Lot
2076 
1857, 3¢ dull red, type III, tied by blue "Chicago Ill. Oct 22" double-circle datestamp duplexed with grid on orange buff cover to Detroit, Michigan, blue "OLD STAMPS / Not Recognized" two-line handstamp and matching "Held for Postage" oval, 3¢ rose (65), bright shade, tied by blue "Chicago Ill. Oct 23" double-circle datestamp with duplexed grid; reduced at left barely into corner card and blue oval, fresh and Very Fine, ex-West, Krug and Antrim. Scott No. 26 Estimate $15,000 - 20,000.
ONE OF ONLY FOUR RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE RARE CHICAGO "OLD STAMPS NOT RECOGNIZED" HANDSTAMP, OF WHICH ONLY TWO RECORDED WITH THE 1861 ISSUE USED IN COMBINATION WITH THE DEMONETIZED 1857 ISSUE.
The Chicago post office marked the covers with a recording number that corresponds to advertised notices that mail was being held for postage.
Our records contain only four covers bearing the Chicago "Old Stamps Not Recognized" handstamp as follows:
1. 1861 Aug. 30, Chicago Ill. to St. Peter Minn., 3¢ #26 franking, ex-Grunin, Piller.
2. 1861 Oct. 02, Chicago Ill. to Wiscasset Me., 3¢ #26 franking, ex-Haas, Lake Shore.
3. 1861 Oct. 22, Chicago Ill. to Detroit Mich., 3¢ #26, 3¢ #65 franking, ex-West, Krug and Antrim, the cover offered here.
4. 1861 Jun. 13, Chicago Ill. to Boston Mass., 3¢ #26, 3¢ #65 franking, ex-Challenger.
Realized: $18,000
Lot
2216 
1909, 4¢ orange brown, bluish paper, o.g., lightly hinged, choice centering for this notoriously off-centered issue, bright color and full intact perforations, fresh and Very Fine; with 1998 P.S.E. & 1974 and 2001 P.F. certificates. Scott No. 360 $27,500.
AN EXCEPTIONAL EXAMPLE OF THE OF THE 1909 4¢ BLUISH PAPER RARITY.
According to Johl (Vol. 1, page 175), the only source of the 4¢ and 8¢ Bluish stamps was the archives of the Post Office Department. Approximately 80 of each were traded for rare stamps missing from the archives. Given the failed experimental nature of the paper mixture, it is no surprise that virtually all copies are off-center to some extent.
Realized: $13,500
Lot
2020
Sitka, Alaska T. Dec 3, discernable cds with matching blurry target cancel ties 3¢ ultramarine (114) on cover to Millersport, Ohio, original "Head Quarters, Sitka Alaska Territory, December 2nd 1870" letterhead enclosure from 2nd Lt. David Alexander Lyle of the 2nd Artillery with some interesting content "…I am on a General Court Martial on one of the gravest crimes in the criminal calendar - Murder - but this court had to adjourn to meet below - at Ft. Vancouver - but Borrow's being ordered to Washington D.C. leaves me in Command of the Company…" and goes on to remark he was "Officer of the Day" every other day; Post Adjutant and Post Treasurer; Company Commander and "Officer in Charge of Destitute Russians", etc.; accompanied by two other 3¢ #114 covers addressed to Lt. Lyle while at Alcatraz Island from Fort Leavenworth Feb. 14th 1870 and from Arizona City, Ariz. Terr. Feb. 19th 1870; also a further 3¢ #U59 entire to Alcatraz, Very Fine. Estimate $10,000 - 15,000.
Russian Alaska was purchased by the U.S. Government in 1867 and designated as the Department of Alaska until its organization as the District of Alaska in 1884. During the department era, Alaska was under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army until 1877, the U.S. Dept. of the Treasury (from 1877 until 1879) and the U.S. Navy (from 1879 until 1884). The area later became the District of Alaska (1884), then the Territory of Alaska (1912), then the State of Alaska (1959).
Lyle graduated from the military academy on October 17, 1865, being 41st in his class at a time when even the top five graduates had difficulty in securing appointments in a regular army being reduced to a peacetime establishment. Lyle was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the 2nd U.S. Artillery on 15 June 1869. He became a 1st Lieutenant of Ordnance in November 1874, a Captain 23 August 1881 and a Major on 7 April 1899.
The trial referenced was an ex-Army soldier William B. Bird who held a grudge for his earlier court marshal and dishonorable discharged. He got into an altercation with some Army Officers and fired shots through the saloon door killing a Revenue Marine Service officer who accompanied the Army Officers. He was treated as if he was still in the military, since there was no civilian court competent to investigate and dispose of the case.
Reference: "A Military Correspondence of 1869 Covers" by Richard B. Graham, Chronicle 119, Aug. 1983 (Vol. 35. No.3).
Realized: $21,000
Lot
2135
1869, 15¢ brown & blue, type I, o.g., beautifully centered, rich colors with sharp impressions, fresh and Very Fine to Extremely Fine; with 1992 and 2019 P.F. certificates, latter Graded (85 VF-XF, SSV $13,000). Scott No. 118 $9,000.
ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE 15¢ TYPE I 1869 ISSUE, EXCEPTIONALLY RARE TO FIND IN THIS OUTSTANDING CONDITION.
The 15¢ Type I 1869 Issue is a difficult stamp to find sound with original gum and outstanding centering. The example offered here is one of the finest we have offered.
