9th Floor
New York, NY 10036
Sale 795 — Confederate States
Sale Date — Tuesday, 28 October, 1997
Category — Official and Private Perforations
5c Green, Stone 1, Baton Rouge Roulette (1 var). Horizontal pair, roulettes on all sides, beautiful bright shade, tied by sharp strike of "Jackson Miss. Oct. 3, 1862" ("3" inverted) circular datestamp on buff cover originating at Baton Rouge (Sep. 24, according to docketing) and addressed to Miss Jeannie Mort at Vernon Miss., from the well-known correspondence from which many Baton Rouge provisional covers emanate, small mended edge nick at top center, backflap has either been replaced or removed and reaffixed inside outVERY FINE. THE ONLY RECORDED USE OF THE BATON ROUGE ROULETTE FROM JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI. MAILED DURING THE SECOND CONFEDERATE OCCUPATION PERIOD.
Federal troops, which had occupied Baton Rouge since May 1862, evacuated the city on August 21, 1862. In their wake the Confederates maintained postal services on a restricted basis. In this instance, the rouletted stamps still on hand from the pre-May 1862 Confederate occupation were used on a letter (10c single rate) carried to Jackson, Mississippi, and posted there for Vernon. This usage during re-occupation is extremely rare, and no other examples cancelled at Jackson are known.
Ex Caspary
5c Green, Stone 1, Baton Rouge Roulette (1 var). Pos. 21 acid flaw on cheek, roulettes on three sides, large s.e. at left, distinctive yellowish shade, tied by "New Orleans La. Apr. 18, 1862" river mail double-circle datestamp on bluish gray cover to Carroll Hoy & Co., usual filing pinholesAN EXTREMELY FINE AND RARE USE OF THE BATON ROUGE ROULETTE. THIS COVER ORIGINATED AT BATON ROUGE AND WAS CARRIED BY STEAMBOAT DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THE NEW ORLEANS WHARF OFFICE CANCELLED THE STAMP WITH THE DOUBLE-CIRCLE DATESTAMP USED EXCLUSIVELY ON RIVER-BOAT MAIL, JUST TEN DAYS BEFORE THE FEDERAL CAPTURE OF NEW ORLEANS.
It is believed that the postmasters in New Orleans and Baton Rouge (and possibly other waterway post offices) had an arrangement by which stamps of either office would be accepted on mail posted from river boats. In evidence of this practice is a cover to Berwick City, Louisiana, with the Baton Rouge postmaster's provisional stamp cancelled by the New Orleans double-circle river-boat datestamp dated January 31, 1862 (ex Caspary, see 1984 Rarities sale, lot 11). There are also examples of New Orleans provisionals cancelled at Baton Rouge and other offices along the Mississippi River (Grant sale).
Covers addressed to New Orleans with the first General Issue tied by the river-boat double-circle datestamp are scarce, but enough exist to show that mail was regularly received from river boats and processed wharfside. Unless the contents are present or the cover is docketed with sufficient information, it is impossible to pinpoint the origins of these inbound New Orleans river-mail covers. In this case, the use of a 5c General Issue with the unofficial pierce en scie roulette made at Baton Rouge leaves no doubt as to the origin. The cover was postmarked at the New Orleans wharf on April 18, 1862, the first day of bombardments by Federal naval forces against forts below New Orleans and just ten days before the city surrendered to Admiral Farragut. Baton Rouge fell on May 7th.
We have not been able to locate another example of the Baton Rouge roulette cancelled at New Orleans. Ex Baer, Knapp and Meroni
5c Green, Stone 1, Baton Rouge Roulette (1 var). Two, each has three full roulettes and s.e. clear of design on one side, tied by clearly struck "Baton Rouge La. Apr. 12, 1862" cds on buff cover to Captain Favrot in the "Delta Rifles, 4th Louisiana Regiment Volunteers" at Corinth Miss., the location to which Confederate troops retreated after their defeat in the Battle of Shiloh, Very Fine, a choice and rare double-rate usage (pre-June 1, 1862) with good military address from the Favrot correspondence, ex Ferrary, Hind
5c Green, Stone 1, Baton Rouge Roulette (1 var). Horizontal pair, roulettes at sides and bottom, trimmed well clear of design at top, large ms. "X" cancel, matching "Baton Rouge La. Nov. 4th, 1862" manuscript postmark used during Confederate re-occupation on cover to Greensburg ("East Baton Rouge") La., embossed flower on flap, envelope trimmed at top and bottom (slightly into dateline of postmark), a bit soiledONE OF TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE MANUSCRIPT BATON ROUGE POSTMARK APPLIED DURING THE SECOND CONFEDERATE OCCUPATION PERIOD. A REMARKABLE USE OF THE BATON ROUGE ROULETTE.
