Sale 1316 — United States Postal History
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 19-20 March, 2024
Category — Confederate Postmasters' Provisionals
Charleston S.C., 5c Blue (16X1). Full margins to just in at top, barest trace of cancel, light corner crease, small toned spot, Fine appearance
Knoxville Tenn., 5c Blue, Cut Square (47XU1). Unused, margins to just touched at right, tiny tear, corner creasing, slight overall toning, otherwise Fine, scarce, with 1978 P.F. certificate, Scott value as entire $3,000
Galveston Tex., 5c Black entire (98XU1). Clear strike of ornately-framed “PAID” handstamp with separate “5” numeral handstamp, “Galveston Tex. Jun. 22, 1860” double-circle datestamp (yeardate in error should be 1861), on cover to New Orleans, cover with some expert repairs, Very Fine strike and nice appearance
Galveston Tex., 10c Black entire (98XU2). Partly clear strike of provisional marking with separate "10" numeral handstamp, "Galveston Tex. Sep. 29" double-circle datestamp on oatmeal cover to Anderson Tex., unusually fresh and clean, Very Fine and scarce, with 1977 P.F. certificate
Galveston Tex., 10c Black entire (98XU3). Clear strike of provisional handstamp at top right, partly clear "Galveston Tex. Sep. 10" double-circle datestamp on glazed paper cover to Chappell Hill Tex., some slight toning, edgewear and diagonal crease, still Fine and scarce
Galveston Tex., 5c Black entire (98XU5). Three separate provisional handstamps comprising "Galveston Tex." dateless double-circle with "5" numeral rate handstamp in center and "PAID" struck to left on yellow cover to Mrs. John Adriance at Columbia Tex. with embossed druggist's return card on flap, mostly clear "Galveston Tex. Oct. 8, 1861" double-circle datestamp, with original letter describing evacuation of Galveston and devastation to other towns, tiny nick at bottom, otherwise in excellent condition
VERY FINE. THE DISCOVERY COPY AND STILL THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE GALVESTON POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL ENTIRE WITH "PAID 5" AND DOUBLE-CIRCLE DATESTAMP CONFIGURATION, SCOTT 98XU5.
Ex Birkinbine and acquired by the consignor in Sale 795 in 1997. With 1985 P.F. certificate stating "genuine provisional usage" -- issued before this was added to the Scott Catalogue as 98XU5.
Galveston Tex. Jan. 18. Double-circle datestamp with "PAID" and "10" handstamps on buff cover to Brenham Tex., forwarded back to Galveston with pair 5c Blue, Local (7), tied by "Brenham Tex. 2? Jan. circular datestamp, pair is affixed over the Galveston markings and folded back for display, forwarding instructions at top, cover with some edge wear, Fine appearing Texas forwarded use
Memphis Tenn., 5c Red, Tête-Bêche Pair (56X2a). Produced from one of the two head-to-head vertical tête-bêche pairs from Positions 5/7 in the top rows of two impressions, clear to large margins on two sides, just touched or in on others, tied by neat "Memphis Ten. Aug. 20, 1861" circular datestamp on buff cover to Miss Sarah Barron, in care of R. H. Barron at Bayou Sara La., pair affixed over manuscript "Via New Orleans" route directive (Bayou Sara was a dockside settlement about 100 miles from New Orleans), vertical file fold clear of stamps, small edge tears, one of which affects stamps
FINE AND RARE. ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED TÊTE-BÊCHE PAIRS ON COVER, AND THE ONLY COVER RECORDED WITH THE STAMPS HEAD TO HEAD.
If we count only the tête-bêche printing varieties and exclude the multiples which contain sideways positions on the plate, there are just three recorded examples of the Memphis 5c provisional tête-bêche. Each is a pair on cover, and each shows a unique orientation. The vertical pair on the cover offered here has the impressions aligned head to head. The other two are a foot-to-foot vertical pair and a side-to-side horizontal pair. These tête-bêche multiples were created during the work-and-turn printing process. They differ from the sideways tête-bêche multiples, which reflect the unusual 5c plate layout. The sideways multiples are only known in unused condition.
Ex Ferrary, Walcott, Alex Hall and "D.K." collection. With 1992 C.S.A. certificate.
New Orleans La., 5c Brown on White (62X3). Vertical pair, large margins to just in at bottom, tied by perfect strike of "New Orleans La. 8 Aug." (1861) circular datestamp on folded letter sheet to Kingston Ga., "Via Chattanooga" at top, minor wrinkling, fresh and Very Fine, Scott value $900