Cummings' City Post, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Yellow Glazed (55L3). Huge bottom sheet margins, other sides ample to touching, black segmented square cancel (not tied), brown gum ties stamp thru lettersheet, red "New-York 5 cts. 7 Apr." (1846) integral-rate circular datestamp on blue folded letter to Baltimore Md.

VERY FINE. AN EARLY AND VERY RARE USE OF CUMMINGS' "LETTER & HEART" STAMP.

Alfred H. Cummings operated Cummings' City Post as early as December 1845 (earliest reported cover) through 1847. Cummings and Robert Wright joined to take over the City Despatch Post Office from Abraham Mead by March 1847.

Ex Golden. Signed Sloane.

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Cummings' City Post, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Yellow Glazed (55L3). Large margins, cancelled by red "Free" in box, impression of handstamp shows thru lettersheet, effectively tying it, red "New York 5cts. Apr 28" (1847) integral-rate circular datestamp on folded letter to Woodbridge, N. J., cover with minor soiling

VERY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING AND RARE USE OF THE CUMMINGS' CITY POST "LETTER & HEART" STAMP.

Ex Ferrary, Middendorf and Kuphal. With 1991 and 2011 P.F. certificates

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Cummings' City Post, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Yellow Glazed (55L3). Large margins to just in, cancelled by "Free" in frame, second strike to right of stamp, used on folded letter to local street address, red "P.O. City Despatch Post Mar. 25, 4 O'Clock" circular datestamp, stamp with surface rubs

VERY FINE. ONE OF TWO RECORDED COVERS SHOWING USE OF THE CUMMINGS' CITY POST STAMP IN CONJUNCTION WITH POST OFFICE CITY DESPATCH MARKINGS, WHICH OCCURRED AFTER CUMMINGS AND WRIGHT TOOK OVER THE CITY DESPATCH FROM ABRAHAM MEAD.

Abraham B. Mead operated the "Post Office City Despatch" only briefly after buying it from the New York carrier department on November 30, 1846. A "P.O. City Despatch" receipt dated May 15, 1847, is signed by "Cummings & Wright, Proprietors", so we know for certain that Alfred H. Cummings and Robert Wright bought out Mead by that date. The cover offered here, with the Cummings' City Post stamp used with Post Office City Despatch markings dated in March 1847, is evidence that Cummings and Wright took over by then.

Ex Geisler and "New Amsterdam". With 2009 P.F. certificate

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Cummings' City Post, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Yellow Glazed (55L3). Margins slightly in all around, cancelled by black dotted grid on back of blue and gold illustrated Valentine cover to "Miss Caroline M. Crane" with street address in pencil, faint red Cummings oval and "Paid/A.H.C." handstamps

FINE STAMP AND BEAUTIFUL COVER. AN EXTREMELY RARE VALENTINE USE OF CUMMINGS' "LETTER & HEART" STAMP ON YELLOW PAPER.

Illustrated in Perry's 100 Years Ago. Ex Ferrary. With 2000 P.F. certificate.

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Cummings' City Post, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Yellow Glazed (55L3). Clear margins to just in, cancelled by black dotted grid and tied by red "New-York 10cts. Jan. 7" integral-rate circular datestamp on folded cover to Detroit Mich., manuscript "Private", file folds do not affect the stamp

VERY FINE. A VERY RARE TIED EXAMPLE OF THE CUMMINGS' "LETTER & HEART" STAMP ON YELLOW PAPER.

The Cummings' "Letter & Heart" stamp was printed on three different papers -- Rose, Green and Yellow -- any examples tied by a New York datestamp are very rare

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Cummings' City Post, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Yellow Glazed (55L3). Full to large margins, cancelled by dotted grid (not tied), affixed to (and possibly used on) large illustrated Valentine cover to local street address, red "Cummings' Express, 2 Cts." oval handstamp with locomotive, matching boxed "Paid A.H.C." handstamp, horizontal and vertical folds, some minor wear

VERY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING AND VERY RARE USE OF THE CUMMINGS' CITY POST "LETTER & HEART" STAMP ON A VALENTINE COVER.