After Federal troops evacuated Baton Rouge on August 21, 1862, the Confederates operated the post office on a restricted basis. The old handstamp town marking was not available, thus the necessity to cancel mail in manuscript.
5c Green, Stone 1, Baton Rouge Roulette (1 var). Roulettes and full to large margins on all sides, tied by "Tudor Hall Va. Apr. 7, 1862" cds on 4c printed matter rate wrapper to Baton Rouge, 1c overpayment, stamp lifted to remove some gum stains and reaffixed, Very Fine, an extraordinary usage - probably unique - with the Baton Rouge rouletted stamp carried to a military camp and mailed at Tudor Hall Va., the location of great troop movement at this point of the war
5c Green, Stone 1, Baton Rouge Roulette (1 var). Ample to large margins, tied by "Baton Rouge La. Apr. 7" cds on corner card cover for George Pike, to Mount Lebanon La., file fold well clear of stamp, some toning affecting stamp, Very Fine and very rare, the rouletting was done at Baton Rouge, Pike was the printer of the Baton Rouge provisionals, signed Brian Green
5c Green, Stone 1, Tudor Hall Va. Sewing Machine Perforations (1 var). Large margins showing sewing machine holes at right and bottom, as well as two holes at upper right corner, tied by "Tudor Hall Va. Feb. 7, 1862" cds on brown cover to Richmond, Extremely Fine and very rare, we name this the Tudor Hall roulette, but it is possible that a soldier at Tudor Hall brought the stamp from another location
10c Dark Blue, Die B, Unofficial Pin-Perf 9 (12d var). Horizontal strip of three with top sheet margin, unused (some traces of dry gum), Very Fine, accompanied by cut-in strip from adjoining row below, a great rarity
10c Deep Blue, Die B, Auraria Ga. Roulette (12 var). Deep shade, large margins showing crude roulettes on three sides, Auraria cds, small separation tear at bottom, still Very Fine, rare
10c Greenish Blue, Die B, Crawfordville Ga. Roulette (12c var). Roulettes on four sides, neat town cds, Fine, extremely rare
5c Blue, Local, Harrisonburg Va. Roulette (7 var). Horizontal pair, tied by neat "Harrisonburg Va. Feb. 10" cds on orange cover to Mount Jackson Va., reduced at left, top of right stamp torn corner, still Very Fine and extremely rare on the 5c - only three known - with 1992 P.S.E. and 1993 C.S.A. certificates
10c Blue, Die A, Harrisonburg Va. Roulette (11 var). Roulettes on four sides, slightly in at right, tied by "Harrisonburg Va. May 11" cds on small piece, Fine and scarce
10c Greenish Blue, Die A, Harrisonburg Va. Double Roulette Variety (11c var). Wide margins, roulettes on four sides plus roulettes thru the stamp at top and right, Extremely Fine, only two examples of the Harrisonburg double roulette are known - this stamp and the cover offered in the previous lot
10c Blue, Die A, Harrisonburg Va. Double Roulette Variety (11 var). Well-centered, clearly defined roulettes on all four sides plus roulettes thru the stamp at top and right, tied by "Harrisonburg Va. Oct. 15" cds on homemade cover to Marksville Va., faint gum toning nicely highlights the roulettes, Extremely Fine, only two examples of the Harrisonburg double roulette are known - this cover and the stamp in the following lot - a key item in the study of Confederate unofficial perforations, ex Walcott
5c Light Blue, De La Rue, Oxford Roulette (6 var). Horizontal pair, prominently displaying the horizontal roulettes, bright color, tied by bold "Oxford N.C. Aug. 12" cds on orange turned cover to Petersburg Va., inside bears U.S. 3c Dull Red (26) tied by "Louisburgh N.C. Nov. 17" cds to Oxford, some very insignificant wear, Very Fine and rare
10c Deep Milky Blue, Die A, Oxford N.C. Roulette (11a var). Beautiful early shade and impression, huge margins, imperforate at top and bottom, both sides with well-defined roulettes, tied on piece by bold "Oxford N.C. Jul. 7" cds, Extremely Fine Gem, the perfs and stamp shade are identical to the example in lot 1194 from Henderson N.C., and we suspect that the supply comes from a common source
20c Dark Green, Oxford N.C. Roulette (13b var). Razor-cut at top and bottom, rouletted at sides, bold Oxford N.C. cds, minor thin at top, Fine appearance, a rare stamp - probably fewer than ten examples exist, this showing the side roulettes only
20c Dark Green, Oxford N.C. Roulette (13b var). Perfectly centered with roulettes on both sides and at bottom, razor-cut at top, intense shade and impression, tied by "Oxford N.C. Apr. 12" circular datestamp on lady's tiny cover with embossed flower on backflap, to Lieut. M. A. Colten at General Hospital, Salisbury N.C., the well-known Confederate prison, the stamp is affixed over the Oxford N.C. 10c Black provisional handstamp, "Paid 10" in a dotted circle, unused from an earlier period, stamp lifted to reveal handstamp and hinged in placeAN EXTREMELY FINE AND OUTSTANDING COVER, SHOWING USE OF THE RARE 20-CENT OXFORD ROULETTE ON AN UNUSED POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL ENTIRE. ONE OF FINEST OF ALL 20-CENT COVERS.
