Sale 1260 — 2022 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Tuesday, 28 June, 2022
Category — Civil War and Confederate States: General Issues, Flag-of-Truce, Blockade
5c Green, Stone 1-2 (1). Full to ample margins, small internal tear at lower left, tied by bold strike of "New Orleans La. 2 Dec." (1861) circular datestamp with "Steamer Empire Parish" name-of-boat oval handstamp on buff cover to Jackson Miss., missing backflap and cover repaired at top left above the handstampVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE NAME-OF-BOAT HANDSTAMP ON A CONFEDERATE 5-CENT FIRST ISSUE LITHOGRAPH COVER, POSTED IN NEW ORLEANS AND CARRIED UP THE RIVER TO JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, BY THE STEAMER EMPIRE PARISH.
According to the Naval History and Heritage Command, the Empire Parish was built in 1859 to operate out of New Orleans, where she served as a tow and dispatch boat for the Confederacy at the beginning of the Civil War. On June 23, 1863, she carried dispatches from Semmes' famed Confederate raider Sumter into New Orleans. Empire Parish came into Union possession with the fall of New Orleans in April 1862 and was taken into the United States Navy for duty as a towboat of the West Gulf Blockading Squadron.
5c Olive Green, Stone 1 (1c). Full margins, tied by "Mobile Ala. Oct. 15, 1862" circular datestamp with matching "5" in circle due handstamp on small cover smuggled from New Orleans to Augusta Ga. via Mobile, addressed to Emile H. Reynes in Augusta, piece out of top and repaired, appears Very Fine, the Emile H. Reynes correspondence is famous for covers smuggled out of New Orleans and carried to their destination by various means, including by the Louisiana Relief Committee, the correspondence was discussed at length by Leonard Huber in a 1951 American Philatelist article (this cover pictured), ex Meroni, Weill backstamp
10c Blue, Paterson (2). Block of four, original gum, lightly hinged with single hinge remnant straddling the right two stamps, huge margins all around and gorgeous rich colorEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 10-CENT BLUE PATERSON LITHOGRAPH.
With 2018 P.F. certificate for a block of six (this the left block of four).
10c Rose (5). Block of four, unused (no gum), brilliant color, large to huge margins, expert repairs affect all four stamps and include filled thinsEXTREMELY FINE APPEARING UNUSED BLOCK OF THE 10-CENT ROSE LITHOGRAPH.
Scott value $12,000.00 E. 2,000-3,000
2c Green (3). Two horizontal strips of five from the second row of the plate, Positions 11-15 and 16-20, left strip uncancelled and affixed to back (torn upon opening and resealed), right strip tied by three bold strikes of "Mobile Ala. Jul. 27, 1863" double-circle datestamp on face of 3c Red on Buff Star Die entire (U27) addressed to "Cmr. Catesby ap R. Jones, C.S.N., Naval Gun Foundry and Ord. Works, Selma, Ala.", both strips have large margins to just touching design in places, rich color, strip on face creased between two stamps and in right pair, couple toned spotsVERY FINE. A REMARKABLE USE OF TWO STRIPS OF FIVE OF THE 2-CENT GREEN ON A COVER TO FAMED CONFEDERATE NAVAL OFFICER CATESBY JONES. THIS IS THE LARGEST RECORDED FRANKING WITH THE 2-CENT LITHOGRAPH.
The absence of a cancellation on the second strip on back indicates that the Mobile post office either weighed the letter and determined that it was under the half-ounce limit (for the 10c rate) or that the postal clerk never looked for additional stamps on back. The two strips definitely join together to form a complete row from the original sheet.
Catesby ap Roger Jones was an officer in the U.S. Navy from 1836-61. He became a commander in the Confederate Navy during the Civil War and assumed command of the Virginia (formerly the Merrimack) during the Battle of Hampton Roads and engaged the Monitor in the historic first battle of the two ironclads.
Ex Knapp and Hall. Illustrated in 1929 Dietz book (p. 125).
