Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

The D.K. Collection of United States Carriers and Locals continued...

**Carrier Departments (Charleston S.C.)**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description	Est/Cat	Realized
16		Honour's City Express, Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Brown Rose (4LB1). Ample margin at bottom, clear at left, slightly in at top and right, fresh and uncancelled, used on Aug. 16, 1849 blue folded letter to New York, red "Charleston S.C. Aug. 16/10" integral-rate circular datestamp, light file folds at top clear of stamp VERY FINE. THE ONLY RECORDED COVER WITH A RECTANGULAR-CUT EXAMPLE OF THE HONOUR'S OVAL STAMP ON BROWN-ROSE PAPER. ONLY FIVE EXAMPLES KNOWN IN TOTAL. Of the five Scott 4LB1 examples we record, only two are genuinely used on cover. Our census is as follows: 1) cut rectangular, in at top, used on Aug. 16, 1849 cover offered here, ex Hind, Golden (realized $12,000 hammer), 2) cut to shape (brighter Pink paper), used with 10c 1847 on Jul. 14, 1849 cover, ex Hessel, Golden (realized $37,500), 3) cut rectangular, in at top, on piece dated Aug. 19, 1849, ex Worthington, Caspary, Boker, Golden (realized $9,000), 4) cut to shape, cancelled by red Charleston circular datestamp (June date, no year), minor faults, ex Middendorf, and 5) cut to shape, sealed tear, added to 1851 cover with Jan. 24 datestamp, Siegel Sale 164, ex Hall. Ex Hind and Golden. With 1981 and 1999 P.F. certificates. Scott Retail $13,500.00. (Image)	E. 12,000-15,000	15,500.00
17		Honour's City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Bluish, Period after "Paid" (4LB8a). First Setting, large margins, beautiful impression on bright bluish paper, tied by ms. and also tied by blue "Wilmington & Raleigh Railroad Jan. 20" route agent's circular datestamp with matching "10" rate handstamp on cover to Pittsfield Mass., ca. 1851 EXTREMELY FINE. THIS EXTRAORDINARY RAILROAD COVER IS ARGUABLY THE FINEST TIED EXAMPLE OF HONOUR'S FOUR-LINE STAMP FROM THE FIRST SETTING. Ex Ackerman and Hall. With 2001 P.F. certificate. (Image)	E. 3,000-4,000	6,000.00
18		Honour's City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Bluish, Period after "Paid" (4LB8a). First Setting, Position 2 with top right corner sheet margins, touched at left and slightly in at bottom, tied by ms. cancel, perfect bold strike of blue "Wil. & Ral. R.R. Feb. 20" Wilmington & Raleigh Railroad route agent's circular datestamp with matching "10" rate handstamp on 1851 folded letter to New York City street address VERY FINE. A MAGNIFICENT COVER SHOWING RAILROAD USAGE OF THE SCARCE HONOUR'S FOUR-LINE STAMP FROM THE FIRST SETTING. Ex Chapman and Hall. With 2001 P.F. certificate. (Image)	E. 2,000-3,000	2,700.00
19		Honour's City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Bluish (4LB8). Positions 7-8 and 9, horizontal pair and single (from position below left stamp in pair), ms. cancel in pencil, used on large lace Valentine cover to local addressee, stamps have small faults, addressee's name changed slightly VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONLY THREE VALENTINES BEARING A MULTIPLE OF THE HONOUR'S 4LB8 STAMP ARE RECORDED. AN OUTSTANDING CARRIER USAGE. The Philatelic Foundation files contain a photograph of a Valentine cover to L. A. Mills, Line St., Charleston, bearing a vertical strip of three (Positions 5/7/9) with sheet margin. Its whereabouts today is unknown. Ex Caspary, Boker and Golden. With 2000 P.F. certificate. (Image)	E. 7,500-10,000	8,500.00
20		Honour's City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Bluish, "Cens" (4LB8b). Position 2, later state showing dropped period after "Post", gap between "N" and "O" of "Honour's", lower right pearl out of alignment, uncancelled, ample margins to slightly in, Fine, very scarce, ex Golden, with 2000 P.F. certificate (Image)	E. 400-500	525.00
21		Honour's City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black, "Cens" & Misaligned Type (4LB8b var). Probably the latest state of the Position 2 "Cens" error -- gap between "N" and "O" of "Honour's, "City" and "Post" far out of alignment, gap between pearls at lower right -- margins mostly clear except at bottom left, lightly cancelled VERY FINE. THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THIS VARIETY, WHICH SHOWS THE BREAK-UP OF TYPE IN POSITION 2, THE "CENS" ERROR. Ex Hind and Golden. With 2000 P.F. certificate for the stamp on a cover (did not originate and since removed). (Image)	E. 750-1,000	1,050.00