The Oxford N.C. provisional is not listed in Scott, but the existence of unused entires used as regular envelopes at a later date is indisputable evidence of their provisional status. Ex Brown, Shenfield and Weatherly.
20c Green, Oxford N.C. Roulette (13 var). Large margins showing complete Oxford N.C. roulettes at sides - extra large margin at top left leads us to believe that this was part-perforate in vertical strips - well-tied by "Oxford N.C. Apr. 11" cds on legal-size cover to court clerk at Louisburg N.C., significantly reduced at left, flap tears and slight creasing, the stamp is Extremely Fine and the cover is attractive, a rare unofficial perforation, ex Keeling
10c Blue, Die A, Perforated (11e). Block of four, well-centered, full o.g., few trivial toning spots, otherwise Very Fine
10c Blue, Die A, Perforated (11e). Block of four, unused (no gum), faults incl. some perf separations, toning and light crease, appears Fine
10c Blue, Die A, Perforated (11e). Wide margins, town cds, pinhole and small thin, Extremely Fine appearance
10c Blue, Die A, Perforated (11e). Block of four, dark shade and fine impression, each stamp cancelled by open grid, possibly an army field office grid, but also similar to the device used at Brookhaven Miss. where perforated stamps are known to have originatedA FINE AND EXTREMELY RARE USED BLOCK OF THE PERFORATED 10-CENT ARCHER & DALY STAMP. ONE OTHER USED PERFORATED BLOCK - DIE B - IS KNOWN TO US.
An unused block, of which there are more than a dozen known, is listed in Scott at $1,250.00. The used block is not even listed.
10c Blue, Die A, Perforated (11e). Wide margins, tied by "Newnan Ga. Jul. 19" (1863) cds on turned pre-war advertising cover with U.S. 3c 1851 tied by "New-York" cds, dated 1854, Confederate period usage to Harmony Grove Ga., partly separated flaps, folded over for displayVERY FINE. A UNIQUE ADVERSITY USAGE OF THE PERFORATED 10-CENT ARCHER & DALY STAMP.
The re-use of pre-war envelopes was commonly practiced in the Confederacy in response to paper shortages. However, examples of pre-war turned covers are scarce, and early usages with the U.S. 1851 Issue are rare. To find such an example with the perforated Archer & Daly stamp is true serendipity. As an indication of the value of this unique cover, the owner paid $3,900 for it in 1979, nearly twenty years ago, in the Brugh sale.
10c Blue, Die B, Perforated (12f). Well-centered with WIDE and even margins, tied by bold strike of "Eufala Ala. Aug. 19" cds on cover to Summerfield Ala. with Quartermaster's Department, Selma Ala. oval handstamp at left, slightly toned, minor repaired edge nick at right and some edgewear, backflap removed, still Fine and a spectacular use of the 10c perforated stamp, ex Tara, with 1975 and 1992 C.S.A. and 1979 P.F. certificates
10c Blue, Die A, Perforated (11e). Used as forwarding postage in combination with 10c Blue, Die B (12), the imperforate stamp tied by "Raleigh N.C. Aug. 28" double-circle ds on cover (high-quality stationery with embossed flap) to Sommerville N.C., redirected to Tarboro N.C. with perforated stamp tied by "Sommerville N.C. Sep. 15" cds, 1864 docketing, Extremely Fine and most unusual combination of the imperforate and perforated Archer & Daly stamps, a wonderful exhibition item
10c Blue, Die A, Perforated (11e). Choice example tied by "Newnan Ga. Jul. 2" cds on brown homemade cover to Thomasville Ga., Extremely Fine, very scarce in this condition, Scott Retail $425.00
10c Blue, Die B, Perforated (12f). Three large margins, just in at left, tied by "Demopolis Ala. 25 Jun." cds on cover to Charlottesville Va., with original enclosure, business contents, some toning around edges of stamp, otherwise Fine, ex Dietz
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