Sale 1375 — The Nick Kardasis Collection of the 1869 Pictorial Issue, Part One
Sale Date — Tuesday, 21 April, 2026
Category — Fancy Cancellations and Illustrated Covers-Pictorial Cancels
1c Buff (112). Rich color, cancelled by clear strike of Horse in Hat fancy cancel of Union Mills Pa. (Skinner-Eno PA-D 1), struck sideways on the stamp, stamp with some toning not noted on certificate
EXTREMELY FINE STRIKE OF THE UNION MILLS HORSE IN HAT FANCY CANCEL. ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE SUBJECTS AND DESIGNS WE HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE ON THE ONE-CENT STAMP.
Union Mills, Pennsylvania, was the source of several remarkable fancy cancel designs in the 1869-71 period, including the "KKK" Skull & Crossbones, Kleagle Mask (two versions) and the Horse in Hat designs. All indicate Ku Klux Klan activity in this Western Pennsylvania town during the immediate post-war Reconstruction period. John H. Beardsley was the postmaster for a brief period of time — February 9, 1870, to March 16, 1871 — which coincides with the creation and use of the Ku Klux Klan cancellations.
The image of the horse in a human hat is rooted in the secret Society of the Horseman's Word in Scotland. The Ku Klux Klan, established in the defeated South after the Civil War, took its name from the clans of Scotland and used a highly selective view of Scottish history to support its philosophy. Some of the rituals of the Scottish fraternal organization were adopted by Klansmen.
The May 2015 Cancellation Club News contained an article on Union Mills cancels by Clifford Woodward. He records one on cover (offered in our Sale 1063, lot 1484) and two off cover. The other off cover is on a 3c stamp (ex Eno). Of the thousands of fancy cancels included in their book, the authors of the Skinner-Eno book chose only nine to illustrate the front cover, which included this design.
With 1999 P.F. certificate.
1c Buff (112). Bright color, cancelled by clear strike of Cavalry Boot in Circle fancy cancel (unlisted in Skinner-Eno), small thin spot at top right, Extremely Fine strike of this unusual fancy cancel, the design of the boot looks like a fold-down riding (or cavalry) boot, though the P.F. declined to specify the type of boot, with 1994 and 1999 P.F. certificates
3c Ultramarine (114). Cancelled by detailed strike of "KKK", Skull & Crossbones fancy cancel of Union Mills Pa., (Skinner-Eno PH-S 29)
EXTREMELY FINE STAMP AND STRIKE OF THE UNION MILLS "KKK", SKULL AND CROSSBONES FANCY CANCEL.
Union Mills, Pennsylvania, was the source of several remarkable fancy cancel designs in the 1869-71 period, including the "KKK" Skull & Crossbones, Kleagle Mask (two versions) and the Horse in Hat designs. All indicate Ku Klux Klan activity in this Western Pennsylvania town during the immediate post-war Reconstruction period. John H. Beardsley was the postmaster for a brief period of time — February 9, 1870, to March 16, 1871 — which coincides with the creation and use of the Ku Klux Klan cancellations.
Ex Dr. Takahashi. With 1994 P.F. certificate.
3c Ultramarine (114). Cancelled by bold strike of Pumpkin Face fancy cancel (Skinner-Eno PH-P 12), Extremely Fine strike of this unusual fancy cancel which shows the classic Jack-o-lantern jagged teeth, with 1998 P.F. certificate
3c Ultramarine (114). Rich color, cancelled by perfect strike of Pumpkin Face fancy cancel (Skinner-Eno PH-P 22), Extremely Fine strike, illustrated in Feb. 1979 1869 Times on p. 15, ex Horowitz (Wolffers Dec. 1975 auction), with 1998 P.F. certificate
3c Ultramarine (114). Rich color, choice centering, cancelled by perfect strike of Bearded Man (resembles Napoleon on French stamps) fancy cancel of Corry Pa. (Skinner-Eno PH-F 87)
EXTREMELY FINE STAMP AND STRIKE OF THIS RARE BEARDED MAN FANCY CANCEL OF CORRY, PENNSYLVANIA, WHICH RESEMBLES PORTRAITS OF NAPOLEON ON FRENCH STAMPS.
The Skinner-Eno book does not list the origin of this fancy cancel. A cover bearing a pair of 3c 1869 Pictorials with this cancel surfaced in 1981, providing its origin. The stamp offered here was the right stamp in a strip of five illustrated in the 1869 Times (No. 29, May 1983, p. 12). This is by far the finest strike of the five, several of which are blurry.
Ex Gore, Eno, Jennings and Gross. With 2019 P.F. certificate.
3c Ultramarine (114). Cancelled by perfect clear strike of "Shoe Fly" fancy cancel of Kittrell N.C. (Skinner-Eno PA-Is 5), depicting a shoe and a fly, Extremely Fine strike of this marvelous cancel on a sound stamp, the children's song of the same name was written by Thomas Brigham Bishop (who also wrote "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" and other famous patriotic songs), the words were later changed to "I belong to somebody" from "I belong to Company G", a reference to a black detachment commanded by Bishop, with 1998 P.F. certificate
3c Ultramarine (114). Rich color, bold strike of Eagle fancy cancel of Cambridge Mass. (Skinner-Eno PA-B 23), Extremely Fine strike on an attractive stamp, ex Cole (Sale 689, lot 852), with 2011 P.F. certificate
6c Ultramarine (115). Rich color, cancelled by clear strike of blue Bluebird fancy cancel of Rockford Ill. (Skinner-Eno PA-B 17), trace of matching circular datestamp at left, stamp with small internal paper break in grill area, Very Fine strike of this scarce fancy cancel, with 1996 P.F. certificate
3c Ultramarine (114). Rich color complemented by bold strike of blue Beer Mug fancy cancel of Galena Ill. (Skinner-Eno PO-Bm 1a), Extremely Fine strike of this scarce fancy cancel, with 1998 P.F. certificate