Sale 55: United States Postal History

Lot 742    

Military Related Mail Including Naval, group of 15 covers and two letters including 1835 John Rogers free frank as Navy Commissioner, 1846 Springfield Ill. to Capt. in Mexico during Mexican war, two St. Louis Mo. free on service uses to military officers, 1818 George Armistead free frank (Commander of Fort McHenry during War of 1812) to U.S. Arsenal near Baltimore, some additional Navy Agents Office and Navy Commissioner Office free usages, few 20th century covers, letters include 1846 George Bancroft ALS and 1865 Apr. 28th Office of Provost Marshal General Dept. of Missouri letter with great content concerning sentiment of Lincoln's Assassination and the killing of CSA supporters rejoicing afterwards, etc. (no photo).
Estimate    $400 - 600.

Realized: $1,100

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Lot 743    

[Navy] The Board of Navy Commissioners, group of 17 covers or fronts, includes all listed Commissioner free franks: John Rodgers, David Porter, Stephen Decatur (front), Isaac Chauncey, Charles Morris, William Bainbridge, Lewis Warrington, Daniel Patterson and William Montgomery Crane, some letters; some faults, F.-V.F., ex-Richard Graham Collection.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

Realized: $750

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Lot 744    

[Navy] Bureau Free Franks, group of 20 covers comprising Bureau of Construction & Equipment: Charles Morris, W. Brantford Shlibrick, Lewis Hamilton; Bureau of Yards & Docks: Lewis Warrington, C.R.P. Rodgers (2) and Navy Yard NYC Commandant's Office official business handstamp use, B. of Ordnance & Hydrography: Duncan N. Ingraham; B. of Provisions & Clothing: Charles W. Goldsborough, B. of Medicine & Surgery: two William P.C. Barton, Thomas Harris, Philip Lansdale, B. of Navigation Chiefs: C.H. Davis on cover to his wife with two #65s, two T.A. Jenkins, and Clerk Benjamin F. Greene, B. of Equipment & Recruiting: imprint drop envelope bearing 1¢ #63, B. of Steam Engineering: Chief Charles H. Haswell prepaid "Charge Engineering Chief" imprint envelope used during brownout period, 1869 James W. King mourning cover use, some with letters; some faults, F.-V.F., ex-Richard Graham Collection.
Estimate    $600 - 800.

The Act of Congress in 1842 that reorganized the Navy Department administrative structure into five Bureaus replacing the Board of Navy Commissioners. The Act of Congress July 5th 1862, to cope with Civil War needs, expanded the organization into eight bureaus. The Chiefs of each Bureau had the franking privilege, with many being very scarce.

Realized: $900

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Lot 745    

[Navy] Naval Accountant and Chief Clerk Free Franks, group of 14 covers including Naval Accountants: four comprising three Thomas Turner and one 1816 Constant Freeman; and Chief Clerks: 1831 John Boyle probably as acting Secretary, 1843 A. Thomas Smith, 1849 handstamped Chief Clerk cover without frank, John Etheridge, 1861 Hobart Berrien, 1864 and 1865 William Faxon, Edgar T. Welles and Holmes E. Offley; some mixed condition, F.-V.F., ex-Richard Graham Collection.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

The Office of the Accountant of the Navy was created by an Act of Congress on July 16th 1798 and lasted until the position was transferred to the Treasury Dept. as the 4th auditor in 1817. The position of Chief Clerk was authorized by the Act creating the Navy Dept. in 1798, but did not have the franking privilege until 1847. Many covers are known with the Chief Clerks free frank as acting Secretary.

Realized: $375

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Lot 746    

[Post Office] Assistant Postmaster General Free Franks, group of 50 covers including the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Assistants and some clerks, includes 1st Assist.: 1798 Charles Burrall free frank cover, Abraham Bradley Jr. (3), Charles Gardner (2), Selah R. Hobbie (2), S.D. Jacobs (2), Horatio King (2), St. John B.L. Skinner (2 handstamped), 2nd Assist.: Seth Pease, Phineas Bradley, Selah R. Hobbie (2), Robert Johnston, Philo. C. Fuller, William Medill, William J. Brown (3), etc. and 3rd: Daniel Coleman, John Stuart Skinner, John Marron (2), a nice group of A.N. Zevely with 5 handstamped franks, etc.; also includes Chief Clerks William H. Dundas (3) and John Oakford, and Superintendent of Foreign Mails Joseph Blackfan, includes some enclosures and circulars dealing with postal matters; some faults, a F.-V.F. group, ex-Richard Graham Collection.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

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Lot 747    

[Post Office] Postmaster Free Franks, group of 23 covers with and without franks, many enclosures, includes Philadelphia, Washington D.C. Thomas Munroe, Louisville John J. Speed h.s., St. Louis F.O. Castle, Gideon Welles as Postmaster of Hartford Ct., etc., F.-V.F., an interesting group, ex-Richard Graham Collection.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

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Lot 748    

[Post Office] Postmaster General Mail and Free Franks, group of seven covers comprising 1837 letter to Troy N.Y. postmaster signed by Amos Kendall, 1841 part printed circular to Woodwick Me. signed by Francis Granger, two 1874 Montgomery Blair free franks, cover free franked by Edward Everett to Blair as PMG in Washington D.C., 1860s Alexander W. Randall handstamped free frank cover, and 1870s John A.J. Creswell; some faults, F.-V.F., ex-Richard Graham Collection.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

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Lot 749    

[State] Assistant Secretary of State Free Franks, group of three comprising 1855 John Addison Thomas on legal size cover that ended up being paid 9¢ triple rate; 1860 William Henry Trescot to James Chestnut in Camden S.C.; and F.W. Seward on Dept. of State imprint cover to Syracuse N.Y.; some flaws, F.-V.F. and scarce group, ex-Richard Graham Collection.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $240

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Lot 750    

[State] Department of State Chief Clerk Free Franks, group of 7 plus 1885 penalty cover and 1852 Agency of French Spoilage Claims circular, chief clerks comprise: Daniel Brent as acting Sec. of State, William S. Derrick, William J. Hunter on two size shaded blue covers and third on chief clerk imprint cover, R.S. Chew handstamp and manuscript covers, mixed condition, F.-V.F., ex-Richard Graham Collection.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $270

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Lot 751    

[State] Patent Office Free Franks, group of 7 free franks and one incoming cover comprising 1834 J.D. Craig as Superintendent of Patents, 1838 cover to Commissioner of Patents Henry L. Ellsworth with interesting "T" blue label affixed; 1837 and 1842 free franks from H. Ellsworth, 1847 and 1848 Edmund Burke free franks on official envelopes as Com. of Patents before 1849 transfer to the Interior Dept. with original enclosures, 1841 J.W. Hand as Chief Clerk of Patent Office, and 1845 H.H. Sylvester as Chief Clerk; couple faults, F.-V.F. and scarce group, ex-Richard Graham Collection.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

The Patent Office was started by Thomas Jefferson while Sec. of State, and the early franked covers on patent matters are franked by the Secretaries. The Superintendent of Patents was granted the franking privilege in 1827. The Patent Office was transferred to the newly formed Department of the Interior when that department was formed in 1849.

Realized: $325

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