Sale 862 — The D.K. Collection of U.S. Carriers & Locals
Sale Date — Saturday, 31 May, 2003
Category — Glen Haven Daily Mail thru Hussey
Glen Haven Daily Mail, Glen Haven N.Y., 1c Black on Dark Green, "Gien" for "Glen" (71L1a). Three large to huge margins, two left corner ornaments just touched, uncancelled, fine clear impression showing the "Gien" error variety, used on back of lady's small cover to Burnt Hills N.Y., 3c Dull Red (26) tied by "Scott N.Y. Jan. 29" circular datestamp, with original letter enclosure datelined "Glen Haven Jan. 28th/59", very freshEXTREMELY FINE. ONLY ONE OTHER STAMP WITH THE GLEN HAVEN "GIEN" ERROR IS KNOWN TO US. A FASCINATING AND VERY UNDERRATED RARITY OF AMERICAN LOCAL POSTS.
The Glen Haven Daily Mail differs from most local posts in that it served an area in which there was no post office by bringing mail to neighboring post offices. Beginning in the late 1840's, Glen Haven became a popular health resort and location of water-cure sanitariums. In 1848 Glen Haven also became the site of women's dress reform, led by Amelia Jenks Bloomer, for whom a particular type of ladies' undergarments was nicknamed. A post office was established in Glen Haven in 1859, which ended the Daily Mail operation. (Source: Patton book, pp. 320-322).
Beginning around 1854, typeset stamps were used on letters from Glen Haven, always in conjunction with United States postage. The one-cent supplemental fee paid for a letter to be brought to the post office at Scott, about three miles away, or, if the roads were favorable, to Homer, about ten miles from Glen Haven. The stamps remained in use until very early in 1859, probably stopping at the time the post office was established. Although the Scott Catalogue lists 71L1 as the first stamp in the series, it is almost certainly the last printed and used. Only four genuine 71L1 and one 71L1a covers are known to us, all dated in October-December 1858 or January 1859. The 71L2-71L4 types were used during the five years prior to 1859. The great rarity of 71L1 makes sense if it comes from a printing that occurred just before the service was terminated in 1859.
Typeset stamps are by nature more prone to variation. Typesetters composing a sheet of stamps were sometimes forced to sacrifice uniformity to complete the setting. Fonts or border pieces were interchanged. Even individual characters were used incorrectly, if misread by the typesetter or deliberately substituted for used-up type. Stamps such as the Honour's "Conours" and "Bents" (4LB8c), Davis's "Pennq" Post (see lots 72 and 73), Moody's "Henny Dispatch" (110L1b) and Hoyts "Lettcr" (85L1) are a few prominent examples of typographical errors among the carrier and local issues.
There is one other example of the "Gien" stamp known to us, uncancelled on piece, ex Hollowbush and Hall (realized $3,250). To the best of knowledge, these are the only examples of 71L1a extant.
Ex Golden. With 1999 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail $5,500.00.
Hale & Co., (5c) Blue, Street Address Omitted (75L5). Second State of plate, three with crossed-lines precancellation, each with square margins touching design on one or two side, used on Jul. 20, 1844 folded letter from Boston to New York City, faint red Boston oval handstamp, neatly repaired small faults along top edge, stamps have been lifted and reaffixed in their original positions, Very Fine, a rare multiple franking with precancelled stamps, the earliest precancel in the world
Hanford's Pony Express, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Orange Yellow (78L1). Large even margins, tied by red "New-York 5 cts. 29 Jul." integral-rate circular datestamp on blue folded cover to Hon. R. J. Walker, Secretary of Treasury, Washington D.C., 1846 docketing on back, file folds clear of stamp, one flap slightly reducedEXTREMELY FINE GEM. WITHOUT QUESTION THE FINEST TIED EXAMPLE OF THE HANFORD'S PONY EXPRESS LOCAL-POST STAMP.
Ex Malcolm and Jarrett. Scott Retail $1,250.00.
Hussey's Post, New York N.Y., (1c) Red (87L3). Large margins to slightly in at lower right, tied by "Paid/G. Hussey" two-line handstamp, used in combination with Hussey's Post, 1858 Black handstamp (87LUP3) on June 1858 folded insurance company notice to local street address, Very Fine, extremely rare combination, ex Abt and Golden, with 2000 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail $850.00