Sale 1326 — 2024 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Thursday, 27 June, 2024
Category — Carriers and Locals
(Honour's) City Post, Charleston S.C., 2c Black (4LB3). Three large margins, full at bottom, negligible slight bend at bottom right (described as small corner crease on certificate), cancelled by manuscript "M", used with 3c Dull Red, Ty. II (11A), full margins to clear, tied by blue "Charleston S.C. Paid 14 Dec." circular datestamp on 1854 blue folded letter to Effingham S.C., from the well-known Miller correspondence, from which other Charleston carrier covers originate
VERY FINE. A SUPERB COMBINATION COVER BEARING THE "CITY POST" CARRIER STAMP AND 3-CENT 1851 ISSUE.
Ex Ferrary, Hall and "D.K." collection. Signed E. Stern. With 2001 P.F. certificate. SCV $4,000.
Philadelphia Despatch Post, Philadelphia Pa., 3c Red (15L1). Large square margins well outside of circle all around, unusually clear strike of the “Phila. Despatch Post” red circle handstamp with manuscript “R & Co” initials, red ”PAID” and “3” numeral handstamps inside circle, affixed with wax seal on folded cover to ”Mr. Frederick Fritz, Present”, an additional strike of red “3” rate handstamp just ties adhesive at right, matching “Philadelphia Pa. Jun. 13” (1843) circular datestamp, manuscript “Refused”, docketing notation on back "F. Fritz [and illegible word, "Cemetery p."?]", cover is reduced at left just into the word “(A)bove” which was apparently a street location, without side panels
EXTREMELY FINE STAMP AND THE ONLY RECORDED CUT-SQUARE EXAMPLE OF THE RARE PHILADELPHIA DESPATCH POST FIRST ISSUE. A MAJOR LOCAL POST RARITY, FREQUENTLY REFERRED TO AS THE “PEROT PROVISIONAL” OF UNITED STATES PHILATELY, BASED ON ITS SIMILARITY TO THE FAMOUS BERMUDA PROVISIONAL ISSUE.
Our firm published a census of Philadelphia Despatch Post 15L1 and 15L2 covers in Sale 817 (David Golden collection) and an updated/corrected version in Sale 830 (Hall collection). In 2005 a new example of 15L1 on cover came to light. In 2013 Dr. Vernon R. Morris Jr. published an updated and comprehensive photo census in The Penny Post (Vol. 21, Nos. 1 and 2). Using the Morris census, there are 14 recorded Red 15L1 covers, and 6 Black 15L2 covers (including one 15L2 in the Tapling collection at The British Library). These covers account for all 20 known examples of the adhesive in black or red. The stamp on this cover is the only one cut with square margins among all recorded examples -- the others are cut to the shape of the circle.
Regarding this cover, Dr. Morris points out “although a specific street address may not be written, the 1840 McElroy city directory listed Frederick Fritz at 366 North 6th Street, just at the east edge of the Spring Garden District. Since the government post office was involved this cover may been [sic] held at the post office as a drop letter until picked up by Mr. Fritz.” In a state Auditor General's report (Mar. 26, 1841) to the Pennsylvania Senate, Frederick Fritz is identified as a former collector of tolls on the Philadelphia & Columbia Railroad, who was arrested in 1839 and charged with failing to account for $46,574.21 in funds. There was also a fire marshal named Frederick Fritz during the same period; perhaps this correspondence was delivered to the wrong Frederick Fritz.
The establishment of the Philadelphia Despatch Post is documented in an advertisement in the Philadelphia Public Ledger, Dec. 8, 1842. A larger Robertson & Co. advertisement contains information that differs from the smaller Public Ledger ad. Notably, the stamps are priced at 3c individually, 31c per dozen and $2 per hundred. Valuable-letter registration for 6¼ cents and a 6c rate on letters beyond two miles are quoted (no examples of either service are known). The firm's address is 93 Chesnut Street, not 83 South Second Street as in the earlier advertisement. Published research by Robson Lowe, Edward T. Harvey, Norman Shachat, Steven M. Roth, Calvet M. Hahn and Dr. Morris has explored the vexing questions of ownership and transition from the predecessor posts to the successor, D. O. Blood & Co.
The significance of the Philadelphia Despatch Post and its stamps is summed up in Dr. Morris’ 2013 Penny Post article: “The Philadelphia Despatch Post was the third entity in the world to produce stamps for prepayment of postage, after Great Britain in 1840, and New York in February 1842. To put this into its proper historical perspective, Switzerland was fourth in March 1843, and Brazil fifth in August 1843. Postmaster provisional stamps in the United States began July 1845, United States federal stamps in July 1847. Moreover, for eighteen months the Philadelphia Despatch Post was the only private post in the United States, and the entire world, dedicated solely to city delivery of letters.”
Ex Caspary, Boker and Haub. With 2019 P.F. certificate stating "genuine usage, the cover without side flaps". There is no Scott value quoted for 15L1 with square margins or tied on cover.
(Greig's) City Despatch Post, New York N.Y., 3c Black on Grayish (40L1). Mint N.H. pair with huge bottom right corner sheet margins, large margins at top and left, detailed impression, Extremely Fine Gem, a superb position pair, light pencil signature and purple handstamp in bottom sheet margin, with copy of 2022 P.F. certificate for a half-sheet of 24, with 2022 P.F. certificate for this pair (Gem 100 Jumbo), Scott value as hinged pair
(Greig's) City Despatch Post, New York N.Y., 3c Black on Grayish (40L1). Huge even margins all around capturing framelines of adjoining stamps, tied by red "FREE" in frame cancel and matching "City Despatch Post N.Y. Mar. 4 1 O'Clock" (1842) Type II double-line circular datestamp on folded cover to N.Y. street address, central file fold
EXTREMELY FINE GEM STAMP ON A FRESH COVER. A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF THE GREIG'S CITY DESPATCH POST ISSUE—THE FIRST STAMP ISSUED IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE.
Ex Knapp. Notes on back indicate this is the earliest known use of the Ty. II datestamp but we offered a Mar. 2 example in Sale 773.
(Cole's) Post Office City Despatch, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Grayish, "CC" at Sides (40L5). Large margins all around, cancelled by red "PAID", two matching strikes of "Cole's City Despatch P.O." large double-circle datestamp, first dated Jul. 10, second Jul. 11 (1848), on blue folded letter addressed in blue to Nassau Street address, small part of contemporary manuscript notes at bottom
EXTREMELY FINE. A CHOICE USE OF THE COLE'S post office CITY DESPATCH 2-CENT "CC" ISSUE ON COVER WITH THE RED DOUBLE-CIRCLE DATESTAMP AND "PAID" CANCEL.
Ex Dr. Kapiloff, Hill and from our 1992 Rarities sale.
Grafflin's Baltimore Despatch, Baltimore Md., 1c Black (73L1). Ample margins to just touching, used with 3c Dull Red, Ty. II (11A), large margins to touching, both stamps tied by blue "Baltimore Md. May 27, 1857" circular datestamp on cover to New York City, 3c stamp has trivial corner crease and toned spot
VERY FINE. A SUPERB TIED EXAMPLE OF THE GRAFFLIN'S DESPATCH STAMP IN COMBINATION WITH THE 3-CENT 1851 ISSUE. ONE OF THE FINEST OF THE FEW TIED COMBINATIONS KNOWN.
Ex Waterhouse, Hollowbush and Schwartz. SCV $4,500.