VERY FINE. A RARE EARLY USE OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE.
The earliest recorded use of the 10c 1847 Issue is the famous July 2 cover, owned by William H. Gross and currently on loan to the Smithsonian National Postal Museum. The next earliest is used from New York to Illinois on July 9, the day before this cover was mailed. One other is also known used on July 10, which was a Saturday.
Ex Rose.
VERY FINE. THE EARLIEST RECORDED USE OF THE 1847 ISSUE IN TEXAS, AND A REMARKABLE USE ENTIRELY WITHIN TEXAS.
According to official distribution records from the post office, Houston did not receive any supplies of the 1847 Issue until May 1848, and no post offices in Texas received any before January 2, 1848 (Galveston). This stamp must have been carried privately from some place outside of Texas. The next earliest confirmed date of use is November 13, 1849. The yeardate is unknown on five but all are used earlier than July and so cannot be used in 1847. New Orleans received a supply on August 27, 1847, so it is possible this was acquired there. The recipient, Thomas Ward, is a prominent figure in Texas history. After losing an arm and a leg to a cannon misfire during Texas Independence Day in 1840, he was later mayor of Austin on three separate occasions (each lasted less than a year) and served as U.S. Consul to Panama under President Franklin Pierce.
Ex Craveri. With copy of 1990 P.F. certificate
EXTREMELY FINE. A REMARKABLE COVER WITH THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE PAYING THE INTER-CITY POSTAGE AND THE "2 CENTS" MANUSCRIPT MARKING INDICATING A POSTAL FEE PAID OR DUE.
The 2c rate on this cover is enigmatic. The New York City postmaster reestablished carrier service in December 1848 with a 1c fee for delivery from the post office to the addressee. The "2 Cents" on this cover was applied either at the originating office (New Brunswick N.J.) or at the New York office, possibly to indicate an advertised fee.
USPCS census no. 5106. Ward backstamp. Ex "Sevenoaks" and Craveri. With 2003 P.F. certificate.
EXTREMELY FINE. A MAGNIFICENT DOUBLE 10-CENT RATE COVER WITH TWO PAIRS OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE.
Ex Knapp (lot label affixed)
VERY FINE. A RARE USE OF THE 1847 ISSUE CARRIED ON THE NEW LONDON, WILLAMANTIC AND PALMER RAILROAD TO MONTREAL AND ROUTED THRU STANSTEAD.
During the winter months, when Lake Champlain was frozen, mail was instead routed via the Stanstead exchange office, which triggered the higher 9p rate for Canadian postage. This is the only such use to Montreal in the USPCS census that we were able to locate.
With 2000 P.F. certificate
VERY FINE. THIS IS THE EARLIEST RECORDED USE OF THE 1847 ISSUE TO NEW BRUNSWICK.
The USPCS census lists ten 5c covers and six 10c covers to New Brunswick; the cover offered here is the earliest known use. The earliest reported use to Canada is September 25.
Ex Mirsky.
VERY FINE COVER. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE USE OF THE DEMONETIZED 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE ON A HOTEL CAMEO ADVERTISING COVER -- THE STAMP WAS ACCEPTED AS PAYMENT FOR THE 3-CENT RATE. THE "NEW-YORK" CIRCULAR DATESTAMP WAS NEVER STRUCK IN BLACK DURING THE PERIOD WHEN THE 1847 ISSUE WAS VALID.
The Alexander census (Chronicle 174) lists another cover with the same hotel design and same addressee, dated Sept. 25, 1851 (offered in our William H. Gross Sale 1041, lot 322). It is interesting that the sender knew enough about the new postage rates to use a 5c stamp rather than 10c stamp for the old over-300 miles rate, and successfully used the demonetized 5c stamp to evade paying 3c postage.
Signed Ashbrook. Dr. Chase notes on back. With 2017 P.F. certificate
VERY FINE. A WONDERFUL USE OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE ON A COVER SENT PRIOR TO THE START OF THE APRIL 1851 TREATY BUT ACCEPTED AS A TREATY RATE USE. THIS IS THE EARLIEST REPORTED TREATY RATE COVER.
Effective April 6, 1851 a new rate was established between the United States and Canada. Mail was no longer prepaid just to the border; a rate of 10c (or 6 pence Canadian) was established to or from any place in Canada (except for the West Coast). The sender of this letter was apparently unaware of the impending rate change and marked it "paid to the lines". However, by the time his letter arrived in Canada the new treaty was in effect, so it was considered fully prepaid to destination.
Ex Hart and Mirsky. Illustrated and described in an article in Chronicle 183
EXTREMELY FINE. A PHENOMENAL SHEET MARGIN BISECT OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE, FROM THE STILPHIN CORRESPONDENCE. ONE OF THE MOST DRAMATIC BISECTS, BY VIRTUE OF THE SHEET MARGIN AND OVERALL FRESHNESS, THAT WE HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED.
The fascinating history of the discovery of the Stilphin correspondence is detailed in an article by Susan M. McDonald (Chronicle 115). An elderly lady in Syracuse N.Y., the last of her family, decided to destroy her family's correspondence, which was in several trunks in her attic. When all but one trunkful was destroyed, she stopped to rest and noticed an advertisement to buy old stamps in a magazine. She eventually sold the contents of the trunk to a collector, Wallace MacLaren, who had placed the ad. The correspondence included several stampless and 1851 Issue covers, and also seven 5c 1847 covers and five 10c bisects. She almost destroyed the bisects, fearing the torn stamps were valueless. She later discovered another four bisects, and three others have subsequently been found, for a total of twelve from the Stilphin correspondence. Most were sent to Mary Stilphin by her future husband, Rev. John B. Foote.
Ex Dr. Test ("Concord"). With 1990 P.F. certificate. Scott value $12,500.00