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30 Selected Lots, Page 1 of 3
General/Issue
Date
MAILS SUSPENDED. Clear strike of oval handstamp, two singles France 1862, 80c Rose (28; Yvert 24) affixed slightly overlapping and tied by "16" in five-point star of dots on 1864 European-size cover from Paris, France to Savannah Ga., Paris May 9 double-circle datestamp and "18" credit to U.S. for double-weight, carried on NGL steamer America, departing Southampton on May 11 and arriving New York May 22 where red Paid 30 arrival datestamp applied, diverted and returned to France, on arrival back in France the blue "B. Des Rebuts Des Non-Valeurs 7 Nov. '64" double-circle datestamp was struck on back with matching script "Direction Gle des Postes Ouverte Loi du 19 Nov 1790. Lettre en rebut" handstamp, small inconsequential hole in cover above address not affecting any markings, slight wrinklingVERY FINE. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED LETTER FROM FRANCE WITH THE "MAILS SUSPENDED" MARKING, WHICH WAS USED BY THE UNITED STATES TO RETURN MAIL FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES ADDRESSED TO THE CONFEDERATE STATES.
The U.S closed all postal communications with the seceded Confederate States in May-June 1861. Sometime in 1862 the "Sent Back to England" marking was discontinued, and the "Mails Suspended" oval was used on mail from foreign countries to the Confederate States. This 1864 usage might have been inspired by the resumption of flag-of-truce mail in July 1863.
MAILS SUSPENDED. Partly clear oval handstamp on legal-size cover to E. B. Cilley, a prisoner at Salisbury N.C., sender's notation "Prisoner of War from the 5th N.H. Reg.", 3c Rose (65) pen cancelled, blue "Hill N.H. Aug. 27" circular datestamp, missent to Salisbury New Hampshire with blue "Salisbury N.H. Aug. 29" circular datestamp and manuscript forwarding notation, vertical folds clear of stamp, Very Fine, mailed in August 1862 after prisoner-of-war exchanges were suspended, thus the "Mails Suspended" marking, ex Walske (see Siegel Sale 988, lot 111 for P.O.W. cover from same correspondence), with 1990 P.S.E. certificate
Mails Suspended. Incredibly bold oval handstamp on cover to Minden La., "Reading Pa. Jul. 21, 1862" double-circle datestamp, matching grid cancel ties 3c Rose (65), top perfs clipped, contemporary note along side "This is historical showing the date the Mails Suspended before the war. Le D. had been a pupil of mine and had written to me. But my reply was returned to me. R. D. Griscom", lightly cleaned, still Very Fine, one of the clearest strikes of this very scarce marking, ex Dr. Green
Mails Suspended. Oval handstamp on cover addressed to John Fraser & Co. in Charleston S.C., "P McE & C" embossed seal on backflap, "Paid at Edinburgh 5A AU 14 63" circular datestamp, large bold red manuscript "2/-" double shilling rate, red "N. York Br. Pkt. 48 Paid Aug. 26 1863" (year inverted) circular datestamp with integral 48c rate, red crayon "10" for double-rate creditVERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE TRANS-ATLANTIC COVER ADDRESSED TO THE BLOCKADE-RUNNING FIRM OF FRASER & COMPANY IN CHARLESTON VIA NEW YORK LONG AFTER THE SUSPENSION OF MAIL SERVICE TO THE CONFEDERATE STATES.
Sometime in 1862 the "Sent Back to England" marking was discontinued, and the "Mails Suspended" oval was used on mail from foreign countries to the Confederate States. The marking was applied at the Washington D.C. Dead Letter Office.
With 1974 C.S.A. certificate
MAILS SUSPENDED. Clear strike of straightline between two bars, matching "Nashville Ten. Jun. 28, 186?" double-circle datestamp on back of buff cover to Rockland Tenn., 3c Rose (65) tied by target cancel, "Chattanooga Ten. Jun. 8" circular datestamp, reduced at left, soiled, some insect damage to stamp and cover, still Fine appearance, very rare example of suspended mail service after the war along railroad routes in the South
MAILS SUSPENDED. Straightline between two bars (MS-2), 3c Rose (65) tied by cork cancel, "Old Point Comfort Va. May 19" double-circle datestamp, "Nashville Ten. Jun 28, 1865(?)" double-circle datestamp on back of buff cover to Hartwell Ga., stamp with small nick and missing top flap, Very Fine, a scarce and well-struck example of this straightline applied at Nashville in 1865 when mail routes had still not been restored, ex Emerson and Kimmel
Mails Suspended. Bold strike of black oval handstamp (MS-1), 3c Rose (65) tied by target cancel and "New York 24 Jul. 1862" double-circle datestamp on buff cover to Laurenceville Va., couple backflap tears, Very Fine cover and strike of this handstamp applied at the Washington D.C. Dead Letter Office, C.S.A. catalog value $2,500.00
Mails Suspended. Clear strike of blue oval handstamp (MS-1), 3c Rose (65) tied by grid cancel, "New York May 31" circular datestamp on cover to Gen. John H. Cocke in Bremo Va., tiny cover tear at top, Very Fine example of this handstamp applied at the Washington D.C. Dead Letter Office, Gen. John Hartwell Cocke (1780-1866) "was greatly troubled by the issue of slavery, and he concentrated his time and money in promoting the American Colonization Society, and preparing his slaves for gradual emancipation through vocational training and teaching them to read and write" (see http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaxtf/view?docId=uva-sc/viu00103.xml )
MAILS SUSPENDED. Perfect bold strike of oval handstamp, 3c Rose (65), deep shade, tied by large segmented grid, "Philadelphia Pa. Nov. 22, 1861" circular datestamp on yellow cover to the Confederate-occupied town of Glasgow, Kentucky, with original U.S. Dead Letter Office printed envelope used to return mail to sender, "Washington D.C. Dec. 24, 1861" circular datestamp, manuscript "due 3 cts.", the outer envelope has some toning, the cover with the "Mails Suspended" marking is immaculateEXTREMELY FINE. A MARVELOUS EXHIBITION ITEM, COMPRISING A COVER TO KENTUCKY WITH THE RARE "MAILS SUSPENDED" MARKING AND ITS ORIGINAL DEAD LETTER OFFICE RETURN ENVELOPE.
Glasgow lies about 33 miles east of Bowling Green, which became the Confederate seat of government in Kentucky after the state's declared neutrality was broken in September 1861. This cover was mailed on November 22, before Kentucky was admitted to the Confederate States on December 10, but the Federal mails to this region of Kentucky were suspended.
Illustrated in Special Routes (p. 19).
MAILS SUSPENDED. Bold strike of oval handstamp on folded letter datelined "Doylestown June 14, 1862" to Guy Bryan in Brazoria Tex. (Bryan was founder of Texas Cotton Bureau), letter states "I send this in an envelope directed to the Post Master at New Orleans and if possible to forward the same to you", notation on front "Answered to be forwarded", Scotch transparent tape used to seal fold at top (should be removed)A FINE AND VERY RARE USE OF THE "MAILS SUSPENDED" MARKING ON A LETTER INTENDED TO REACH CONFEDERATE TEXAS VIA THE FEDERAL-OCCUPIED CITY OF NEW ORLEANS.
Ex Seacrest and from our 1980 and 1988 Rarities of the World sales. With 1980 P.F. certificate
30 Selected Lots , Page 1 of 3
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