Sale 55: United States Postal History

Lot 2265    

Confederacy, New Orleans, La., 1861, 2¢ Blue, vertical pair, three large margins, in at left, bright shade, tied by full clear strike of "New Orleans La. 3 Sep" cds on 1861 cover addressed to "Miss Martha Maddern, 34 Gasquet St., New Orleans La.", additional fine strike of "N.O.U.S. City Post" carrier rimless datestamp, small opening tear at top center has been invisibly sealed, Very Fine, ex-Needham, Skinner.
Scott No. 62X1    Estimate $7,500 - 10,000.

A UNIQUE USE OF POSTMASTER PROVISIONAL STAMPS TO PREPAY THE CARRIER FEE AND DROP RATE FOR INTRA-CITY MAIL.

The New Orleans U.S. City Post continued to operate after Louisiana entered the Confederacy in 1861. Prior to the Confederate period, there is only one cover known with the carrier fee and drop rate prepaid by stamps; the cover will be found in our Sale 791 as lot 182. The pre-war cover has a U.S. 1c 1851 pair for the 1c fee plus 1c rate. During the Confederate period, the N.O.U.S. City Post charged 2c for a letter, and the post office charged the standard 2c rate for a drop letter. We have no record of another Confederate cover with both rates prepaid by stamps, and the use of a New Orleans 2c Blue provisional pair -- a major rarity in its own right -- to prepay the 2-plus-2 postage is a fantastic example of a theoretical possibility actually surviving for collectors.

Another cover addressed to Miss Martha Maddern in the same hand was offered in the Meroni sale (lot 165). It has a faint strike of the "N.O.U.S. City Post Sep. 7" circular datestamp and 5c 62X4 provisional tied by the "New Orleans La. Sep. 6" river-mail double-circle datestamp, indicating that it arrived by steamboat and was mailed at the wharf, using carrier service to bring it to the addressee. The identical handwriting and use of the city name "New Orleans La." in the address are evidence that this cover was brought in by someone on a steamboat, who mailed it as a drop letter with carrier service to the addressee.

Realized: $8,500

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Lot 2266    

Confederacy, New Orleans, La., 1861, 2¢ Blue, margins to cut in, tied by "New Orleans, La Nov 2" cds on 1861 folded printed circular from the Citizen's Bank of Louisiana addressed to M. Murray Esq, in Oak Grove, Osyka, Mississippi; Very Fine.
Scott No. 62X1    $4,250.

Realized: $1,400

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Lot 2267    

Confederacy, New Orleans, La., 1861, 2¢ Red, radiant color with four margins, large except clear at right, tied by "New Orleans La. 7 Feb" cds on 1862 blue folded printed circular to members of the Southwestern Bible Society, addressed to Saml. Hollensworth at Blossom Hill La., couple unnoticeable stamp flaws, Very Fine and attractive; with 2005 P.F. certificate.
Scott No. 62X2    $25,000.

AN OUTSTANDING CIRCULAR-RATE USE OF THE RARE NEW ORLEANS 2¢ RED PROVISIONAL ISSUE.

The New Orleans postmaster, J. L. Riddell, prepared provisional stamps in June 1861 and advertised them for sale on June 12th. The 2¢ red stamps were printed without the marginal inscription "Usable exclusively in the New Orleans Post Office". The 5¢ and subsequent 2¢ blue printings all have the imprint. It is the accepted theory that the 2¢ red stamps were printed first, before Riddell added the imprint, and were withheld from use until January 1862 when the supply of 2¢ blue stamps was exhausted.

Realized: $21,000

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Lot 2268    

Confederacy, New Orleans, La., 1861, 5¢ Brown, vertical strip of five, positions 8/16/24/32/40, huge margin at left, other sides close to touching, tied by multiple strikes of "New Orleans La. 28 Jun" cds on 1861 cover to Sixth District Court Parish of St. Helena, Greensburgh La., manuscript receipt docketing, red wax seal affixed over, cover reduced at left and slightly at top, top stamp with small tear, Very Fine, ex-Grant, Skinner.
Scott No. 62X3    Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.

THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED VERTICAL STRIP OF FIVE ON COVER AND THE SECOND LARGEST ON-COVER MULTIPLE OF THE 5¢ PROVISIONAL.

The largest known multiple used on cover is a horizontal strip of six. There is also one other strip of five known on cover, a horizontal strip with end stamp badly cut in.

Realized: $1,900

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Lot 2269    

Confederacy, New Orleans, La., 1861, 5¢ Brown, four large margins, two tears, tied by bold "Paid" cancel on orange cover to Appomattox Va., matching bold "New Orleans La. 14 Aug" cds, 1861 receipt docketing at left; cover cut at left, Very Fine appearance.
Scott No. 62X3    $450.

Realized: $240

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Lot 2270    

Confederacy, New Orleans, La., 1861, 5¢ Ocher, horizontal pair, three full to large margins, slightly in at top, tied by "Paid" cancels cover to Grand Lake Ark., "New Orleans La. 16 Aug." cds, sender's notations "Postage Paid" and "Care of Capt. A. P. Bennett", Very Fine, ex-Kilbourne, Clippert; with 1999 P.F. certificate.
Scott No. 62X3b    $3,500.

A RARE PAIR OF THE SCARCE OCHER SHADE USED ON COVER.

Realized: $1,600

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Lot 2271 o   

Confederacy, New Orleans, La., 1861, 5¢ Chocolate Brown, position 5, intense characteristic color, four margins, huge at sides, affixed to piece, cancelled by "Paid" handstamp, Very Fine.
Scott No. 62X3c    $1,500.

The chocolate brown shade appears to have been from the first printing of the New Orleans provisional.

Realized: $700

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Lot 2272 o   

Confederacy, New Orleans, La., 1861, 5¢ Red Brown, large margins, cancelled by "Pd 5ct/N.O.P.O." two-line provisional marking, light corner crease, Very Fine appearance, This handstamp was used at the river front station and is found on provisional entires.
Scott No. 62X4    Estimate $200 - 300.

Realized: $170

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Lot 2273    

Confederacy, New Orleans, La., 1861, 5¢ Red Brown, large margins, tied on cover to Natchez, Miss. by small "New Orleans, La., Oct 9, 1861" river mail postmark as well as an additional large bold "Oct 10" cds applied at the regular Post Office, stamp lifted and hinged in place with evidence underneath of a coin having been affixed by sender for the payment of postage and removed before postage being applied, Extremely Fine, a wonderful and rare incoming packetboat usage, ex Knapp, Emerson, Silver, Simon and Myerson.
Scott No. 62X4    Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.

ONE OF TWO KNOWN USAGES OF A NEW ORLEANS PROVISIONAL ADHESIVE BEING TIED BY BOTH A RIVER MAIL AND REGULAR POST OFFICE CDS.

Realized: $2,700

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Lot 2274    

Confederacy, New Orleans, La., 1861, 5¢ Red Brown, horizontal pair, four margins, tied by two strikes of the "New Orleans, La 28 Nov" cds on orange advertising cover with a blind embossed oval at the lower left "Tinchant Bros Importers of Havana Segars Commission Merchants New Orleans.", addressed to Mess M. Stroma & Co. in Montgomery, Ala.; cover reduced at left just into oval, couple edge flaws, F.-V.F.
Scott No. 62X4    $700.

Realized: $325

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