Alfred H. Cummings operated Cummings' City Post as early as December 1845 (earliest reported cover) through 1847. Alfred H. Cummings and Robert Wright joined to take over the City Despatch Post Office from Abraham Mead by March 1847. The distinctive stamps picturing Cupid (55L4-55L5) and a letter sealed by a heart (55L1-55L3) tie the post's activities to the Valentine season. All are very scarce.

An identical Valentine cover with the same handwriting (different addressee) and handstamped markings, but without the adhesive stamp, was offered in our sale of the Kuphal collection (Sale 925, lot 1494A). It is unclear if a stamp fell off the other cover, or if one was added to this cover. Offered "as is" (our estimate would otherwise be two or three times greater).

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Cummings' City Post, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Yellow Glazed (55L3). Ample margins to just touching frameline, cancelled by red "Paid/A.H.C." framed handstamp, impression ties thru paper, matching faint oval "Cumming's Express 2 Cts." locomotive handstamp, faint red "New-York 5 cts. 6 Feb." integral-rate circular datestamp on 1847 folded letter addressed in blue to Salem Conn., overall soiling of little significance

VERY FINE. A RARE USE OF CUMMINGS' "LETTER & HEART" STAMP ON YELLOW PAPER.

The Cummings' "Letter & Heart" stamp was printed on three different papers -- Rose, Green and Yellow -- and although Yellow is the most common of the three, it is still quite scarce properly used on cover.

Ex Hall. With 2001 P.F. certificate

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Cummings' City Post, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Yellow Glazed (55L3). Large margins, cancelled by red "Free" in box, used on 1847 folded letter to Woodbridge, N. J., red "New York 5cts Apr 28" integral-rate circular datestamp, impression of handstamp shows thru lettersheet, effectively tying it, cover with minor soiling

VERY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING AND VERY RARE USAGE OF THE CUMMINGS' CITY POST "LETTER & HEART" STAMP.

Ex Ferrary, Middendorf and Kuphal. With 1991 P.F. Certificate

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Cummings' City Post, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Yellow Glazed (55L3). Large margins to just in, cancelled by "Free" in frame, second strike to right of stamp, used on folded letter to local street address, red "P.O. City Despatch Post Mar. 25, 4 O'Clock" circular datestamp, stamp with surface rubs

VERY FINE. ONE OF TWO RECORDED COVERS SHOWING USE OF THE CUMMINGS' CITY POST STAMP IN CONJUNCTION WITH POST OFFICE CITY DESPATCH MARKINGS, WHICH OCCURRED AFTER CUMMINGS AND WRIGHT TOOK OVER THE CITY DESPATCH FROM ABRAHAM MEAD.

Abraham B. Mead operated the "Post Office City Despatch" only briefly after buying it from the New York carrier department on November 30, 1846. A "P.O. City Despatch" receipt dated May 15, 1847, is signed by "Cummings & Wright, Proprietors", so we know for certain that Alfred H. Cummings and Robert Wright bought out Mead by that date. The cover offered here, with the Cummings' City Post stamp used with Post Office City Despatch markings dated in March 1847, is evidence that Cummings and Wright took over by then.

Ex Geisler. With 2009 P.F. certificate

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Cummings' City Post, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Yellow Glazed (55L3). Cancelled by "Free" in frame, second strike to left of stamp, used on folded letter to local street address, red "City Despatch Post P.O. Mar. 22 4 O'Clock" circular datestamp, stamp with faults, lifted and replaced, cover cleaned

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF TWO RECORDED COVERS SHOWING USE OF THE CUMMINGS' CITY POST STAMP IN CONJUNCTION WITH POST OFFICE CITY DESPATCH MARKINGS, WHICH OCCURRED AFTER CUMMINGS AND WRIGHT TOOK OVER THE CITY DESPATCH FROM ABRAHAM MEAD.

Abraham Mead operated the "Post Office City Despatch" only briefly after buying it from the New York carrier department on November 30, 1846. A "P.O. City Despatch" receipt dated May 15, 1847, is signed by "Cummings & Wright, Proprietors", so we know for certain that Alfred H. Cummings and Robert Wright bought out Mead by that date. The two covers offered in this sale with Cummings' City Post stamps used with Post Office City Despatch markings dated in March 1847 are evidence that Cummings and Wright took over by then.

With 2001 P.F. certificate

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