would be an extremely late use of the stamp, and it would create a much broader time period, making the rarity of Barnard covers inconsistent with the period of use. In our opinion, the Red stamp on the February 1847 cover is genuine, but did not originate, which leaves this March 1846 cover as the only genuine usage.

Ex Caspary (where acquired by the Halls). (Image)

E. 5,000-7,500