VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE AND ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT MOBILE PROVISIONAL PAYING THE DROP RATE.
The Crown census records only 23 covers with the 2c Mobile provisional.
VERY FINE. ONE OF THREE RECORDED MOBILE POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL COVERS CARRIED ACROSS THE LINES BY EXPRESS. THIS IS THE ONLY COMBINATION WITH THE UNITED STATES 3-CENT 1857 ISSUE, THE ONLY DOUBLE-RATE FRANKING AND THE ONLY SOUTH-TO-NORTH USE AMONG THE THREE KNOWN. AN OUTSTANDING COVER.
Our records contain just three thru-the-lines express covers with the Mobile postmaster's provisional:
1) North to South, Adams Ex. Co. Philadelphia Jul. 18 (1861) datestamp, 58X2 tied by Mobile Jul. 30, 1861 datestamp on U.S. 3c Star Die entire to Leonard Cornish, Demopolis Ala., ex Mason, Haas
2) North to South, Mobile Jul. 22, 1861 datestamp ties 58X2 on U.S. 3c Star Die entire from New York City to Leonard Cornish, Demopolis Ala., Adams Ex. Co. NYC oval backstamp, ms. "Paid 2/-" rate, ex Mason, Haas
3) South to North, Adams Ex. Co. Louisville Jul. 23, 1861 datestamp ties U.S. 3c 1857 pair used with uncancelled 58X2 pair on cover originating in Mobile, addressed to U.S. Circuit Court in Louisville, the cover offered here, ex Richey, Meroni, Dr. Graves and Dr. Green.
The black "Paid" in circle beneath the 3c pair on this cover is found on very few Adams thru-the-lines covers and was applied to mail handled by the Mobile office. When this cover left Mobile, it had the 5c pair affixed, the manuscript "Paid 4/-" marking and the "Paid" in circle. Adams carried it outside the mails to their office in Louisville (presumably via Nashville) and delivered it locally. Therefore, we have a cover on which 10c Confederate and 6c U.S. postage, together with the 50c express charge -- all double rates -- are correctly prepaid. The "6" of the "Paid 4/6" is evidently a code used by Adams agents.
Very few covers are recorded with Confederate provisional stamps or markings used in conjunction with thru-the-lines express service. This group includes the provisionals of Atlanta (handstamp), Houston (handstamp), Lynchburg (press-printed entire), Memphis (adhesive), Mobile (adhesive), Montgomery (handstamp), Nashville (adhesive and handstamp) and New Orleans (adhesive). To the best of our knowledge, this is the only double-rate Mobile thru-the-lines express use, and it is the only cover franked with a combination of the U.S. 3c 1857 Issue and Mobile provisional.
Illustrated in Shenfield book (p. 19). Ex Richey, Meroni, Dr. Graves and Dr. Green
VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE NASHVILLE 5-CENT CARMINE PROVISIONAL NEATLY TIED ON COVER.
Most of the used Carmine stamps are dated in August 1861.
EXTREMELY FINE ON-COVER EXAMPLE OF THE NASHVILLE 5-CENT PROVISIONAL IN THE BRICK RED SHADE.
Ex MacBride, Muzzy and Buchanan
VERY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE NASHVILLE 5-CENT VIOLET BROWN ON COVER.
Ex Matz
VERY FINE COVER BEARING THE 5-CENT VIOLET BROWN NASHVILLE PROVISIONAL AFFIXED OVER AN OBSOLETE 3-CENT UNITED STATES ENTIRE.
Dietz backstamp
VERY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT NASHVILLE PROVISIONAL WITH A CLEAR JULY 27, 1861 NASHVILLE TOWN CANCEL. THIS IS THE EARLIEST RECORDED USE OF THE 10-CENT.
Only approximately 25 examples of the 10c Nashville are known, most of which are faulty. A review using Power Search and our Levi records reveals how rare this stamp is with any sort of identifiable dated cancel. We located only one other off-cover example with a recognizable date (also July 27). The six recorded full covers with 61X6 are all dated in August or September.
Ex Caspary
VERY FINE. THE ONLY RECORDED CONFEDERATE PATRIOTIC WITH THE RE-RATED NASHVILLE PROVISIONAL MARKINGS.
Ex Rudy and Boshwit
VERY FINE. A CHOICE FOUR-MARGIN EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT BLUE NEW ORLEANS POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL ON A CIRCULAR RATE COVER.
Approximately 30 covers are known with the 2c Blue (27 in Crown census), including circular and drop rates. More than half of the covers have stamps without four margins or faults in the stamp or cover
VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED COVERS WITH FIVE NEW ORLEANS 2-CENT BLUE PROVISIONAL STAMPS. AN EXCEPTIONAL RARITY.
Our records contain four covers franked with three or more 2c Blue New Orleans Provisional stamps -- two with five stamps, one with three stamps and a 5c Red Brown provisional, and one with three stamps, as follows:
1) Horizontal strip of five, tied by Oct. 12 (1861) New Orleans circular datestamp to Augusta Ga., paying over-500 miles 10c rate, ex Caspary and Meroni
2) Five singles, tied by "Paid" straightlines, Jul. 26 (1861) New Orleans circular datestamp, to Hartsville Tenn., paying over-500 miles 10c rate, the cover offered here, ex Hessel
3) Three singles and 5c Red Brown (62X4), tied by "Paid" straightlines, New Orleans Oct. 1 (1861) circular datestamp, to Orange C.H. Va., paying over-500 miles 10c rate (1c overpayment), ex Seybold, Needham, Grant, Dr. Skinner and D.K. collection (Siegel Sale 1022, lot 1078)
4) Three singles, tied by Dec. 1 (1861) New Orleans circular datestamp, to Woodville Miss., paying 5c under-500 miles rate (1c overpayment), ex Emerson, Caspary, Muzzy, Siegel 1970 Rarities and Kilbourne (Siegel Sale 815, lot 110)
Ex Hessel. With 1976 P.F. certificate
VERY FINE. A RARE USE OF THE 2-CENT RED NEW ORLEANS POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL ON A DROP COVER FRONT. WE RECORD ONLY TEN FULL COVERS.
New Orleans postmaster, J. L. Riddell, prepared provisional stamps in June 1861 and advertised them for sale on June 12th. The 2c Red stamps were printed without the marginal inscription "Usable exclusively in the New Orleans Post Office". The 5c and subsequent 2c Blue printings all have the imprint. It is the accepted theory that the 2c Red stamps were printed first, before Riddell added the imprint, and were withheld from use until January 1862 when the supply of 2c Blue stamps was exhausted. The Crown book lists six 2c Red covers, while Dr. Hubert C. Skinner (Congress Book, 1978) recorded eight covers. We have located ten covers plus this front.
Ex Worthington, Shenfield and Weatherly. "New England Stamp Company, 3/9/07" notation on back. With 1972 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail for full cover $25,000.00
EXTREMELY FINE. A VERY RARE USE OF THE NEW ORLEANS POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL ON A SOUTHERN EXPRESS COMPANY COVER.
Due to the disruption of rail lines and mail service, and the absence of a Confederate registration system, merchants turned to expresses for urgent or valuable letters. However, examples of postmasters' provisionals used to pay the required postage on express letters are rare.
Ex Emerson and Hall. Illustrated in Special Routes book (p. 190)