Sale 9053 — U.S. & Hawaii Postal History
Sale Date — Saturday, 9 May, 2026
Category — General Postal History
Albert Gallatin. Free frank "Albert Gallatin" with Treasury Dept. endorsement on folded printed monthly schedule of bonds payment to collector of customs in New Haven Conn., red "Washn. City Apr. 8" circular datestamp and "Free", some slight splitting along folds, toned spots in corners, otherwise Very Fine
Natchez, Mississippi Territory to West Springfield Mass., 1800. Folded letter datelined May 8, 1800 from Elisha Flowers to his brother Samuel Flowers in West Springfield Mass., without postmarks, Very Fine, a rare early letter from Natchez in the newly formed Mississippi Territory
"NATCHEZ*April*29" (1806), Mississippi Territory. Clear strike of straightline datestamp with manuscript "25" cents over-500 miles rate on folded letter datelined at Natchez April 25, 1806 and written in French, to Baltimore, Very Fine example with the double "*" in the postmark
(British Consular Mail) BOSTON. Clear strike of consular mail straightline handstamp on folded mourning sheet originating in Kingston, Jamaica and dated Dec. 8, 1843 (no location noted inside), to Dublin, Ireland, red "DE 31 1843" diamond-shaped datestamp on back applied in Dublin, also with "America L" struck on back, rated for one shilling due and with no U.S. postal markings, some slight splitting along folds, Very Fine and very unusual use, carried on the Cunard Arcadia, departing Boston Dec. 16, 1843 and arriving Liverpool Dec. 30, when the British introduced West Indies steamship service with a branch line to the U.S. in 1842, they also established consular post offices in five cities in order to try and carry the mails entirely outside of the U.S. postal system, when the American postmaster general became aware of the scheme he protested and the service was closed down
(Image Magnifier)1854, New York to Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land, Australia. Mourning cover with red "New York Am. Pkt. Jun. 17" circular datestamp and addressed to Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land, Australia, magenta "24" credit, 1854 London transit, red "Ship Letter Inwards Free 9 Sep. 1854" handstamp, "Launceston 8 Sep. 1854" backstamp, overall wear and edge tears, otherwise Very Fine, reported to be the earliest known American mourning cover to Tasmania (though we have no way of confirming), the recipient founded the Hobart Guardian newspaper but sold his interest in 1853, the sender must have been unaware of the change of ownership
(Image Magnifier)Fredericksburg Va. Balance. Group of 36 various covers, including some stampless, few with 3c 1851 Issue, latest is about 1910 with most earlier, few faults, some Fine-Very Fine
J. A. Sparks Branch Post Office, New York N.Y. Red "Branch Post Office, J. A. Sparks, 212 Bleecker St." oval handstamp clearly struck on flap of mourning cover to local street address, red "New Milford Ct. Mar. 1" circular datestamp and manuscript "5", with letter datelined Thursday (which fell on March 1st in 1849), small tear in flap just into handstamp, still Very Fine, from the same correspondence as lot 1472 in the Golden sale (Sale 817) and also showing unusual local-post delivery from the post office — two other Sparks covers from this correspondence but addressed to Connecticut were in the Middendorf collection
(Image Magnifier)"Webb & Cos. Express". Sender's manuscript directive on June 17, 1845 folded letter from New Haven to Hartford Conn., manuscript "Free Plant" free frank of express agent, Very Fine, rare, ex Hahn
5c Indian Red (28A). Deep rich color, used with 10c Green, Ty. III (33) with straight edge at top, tied by "New Orleans La. Apr. 6, 1858" circular datestamp on folded cover to Bordeaux, France, red New York 12c credit circular datestamp, French entry datestamp and red boxed "P.D.", transit and receiving backstamps, sliver of address panel cut out affecting New York and one French datestamp, still Fine and scarce use of the 5c 1858 Indian Red on cover, with 2026 P.F. certificate, SCV $5,250
24c Gray Lilac (37). Tied by large Boston "Paid" grid cancel on Sep. 25, 1860 folded letter to Dundee, Scotland, red "19" credit handstamp, "Boston Br. Pkt. Sep. 25" circular datestamp, receiving backstamp, stamp with small crease at bottom left which is barely detectable, Very Fine, SCV $1,000 on cover to England
3c Rose (65). Bright color, tied by very unusual large circle of wedges in circle, matching "New-York Feb. 26, 1863" double-circle datestamp on all-over Niagara Fire Insurance Co. illustrated advertising cover to New Haven Conn., fresh and Very Fine, a beautiful cover, 2011 P.F. certificate no longer accompanies
12c Black (69). Horizontal strip of three, centered to top, used with three 3c Rose (65), one 3c defective, another with perfs trimmed on one side and perf faults on another, tied by grids and by Pa. town circular datestamp on 1866 buff cover to Asst. Engineer Kingsley on the U.S.S. Shenandoah, Malay Peninsula, Singapore, red New York Br. Pkt. and London transit datestamps, red "40" cents credit to G.B. and crayon "1" shilling colonial credit, Fine appearance and a rare destination at this time, particularly for a strip of the 12c 1861, paid the 45c rate by British Mails via Southampton
