Sale 47: The Westpex Sale

Lot 1984    

Confederacy, Confederate States of America,/General Post Office Department, Auditor's Office./Free/Official Business, imprint on lemon cover "B. Baker" signature free frank and addressed to Postmaster in New River, La., slightly reduced at left & open at left & top, F.-V.F.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $375

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1985    

Confederacy, Confederate States of America,/Post Office Department,/Official Business./Chief of the Contract Bureau., official imprint (Dietz Ty. I) on demonitized United States 3¢ Star Die entire to the Pendleton S.C. postmaster, postmarked "Richmond, Va. ? 29" cds and straight line "Free" handstamp, entire with Chief of the Contract Bureau manuscript free frank of "H. St. Geo. Offutt", Very Fine, ex-Kohn.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

The Confederate Post Office Department assumed full responsibility for the Southern mail system on June 1, 1861. Soon after, because of the short supply of envelopes, the Confederate Post Office Department confiscated a large supply of unused demonitized U.S. postal stationery, rather than returning them to the U.S. Post Office Department in Washington, D.C. These entires were then overprinted with a special imprint so that they could be used by the Confederate Post Office Department for official business.

Realized: $450

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1986    

Confederacy, Confederate States of America/Post Office Department,/Official Business./Chief of the Finance Bureau, official imprint signed by "A. Dimitry" (Dietz Type IV) on 3¢ Star Die entire to Disputanta Va., cancelled by "Richmond Va." cds with matching partial "Free" handstamp, Extremely Fine. Scott No. U27.
Scott No. U27    Estimate $250 - 350.

Realized: $280

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1987    

Confederacy, Confederate States of America/Post Office Department., imprint (Dietz Type I) on cover franked with United States 1857 3¢ dull red (#26) tied by the "Montgomery, Ala./Mar. 26, 1861" cds, addressed to Hon David G. Burnet, Galveston, Texas, period pencil docketing at the left indicates the contents were from J. H. Reagan (CSA Postmaster General), backflap missing, Very Fine.
Estimate    $2,000 - 3,000.

The cover is dated only 20 days after Reagan took office as Postmaster General and represents a paradox as a CSA Post Office Department cover was carried by the US Postal Service. This is in the United States used in the Confederate period, so CSA free franking did not apply, and the USA postage had to be paid. This cover is referenced on Page 171 of the New Dietz 1986 Edition as the Earliest Known Usage of a CSA Post Office Department Imprint Cover. An extremely significant item of CSA Postal History. .

Realized: $4,000

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1988    

Confederacy, Confederate States of America/Post Office Department Official Business, imprint with manuscript free-frank of B.N. Clements, Chief of the Appointments Bureau on orange cover to the Postmaster at Saltillo, Miss.; included is original enclosure, a partly-printed Post Office form, dated "Feb. 15, 1862", also signed by Clements, notifying the Saltillo Postmaster that he had failed to make his returns for the quarter ending 30 September 1861, a Very Fine and rare pair.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

Realized: $450

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1989    

Confederacy, Confederate States of America:/Agency Post Office Dept., Trans-Miss./Official Business, Agent., imprint (Dietz Ty. I) signed by "Jas. H. Starr" on United States 1860 3c Red Star Die entire to the assistant postmaster of Shreveport La., no postmark, carried outside the mails as often, fresh and Extremely Fine, very rare and in superb condition.
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

Covers signed by Dr. Starr, who was the head of the Trans-Mississippi Department, are very desirable and scarce.

Realized: $725

email this lot to a friend