22		Honour's City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Bluish (4LB8). Position 9 with missing pearl at right, also showing damaged pearl at lower left, bottom left corner sheet margins, other sides huge with parts of adjoining stamps, uncancelled, used on cover to local street address with original Valentine enclosure, one side flap missing EXTREMELY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE RARE MISSING PEARL VARIETY -- PROBABLY THE FINEST IN EXISTENCE. Stamps printed from Position 9 on the Honour's 4LB8 setting usually show the complete pearl at upper right and normal pearl at lower left. Examples with the upper right pearl partly printed or completely missing are rare. However, all examples of the Kingman's four-line stamp (4LB15) from Position 9 are missing the upper right pearl and show the damaged pearl at lower left (see lot 19 for strip of three). Our theory is that the upper right pearl gradually disappeared from the Honour's setting prior to substitution of "Kingman's" for "Honour's". The pearl slug may have been damaged or fell beneath the other slugs and failed to print. Given the rarity of Honour's 4LB8 Missing Pearl stamps, it seems that very few were printed from the defective setting before conversion to the Kingman's name. It is also likely that the setting was changed back to "Honour's" for further printings, at which point Position 9 was fixed. Ex Hall. With 2001 P.F. certificate. (Image)	E. 2,000-3,000	2,100.00
23		(Honour's) City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black (4LB3). Three large margins, full at bottom, negligible slight bend at bottom right (described as small corner crease on certificate), cancelled by ms. "M", used with 3c Dull Red (11), full margins to clear, tied by blue "Charleston S.C. Paid 14 Dec." circular datestamp on 1854 blue folded letter to Effingham S.C., from the well-known Miller correspondence, from which other Charleston carrier covers originate VERY FINE. A SUPERB COMBINATION COVER BEARING THE "CITY POST" CARRIER STAMP AND 3-CENT 1851 ISSUE. Ex Ferrary and Hall. Signed E. Stern. With 2001 P.F. certificate. (Image)	E. 2,500-3,500	3,250.00
24		Kingman's City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Bluish (4LB15). Vertical strip of three, Positions 5/7/9 according to our plating analysis, bottom stamp shows missing pearl at right and small "A" in "Kingman's", ample margins almost all around, just touched at bottom right, uncancelled, paying 6c carrier fee on 8 x 10 in. embossed Valentine cover to local street address, one backflap removed, scattered toned spots and very faint gum toning on strip, small tear at top left of cover VERY FINE. ONE OF THE GREATEST OF ALL CARRIER COVERS, BEARING THE LARGEST KNOWN MULTIPLE OF KINGMAN'S FOUR-LINE STAMP. Eliab J. Kingman was Dr. John H. Honour's brother-in-law and served as the first assistant in Honour's Penny Post from its inception in 1849. It is reported that sometime in 1851, Kingman received his own appointment as a government carrier and divided the city's routes with Dr. Honour. According to the Faber account (Pat Paragraphs, 1981 Reprint, pp. 247-248), Kingman retired in March 1858 and was replaced by Joseph G. Martin, a relative to the Honour family through marriage. The Scott listings for the two Kingman's stamps are out of chronological sequence. The four-line type, 4LB15, preceded the three-line type, 4LB14, by at least three or four years. The four-line stamp is also considerably rarer, with a total of just 15 recorded stamps. Because the basic form used for Honour's 4LB8 was used to print Kingman's 4LB15 stamp, it is possible to reconstruct the Kingman's setting. When the name "Kingman's" was inserted, some border pearls were repositioned, but there are still enough unique features belonging to the different positions to enable us to assign the 15 recorded stamps to 8 of the 10 positions in the Kingman's setting. The fifteen 4LB15 stamps (including erased "Kingman's" variety) contained in our census are listed here (positions identified according to our plating analysis): 1-3) vertical strip of three [Pos. 5/7/9] on Valentine cover (no date), ex Caspary, Boker, Golden (realized $20,000), the cover offered here, 4-5) vertical pair [Pos. 6/8], uncancelled on cover front, ex Chapman, Caspary, Boker, 6) pen-cancelled [Pos. 3], tied by Dec. 11 circular datestamp on cover to Spartanburg, ex Boker, 7) uncancelled on piece or cover [Pos. 5], Costales photo file, 8) "Kingman's" scratched out [Pos. 1], corner margins, tied by ms. on inbound cover from Raleigh N.C., Jul. (or Jun.) 22, 1857, ex Hessel, Golden (realized $3,000), 9) pen-cancelled [Pos. 8] on piece, ex Caspary, Hall, 10) pen-cancelled [Pos. 9, missing pearl at right] on piece, ex Caspary, Richardson, Sheriff, 11) pencil cancel [Pos. 4] on piece, ex Middendorf, 12) uncancelled [Pos. 9, missing pearl at right], ex Ferrary, Caspary, Hall, 13) uncancelled [Pos. 3], Costales photo file, and 14-15) horizontal pair [Pos. 3-4], offered in this sale as lot 25, ex Hall (realized $6,000). From the census it can be determined that there are only three confirmed 4LB15 covers (excluding the erased-name variety): one is this Valentine with the unique strip of three (Nos. 1-3 on census list), the second is the single tied by a Charleston Dec. 11 circular datestamp (No. 6 on list), and the third is the pair on the Valentine cover offered in lot 25 (Nos. 14-15 on list). The pair on a cover front (or piece, Nos. 4-5 on list) is the only other known multiple. There is no question that this strip of the Kingman four-line stamp, used on a Valentine, is the most important of all Kingman's carrier items, and, in our opinion, it ranks very close to the unique Beckman's City Post cover in significance among Charleston carrier issues. Ex Caspary and Golden. Note on back "9/28/14 St. Louis St. & C. Co. DNN". With 2000 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail for the strip is $22,500.00. (Image)	E. 20,000-30,000	23,000.00
25		Kingman's City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Bluish (4LB15). Horizontal pair, Positions 3-4 according to our plating analysis, huge margins except barely into pearls at top, neat ms. cancels, paying 4c carrier fee on embossed Valentine cover to "Miss Bessie MacKenzie, 4 St. Michael's Ally", with original Valentine enclosure annotated "From Willie to Bessie", right stamp has faint gum toning, a few minor toned spots on cover (one tying pair) VERY FINE. ONE OF THREE RECORDED MULTIPLES OF KINGMAN'S FOUR-LINE STAMP AND ONE OF THREE CONFIRMED 4LB15 COVERS. AN OUTSTANDING CARRIER USAGE. An overview of Kingman's City Post and a complete census of 4LB15 are provided in the description of lot 24. Please see lots 22 and 27 for other Valentines from the Bessie MacKenzie correspondence. Ex Hall. With 2001 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail $6,500.00. (Image)	E. 5,000-7,500	8,000.00
26		Kingman's City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Bluish, "Kingman's" Erased (4LB15 var). Position 1, top left corner sheet margins, other sides clear to touching, tied by ms. cancel that appears to be the initial "M" (possibly Joseph G. Martin), used with 3c Claret (11), close margins touching all around, tied by "Raleigh N.C. Jul. (or Jun.) 22, 1857" blue circular datestamp on cover to Charleston with detailed street address in another hand, presumably applied at Charleston, part of two backflaps missing, small ink spots at top VERY FINE. THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE "KINGMAN'S" ERASURE ON THE FOUR-LINE STAMP, 4LB15, AND A UNIQUE COVER IN SEVERAL RESPECTS. This is the only recorded cover with 4LB15, the four-line Kingman's stamp, used in combination with a regular issue (see lot 24 for census details). It is also the only known example of the four-line stamp with Kingman's name erased, as well as the only on-cover example of the erased-name variety. The date of use, July 1857, falls into the period just prior to Kingman's reported retirement (March 1858) and during the time the second Kingman's issue, 4LB14, was in use. Our explanation of this usage is that the cover was mailed from Raleigh without the carrier stamp, addressed in care of J. H. Willy & Co., who wrote the delivery instructions at lower left, affixed the stamp and gave it to the carrier department. The stamp was definitely cancelled by pen first, then the name (including the cancellation) was scratched out with a sharp instrument. The reason for this erasure has never been satisfactorily explained, and it remains a matter of speculation. Perhaps a carrier other than Kingman (J. G. Martin?) was given the cover, and, after cancelling the stamp (with an "M"), he scratched out Kingman's name to avoid confusion over who was responsible for delivery. Ex Hessel and Golden. With 1975 and 2000 P.F. certificates. Scott Retail $5,000.00. (Image)	E. 3,000-4,000	3,500.00

