Sale 1228 — The William H. Gross Collection: United States 1847 First Issue
Sale Date — Tuesday-Thursday, 27-29 October, 2020
Category — Used to and from Great Britain and Europe
The incomparable "Rush" cover, described by Philip H. Ward, Jr. as "the most important cover known to American philately"DESCRIPTION
10¢ Black (2), Positions 55-60L, horizontal strip of six with inter-pane sheet margin at right, Position 57L (third stamp from left) is the "Harelip" plate variety, mostly full to large margins except at bottom center where just barely into framelines, tied by multiple strikes of red "5" numeral in circle cancel with matching "PHILADA. RAILROAD" straightline handstamp applied at the New York City post office on an envelope to Paris, France, from Benjamin Rush in Philadelphia to his father, Richard Rush, the American minister to France, sender's directive "Via New York, British Mail Steamer of the 27th Septem. 'Europa'", carried on the RMS Europa, departing September 27, 1848, arriving in Liverpool October 9, red "10 OC 10 48"(October 10, 1848) London receiving datestamp and matching "COLONIES/&C. ART. 13" Anglo-French accountancy handstamp, carried by rail to Dover, across the channel to Boulogne, and then by rail to Paris where "ANGL./ 3/ BOULOGNE-S-MER/ 3/ 11 OCT 48" arrival datestamp was applied (also tying strip), manuscript "15" (grams) weight notation at upper left partly on stamp, manuscript "33" (decimes) due marking, additional notations on back possibly applied at Paris post office, docketed upon receipt "B.R. [Benjamin Rush] Sep. 26 and copies inside of same date."
PROVENANCE
John F. Seybold, J. C. Morgenthau, Sale 29, 3/15-16/1910, lot 42, to Gibson (Seybold's handstamp on back)
Henry C. Gibson, Sr., Philip H. Ward, Jr. sale, 6/14-15/1944, lot 34, to Rust
Philip G. Rust, H. R. Harmer sale, 5/5-6/1971, lot 128, to Dr. Kapiloff
Siegel Auction Galleries, Sale 912, 5/13/2006, lot 501, to Mr. Gross
CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES
USPCS census no. 8100 https://www.uspcs.org/resource-center/censuses/1847-cover-census/
Illustrated in Gordon Eubanks, Jr., "Covers with Three or More 1847 Stamps," Chronicle 254
Scott R. Trepel, "United States Classic Covers" (special color feature for Ameripex 1986), Chronicle 130, May 1986
New York International Philatelic Exhibition 1926 (Gibson)
Collectors Club of New York 2/24/1926 (Gibson; Elliott Perry talk)
ARIPEX 1984 (Dr. Kapiloff, Grand Award)
ISRAPHIL 1985 (Dr. Kapiloff, Grand Prix International)
Collectors Club of New York "Aristocrats of United States Philately" exhibit, December 2000 (Gross)
World Stamp Show 2016 Court of Honor (Gross)
CERTIFICATION
The Philatelic Foundation (1975 and 2006)
CONDITION NOTES
Very Fine; small nicks in corners at top right and bottom left mended with paper and archival tape; the strip appears sound, but there are pre-use creases affecting all stamps
Go to https://siegelauctions.com/2020/1228/552Commentary.pdf for additional information on the Rush Cover