2c Green (3). Two, large margins to just touched, tied by blue "Petersburg Va. Jul. 18" circular datestamp on Evangelical Tract Society corner card cover to Jackson Miss., small docketing at left, right stamp with scuffed area covered over with green pencil, Very Fine appearance and rare use for double the circular rate, the Dr. Brandon collection contained a similar cover with an enclosure (realized $12,000 hammer), ex Zimmerman
2c Brown Red (8). Large margins to clear at top right, tied by "Richmond Va. Jun. 2" (1864) circular datestamp on blue cover with Confederate States Navy Department semi-official imprint (ND-11) to Congressman C. Anderson in Richmond, bottom edge slightly bleached of blue color (easily restorable)EXTREMELY FINE AND RARE DROP-RATE USE OF THE 2-CENT "RED JACK" ON A CONFEDERATE NAVY DEPARTMENT IMPRINT COVER.
Ex Hall.
2c Brown Red (8). Large to full margins, light vertical filing crease and light diagonal crease, tied by clear strike of "Charleston S.C. Dec. 28" (1863) circular datestamp on drop cover to military address, turned use with 10c Blue, Die A (11) inside, irregular margins but clear of design, tied by "Charleston S.C. Jan. 1, 1864" New Year's day double-circle datestamp and addressed to Greenwood S.C., corner folded down for display, Very Fine, an unusually fresh and attractive turned use and rare with the first use bearing the 2c Engraved issue for the drop rate, with 1997 C.S.A. and 2003 P.F. certificates, accompanied by biographical information on the recipient of the first use
10c Blue, Frameline (10). Unused (no gum), complete framelines at top and left, essentially complete at bottom, deep rich color, small or tiny thin spots at center and bottom left corner, faint vertical crease, Very Fine appearance and scarce unused stamp, with 2004 C.S.A. certificate mentioning only the tiny thin at center and also a light stain at bottom -- but in our opinion that is confined to the back and barely if at all visible on the front
10c Blue, Frameline (10). Vertical pair with complete framelines at left, at bottom and between stamps, part of frameline also at upper right, tied by two bold strikes of "Mobile Ala. Jul. 18, 1863" double-circle datestamp on cover to Richmond Va., lightened gum stainsEXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST OF THE FEW 10-CENT FRAMELINE PAIRS KNOWN ON COVER -- ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE ON A NORMAL SIZE ENVELOPE.
Accompanied by biographical information on the addressee, George William Bagby. Ex Dr. Green and Gross. Scott value for pair on cover is $7,250.00
E. H. Cushing Express. Black on white newsprint label, C.S.A. Catalog Type C, Special Routes book Type III, with Aug. 17, 1864 date and beginning with the news "It is understood that Brownsville is being evacuated by the enemy...", huge margins on three sides and just cut into at left but all text is present, glue stained, affixed to back of buff cover with 10c Blue, Die A (11) tied by "Mobile Ala. Sep. ?" double-circle datestamp, addressed to Uniontown Ala., reduced at right and some minor stainingFINE APPEARANCE. A DESIRABLE FULLY INTACT EXAMPLE OF THE CUSHING TRANS-MISSISSIPPI EXPRESS TYPE III LABEL ON COVER, WHICH ENTERED THE MAILS AT MOBILE.
Edward Hopkins Cushing, publisher of the Houston Daily Telegraph, commenced his express service after New Orleans fell to Federal forces in April 1862. In an effort to improve communications between Texas regiments in the East and their relations at home, as well as secure safe lines for news transmission, Cushing established routes with pony riders and other means of conveyance necessary to cross the Federal lines. Cushing's agents affixed labels to envelopes carried by express, usually on the backs. These were intended to inform patrons and advertise the service. Approximately 20 examples (of all varieties) are believed to exist.
