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Sale 1104 — Civil War and Confederate States
Sale Date — Wednesday, 24 June, 2015
Category — Postmasters Provisionals: Columbia S.C. thru Fredericksbuyrg Va.
Columbia S.C., 5c Blue entire (18XU1). Clear strike of provisional marking, "Columbia S.C. 27 Dec." (1861) circular datestamp and "Paid" handstamp on buff cover to Chester C.H. S.C., fresh and Very Fine
Columbia S.C., 5c Blue entire (18XU1). Clearly struck provisional handstamp, faint Columbia Dec. 2 circular datestamp and "Paid" handstamp on blue United States Hotel corner card cover to Grindal Shoals S.C., reduced at right, tiny tear into provisional handstamp, otherwise Very Fine, attractive use of the "United States" hotel corner card in the newly formed Confederate States
Columbia S.C., 5c Blue entire (18XU8). Clear blue oval control on back, "Columbia S.C. Jul. 24" circular datestamp on embossed cotton dealer's corner card cover to Echan P.O. S.C., expertly repaired at top and along edges, Very Fine appearance, especially desirable on a corner card cover
Columbus Ga., 5c Blue entire (19XU1). Clear strike at left with "Columbus Ga. Oct. 17" (1861) circular datestamp on buff cover to Griffin Ga., fresh and Very Fine, ex Caspary and Lilly
Columbus Ga., 5c Blue entire (19XU1). Bold provisional marking, "Columbus Ga. Aug. 9" circular datestamp on light yellow cover to Marion Ala., slightly reduced at top and missing part of top flap, some minor edgewear, Very Fine
Dalton Ga., 5c Black entire (20XU1). Clear strike of provisional, "Dalton Ga. Jul. 1, 1861" circular datestamp on cover to Griffin Ga., minor edgewear, Very Fine
Danville Va., 5c Red on Wove (21X1). Cut to small oval shape, rich color, neat Oct. 11 circular datestampFINE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE DANVILLE CONFEDERATE POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL. ONLY NINE ARE KNOWN.
Our records of the rare Danville provisional stamp include nine examples, as follows.
Rectangular-cut margins:
1) On piece dated Oct. 3, ex Ferrary, Caspary
2) Laid paper (Scott 21X2), off-cover with bottom right corner clipped, ex Hind (Siegel Sale 954, lot 3199)
3) Dated Oct. 4, affixed to a cover on which it may not have originated, ex Hessel, Kilbourne, Dr. Agre (Siegel Sale 933, lot 919)
4) Tied on cover, Oct. 9, ex Caspary, Lilly
Octagonal margins or cut to shape:
5) Off cover, dated Oct. 3, ex Caspary
6) Tied on cover, Oct. 29, ex Emerson, Weatherly and Dr. Brandon (Siegel Sale 1073, lot 230, realized $28,000 hammer)
7) Tied on cover, Oct. 30, ex Kimmel
8) Cut to small oval shape, dated Oct. 11, ex Deats, the example offered here
9) Cut to shape, December Danville postmark (Siegel Sale 1002, lot 4111, realized $1,500 hammer)
Ex Deats. With 2005 P.S.E. certificate
Danville Va., 5c Black on Dark Buff entire (21XU3). Style with "Southern" curved, press-printed illustrated design on cover to Richmond Va., "Danville Va. Aug. 14" (1861) circular datestamp, light creasing and wear incl. cover creased and re-foldedVERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT DANVILLE PROVISIONAL ENTIRE.
One of the few recorded Danville provisional entires used to prepay postage -- others have stamps or stamp remnants. Ex Walcott and Wiseman. With 1997 C.S.A. certificate
Danville Va., 10c Black entire (21XU4). Clear strikes of provisional marking at upper left, "Danville Va. Dec. 22" circular datestamp at upper right on yellow cover to military address at Raleigh N.C. and forwarded to Haywood N.C., forwarding postage paid by 10c Blue, Die A (11) affixed over provisional and tied by double-circle datestamp, stamp moved for display, some slight edgewear, Very Fine, late use of a provisional with a General Issue, with 1975 C.S.A. certificate
Emory Va., 5c Blue (24X1). Type I with "5" numeral below "Paid", beautiful clear strikes on almost square selvage of U.S. 1c 1857 Issue, perforated on two sides, without the usual manuscript cancel, "Emory Va. Feb. 8" circular datestamp with day crossed out, on yellow-lined cover to military address at Pearisburg Va. and forwarded to Dublin Depot, manuscript "Ford due 5" at top, slightly reduced at top and some expert edge repairsVERY FINE. A REMARKABLE PROVISIONAL STAMP MADE FROM THE SELVAGE OF UNITED STATES POSTAGE. ONLY NINE EXAMPLES ARE RECORDED, AND ALL ARE ON COVERS. THIS IS THE ONLY FORWARDED USE.
