Auction Detail
March United States Postal History
Featuring The Leonard Piszkiewicz Collection of Chicago Postal History, The Van Koppersmith Collection of Philadelphia Postal History and The Tony Dewey Collection of Hartford Postal History
- (-) Remove The Leonard Piszkiewicz Collection of Chicago Postal History filter The Leonard Piszkiewicz Collection of Chicago Postal History
blue shield handstamp on incominge embossed Valentine from Hill, New Hampshire (postmarked February 15), franked with 1857 3c Dull red (26), additional "18" in red circle handstamp, original enclosure, envelope missing backflap and light wear, fine and interesting use, illustrated in Piszkiewicz (page 408)
circular datestamp in black on 1872 locally-addressed 2c Brown entire, originally postmarked "Chicago Ill Aug 14", uprated with 1c Ultramarine Bank Note since drop letters required full first class postage to be advertised, additional "Returned to Writer" handstamp (RTW-4), very fine and attractive use
approximately 40 covers with a wide variety of advertised markings, including AD-2, AD-3, AD-4 shield in black and blue, AD-5, and subsequent markings, also station advertised markings including Northwest, Cottage Grove, Hyde Park, and Englewood, generally fine to very fine, an extraordinary group with a good deal of potential further research for the dedicated postal historian
manuscript notation on 3c Nesbitt entire postmarked "Chicago Ill. Mar 3 1857", addressed to Warner, New Hampshire, bit ragged at right, otherwise fine, a scarce and early Chicago postage due cover, illustrated in Piszkiewicz (page 415)
black handstamp with matching "3" in circle on cover to Watertown, New York, 1857 3c Dull red tied by "Chicago Ill Aug 16 1858" datestamp, slightly reduced at left, very fine, the only recorded example of Chicago's first postage due handstamp, illustrated in Piszkiewicz (page 415)
49 covers from about 1863 to 1890, note better including "Chicago Ill RA Sep 15" initial postmark on cover with "Due 6" handstamp, legal-sized cover with oval "West Branch P.O." and large "Due 6", and various other early markings including DU-8, DU-10, DU-11, DU-18, and more, some small faults but generally fine to very fine, a wonderful group, refer to Piszkiewicz Chapter 51 for more information
binder with approximately 170 covers ranging from about 1893 through 1964, enormous variety of different handstamps and postage due adhesives, additionally nice advertising covers, airmail and special delivery, etc., significant number of incoming foreign covers resulting in some very colorful and attractive frankings, generally fine to very fine, a wonderful collection that is ideal for the 20th Century postal historian, when studied in conjunction with the Piszkiewicz book this group could prove very rewarding
seven covers including blue line precancel on 3c, purple "Chicago Pearl" precancel (PD-1) on 3c pair, black "C" in oval precancel (PD-2) on 3c single and pair, and large black "C" precancel (PD-3) on three 3c covers, all covers faulty to varying degrees but stamps generally fine to very fine, a scarce and interesting group, see discussion in Piszkiewicz Chapter 52
approximately 50 covers and cards bearing various "Held for Postage" handstamps, begins in 1883 with several examples of HP-3 (including the earliest recorded use) used in conjunction with SN-1 and PS-1, continues through the 1950s with "This is the Mail for Which You Sent Postage" handstamps, interesting items throughout including a 1933 "World's Fair in a Nutshell" parcel tag originally attached to a walnut, generally fine to very fine, an extraordinary and comprehensive collection, see discussion in Piszkiewicz (pages 434-44)
two-line blue handstamp used alongside matching "Chicago Ill Jan 12 1863" datestamp on reverse of large cover fragment postmarked Washington, Pennsylvania January 8, 1863, large "P.O. Department Dead Letter Office Jan 24 1863" double oval handstamp, fine, the unique example of this handstamp, illustrated in Piszkiewicz (page 445)
black circular handstamp on ca. 1867 3c Pink stamped envelope mailed without an address, November 25 Chicago backstamp, forwarded to Washington, DC where a blue Dead Letter Office datestamp was applied, manuscript "$5" probably refers to a banknote contained within the envelope, very fine, the only recorded example of the earliest "returned for better direction" handstamp used in Chicago, illustrated in Piszkiewicz (page 447)
magenta pointing finger handstamp on cover franked with 2c Green Bank Note, postmarked Des Moines, Iowa February 5 and addressed to Rice County, Kansas, also magenta "No Post Office Named" and "No Such Office in State Named" handstamps (each with "I.D." for Inquiry Division), light soiling and just reduced at left, very fine strike, the unique example of this handstamp