Lot
4 
Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.P.O. Despatch, 1849-50, 1¢ black on rose, "LP", wide margins showing significant portion of adjacent stamp at left, on 1850 folded letter sheet to Washington D.C. tied by blue "Philada. Pa., 5cts, Jul 31" cds with matching boxed "Paid" handstamp alongside, manuscript "postage 5, carrier 1 = 6 cents" notation at upper right, Very Fine, ex-Caspary and Middendorf; with 1999 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 7LB1 Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
AN EXTREMELY RARE USAGE OF THE PHILADELPHIA "LP" CARRIER ON OUTBOUND COVER WITH FEE TO WASHINGTON D.C. PAID IN CASH
ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED TIED EXAMPLES OF THE PHILADELPHIA "LP" CARRIER.
The LP initialed stamp appeared between October 27th of 1849 and January 9th of 1851. There are only nine genuinely used on cover examples existing with this example being one of only two tied to cover.
Complete images:
View gallery or Download PDF (391KB)
Realized: $3,000
Lot
5
Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.P.O. Despatch, 1849-50, 1¢ black on rose, "LP", tied by blue Philadelphia "2" in circle drop rate handstamp on locally addressed folded letter datelined Nov 24, 1849; vertical file fold affecting stamp, otherwise Very Fine, ex-Seybold, Ackerman & Hall; with 2001 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 7LB1 Estimate $750 - 1,000.
ONE OF ONLY 9 RECORDED PHILADELPHIA "LP" CARRIER COVERS, THIS BEING THE ONLY RECORDED DROP RATE USE AND ONE OF ONLY TWO TIED EXAMPLES.
Lot
6
Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.P.O. Despatch, 1849-50, 1¢ black on rose, "S", wide margins to into frameline at left, on 1849 cover to Utica N.Y., in combination with 1847, 5¢ red brown, two singles tied by blue grid handstamps, matching "Philada., Pa., 10, Jun 6" integral rate cds; right 5¢ and carrier with light creases from cover overlap, otherwise Very Fine; with 1999 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 7LB2+1 Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.
THE EARLIEST OF THREE RECORDED ON COVER EXAMPLES OF THE PHILADELPHIA "S" CARRIER ISSUE AND THE ONLY KNOWN IN COMBINATION WITH THE 1847 REGULAR ISSUE - A GREAT CARRIER ISSUE RARITY.
The "S" initial carrier is thought to be attributed to either James Stevens, George Schoch or John Smith. Three covers are known all from June of 1849 with at least two other off cover stamp are known.
Realized: $6,000
Lot
7
Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.P.O. Despatch, 1849-50, 1¢ black on rose, "H", margin at bottom and showing portions at other sides, on 1850 folded letter sheet to New York in combination with 1847, 5¢ orange brown tied by "Philada., Pa., 5 cts, Aug 22" integral rate cds with second strike at upper right, with "Goodhue" name in address panel crossed out as often is; some minor cover fold separations, Very Fine, ex-Gibson, Boker, Kuphal & Mirsky; with 2012 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 7LB3+1b Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
ONE OF THREE KNOWN COMBINATION USAGES WITH THE PHILADELPHIA "H" CARRIER AND THE 1847 5¢ ISSUE.
Realized: $2,400
Lot
8
Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.P.O. Despatch, 1849-50, 1¢ black on rose, "H", margin at top with portion of framelines at other sides, faint crease, tied by bold blue "Philada., Pa., 5, May 23" integral rate cds on fresh 1849 folded letter to Washington D.C., rate with manuscript obliteration as the letter was sent free to Secretary of the Treasury - William Meredith, Extremely Fine, ex-Caspary, Judd & Golden; with 1992 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 7LB3 Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
ONE OF THREE EXAMPLES OF THE PHILADELPHIA "H" ISSUE TIED ON COVER AND THE EARLIEST USAGE KNOWN.
