Sale 60: The Westpex Auction

Lot 2613    

(Postal Card Forerunner) Fire Association of Philadelphia, postal card forerunner depicting fire hose and hydrant, with 2¢ black, F. grill (93), tied by ring cancel duplexed with "Carrier, Dec 20, 4th" cds, addressed to local street address, 1869 dating, Very Fine and choice; with 2014 P.F. certificate.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

A RARE EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE EARLIEST FORERUNNERS OF U.S. POSTAL CARDS BEARING THE 2¢ BLACK JACK.

This is one of the earliest used examples of a private business post card. The Fire Association of Philadelphia used them for mailings to policy holders informing them of the upcoming policy expiration date. They were written up by Charles A. Fricke in Postal Stationery, Jan-Feb 1976 on pages 27-30.

Realized: $1,300

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Lot 2614    

(Postal Card Forerunner) Hyman L. Lipman, Philadelphia, Forerunner Postal Card Essay (Unstated Value) Light Blue on White Wove, bearing 1¢ ultramarine (145) tied by segmented cork cancel, addressed to West Chester Pa., reverse with printed Philadelphia dry goods advertisement on reverse; light tone spot at lower right, still Very Fine. UPSS No. UX1E-B var.
Estimate    $4,000 - 6,000.

AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE POSTAL USE OF THE LIPMAN FORERUNNER ESSAY, ONLY A FEW USED EXAMPLES ARE BELIEVED TO EXIST.

Although Lipman applied for a patent, it was never allowed as entrepreneur John P. Charleton of Philadelphia had already secured copyright for the earliest private mailing card in 1861. Most Lipman cards as a result contain fine print contributing legal credit to J.P. Charlton. There is reason to believe that, in time, Charleton himself came to to condone "Lipman's Postal Cards" because eventually he used them for his own correspondence. Lipman was the first to carry through the first commercial application of the private mailing cards, years prior to the Government issued Postal Card in May 1873. It should be noted that although the United States invented the postal card, Austria would be the first to issue one. By the end of 1870, Great Britain, Wurttemmberg, Finland and Switzerland would follow suit. Following legislation in 1872, Lipman cards were confiscated by post offices and sent to the Dead Letter Office, thus explaining the rarity of existing used examples.

A companion card with identical message is illustrated in Fricke's "A Contemporary Account of the First United States Postal Card 1870-75" on page 6. The recent Siegel auction of the Georgian Collection of United States Postal Cards had a similar example of this used Lipman forerunner essay that realized $7,187.

Realized: $7,500

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Lot 2615    

(Postal Card Forerunner) Union Adams, Men's Furnishing Goods, New York, light pink private post card bearing 1¢ ultramarine (156) tied by cork cancel, addressed to Wyoming Pa., F.-V.F., a scarce private card.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $450

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Lot 2616    

(Postal Card Forerunner) Dimmitt's Cough Balsam, Meyer Bros. Drug Co., Kansas City Mo., folded three-panel multicolor private card with Jan. 24th 1884 printed notice bearing 1¢ gray blue (206) tied by "Kansas City Mo." cds to Cleveland Oh., patented by Wm. Leckman's, notice announces new headquarters for Meyer Bros., Very Fine.
Estimate    $400 - 600.

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Lot 2617    

(Postal Card Essays) American Post Card Co., New York, Forerunner Postal Card Essay (Unstated Value) Dark Green on Buff, mint, folded out for display, Very Fine. UPSS No. UX1E-Ea.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

This is one of only three cards approved by the U.S. Patent Office. Patent #51,623 was grated to Charles A. Rowland of Clinton, Ill. on December 19th 1865; Rowland later applied to improve his design with Patent #117818 on August 8th 1871, and then assigned his rights to the American Post Card Company. The message is intended to be written on the inner side of the lower panel, then folded and sealed by the top and side flaps.

Realized: $160

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Lot 2618 E   

(Postal Card Essays) Morgan Envelope Co., Springfield Mass., 1875 Postal Card Essay, 1¢ Black on Card, style with "Write the address on this side : The message on the other" at top and "Morgan Envelope Co. Springfield, Mass." at bottom, bright and crisp, Very Fine.
U.S. Post Card Catalog No. UX4E-E    $400.

This essay was printed under the Morgan Envelope Company contract, but was not used as the government's final choice.

Realized: $200

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Lot 2619 E   

(Postal Card Essays) Money Order Message Card Essay, circa 1880's, with vignette similar to Scott UX4, two tiny tears at top edge, otherwise fresh and Very Fine, a rare and seldom offered essay.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

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