6c Carmine, H. Grill (137). Vertical strip of three, straight edge at right, grill points especially clear on top two stamps, tied by New York Foreign Mail Geometric, red "New York Jun. 14" circular datestamp on cover to Ireland, 1873 receiving backstamp, bottom stamp affected by small filing hole, cover expertly silked, still Fine and scarce use
6c Carmine (148). Horizontal strip of three with full "National Bank Note Co. New York" imprint in top sheet selvage, rich color, slight crease in selvage only, tied by cork cancels, "Richmond Va. Nov. 5" (1872) circular datestamp and "Registered" framed handstamp on cover with printed address to C. E. Hartung (hair and wig dealers) in New York City, blue company receiving datestamp, Very Fine, a remarkable franking for the 3c rate plus 15c registry fee, almost certainly unique with the imprint, ex Ainsworth and "Andromeda"
6c Carmine (148). Wide straddle-pane margin with guide arrow at left, rich color, cancelled by perfect strike of blue Star fancy cancel with matching "Chicago & Dun(leith) R.P.O. Jul. 19" circular datestamp on cover to Montreal, Canada, 1871 receiving backstamp, small repair in cover edge at bottom left, otherwise Very Fine, ex "Andromeda", 2003 P.F. certificate no longer accompanies
6c Lincoln Bank Note Issue Covers. 14 items, including nice group of No. 148 with New York Foreign Mail Geometric cancels with uses to Ireland and England, one used as a Revenue on a bank check with herringbone cancel, also No. 137 on Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance corner card cover (top right corner of cover missing), strip of three of No. 159 to Sweden, two covers with No. 208, few faults, overall appear Fine-Very Fine
3c Green (158). Tied by "Philadelphia Pa. Feb. 23 6PM" duplex datestamp and cork cancel on oatmeal cover to Boston, with "Centennial Exhibition" engraved design, depicting Memorial Hall, Exhibition Hall and Horticultural Hall, jackets and hosiery dealer's imprint at left, minor cover scrape at left, still Very Fine, a wonderful design
3c Green (158). Tied by "Philadelphia Pa. May 13 11AM" duplex datestamp and cork cancel on cover to Hollidaysburg Pa. with Centennial Exposition engraved design, "1776. Centennial open May 10th to November 10th." at top, hotel corner card at left, cover with small tear at upper left, still Very Fine and a nice design
3c Green (158). Two covers, each with Centennial Exposition Memorial Hall engraved design on front and overall engraving of of the "International Exhibition" on backs, the latter depicting the main Exhibition building, one cover also with Colonnade Hotel imprint, addressed to Boston Mass. and Cape Island N.J. respectively, hotel cover with some minor corner wear, Very Fine appearing pair of beautifully illustrated covers
Centennial R.P.O., Phil'a, Pa., Sep 27, 1876. Clear strike of rimless circular datestamp (Bomar P76-03) and "B.H. FARQUHAR" straightline handstamp on railway facing slip with printed "IOWA." direction and "Note Errors and Return all labels to J Jameson, Asst Supt R.M.S., Centennial Branch Post Office, Philadelphia.", Very Fine and rare
2c Red, Ty. IV (279B). Natural straight edge at right, tied by circular datestamp and also by "Yarmouth N.S. May 5, 1897" duplex datestamp on mourning cover originating in Nova Scotia and sent to Ottawa, Canada, also used with Canada 3c Small Queen stamp, sender's directive "per S.S. Yarmouth", Very Fine and very rare use from Nova Scotia to Ottawa via Boston, this non-standard route combining the stamps of two countries was meant to expedite delivery, approximately a half dozen are known sent this method and this is the only mourning cover among them
(Image Magnifier)1c Green, Filstrup Private Perforation (314). Pair, tied by "Benton Harbor Mich. Jan. 12, 1916" machine cancel on Covel Mfg. Co. cover addressed to Mrs. Filstrup, some cover wrinkling, left stamp tiny nick at top margin, Very Fine, scarce, these were produced by Filstrup using a Rossback perforating machine, ex Belasco
1911, September 23-October 1, Garden City-Mineola, New York International Aviation Tournament (AAMC 3a). 1c Franklin tied by "Aeroplane Station No. 1, Garden City Estates, N.Y. Sep. 30, 1911 A.M." duplex datestamp with "AERIAL SPECIAL DESPATCH" handstamp on cover to Brooklyn N.Y., fresh and Very Fine, AAMC value $250
Flight Covers. Nine covers, variety of frankings and uses, includes pair C13 with plate no., one with clipped corners, see our website PDF
20c Black, Special Delivery (E14). Two covers, each bearing a single stamp tied to separate 5c entire and 3c UPU postal card by "Washington D.C. Oct. 1, 1926" First Day of Treaty Rate circular datestamp with "5" in oval grid duplex, both to Stockholm, Sweden, serviced by Henry Hammelman, Very Fine and rare, Lewis Kaufman records only four hand-addressed entires and two typed postal cards prepared for this First Day Treaty Rate
Officials and Customs Covers Balance. Seven, including O73 strip of three from Camden Me., O74 paier on legal-size cover from Dubuque Iowa, cover with Nos. O73 and O77 used in maine, Nos. 264 and 279 on cover to Philippines with blue boxed "Contents Nondutiable 12 Customs Examined" handstamp, some faults, some Fine-Very Fine