Carrier Departments (Charleston S.C.)

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

Est/Cat

Realized

Honour's City Express, Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Brown Rose (4LB1). Ample margin at bottom, clear at left, slightly in at top and right, fresh and uncancelled, used on Aug. 16, 1849 blue folded letter to New York, red "Charleston S.C. Aug. 16/10" integral-rate circular datestamp, light file folds at top clear of stamp

VERY FINE. THE ONLY RECORDED COVER WITH A RECTANGULAR-CUT EXAMPLE OF THE HONOUR'S OVAL STAMP ON BROWN-ROSE PAPER. ONLY FIVE EXAMPLES KNOWN IN TOTAL.

Of the five Scott 4LB1 examples we record, only two are genuinely used on cover. Our census is as follows: 1) cut rectangular, in at top, used on Aug. 16, 1849 cover offered here, ex Hind, Golden (realized $12,000 hammer), 2) cut to shape (brighter Pink paper), used with 10c 1847 on Jul. 14, 1849 cover, ex Hessel, Golden (realized $37,500), 3) cut rectangular, in at top, on piece dated Aug. 19, 1849, ex Worthington, Caspary, Boker, Golden (realized $9,000), 4) cut to shape, cancelled by red Charleston circular datestamp (June date, no year), minor faults, ex Middendorf, and 5) cut to shape, sealed tear, added to 1851 cover with Jan. 24 datestamp, Siegel Sale 164, ex Hall.

Ex Hind and Golden. With 1981 and 1999 P.F. certificates. Scott Retail $13,500.00. (Image)

E. 12,000-15,000

15,500.00

Honour's City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Bluish, Period after "Paid" (4LB8a). First Setting, large margins, beautiful impression on bright bluish paper, tied by ms. and also tied by blue "Wilmington & Raleigh Railroad Jan. 20" route agent's circular datestamp with matching "10" rate handstamp on cover to Pittsfield Mass., ca. 1851

EXTREMELY FINE. THIS EXTRAORDINARY RAILROAD COVER IS ARGUABLY THE FINEST TIED EXAMPLE OF HONOUR'S FOUR-LINE STAMP FROM THE FIRST SETTING.

Ex Ackerman and Hall. With 2001 P.F. certificate. (Image)

E. 3,000-4,000

6,000.00

Honour's City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Bluish, Period after "Paid" (4LB8a). First Setting, Position 2 with top right corner sheet margins, touched at left and slightly in at bottom, tied by ms. cancel, perfect bold strike of blue "Wil. & Ral. R.R. Feb. 20" Wilmington & Raleigh Railroad route agent's circular datestamp with matching "10" rate handstamp on 1851 folded letter to New York City street address

VERY FINE. A MAGNIFICENT COVER SHOWING RAILROAD USAGE OF THE SCARCE HONOUR'S FOUR-LINE STAMP FROM THE FIRST SETTING.

Ex Chapman and Hall. With 2001 P.F. certificate. (Image)

E. 2,000-3,000

2,700.00

Honour's City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Bluish (4LB8). Positions 7-8 and 9, horizontal pair and single (from position below left stamp in pair), ms. cancel in pencil, used on large lace Valentine cover to local addressee, stamps have small faults, addressee's name changed slightly

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONLY THREE VALENTINES BEARING A MULTIPLE OF THE HONOUR'S 4LB8 STAMP ARE RECORDED. AN OUTSTANDING CARRIER USAGE.

The Philatelic Foundation files contain a photograph of a Valentine cover to L. A. Mills, Line St., Charleston, bearing a vertical strip of three (Positions 5/7/9) with sheet margin. Its whereabouts today is unknown.

Ex Caspary, Boker and Golden. With 2000 P.F. certificate. (Image)

E. 7,500-10,000

8,500.00

Honour's City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Bluish, "Cens" (4LB8b). Position 2, later state showing dropped period after "Post", gap between "N" and "O" of "Honour's", lower right pearl out of alignment, uncancelled, ample margins to slightly in, Fine, very scarce, ex Golden, with 2000 P.F. certificate (Image)

E. 400-500

525.00

Honour's City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black, "Cens" & Misaligned Type (4LB8b var). Probably the latest state of the Position 2 "Cens" error -- gap between "N" and "O" of "Honour's, "City" and "Post" far out of alignment, gap between pearls at lower right -- margins mostly clear except at bottom left, lightly cancelled

VERY FINE. THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THIS VARIETY, WHICH SHOWS THE BREAK-UP OF TYPE IN POSITION 2, THE "CENS" ERROR.