Realized: $1,500
Lot
9
Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.P.O. Despatch, 1849-50, 1¢ black on rose, "LS", wide margins to just into framelines, on 1851 folded letter to Baltimore, Md., in combination with 1847, 5¢ red brown tied by blue grid handstamp, matching "Philada., Pa., Jan 17" cds; vertical file fold affecting 5¢ stamp, F.-V.F. appearance, an extremely rare combination, illustrated in Chronicle (no. 152, pg. 231), ex-Seybold, Matthies, Gibson and Meyersburg; with 1997 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 7LB4+1 Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
THE ONLY KNOWN USAGE OF THE PHILADELPHIA "LS" CARRIER IN COMBINATION WITH THE 1847 REGULAR ISSUE.
Realized: $2,200
Lot
10
Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.P.O. Despatch, 1849-50, 1¢ black on rose, "LS", full margins including sheet margin at left, on folded letter to Lancaster, Pa. with blue "Philada., Pa., 5, Mar 13" integral rate cds at center, with letter datelined "Phila. March 10, 1849", Extremely Fine, ex-Emerson, Knapp, Gibson, Golden and D.K. Collection; with 1999 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 7LB4 Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
THE EARLIEST RECORDED USAGE OF ANY PHILADELPHIA POST OFFICE CARRIER STAMP.
In February 1849, the Postmaster General made a serious attempt to gain greater market share of carrier collections in several major cities. The Philadelphia carrier department reorganized with the prepayment by stamps and bypassing the 2¢ drop rate with a physically separate carrier department for city mail, collected and/or delivered in the city, and "from the mails" was reduced to one cent.
Realized: $1,900
Lot
11
Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.P.O. Despatch, 1849-50, 1¢ black on rose, "JJ", top margin single with frameline showing on three sides, light gum soak, on 1850 folded letter to West Chester, Pa., in combination with ample to large margin 1847, 5¢ red brown tied by neat blue grid handstamp, matching "Philada., Pa., 5 cts, Aug 28" integral rate cds; vertical file fold affecting right side of 5¢ stamp, Very Fine appearance, ex-Caspary, Boker, Lilly & Golden; signed "RHW Co." backstamp (Raymond H. Weill Co.), with 1999 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 7LB5+1; $70,000 Estimate $40,000 - 60,000.
THE UNIQUE INTACT COVER FRANKED WITH THE PHILADELPHIA "JJ" CARRIER ISSUE AND THE ONLY IN COMBINATION WITH THE 1847 5¢ ISSUE - A GREAT CARRIER RARITY AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CARRIER USAGES EXTANT.
Only two examples of the "JJ" carrier stamp are known, the example offered here and another on a cover front dated June 17th of 1849. The initials "JJ" match that of carrier John Johnson.
Lot
12
Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.P.O. Despatch, 1849-50, 1¢ black on rose, showing full frameline at left and portions at other sides, tied by blue "Philada., Pa., 5, May 14" integral rate cds on 1859 folded letter to New York, Very Fine, ex-Caspary, Judd & Golden; with 1992 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 7LB6; $2,500 Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
ONE OF TWO EXAMPLES OF THE PHILADELPHIA "BLACK ON ROSE" CARRIER TIED TO COVER AND THE EARLIEST RECORDED ON COVER USAGE.
Lot
13
Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.P.O. Despatch, 1849-50, 1¢ black on blue, showing full framelines at top and left, tied by blue "Philada., Pa., 5 cts, May 3" cds on 1850 folded letter to New York; stamp with some enamel wear, otherwise Very Fine; with 2001 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 7LB7; $6,500 Estimate $4,000 - 6,000.
ONE OF THREE KNOWN TIED ON COVER EXAMPLES OF THE PHILADELPHIA "BLACK ON BLUE" CARRIER ISSUES AND THE EARLIEST RECORDED USAGE KNOWN.
The Philadelphia "Blue Glazed" carrier department stamp has been recorded from May 3, 1850 until February 19, 1851. It has been confirmed that only 13 genuine on cover usage are known with two in combination with the 1847 issue.