St. Louis Mo., 5c Black on
Greenish (11X1). Position 1, huge margins all around including huge
corner sheet margins at top left, detailed impression, neat strike of
red "PAID" handstamp, faint manuscript offset on back barely shows
thru at bottom leftEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS PROBABLY THE FINEST OFF-COVER SINGLE OF THE 5-CENT ST. LOUIS POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL IN EXISTENCE.
The plate used to print the St. Louis postmaster's provisionals comprised only six positions. Each stamp, therefore, has the potential for having at least one sheet margin, and four positions have the potential for corner margins. However, very few examples are known with large corner sheet margins. For example, in the portion of the famous Charnley & Whelan correspondence that was sold at auction, there were no Bears of any denomination with recognizable sheet margins.
Our extensive records contain the following St. Louis provisionals with corner sheet margins: 1) 5c 11X1, Pos. 1, red "Paid" cancel, off cover, the stamp offered here, 2) 5c 11X1, Pos. 5, tied by ms. and Dec. 24 cds on folded letter to William G. Pettus, St. Charles Mo., Faiman collection, 3) 5c 11X1, vertical pair, Pos. 1/3, tied by Mar. 31 cds on large piece, ex Caspary, 4) 5c 11X1, Pos. 1, used with Pos. 3, tied by ms., Jul. 26 cds on folded cover to Cornelius & Co., Philadelphia, 5) 10c 11X2, vertical pair, Pos. 2/4, tied by ms., Nov. 16 cds on folded letter to Charnley & Whelan, Philadelphia, ex Caspary, 6) 10c 11X2, Pos. 2, cut in at bottom, tied by Jan. 28 cds on folded cover to E.D. Morgan & Co., New York, ex Hessel, 7) 5c 11X4, Pos. 5, tied by ms., Dec. 19 cds on folded letter to Springfield Ill., ex Boker, 8) 10c, probably 11X5, Pos. 6, tied by Dec. 4 cds on either piece or cover, Albrecht 7th Sale, and 9) 5c 11X7, Pos. 5, tied by ms. and "Paid", Mar. 4 cds on folded letter to William G. Pettus, St. Charles, Faiman collection.
With 1975 and 2002 P.F. certificates. (Image)