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
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red datestamp on ca. 1854 cover to George T. Allen in Oyster Bay, New York, very fine, Allen's brother William moved to San Francisco in 1849 and is presumably the sender of this cover
black datestamp with matching boxed "30" handstamp on 1854 folded letter to William George Stewart in New York City, indicating triple the 10c unpaid cross-country rate, very fine, the latest known use of this handstamp, ex-Jessup
This cover is accompanied by an article written by Harry M. Konwiser in Stamps magazine (1941) illustrating and describing the unusual use of this handstamp at such a late date. Typically the boxed "30" of San Francisco was used on incoming steamship mail through 1851 to pay the Panama rate to California. Additionally the article describes this cover's origin from the "Stewart Find", which consisted of hundreds of stampless covers from the 1840s and 1850s to and from William George Stewart, who served as the Mexican Vice-Consul in New York from 1848 to 1852.
black datestamps tie 1857 1c Blue, Type V (24, natural straightedge at top and left) and strip of three 1851 3c Dull red, Type I (11) to cover to Augustus S. Farwell in Wells River, Vermont, cover small nick at bottom, very fine appearance, an attractive and rare mixed-issue franking, Farwell served as Wells River's postmaster in the late 1850s
black double circle datestamp and arced "Ship 5" due handstamp on incoming cover from Hong Kong, endorsed "per Victor", very fine, the port of entry fee in San Francisco was reduced from 6c to 5c in early 1852
When the Victor arrived in San Francisco on May 5 after 58 days at sea, it carried 240 passengers from China in addition to 11 shipwrecked Japanese passengers rescued at sea.
double circle datestamp on folded letter to Chiavari, Italy, franked with 1861 3c Rose and four 10c Green (65, 68) with black cogwheels, red "New York Paid 24 Jan 6" exchange datestamp, January 20 Calais entry and boxed "PD", backstamped Genoa and Chiavari, light wear, very fine and scarce cover, 43c postage overpays by 1c double the 21c French Mail rate
black double circle datestamps and matching cogwheels tie three 1861 3c Rose (65) to ca. 1866 cover to Townsend, Massachusetts, blue italic "Steamer" handstamp, cover light edge wear, fine and attractive, a scarce triple rate cover, Walter Fessenden was a cooper by trade who served as Townsend's postmaster from 1846 to 1849 and a member of the Massachusetts Senate in 1861
double circle datestamp with matching cogwheels tying pair of 1863 2c Black (73) to cover to Chesterfield, Massachusetts, cornercard for Dr. J.P. Bryant with partial enclosure on matching letterhead, slightly reduced at left, very fine, a 1c overpayment, Dr. Bryant was a Spiritualist and, according to one contemporary, a "renowned healer by the imposition of hands"
red and blue patriotic design with "The Eagle shall bear the Rattlesnake in his beak and rend him with his talons" verse and Snow & Hapgood imprint at left, black "Paris Me Jun 17" datestamp with matching grid on 1857 3c Dull red, original enclosure, reduced at right, otherwise very fine and choice
red and blue patriotic design, 1857 3c Dull red tied by black grid with "Brunswick Me Jun 24 1861" datestamp alongside, addressed to Brewer Village, Maine with red receiver the following day, manuscript "Missent", very fine
black mourning design with J.M. Whittemore & Co, Boston imprint, "Brunswick Me 5 Aug" double circle datestamp with matching grid tying 1861 3c Rose (65) to cover to Topham, Maine, original 1862 enclosure on patriotic letterhead, small faults along top edge including under stamp, very fine appearance, the Bischel catalogue records just two examples
double circle datestamp with matching targets tying 1861 1c Blue and three 3c Rose (63, 65) to cover to "Brockway Settlement, Magaguadavic River, Mail Way Office, New Brunswick", red exchange and backstamps including St. John and St. George, very fine and scarce use
portraits of the 1880 Republican presidential ticket on cover to Canaan, Maine, manuscript "Marion Me Apr 27" cancel alongside 3c Green Bank Note with target, original enclosure, opened a bit rough at right, otherwise very fine and attractive