Lot
1554 
Chicago Ill, Jan 28 '64, blue cds duplexed with circular grid cancel ties 1¢ blue (63) and 2¢ black (73) on orange buff cover to Green Bay Wis., matching blue "West Branch P.O." oval postmark, Very Fine and choice. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
ONE OF TWO RECORDED 1¢ BLUE AND 2¢ BLACK JACK COMBINATION CHICAGO WEST BRANCH COVERS.
Although branch post offices were authorized by law effective 7/1/1862, only Cleveland and Chicago had them. A 1¢ fee was charged until 7/1/1863, when carrier service was included in the general letter rate, for taking letters from a branch post office to the main post office where they entered the mails. Branch post office markings are scarce.
Realized: $1,350
Lot
1555
Chicago Ill. Dec 21 '63, blue cds duplexed with segmented grid cancel ties 1¢ blue (63) and 2¢ black (73), on cover to Greene N.Y., matching "West Branch P.O." oval postmark; 1¢ restored corner, reduced slightly at right, F.-V.F. appearance, ex-Metzger. Estimate $500 - 750.
ONE OF TWO RECORDED 1¢ BLUE AND 2¢ BLACK JACK COMBINATION CHICAGO WEST BRANCH COVERS.
Realized: $500
Lot
1556
Chicago Supplementary Mail, Sep 29, blue cds ties 1¢ blue (63) and 2¢ black (73) on cover to Baltimore Md., matching "North Branch P.O." oval postmark, manuscript 1863 docketing at left, Very Fine. Skinner-Eno No. PM-SM 4. Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
A REMARKABLE COMBINATION OF BOTH CHICAGO SUPPLEMENTARY MAIL AND NORTH BRANCH MARKINGS.
Realized: $1,600
Lot
1557
Chicago Supplementary Mail, Sep 28, three strikes of blue cds tie 1¢ blue (63) and three 3¢ rose (65) singles, on light buff cover to Belleville, Canada West, Detroit red "U. States Paid 10" exchange office marking (Simpson 35), Belleville (9.29) arrival backstamp; stamps affected from placement near edge of cover with one 3¢ tear at left, missing top flap, Very Fine appearance, colorful and attractive usage. Skinner-Eno No. PM-SM 4. Estimate $750 - 1,000.
Realized: $950
Lot
1558
"Cumberland Me. Mar. 16", printed precancel postmark with manuscript day on unsealed orange buff cover with part-printed address to Deer Isle Me. bearing 1¢ blue (63), light corner crease, well centered with deep rich color, cancelled by matching manuscript "X", prepaid for the 1¢ circular rate, manuscript "1863" dates the cover, includes a misdated March 10th 1860 circular announcing sale of Highway Surveyor's Books and other printed products, Very Fine, ex-James Lee; with clear 1985 P.F. certificate. Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
Horace I. Gray was a "Card and Job Printer" located in Cumberland, Maine offering a variety of stationery merchandise. All of the known Cumberland precancels are on cover from only two firms, that of Gray himself and the Portland firm of Sanborn & Carter. It is suggested that Gray did the printing for Sanborn & Carter, together with the mailing, thus accounting for the Cumberland precancel on the Portland firm's mail. Five distinct types of the Cumberland precancel are known. Illustrated and discussed in Donald Evans, The United States 1¢ Franklin 1861-67, pg. 139, fig. 8-37.
Realized: $2,700
Lot
1559
(Auxiliary Markings) 1¢ Blue, used in combination with 1869 2¢ brown (113), both tied by quartered cork duplexed with "Albany N.Y. Apr 2" cds on 1875 cover to San Francisco Cal., manuscript return to sender after 10 days endorsement at lower left, red crayon "Apr 20", two bold strikes of "Returned - To - Writer" framed handstamps and "San Francisco Cal. Apr 21" duplex, original Apr. 1st 1875 enclosure; 1¢ affected slightly from edge placement, Very Fine, ex-James Lee. Scott No. 63 Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
AN UNUSUAL LATE USE MIXED ISSUE FRANKING OF THE 1¢ 1861 ISSUE AND 2¢ 1869 ISSUE.
Illustrated and discussed in Donald Evans, The United States 1¢ Franklin 1861-67, pg. 115, fig. 7-23.
Realized: $1,400
Lot
1560
(Auxiliary Markings) 1861, 1¢ blue, tied by large quartered geometric cancel on July 1863 folded circular from Schieffelin Brothers & Co., Importers and Wholesale Druggists, New York City to Philadelphia Pa., New York "Due 2" handstamp, Very Fine. Scott No. 63 Estimate $200 - 300.
Effective July 1st 1863, the unsealed circular rate was increased to 2¢. Also that date, part-paid letters were assessed a fee of equal to double the underpayment -- in this case the short payment was 1¢ and the amount due was therefore 2¢.
Lot
1561
(Auxiliary Markings) Galveston Tex. Jun 23, cds on backflap of two drop covers, each bearing 1¢ blue (63) pair tied by star cancels and addressed to different lawyers in town, both with "Advertised" straightlines, "Unclaimed" framed handstamp and circled "Due 2" rating handstamp, each with additional pencil "4"; one with flap tear, F.-V.F. pair. Estimate $200 - 300.
These letters were apparently mailed after the June 1865 end of Civil War hostilities in Texas. They were advertised in the local paper and remained unclaimed at the post office and returned to the sender.
Lot
1562
(Auxiliary Markings) Held for Postage, framed oval handstamp on cover to Ithaca N.Y. originally franked with 1¢ blue, F. Grill (92) tied by Seneca Falls Mar. 1st cds duplexed with quartered cork cancel, sender supplied 2¢ black, F. grill (93) for deficient postage, which was cancelled by "Seneca Falls N.Y. Mar 3"duplex; barely reduced at right, Very Fine. Estimate $300 - 400.
Lot
1563
(Auxiliary Markings) Rockford Ill, Jan 16 1863, cds duplexed with four-rings cancel on 1¢ blue (63), small fault at top, on unsealed yellow drop cover addressed locally, sender's notation "If not taken from post office, to be returned", blue "Rockford Ill Jan 17 1863" backstamp and straightline "Not Found" auxiliary straightline handstamp, Very Fine, ex-Christian. Estimate $200 - 300.
Illustrated and discussed in Donald Evans, The United States 1¢ Franklin 1861-67, pg. 115, fig. 7-24.