Sale 862 — The D.K. Collection of U.S. Carriers & Locals
Sale Date — Saturday, 31 May, 2003
Category — Broadway Post Office thru City Dispatch St. Louis
Broadway Post Office, New York N.Y., (1c) Black (26L2). Top sheet margin block of eleven, original gum, a few stamps lightly hinged, vertical crease between stamps, horizontal crease across bottom edge, couple faint toned spot, pencil note in margin "Very scarce. The last to be had at the office."VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF THE LARGEST SURVIVING MULTIPLES OF THE BROADWAY POST OFFICE STAMP. AN OUTSTANDING EXHIBITION ITEM.
The largest recorded block -- the ex-Jarrett block of 32 -- was divided into eight blocks of four (confirmed by photo). The next largest multiple is the block of 25 offered in lot 66, which was found in a desk during the early 1900's and reported in 1955 by Marie F. Craig, who received the block from her uncle.
Ex Lilly, Boker and Golden. Scott Retail $4,250.00
Broadway Post Office, New York N.Y., (1c) Black (26L2). Bottom sheet margin block of 25, original gum, a few stamps lightly hinged, others Mint N.H., large margins, two horizontal creases, one ending in tear at right, another diagonal crease at lower left, paper affected by acid toningTHIS IS THE LARGEST SURVIVING MULTIPLE OF THE BROADWAY POST OFFICE STAMP. AN OUTSTANDING EXHIBITION ITEM.
The largest recorded block -- the ex-Jarrett block of 32 -- was divided into eight blocks of four (confirmed by photo). The largest surviving multiple is this block of 25, which was found in a desk during the early 1900's and reported in 1955 by Marie F. Craig, who received the block from her uncle.
Ex Hall. Scott Retail $11,250.00
California City Letter Express Co., San Francisco, 10c Blue, Type III, Without Ornaments (33L8). Unused (no gum), cut to octagonal shape but extensively restored with most of border added and painted in, the type at center is all original, Very Fine appearance, our records contain just two examples of the Blue Type III (with "Hoogs and Madison" on one line), Scott 33L8 -- one is used on cover (ex Hall, realized $55,000), and the other is the off-cover stamp offered here -- ex Schwartz, listed but unpriced in Scott
City Dispatch Post, New York N.Y., 2c Red (160L1). Vertical pair, large margins to just touched at top, deep shade, each stamp has a small thin spot and tearVERY FINE APPEARANCE. THE ONLY RECORDED MULTIPLE OF THE RARE CITY DISPATCH STAMP ON NEW YORK CITY.
We estimate that 15-20 examples of 160L1 exist. The only multiple is this unused pair, which probably comes from a larger block reported to have been broken into singles in the early 1900's.
Ex Caspary, Lilly, Middendorf and Golden. With 2000 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail $16,500.00.
City Dispatch, St. Louis Mo., 2c Black on Blue (42L1). Large margins showing frameline of adjoining stamp below, manuscript initials ("TD" or "TC"), pencil cancel, faint diagonal crease, small scissors-cut in bottom left marginEXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE ST. LOUIS CITY DISPATCH 2-CENT STAMP. THIS LOCAL POST BEGAN IN FEBRUARY 1851, IN TIME FOR VALENTINE'S DAY, AND PROBABLY CEASED TO EXIST SOON THEREAFTER. A MAJOR PHILATELIC RARITY.
The advertisement in the St. Louis Daily Morning Union specifies February 10, 1851, as the inception date of the "St. Louis City Dispatch" and names "S. F. Denny" as the proprietor. Other advertisements name "S. T. Denny" and "T. J. Denny" as the proprietor. The confusion in contemporary newspapers is compounded by the peculiar second initial found on both examples of the stamp. It is a stylized letter, possibly a "C" or "D" or "J".
At the same time Denny started his St. Louis City Dispatch, William J. Clark and Charles F. Hall launched their own penny post, hoping to take some share of the Valentine market in 1851. Clark & Hall covers are dated from February 27 through July 30, 1851, indicating that the post lasted at least five months. There is not enough material to determine the duration of Denny's post.
The stamp offered here was discovered in a small locals collection purchased by Henry R. Harmer. It was the first example of 42L1 to surface since the discovery copy on a Valentine cover was acquired by C. H. Mekeel in 1903 and sold to Ferrary for $2,435 (a considerable sum in 1903). The Harmer stamp was offered in a Harmer, Rooke auction in 1957 and sold to John R. Boker Jr., who also acquired the Valentine cover from Warren H. Colson. For many years the world's supply of 42L1 remained in the Boker collection. In the early 1970's, the cover was placed privately in a European collection, while the stamp appeared in the 1973 Robson Lowe sale of Mr. Boker's off-cover Carriers and Locals, where it realized Sfr. 5,500.
This is an extraordinary opportunity to acquire one of the world's rarest stamps, of which only one other copy is known, on cover, and which is unlikely to become available in the foreseeable future.
Ex Boker and Golden. With 1957 and 1999 P.F. certificates. Scott Retail $22,000.00.