Lot
981 
Boston, Mass., 1849-50, 1¢ blue on slate, tied by neat red circle of pearls handstamp on embossed floral border Valentine cover to Bath, Me, in combination with 1851, 3¢ dull red (11A) tied by large "Paid" in grid handstamp, red "Boston, Feb 15" cds alongside, Very Fine, a very attractive usage.Scott No. 3LB2 Estimate $200 - 300.
Current Opening Bid: $100
Lot
982
City Despatch Post, 1847-50, 2¢ black on green, "C" at left sideways, position 25, large to huge margins, affixed on reverse of locally addressed embossed bordered Valentine cover, canceled by boxed "Free" handstamp with additional strikes alongside and another on front, red "P.O. City Despatch Post, Feb 14" Valentine's Day cds; cover with some repairs to front and portion of backflap cut open for display, stamp with usual creases and enamel chipping, Fine, ex-Eno, Kuphal & "New Amsterdam".Scott No. 40L4b; $4,500 off cover Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
ONE OF ONLY SIX RECORDED USAGES OF THIS CITY DESPATCH POST "C" AT LEFT SIDEWAYS VARIETY ON COVER AND THE ONLY KNOWN VALENTINE USAGE.
Current Opening Bid: $500
Lot
983
Despatch Post, 3 (Baltimore, Md.), circular rate handstamp on reverse of embossed floral bordered Valentine cover with local street address, with original matching Valentine enclosure with floral embellishments and hand written poem inside, Very Fine, an unconfirmed local post usage believed to be Mearis' City Despatch Post, with only two examples recorded, ex-Hahn.Estimate $500 - 750.
Current Opening Bid: $250
Lot
984
N.Y. City Despatch Post, Feb 15, 9 O'Clock, red first type cds ("N.Y." inverted) on locally addressed 1842 folded Valentine cover, with printed green illustrated bordered love letter enclosure with Women, Gentleman & Bird allegories and central hand colored roses, Very Fine, this being one of the earliest known N.Y. City Despatch Post covers as the post started operations on February 1st of 1842, illustrated and described in the 1942 APS handbook Centenary - 100 Year Ago (pages 12-13), ex-Haas.Estimate $500 - 750.
Current Opening Bid: $250
Lot
985
New York, N.Y., U.S. City Despatch Post, 1842-45, 3¢ black on blue green, large to huge margins, trivial small margin corner crease, canceled by red framed "U.S." handstamp on 1846 silver bordered Valentine cover showing cherubs & bird allegories, matching "U.S. City Despatch Post, Feb. 14, O'Clock" Valentine's Day cds and manuscript "1" rating; light overall soiling, otherwise Very Fine, ex-Faiman & Kuphal; with 1978 P.F. certificate.Scott No. 6LB5 Estimate $500 - 750.
The July 1845 Postal Act increased the one cent drop rate to two cents, after which time City Despatch carriers had to change four cents for letters dropped at the post office. This cover demonstrates this rate change.
Current Opening Bid: $250
Lot
986
New York, N.Y., U.S. City Despatch Post, 1842-45, 3¢ black on blue green, double impression, showing dramatic downward shift (tiny corner crease at top right, not mentioned on cert.), canceled by red U.S. in octagon handstamp on locally addressed folded Valentine, matching "U.S. City Despatch Post, Feb 19" cds, enclosure datelined "Feb 14, 1844" with lengthy Valentine poem; cover wear & sealed tears, F.-V.F.; with 2019 P.F. certificate.Scott No. 6LB5a; $4,500 Estimate $750 - 1,000.
A VERY RARE ITEM - WE ARE AWARE OF THREE OFF COVER EXAMPLES AND ONLY TWO OTHER ON COVERS EXAMPLES, THIS SHOWING A DRAMATIC DOUBLE IMPRESSION.
Current Opening Bid: $375
Lot
987
New York, N.Y., U.S. City Despatch Post, 1842-45, 3¢ black on blue, large margins, canceled by red "U.S." in octagon handstamp on locally addressed folded Valentine to Miss Cornelia Snydam, matching "U.S. City Despatch Post, Feb 14" Valentine's Day cds, original enclosure with hand painted floral embellishment and hand written and 12-line poem, accompanied by another U.S. City Despatch Post stampless Valentine usage to same addressee with gold bordered sheet and hand written 8-line poem, and a miniature folded letter to "Margaret Snydam" at same addressed with Valentine poem inside dated 1845, Very Fine and choice, an interesting Valentine trio, the latter ex-Haas.Scott No. 6LB5b Estimate $300 - 400.
Current Opening Bid: $150
Lot
988
New York, N.Y., U.S. City Despatch Post, 1842-45, 3¢ black on blue, large margins, tied by socked-on-the-nose strike of red "U.S. City Despatch Post, Feb 14" Valentine's Day cds on locally addressed Valentine letter sheet, inside with embossed allegorical bordered sheet with hand painted floral embellishments and hand written 5-line verse; stamp with slight margin corner crease and sheet with slight soiling and reinforced at folds, F.-V.F.Scott No. 6LB5b Estimate $200 - 300.
Current Opening Bid: $100
Lot
989
New York, N.Y., U.S. City Despatch Post Group, red cds on of four folded Valentine lettersheets sent on or around Valentine's Day; Valentine's include embossed border with printed and hand painted floral accents and hand written 16-line poem datelined "New York, 14th Feby, 1844", printed 6-line poem with Lady with Dove Delivering Letter scene, embossed border with central hand painted floral motif and hand written notation below, and blue embossed border with wonderful litho Lady & Cherub scene with 12-line poem, also includes another local lettersheet usage with only a manuscript "3" rating, generally Fine or better.Estimate $300 - 400.
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Current Opening Bid: $150
Lot
990
Forwarded, By Adams & Co., two strikes of large red two-line handstamp on large locally addressed gold floral bordered Valentine cover, with blue manuscript "Free" notation within address panel, with pierced lace Valentine enclosure; cover edge soiling and wear, Very Fine, an extremely rare Philadelphia express handstamp, with cover possibly delivered by Stait's or Eagle City Post.Estimate $500 - 750.
Current Opening Bid: $250