Lot
59 
1857, 3¢ rose, type I, some perf flaws, tied by printed "Cumberland, / Me. Nov. 6." two-line precancel with day crossed out in manuscript and updated to "Nov 10", on orange cover with part-printed address to the Postmaster of Summer Me.; minor corner mend top left, Very Fine and choice, Simpson No. 92. Scott No. 25 Estimate $10,000 - 15,000.
THE FINEST OF ONLY TWO RECORDED ON COVER EXAMPLES OF THIS TYPE 3 CUMBERLAND MAINE PRECANCEL. A GREAT RARITY OF CLASSIC PRECANCEL COLLECTING OFFERED AT AUCTION FOR THE FIRST TIME.
There are only four total strikes of the type 3 cancel known, two off-cover and two on-cover. The two recorded 3¢ 1857 Cumberland precancel covers are:
1) Nov. 6, precancel ties #25 on faulty cover to Postmaster at Acton Me. (Illustrated by Milgram in Chronicle 206, p. 93, fig. 5)
2) Nov. 6, updated to Nov. 10, precancel ties #25 on cover to Postmaster at Summer Me. The cover offered here.
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 and are detailed in an article by Dr. James W. Milgram in Chronincle 206, May 2005, pages 90-96.
Realized: $17,000