Ex Hind and Golden. With 2000 P.F. certificate for the stamp on a cover (did not originate and since removed). (Image)

E. 750-1,000

1,050.00

Honour's City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Bluish (4LB8). Position 9 with missing pearl at right, also showing damaged pearl at lower left, bottom left corner sheet margins, other sides huge with parts of adjoining stamps, uncancelled, used on cover to local street address with original Valentine enclosure, one side flap missing

EXTREMELY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE RARE MISSING PEARL VARIETY -- PROBABLY THE FINEST IN EXISTENCE.

Stamps printed from Position 9 on the Honour's 4LB8 setting usually show the complete pearl at upper right and normal pearl at lower left. Examples with the upper right pearl partly printed or completely missing are rare. However, all examples of the Kingman's four-line stamp (4LB15) from Position 9 are missing the upper right pearl and show the damaged pearl at lower left (see lot 19 for strip of three). Our theory is that the upper right pearl gradually disappeared from the Honour's setting prior to substitution of "Kingman's" for "Honour's". The pearl slug may have been damaged or fell beneath the other slugs and failed to print. Given the rarity of Honour's 4LB8 Missing Pearl stamps, it seems that very few were printed from the defective setting before conversion to the Kingman's name. It is also likely that the setting was changed back to "Honour's" for further printings, at which point Position 9 was fixed.

Ex Hall. With 2001 P.F. certificate. (Image)

E. 2,000-3,000

2,100.00

(Honour's) City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black (4LB3). Three large margins, full at bottom, negligible slight bend at bottom right (described as small corner crease on certificate), cancelled by ms. "M", used with 3c Dull Red (11), full margins to clear, tied by blue "Charleston S.C. Paid 14 Dec." circular datestamp on 1854 blue folded letter to Effingham S.C., from the well-known Miller correspondence, from which other Charleston carrier covers originate

VERY FINE. A SUPERB COMBINATION COVER BEARING THE "CITY POST" CARRIER STAMP AND 3-CENT 1851 ISSUE.

Ex Ferrary and Hall. Signed E. Stern. With 2001 P.F. certificate. (Image)

E. 2,500-3,500

3,250.00

Kingman's City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Bluish (4LB15). Vertical strip of three, Positions 5/7/9 according to our plating analysis, bottom stamp shows missing pearl at right and small "A" in "Kingman's", ample margins almost all around, just touched at bottom right, uncancelled, paying 6c carrier fee on 8 x 10 in. embossed Valentine cover to local street address, one backflap removed, scattered toned spots and very faint gum toning on strip, small tear at top left of cover

VERY FINE. ONE OF THE GREATEST OF ALL CARRIER COVERS, BEARING THE LARGEST KNOWN MULTIPLE OF KINGMAN'S FOUR-LINE STAMP.

Eliab J. Kingman was Dr. John H. Honour's brother-in-law and served as the first assistant in Honour's Penny Post from its inception in 1849. It is reported that sometime in 1851, Kingman received his own appointment as a government carrier and divided the city's routes with Dr. Honour. According to the Faber account (Pat Paragraphs, 1981 Reprint, pp. 247-248), Kingman retired in March 1858 and was replaced by Joseph G. Martin, a relative to the Honour family through marriage.

The Scott listings for the two Kingman's stamps are out of chronological sequence. The four-line type, 4LB15, preceded the three-line type, 4LB14, by at least three or four years. The four-line stamp is also considerably rarer, with a total of just 15 recorded stamps. Because the basic form used for Honour's 4LB8 was used to print Kingman's 4LB15 stamp, it is possible to reconstruct the Kingman's setting. When the name "Kingman's" was inserted, some border pearls were repositioned, but there are still enough unique features belonging to the different positions to enable us to assign the 15 recorded stamps to 8 of the 10 positions in the Kingman's setting.

