Sale 1316 — United States Postal History
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 19-20 March, 2024
Category — Confederate Patriotics thru Handstamped Paid and Due Covers
"CHAMPION PRIZE ENVELOPE LINCOLN & DAVIS IN 5 ROUNDS". Five unused envelopes with cartoon designs comprising the original "5 Rounds" prize fight between U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and C.S.A. President Jefferson Davis, in black on white, imprints at bottom left "Published by J. H. TINGLEY 1521/2 Fulton St. N. Y." and at bottom right "Entered according to Act of Congress in the Year 1861 by T. S. Peirce in the Clerks Office of the Southern District of New York", some minor creasing or wrinkling, Very Fine and fantastic group
1869 3c Lincoln, Fisk Mills Postal Currency Envelope Essay on Wove (Undersander E804c). Surface printed design in Red and Green on Yellow wove paper, 152 x 89mm, wonderful design with Lincoln at left and large "3" over the address lines—the idea being that addressing the envelope would cancel it, light horizontal crease, still Very Fine, this is printed on wove paper, not on an envelope like Nos. E804a and E804b, Undersander incorrectly describes this as a front but it is the complete essay
"Our Homes" Confederate Patriotic Design. Unused cover with red, blue and black "Our Homes" and "Protection" Pictorial Confederate Patriotic design (MS-3), remarkable detailed allegorical scene of Confederate soldier defending family and country at top with 11-Star Flag and full horn of plenty, and Northerner at bottom with broken bust of Abraham Lincoln, "taxation" and slave with U.S. flag and empty horn of plenty, fresh with only very minor small toned specks at right
VERY FINE. ONE OF ONLY A HANDFUL OF EXAMPLES -- EITHER USED OR UNUSED -- OF THIS FASCINATING AND ELABORATELY DESIGNED PICTORIAL PATRIOTIC COVER.
Among Confederate Patriotic cover designs, the two which stand out most prominently, due to their exceptional imagery and messages, are the "Hanging Lincoln" design and this "Our Homes" design. There are only two recorded used examples of this design, which are ex Dr. Brandon (Sale 1087, lot 109) and ex Kilbourne (Sale 1186, lot 557). This is one of probably fewer than five unused examples. At least two of the other unused covers show more significant toning.
Ex Malpass and Ambassador Middendorf.
Robert E. Lee. Endorsement "R E Lee" under "Engineer Department" written in another hand on 1837 folded cover as member of the Corps of Engineers, to Tuckertown N.J., red "Washington City D.C. Apr. 26" circular datestamp and matching "FREE" handstamp, cover addressed and endorsed (in a different hand) "War Dept." and signed at top left, light file folds affect signature
very fine. a choice example of robert e. lee's signature on an 1837 engineer department cover.
Lee did not himself enjoy free franking privileges. He signed this cover as member of the Army's Engineer Department—the free franking was allowed under the War Department franking signature.
Ex Dr. Robertson.
5c Brown, Ty. II (30A). Horizontal strip of three, tied by "New Orleans La. 7 Apr." (1861) Confederate State circular datestamps on folded address sheet to Montrejeau, France, well-struck "SHORT PAID" in octagonal frame handstamp, "Boston Apr. 17 6" debit datestamp, red Calais entry datestamp (May 1) and "16" decimes due handstamp, transit and receiving backstamps, perfs scissors-separated barely blunting perfs at lower right, still Very Fine and unusual Confederate State use of United States stamps, probably marked short paid due to weight, with 2019 P.F. certificate
Galveston Tex. Mar. 14, 1861. Partly clear but readable strike of double-circle datestamp ties two 3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26), affixed foot-to-foot on buff newspaper wrapper to Rocky Hill Conn., May 23, 1861 answer docketing at left and original letter datelined at Galveston on Mar. 14, sending a copy of the Texas Advocate and requesting from his wife a copy of the Hartford Daily Post, reduced at left, one stamp with couple pulled perfs, Fine and interesting Confederate State use of U.S. postage
Charlottesville Va. Apr. 17, 1861—First Day of Virginia Independent Statehood. Clear strike of blue double-circle datestamp, matching grid cancels 3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26) on small mourning-bordered cover to Palmer's Springs Va., stamp with double perfs at sides, Extremely Fine, a choice example of this historic use, the Virginia Ordinance of Secession was passed by the legislature on April 17th, Trish Kaufmann records five covers with this date (this is probably the finest), ex Judd, with 1999 C.S.A. certificate
Savannah Ga. Apr. 29, 1861. Strike of circular datestamp at left with grid ties 3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26) on cover to Talbotton Ga. and forwarded to military address at Richmond Va., forwarding postage paid by a second 3c 1857, bold "Talbotton Ga. May 2, 1861" double-circle datestamp, "Forwarded" in oval handstamp, minor edgewear, Fine, very rare and unusual usage with U.S. stamps used from two different Confederate post offices, the forwarding address is military so presumably the recipient enlisted while this was in transit, ex Chase, Meroni, Freeland, Weill Brothers and Powell
Galveston Tex. May 22, 1861. Double-circle datestamp with "1860" year error, matching grid cancels 3c Red on White Star Die entire to East Plainfield N.H., fresh and Very Fine Confederate use
Richmond Va. May 31, 1861—Last Day of U.S. Rates. Bold strike of circular datestamp ties 3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26) on cover to Milwood Va., missing small part of top flap, Very Fine, a desirable use on the last day U.S. stamps were valid in the Confederacy, Richmond became the capital of the Confederacy two days before this was used, ex Myerson and Corwin
Staunton Va. Jun. 1, 1861—First Day of the Confederate States Postal System. Bold strike of circular datestamp, matching "PAID" and "5" handstamps on cover with 3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26), pen cancelled, to Richmond Va., few age spots, Very Fine and very unusual, this was the first day of the new 10c rate and the 3c stamp was not accepted as postage, essentially making this an "old stamps not recognized" use on the first day of the new postal system, ex Caukins and Corwin
Tuscaloosa Ala. Oct. 5. Circular datestamp and "Paid 5" handstamp on University of Alabama overall lithographed cover to Demopolis Ala., missing part of backflap which also causes a small tear at top right, otherwise Very Fine, small Dietz backstamp and notation that this was sold in Siegel Sale 74 in 1941 (for $250 hammer)
Atseena Otie Fla. Sept. 15 (1861). Bold strike of circular datestamp with matching "PAID" straightline and "5" rate in circle handstamps on cover to Paulding Miss. (less than 500 miles), manuscript "Via Mobile" routing which was not followed due to the change in mail routes necessitated by the Gulf blockade, sent via Florida Railroad to Baldwin and then via Memphis where "DUE 5" struck for over-500 miles rate, minor soiling, Very Fine, reported to be one of three uprated Confederate covers sent by train rather than the Gulf route, the unique example from Confederate Atseena Otie (now Cedar Key Fla.), made more desirable by the rare combination of markings and routing, ex Bogg and Dr. Briggs, C.S.A. Catalog value $1,500
Okolona Miss. Aug. 23. Bold strike of circular datestamp with small "PAID" in frame and "5" handstamps on small cover with red and blue 10-Star Confederate Flag and Liberty Cap Patriotic design, (F10-15), addressed to Tuscaloosa Ala., Very Fine and extremely rare 10-Star Flag design, which has antecedents with 7-Star and 8-Star designs, as well as a subsequent 11-Star design, this is the only example of this 10-Star design listed in Power Search, ex Dr. Skinner and Hill, C.S.A. Catalog value $7,500