Auction Detail
July 2023
United States Postal History
Prices Realized Now Online
- (-) Remove The Mark Schwartz Collection of Essex County, Massachusetts Postal History filter The Mark Schwartz Collection of Essex County, Massachusetts Postal History
five items including Beverly 1831 manuscript postmaster's free frank, 1845 red datestamp, 1848 blue datestamp with unreported "5", and 1850 blue datestamp with "V", plus Beverly Farms 1848 manuscript postmark (earliest known postmark), generally fine to very fine
red datestamp ties 1847 5c Red brown (1, margins full to grazing at top) to ladies cover to Vassalboro, Maine, matching "5" rate handstamp alongside, stamp also tied by pen stroke, small tear at top with adhesive tape residue, otherwise very fine, the only recorded cover from Bradford with an 1847 5c (USPCS Census #4060)
11 covers including Bradford 1822 manuscript, 1829 black datestamp (earliest known use) with unreported straightline "Paid", 1838 manuscript postmaster free frank, 1843 red datestamp with "West" obliterated, 1845 red datestamp with unreported straightline "Paid", 1848 red datestamp with unreported numeral "10"; West Bradford 1823 manuscript, 1839 blue datestamp, and 1843 red datestamp; and East Bradford 1844 manuscript forwarding marking and 1850 manuscript postmark, generally fine to very fine and accompanied by detailed exhibit pages
17 covers ranging from 1827 to 1887, eight manuscripts including the earliest recorded Byfield postmark (1827), 1851 datestamp with unreported "5" in circle, several 1851/57 3c Issue covers, and 1886/87 South Byfield cover and card, fine to very fine, all neatly written up on exhibit pages
red double rim datestamp with matching straightline “Paid” and manuscript “6” rate on folded lettersheet to Boston, vertical crease, very fine strike, the earliest recorded example of this postmark which was used until 1841, the Danvers post office opened in late 1831 and closed in 1855 (ASCC $45)
14 covers including Danvers 1844 red datestamp (2), 1845 red datestamp, ca. 1846 blue datestamp with small "2" circular rate handstamp, 1847/48 red and blue datestamps with large "5" rate handstamp; North Danvers 1838 manuscript postmark, 1840/48 blue datestamps with "5" and "10" numeral handstamps; New Mills 1847 manuscript postmark (earliest known); and Tapleyville 1851 red datestamps, one with "Paid" in oval and "5" and one with numeral "10" handstamps, generally fine to very fine, an interesting group
black straightline handstamp with manuscript date on folded letter to Stoneham, Massachusetts, manuscript "6" rate, very fine, this East Haverhill handstamp is unlisted and presumed unique
15 covers from East Gloucester and West Gloucester, Massachusetts, ranging from the late 1850s through the Bank Note era, wide variety of markings, generally fine to very fine, all neatly written up on exhibit pages
manuscript postmark with "Paid 40" rate on cover to San Francisco, California, endorsed "Ship Argonaut", overall aging and staining at right, a rare early small-town letter to California
manuscript postmark with matching “8 paid” rate on folded letter to Exeter, Massachusetts, very fine, the earliest recorded postmark from Haverhill
black straightline handstamp with manuscript “12½” rate on folded letter to Worthington, Massachusetts, very fine, this rare handstamp (the first used at Haverhill) is only recorded from 1807 (ASCC $200)
manuscript postmark with "18¾" on folded letter to Westbrook, Maine, fine, scarce war rate cover paying postage on a single letter sent 90-150 miles