Auction Detail
Fall Postal History 2022
Our Fall 2022 Postal History sale includes the John D. Bowman Collection of Boyd's City Express Post, the William B. Robinson Collection of Wisconsin Postal History, material from the collections of Steven M. Roth and Graham Booth, FRPSL, and much more.
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small blue double circle handstamp ties 1861 3c Rose (short perfs) to cover to Carvers Harbor, Maine, matching "Baltimore Md. Aug 27" datestamp alongside, just reduced at left, very fine, this marking was reported by Perry, Simpson, and Kelly on printed circular mail but this cover was sealed and therefore would not qualify, we believe that in this instance the handstamp indicates carrier service in lieu of an adhesive stamp
affixed to 1850 cover to Providence, New Jersey, red "Boston 5cts 11 May" datestamp, couple file folds, stamp with bit of gum staining as is typical for this first pelure issue, otherwise very fine (Scott $150)
margins large to full, on cover to Northborough, Massachusetts, 1857 3c Dull red tied by black grid, red "Boston 3cts 26 Oct" datestamp alongside, light wear, fine (Scott $325)
fancy framed red carrier delivery handstamp on reverse of cover from Gardiner, Maine, 1851 3c Dull red with blue grid cancel and matching datestamp alongside, very fine and choice example of this attractive handstamp
fancy framed red carrier delivery handstamp on reverse of embossed ladies cover, 1851 3c Dull red tied by “Stonington Conn. Jun 27” datestamp, small faults to backflap barely affect handstamp, very fine and attractive
fancy framed black carrier delivery handstamp on reverse of cover postmarked "N Swansy, Ms Mch 17", 1851 3c Dull red with pen cancel, few repaired tears and light wear, otherwise fine, this marking is much rarer in black than it is red
fancy framed red carrier delivery handstamp on reverse of 1854 folded lettersheet, 1851 3c Dull red (position 54L1L) postmarked "Cambridge Mass May 12", manuscript "Penny Post", vertical crease, very fine
circular datestamp ties 1861 1c Blue and 3c Rose (63, 65) to cover to Boston street address, very fine, although attempts by a sender in one city to prepay the carrier fee in a destination city almost always failed, the presence of a street address and the absence of any due marking from the Boston post office suggest that this might be an extremely rare instance of such prepayment for from-the-mails carrier service
According to the August 1862 U.S. Mail & Post Office Assistant:
There is a somewhat prevalent impression that the affixing of a penny stamp to an otherwise prepaid letter, designed to be forwarded by mail, will pay the carrier's fee when it arrives at the place of destination, and many letters, thus prepaid, are received at New York and other offices employing carriers. The impression is entirely erroneous. When a mail letter is deposited in a U.S. lamp-post box or other receptacle provide by Government, to be carried from thence to the post office, the extra penny stamp is then requisite to pay the carrier's fee for delivering to the office. In all other cases, any prepayment of a penny beyond the regular rate, is simply money thrown away.
clear margins, tied by pen cancel to locally-addressed cover, repaired tear through cover affects left corner of stamp, very fine appearance (Scott $700 for tied by handstamp)
full margins, pen cancel, used on cover to Lowell, Massachusetts with 1851 3c Dull red (11) tied by blue "Charleston S.C. Paid Sep 29" datestamp, cover faults including piece out at upper left, still a fine to-the-mails use (Scott $300)
full margins, used alongside 1857 3c Dull red, both tied by blue "Cincinnati O. Mar 24" datestamp to cover to Camden, Ohio, water stains and folds, fine appearance (Scott $700)
1861 3c Rose (63, perforation tip toning) tied by handstamp indicating carrier fee paid in cash, “Harrisburg Pa Dec 17 1862” double circle datestamp alongside on cover to Norristown, Pennsylvania, slightly reduced at right; second cover dated May 1, 1863 with same cancel (not tying), very fine, this marking has erroneously been stated to be a precancel in the past