Ex Knapp and Finney. C.S.A. Catalog value $5,000.00
Havana to Uniontown Ala. via Mobile Ala. 10c Blue, Die A (11), huge margins on three sides, full at top, tied by "Mobile Ala. Aug. 24" (1863) double-circle datestamp on small cover to "E. Emile Le Blanc, Care of J. D. B. DeBow, Mobile, Ala." with Mobile crossed out in another hand and redirected to Uniontown Ala., the back of the cover with manuscript "Examined JWH jr.", small cover tear at right does not affect the stamp, minor cover staining, Very Fine, while this cover in the past has been interpreted as a Louisiana Relief Committee cover originating in New Orleans and smuggled out to Mobile, based on other very similar covers from this correspondence it is more likely a blockade-run cover originating in Havana, Cuba, there are no enclosures or other docketing to definitively tie the cover to incoming blockade use, however this is a close match to other covers from the Le Blanc correspondence which originated in Havana and were sent through the care of DeBow, see our sale of the Walske collection (Sale 988, lot 333) for a similar cover, identically addressed, which originated in Havana and was endorsed by Provost Marshal J. C. Denis -- as well as additional information on DeBow
Mobile Ala. to Philadelphia Pa. via Havana, Cuba. Buff cover addressed to Philadelphia Pa., original enclosure datelined "Mobile Sept. 26th" (1861) from a son to his father mentioning the Civil War, no C.S.A. postal markings so likely enclosed in an outer cover, struck with New York "Steamship 10" circular handstamp and manuscript "Due 10cts", some minor edgewear, still Very Fine and very rare outgoing blockade-run cover from Mobile, Alabama, very little blockade-run mail went through the port of Mobile and all of it was carried to or from Havana, the Special Routes book records only five such Mobile outbound blockade-run covers (this one not listed)
Flag-of-Truce Mail from Federal-Occupied New Orleans. Yellow cover addressed to "Mr. John S. Mitchell, Care Wolfe & Co., Mobile, Alaba(ma)", light pencil docketing "Contained letters from Wife & Will dated June 24th", manuscript endorsement "Allowed to Pass the lines" and signed "G. F. Shepley, Military Governor of Louisiana", posted as a drop letter in Mobile with 2c Green (3), tied by "Mobile Ala. Jul. 18, 1863" double-circle datestamp, vertical crease (probably from being folded and carried in the courier's pocket), stain and erosion at lower right, stamp creased and torn from placement over top edge of coverTHE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF FLAG-OF-TRUCE MAIL SIGNED BY BRIGADIER-GENERAL G. F. SHEPLEY, MILITARY GOVERNOR OF LOUISIANA. ALSO BELIEVED TO BE THE ONLY KNOWN 2-CENT GREEN ON A COVER FROM FEDERAL-OCCUPIED NEW ORLEANS.
During the Federal occupation of New Orleans, mail between residents in the city and correspondents in the Confederacy was either smuggled or carried by flag-of-truce, including under the auspices of the Louisiana Relief Committee. This cover is the only one known with the endorsement "Allowed to Pass the lines", and it is also the only flag-of-truce cover signed by George F. Shepley (1819-1878). Shepley was appointed Military Governor of Louisiana in June 1862 and served in that capacity until 1864. On July 18, 1862, Shepley was made brigadier-general of volunteers. Although General Benjamin "Beast" Butler is historically charged with excessively harsh actions against the resident public in New Orleans, Brigadier-General Shepley shares some of that responsibility.
Ex Walcott and Hall.
5c Green, Stone 1-2 (1). Two, tied by "Mobile Ala. Feb. 11, 1862" double-circle datestamps on civilian flag-of-truce buff cover to Cambridge Md., endorsed "Via Norfolk Va. and Flag of Truce", sender attempted to pay U.S. postage from the exchange point with 3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26) but the 1857 Issue had been demonetized and civilian flag-of-truce mail over the Norfolk-Old Point Comfort route had recently been banned, so this was struck with bold "DUE 6cts." straightline and diverted to the Dead Letter Office where struck with "Dead Letter Office Mar. 5, 1862" circular datestamp, 5c stamps with faults where one was affixed over the edge of the cover and the other had some peeling attempted at top, 3c stamp also with faults from placement near edge, cover tear at topA RARE EARLY 1862 MIXED-FRANKING NORTHBOUND CIVILIAN FLAG-OF-TRUCE COVER SENT VIA NORFOLK AND OLD POINT COMFORT. FEW MIXED-FRANKING COVERS ARE KNOWN FROM THIS PERIOD AND REPRESENT THE EARLIEST EXAMPLES OF MIXED UNITED STATES AND CONFEDERATE STATES POSTAGE. IN THIS CASE THE LETTER WAS SENT AFTER SUCH MAIL WAS BANNED AND IT ENTERED THE DEAD LETTER OFFICE.
Mixed-franking U.S.-Confederate States covers are rare and highly sought after by collectors. For a short window, mixed frankings on civilian flag-of-truce covers were possible via the Norfolk-Old Point Comfort route. Shortly before this cover was mailed however, an announcement in the January 1862 U.S. Mail & Post Office Assistant stated, "The facilities afforded by sending letters to the rebel states under a flag-of-truce are not intended, and cannot be permitted, to cover general correspondence." (U.S. General Order No. 7). Therefore, this civilian flag-of-truce cover was diverted to the U.S. Dead Letter Office.