New York N.Y., 5c Black, "ACM"
Initials (9X1). Position 25, huge margins all around, cancelled by
magenta pen strokes (somewhat faded), Extremely Fine Gem, magenta is
the scarcest of colored pen cancels, ex Consul Klep
(Image)
New York N.Y., 5c Black,
"A.C.M." Initials (9X1b). Sub-type B, Position 10, full even margins,
fine impression, neat blue ms. cancel, Very Fine, the scarce initials with
periods (Image)
New York N.Y., 5c Black, "RHM"
Initials (9X1d). Position 6, large to huge margins all around, tied on
small piece by blue ms. cancelEXTREMELY FINE AND FRESH. ONE OF THE FINEST OF 33 EXAMPLES INITIALLED "RHM" (ROBERT H. MORRIS, POSTMASTER) IN THE LEVI-WALL-FARRINGTON CENSUS.
Of all New York provisionals initialled "RHM", the Levi-Wall-Farrington census records one unused, nineteen used off cover and thirteen copies on cover, the majority (28) is on bluish paper (Scott 9X1d). With 1973 P.F. certificate (Image)
New York N.Y., 5c Black, Without
Signature (9X1e). Position 16, large to huge margins, fine impression,
unusual six-stroke blue pen cancel, small purple backstamp, Extremely Fine
Gem, ex Grunin, with 1986 P.F. certificate
(Image)
New York N.Y., 5c Black, "ACM"
Initials (9X1). Position 29, huge margins, beautiful fine impression on
bright paper, uncancelled and used on blue folded letter datelined
at "Clifton" (N.J.) and addressed to New Rochelle N.Y., red "New-York Oct.
6" circular datestamp and matching "Paid" arc, Extremely Fine and choice
example of New York provisional used on a letter originating outside of New
York City (Image)
New York N.Y., 5c Black, "ACM"
Initials (9X1). Positions 37-38, horizontal pair, large margins all
around, neat blue ms. "X" cancels, red "New-York 9 Jan. 10 cts" integral
rate circular datestamp, matching "Paid" arc struck twice on 1846 folded
letter to New Orleans--a distance over 500 miles, requiring 10c rate--fresh
and Extremely Fine, a superb pair and cover, ex Consul Klep, signed Bloch,
with Friedl certificate (Image)
New York N.Y., 5c Black, "AC M"
Initials (9X1a). Positions 6-9, horizontal strip of four, large to huge
margins including parts of three adjoining stamps at top, clear at left,
fine impression, tied by blue ms. cancels and also by red "New-York Mar.
17" circular datestamp with matching "Paid" arc on blue folded cover to
Geneva N.Y., blue ms. "20" stating the double 10c rate for distance and
weight, some faint toning on cover onlyEXTREMELY FINE. THE FINEST OF FOUR RECORDED STRIPS OF FOUR ON COVERS AND CONSIDERED BY PHILIP T. WALL TO BE ONE OF "THE FIVE MOST OUTSTANDING NEW YORK POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL COVERS" IN EXISTENCE.
The largest known multiples of the New York provisional used on cover are a block of nine (the Hasbrouck cover) and a repaired block of six (in irregular shape). Of the four known strips of four on covers, this is without question the finest. It was illustrated and described in Philip T. Wall's article, "The Five Most Outstanding New York Postmaster's Provisional Covers" (Chronicle, Aug. 1980).
"W.H.C." (Warren H. Colson) handstamp at lower right. Ex Grunin. Only Scott 9X1 is listed as a strip of four on cover (Image)
New York N.Y., 5c Black, "AC M"
Initials (9X1a). Position 10, large even margins, deep shade and fine
impression, bright red initials, tied by orange-red "New-York 5 cts. Jan.
31" foreign-mail circular datestamp on fresh blue 1846 folded letter to
La Chaux-de-Fond, Switzerland, sender's ship-name routing
"Hibernia", red "COLONIES/&c. ART. 13" framed accountancy handstamp,
red "T.F." transit and bold red ms. "46" decimes due rate, British transit
backstamp (Feb. 15), Swiss transit and receiving datestamps also on
backEXTREMELY FINE. THE FINEST OF THE THREE RECORDED COVERS TO SWITZERLAND WITH THE NEW YORK POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL STAMP. A COLORFUL AND EXTRAORDINARY USAGE.
There is another comparable cover from the same correspondence, but it has the addressee's name crossed out in ink, and, as a result, is somewhat less attractive than this cover. Illustrated in Chronicle No. 105, p. 9. Ex Grunin (Image)
New York N.Y., 5c Black on Blue,
"ACM" Initials (9X2). Positions 9-10, horizontal pair with full right
sheet margin, other margins large to enormous, including parts of adjoining
stamps at bottom, fine impression on deeply blued paper, lightly cancelled
by red square grids (used in 1847)EXTREMELY FINE. THIS IS THE FAMOUS CASPARY PAIR, WHICH IS BY FAR THE FINEST OF THE FOUR RECORDED PAIRS ON BLUE PAPER (THREE OFF COVER).
It is estimated that 40-50 examples of the New York provisional on blue paper exist (34 recorded in Levi-Wall-Farrington census). This pair was illustrated and described by Philip T. Wall as "by far the finest example" in his Chronicle article (Aug. 1982).
Ex Caspary (where it sold to Raymond and Roger Weill for $2,600 in 1955) and Grunin (who purchased it in our 1980 Rarities of the World sale for $18,000) (Image)