Auction Detail

red oval handstamp (Type F29) and matching "Collect Six Cents for Hale & Co." (Type C3) on folded letter datelined June 8, 1845 from New York City to Hartford, die cut Boyd's City Express Post 2c Black on green (20L4, faults) with red "Free" cancel, manuscript "8" indicating local delivery in Hartford (6c postage plus the 2c local delivery fee), very fine and unusual conjunctive use, ex-Gutman

18 folded letters carried by Hale & Co. to or from Hartford, note various styles of "Collect" boxed handstamps and ovals from Hartford, New Haven, Middletown, and New York, generally fine to very fine, an interesting group for the specialist

clear strike of black double oval handstamp incoming cover to Hartford street address, 1857 3c Dull red (26) ted by target with "Broad Brook Ct Nov 8" datestamp alongside, tiny straightline "Not Found" crossed out, postmarked Hartford November 11 and readdressed to Springfield, Massachusetts, just reduced at left, very fine, one of four recorded examples of the "Hartford Penny Post" handstamp, a great local post rarity, ex-Brown and Golden

double circle datestamp with star in circle killer tying 1861 3c Rose (65) to cover addressed to "Lieut. B.F. Blakeslee, 16th Conn. Vols., Prisoner of War, Charleston, S.C. (Roper Hospital)", February 17, 1865 docketing, very fine, one of just 19 covers reported either to or from Roper Hospital Prison, Blakeslee was wounded at Antietam before being captured at Plymouth, North Carolina on April 20, 1864, he was paroled from Roper Hospital February 28, 1865, original enclosure from his adoptive sister Miss Lottie J. Braddock