Thanks to research by Richard L. Calhoun, the unusual Emory provisional stamp made from the selvage of United States 1c 1857 sheets can be properly attributed to Professor Edmund Longley, rather than his successor, Isaac C. Fowler (Richard L. Calhoun, "Emory, Virginia, Postmasters and Provisionals," Confederate Philatelist, October-December 2011, and The Confederate Postmaster Provisionals of Virginia).
Longley, a professor at Emory & Henry College, served as U.S. postmaster of Emory (appointed January 12, 1847) and as C.S.A. postmaster from July 27 to August 30, 1861, when Fowler was appointed to replace Longley. The Emory provisional adhesives were issued during Longley's term.
Postmaster Longley created his provisional issue by stamping the office "Paid" and "5" rate markings on the blank selvage of United States 1c 1857 Issue sheets. This method is unique among Confederate provisionals and, in all of philately, there are only a few issues created from the sheet selvage of other stamps. The Philadelphia carrier stamps made from the selvage of imperforate 1c 1851 sheets are similar in concept to the Emory provisionals.
The Calhoun census and our own records are in accord with nine covers bearing the Emory provisional (we know of no off-cover stamps), ranging in dates from June 24, 1861, to February 11, 1862. There are three known stamp formats: Paid over 5; Paid under 5; and 5 with Paid at top and side (narrow selvage). Two of the nine recorded covers have manuscript town postmarks, and four have stamps left uncancelled. This is the only forwarded cover; forwarding postage should not have been charged since this was sent to a military address -- a Captain in the 45th Regiment Virginia Volunteers.
With 1990 C.S.A. certificate. Accompanied by unused bottom selvage pair of No. 24, which is what was used to make this provisional issue.
Fredericksburg Va., 5c Blue on Thin Bluish (26X1). Block of eight, Positions 1-4/6-9, original gum, large to huge margins, usual slight creasing as normally seen on this very fragile paper, tiny tear at bottomEXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE MULTIPLE OF THE FREDERICKSBURG 5-CENT BLUE PROVISIONAL.
Ex Wickersham and Hall
Fredericksburg Va., 5c Blue on Thin Bluish (26X1). Position 1, large margins to in, tied by "Fredericksburg Va. Paid Oct. 23" circular datestamp on yellow piece, faint horizontal crease, Fine appearance
Fredericksburg Va., 10c Red on Thin Bluish (26X2). Original gum, large margins, rich color, few small flaws often associated with this fragile paper, Very Fine, rare with original gum, approximately 35 copies known -- none are known genuinely used
Fredericksburg Va., 5c Blue on Thin Bluish (26X1). Large margins to clear, tied by "Fredericksburg Va. Paid Oct. 23" (1861) circular datestamp and used as forwarding postage on Montgomery Ala., 10c Blue entire (59XU4) from Montgomery to Fredericksburg and forwarded to Trevillians Depot Va., bold "Montgomery Ala. Oct. 16, 1861" circular datestamp, with original enclosure with fascinating slave-related contents from a slave dealer discussing the sale of some slaves, mentions "We have usually by the 1st the present month a brisk trade, but owing to the fact that the planters cannot sell their cotton & other difficulties connected with the War-we are doing nothing", stamp and cover expertly repairedVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A PHENOMENAL USE OF THE 5-CENT FREDERICKBURG POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL AS FORWARDING POSTAGE ON A 10-CENT MONTGOMERY POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL ENVELOPE, WITH ORIGINAL CONTENTS FROM A SLAVE DEALER. ONE OF TWO RECORDED COVERS WITH A CONFEDERATE POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL ADHESIVE STAMP USED IN COMBINATION WITH ANOTHER POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL OF ANY KIND.
This cover was illustrated and described as a new discovery in an article by Van Dyk MacBride in the Jan. 1961 issue of Confederate Philatelist (copy accompanies). We record only one other cover with a Confederate postmaster's adhesive provisional stamp used with another postmaster's provisional (Charleston S.C. 5c adhesive with Hamburgh S.C. handstamp, Siegel Sale 1022, lot 1018, realized $20,000 hammer). The presence of two different rates on this cover is an added element of interest.
Ex Solomon (1981 Kaufman sale). With 1985 P.F. certificate
Fredericksburg Va., 5c Blue on Thin Bluish (26X1). Position 11, large margins to just touching border, tied by "Fredericksburgh Va. Paid Oct. 22" (1861) circular datestamp on light buff homemade cover to Fairfax Station, expertly cleaned to remove some stainsVERY FINE STAMP AND AN ATTRACTIVE FREDERICKSBURG POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL COVER.
Ex Hart, Brooks and Emerson. Signed Ashbrook. 1989 P.F. certificate no longer accompanies
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