Lot
1374 
Confederacy, North Carolina Independent State Usage. U.S. 1857 3¢ dull red tied by neat blue grid with matching "Raleigh, N.C./May 20, 1861" double circle postmark, the day of North Carolina's secession, on cover to Carroll Hoy & Co., New Orleans; opening tears at top, otherwise Very Fine. An exceedingly rare and important South Carolina Independent State usage.. Scott No. 26 Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
North Carolina is the rarest of the Independent State usages as it was independent for just seven days before being admitted to the Confederacy.
Realized: $950
Lot
1375
Confederacy, North Carolina Independent State Usage. U.S. 3¢ Star Die entire postmarked "Wilmington, N.C./May 22" cds to Norristown, Pa.; then "Dead Letter Office/ Confederate States of America/ Aug 25" mostly clear strike (type I) large oval handstamp with manuscript record no. "S-54-1"; flap missing, Very Fine, An exceedingly rare marking on what is already a rare N.C. Independent State usage. Estimate $750 - 1,000.
Though seemingly a bit early, this was probably the result of across-the-lines mail service being suspended which resulted in nearly all mail being sent to the Dead Letter Office.
Realized: $5,250
Lot
1376
Confederacy, Texas Independent State Usage. U.S. 1857 3¢ dull red tied by neat "Austin, Tex./Mar 5, 1861" cds, last day of Texas' Independent Statehood on cover to Carroll Hoy & Co., New Orleans, fresh and Very Fine. Scott No. 26 Estimate $400 - 600.
Realized: $3,250
Lot
1377
Confederacy, U.S. used in the Confederacy, 1857, 3¢ dull red. Tied by neat "New Orleans, La./Mar 3, 1861" cds on cover to Carroll Hoy & Co., New Orleans, endorsed "Frght, Valuable" and "'I.M. Roberts'", the latter indicating that the letter was carried on the Confederate Mail Boat of that name, originating upriver and being posted in New Orleans, Extremely Fine and rare. Scott No. 26 Estimate $500 - 750.
Realized: $1,050
Lot
1378
Confederacy, U.S. used in the Confederacy, 1857, 3¢ dull red. Tied by neat "Mobile, Ala./May 21, 1861" cds on cover to Carroll Hoy & Co., New Orleans, Extremely Fine and choice. Scott No. 26 Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $140
Lot
1379
Confederacy, U.S. used in the Confederacy, 1857, 3¢ dull red. Tied by neat "Carrolton, Miss./Mar 2, 1861" cds on cover to Carroll Hoy & Co., New Orleans, manuscript instruction "S-B" (Steam Boat), Extremely Fine. Scott No. 26 Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $160
Lot
1380
Confederacy, Southern Letter Unpaid. Amber envelope postmarked blue "Charlottesville, Va./Jun 19, 1861" cds and "Paid 10" (type IC) to Louisville, Ky. "Via Nashville", additionally franked with a U.S. 1857 3¢ dull red canceled in Louisville by blue grid with matching handstamped "DUE 3", the "3" in manuscript tying the stamp; reduced slightly at top clipping corner of stamp, edge stains and repaired tear at upper left, otherwise Fine and most unusual. Estimate $200 - 300.
As of June 24, 1861, the Louisville postmaster was ordered to treat "letters from the South to loyal states as unpaid…" and to remove any old stamps from the envelopes. Rather than have his clerks undertake to remove the stamps from thousands of pieces of mail, he decided to cancel them instead, improvising a two-line handstamp that read "SOUTH.N LETTER UNPAID". This letter arrived in Louisville just prior to the inception of the handstamp and resulted in 3¢ postage due being paid by the recipient.
Realized: $850