Realized: $13,500
Lot
2003
Canal Zone Postmaster Gerald Bliss Photo/Autograph Album with Amelia Earhart Signature, this one-of-a-kind of flight log book and photo album was assembled by Gerald D. Bliss who was the long time postmaster at Cristobal, Canal Zone. His tenure in office was during the golden age of aerophilately and, by virtue of his position, he interacted with all of the pilots (Charles A Lindbergh, Frederic Noonan, Basil L. Rowe, etc) of pioneer flight and early scheduled Pan American Airlines first mail flights. Mr. Bliss was the person who postally handled all of the first flights that went in and out of the Canal Zone. He maintained these friendships after he retired in 1934, and was invited to accompany the 1934 Pan American goodwill flight from Miami to Buenos Aires and back. During this trip he assembled a detailed log with some stamps, postmarks, photographs of the various personalities he met at each stop, and then arranged for them to autograph the pages of the scrapbook he was preparing. This is a one-of-a-kind piece of aviation memorabilia.In 1937 right before Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan began their round the world tour, they stopped in Miami and Fred Noonan introduced Mr. Bliss to Ms. Earhart. In remembrance of their relationship Mr. Noonan signed Mr. Bliss' 1934 flight log autograph album and Ms. Earhart agreed to as well, signing "Amelia Earhart" on May 29th 1937. Two days later they took off on their ultimate flight, never to be seen again. The photograph taken on this day with the album may well be one of the last ones taken of them before they began their flight.
Estimate $10,000 - 15,000.
A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE A TRUE AVIATION TREASURE.
Lot
2336
Baltimore, Md., 1850-55, 1¢ green, full to large margins, pencil canceled and tied by "Baltimore, Md., Nov 24" cds, matching "1" in circle drop-rate handstamp on buff folded cover to local address, Extremely Fine and choice, ex-Kuphal, Wall; with 1994 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 1LB4 Estimate $7,500 - 10,000.
AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 1¢ GREEN BALTIMORE CARRIER ISSUE - CONSIDERED TO THE FINEST KNOWN OF THREE EXAMPLES ON COVER TIED BY A POSTMARK.
The 1¢ Green on White carrier stamp is the rarest of the Baltimore semi-official carrier stamps. Many of the examples on cover are uncanceled or canceled only by manuscript or pencil.
Census of Baltimore 1¢ Green Carrier Stamps tied by postmark on cover:
1. Baltimore Nov. 24 black cds cover to Fayette St., ex-Kuphal, Wall, the cover offered here.
2. Baltimore Feb. 24 blue cds tied along with 1¢ #7, ex-Ackerman, Hall, Hackmey, Gross.
3. Baltimore Jun. 13, 1861 blue cds on cover to West Fayette St, ex-Caspary, Middendorf, Golden, D.K. Collection, Wall.
Realized: $4,250
Lot
2192 
1901, 8¢ Pan-American, bottom margin plate block of 10 with plate numbers "1150/1143", guide arrow and imprint, o.g., never hinged (barest short gumming at bottom), rich deep colors, wide margins beautifully centered throughout, Extremely Fine. Scott No. 298 $9,000.
AN OUTSTANDING NEVER HINGED PLATE BLOCK OF THE 8¢ PAN-AMERICAN ISSUE.
This plate block, from the bottom left portion of the plate, is the most desirable as it is only position that bears not only the frame plate number but the vignette plate number as well.
Lot
2366 ()
Confederacy, 1863, 10¢ blue, "frame lines", no gum, crisp impression on bright paper showing complete framelines on three sides and most of frameline at top, a Superb gem, ex-Murphy (as middle stamp in strip of three); with 2015 P.F. & 2016 P.S.E. certificates, both Graded (Superb 98, SMQ $13,000). Scott No. 10 $3,500.
AN EXTRAORDINARY UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES 10¢ FRAMELINE ISSUE GRADED SUPERB 98 BY BOTH THE P.S.E. AND P.F.
The framelines are the most important characteristic of Scott 10. The lines were engraved on the plate and served as a guide for the siderographer when aligning the transfer roll to make the plate. Since each stamp shares framelines with the adjoining positions, the example offered here with essentially four intact framelines is a true condition rarity.
Realized: $11,500
Lot
2007 ()
George Washington, 1732-1799, 1st President of the United States 1789-97, manuscript free frank "G. Washington" as General of the Continental Army on circa 1777 cover front addressed in his hand to "Owen Biddle Esqr., President of Board of War of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia", minor file folds, a Very Fine free frank. Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.
A WONDERFUL GEORGE WASHINGTON FREE FRANK FROM ONE OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF THE UNITED STATES.
Owen Biddle, Sr. (1737-1799) was an American Revolutionary War Colonel from Philadelphia. He was a delegate to the Provincial Conference January 23, 1775; member of the Committee of Safety from June 30, 1775 to July 22, 1776, during which period he served as defacto Governor of Pennsylvania on July 4, 1776 and again on July 8 and 10, 1776, and finally on July 16, 1776. He was member of the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention of July 15, 1776 and continued service with the newly constituted Council of Safety from July 24, 1776 to March 13, 1777. He became a member of the Board of War on March 13, 1777 and in June, 1777, he was appointed Deputy Commissary General of Forage, with the rank of Colonel, by the Continental Congress.
Realized: $11,500
Lot
2223
1910, 2¢ carmine, S.L. watermark, horizontal coil, line pair, o.g., lightly hinged, beautiful centering amid wide well balanced margins, deep rich color and remarkable freshness, Very Fine and choice; with 2001 A.P.S. certificate. Scott No. 388 $9,000.
ONE OF THE FINEST MINT ORIGINAL GUM LINE PAIRS OF THE 1910 2¢ SINGLE LINE WATERMARK LINE HORIZONTAL COIL ISSUE.
Realized: $5,250