The fifteen 4LB15 stamps (including erased "Kingman's" variety) contained in our census are listed here (positions identified according to our plating analysis): 1-3) vertical strip of three [Pos. 5/7/9] on Valentine cover (no date), ex Caspary, Boker, Golden (realized $20,000), the cover offered here, 4-5) vertical pair [Pos. 6/8], uncancelled on cover front, ex Chapman, Caspary, Boker, 6) pen-cancelled [Pos. 3], tied by Dec. 11 circular datestamp on cover to Spartanburg, ex Boker, 7) uncancelled on piece or cover [Pos. 5], Costales photo file, 8) "Kingman's" scratched out [Pos. 1], corner margins, tied by ms. on inbound cover from Raleigh N.C., Jul. (or Jun.) 22, 1857, ex Hessel, Golden (realized $3,000), 9) pen-cancelled [Pos. 8] on piece, ex Caspary, Hall, 10) pen-cancelled [Pos. 9, missing pearl at right] on piece, ex Caspary, Richardson, Sheriff, 11) pencil cancel [Pos. 4] on piece, ex Middendorf, 12) uncancelled [Pos. 9, missing pearl at right], ex Ferrary, Caspary, Hall, 13) uncancelled [Pos. 3], Costales photo file, and 14-15) horizontal pair [Pos. 3-4], offered in this sale as lot 25, ex Hall (realized $6,000).

From the census it can be determined that there are only three confirmed 4LB15 covers (excluding the erased-name variety): one is this Valentine with the unique strip of three (Nos. 1-3 on census list), the second is the single tied by a Charleston Dec. 11 circular datestamp (No. 6 on list), and the third is the pair on the Valentine cover offered in lot 25 (Nos. 14-15 on list). The pair on a cover front (or piece, Nos. 4-5 on list) is the only other known multiple.

There is no question that this strip of the Kingman four-line stamp, used on a Valentine, is the most important of all Kingman's carrier items, and, in our opinion, it ranks very close to the unique Beckman's City Post cover in significance among Charleston carrier issues.

Ex Caspary and Golden. Note on back "9/28/14 St. Louis St. & C. Co. DNN". With 2000 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail for the strip is $22,500.00. (Image)

E. 20,000-30,000

23,000.00

Kingman's City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Bluish (4LB15). Horizontal pair, Positions 3-4 according to our plating analysis, huge margins except barely into pearls at top, neat ms. cancels, paying 4c carrier fee on embossed Valentine cover to "Miss Bessie MacKenzie, 4 St. Michael's Ally", with original Valentine enclosure annotated "From Willie to Bessie", right stamp has faint gum toning, a few minor toned spots on cover (one tying pair)

VERY FINE. ONE OF THREE RECORDED MULTIPLES OF KINGMAN'S FOUR-LINE STAMP AND ONE OF THREE CONFIRMED 4LB15 COVERS. AN OUTSTANDING CARRIER USAGE.

An overview of Kingman's City Post and a complete census of 4LB15 are provided in the description of lot 24. Please see lots 22 and 27 for other Valentines from the Bessie MacKenzie correspondence.

Ex Hall. With 2001 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail $6,500.00. (Image)

E. 5,000-7,500

8,000.00

Kingman's City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black on Bluish, "Kingman's" Erased (4LB15 var). Position 1, top left corner sheet margins, other sides clear to touching, tied by ms. cancel that appears to be the initial "M" (possibly Joseph G. Martin), used with 3c Claret (11), close margins touching all around, tied by "Raleigh N.C. Jul. (or Jun.) 22, 1857" blue circular datestamp on cover to Charleston with detailed street address in another hand, presumably applied at Charleston, part of two backflaps missing, small ink spots at top

VERY FINE. THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE "KINGMAN'S" ERASURE ON THE FOUR-LINE STAMP, 4LB15, AND A UNIQUE COVER IN SEVERAL RESPECTS.

This is the only recorded cover with 4LB15, the four-line Kingman's stamp, used in combination with a regular issue (see lot 24 for census details). It is also the only known example of the four-line stamp with Kingman's name erased, as well as the only on-cover example of the erased-name variety.

The date of use, July 1857, falls into the period just prior to Kingman's reported retirement (March 1858) and during the time the second Kingman's issue, 4LB14, was in use. Our explanation of this usage is that the cover was mailed from Raleigh without the carrier stamp, addressed in care of J. H. Willy & Co., who wrote the delivery instructions at lower left, affixed the stamp and gave it to the carrier department. The stamp was definitely cancelled by pen first, then the name (including the cancellation) was scratched out with a sharp instrument. The reason for this erasure has never been satisfactorily explained, and it remains a matter of speculation. Perhaps a carrier other than Kingman (J. G. Martin?) was given the cover, and, after cancelling the stamp (with an "M"), he scratched out Kingman's name to avoid confusion over who was responsible for delivery.

Ex Hessel and Golden. With 1975 and 2000 P.F. certificates. Scott Retail $5,000.00. (Image)

E. 3,000-4,000

3,500.00