Lot
2648 
1873 Post Office Department Official Announcement of Postal Cards, April 15, 1873 circular to Postmasters from the Office of the Third Assistant Postmaster General announcing the issuance of Postal Cards to postmasters in May 1873 as authorized by the June 8th 1872 Act of Congress; file folds, Very Fine and scarce. Estimate $750 - 1,000.
Realized: $375
Lot
2649
1873, 1¢ Brown on Buff, large U.S.P.O.D. watermark, cancelled by double-strike of "Denver Colo. Jun 7" duplex, preprinted address to Philadelphia Pa., "Denver, June 5, 1873" datelined message; accompanied by second UX1 with same preprinted address and partial "Fairplay Col. Jul 15" cds and 1873 message; light corner crease, Very Fine and scarce early Colorado Territory usages. Scott No. UX1 Estimate $400 - 600.
A SCARCE PAIR OF COLORADO TERRITORY USAGES, THE JUN. 7TH EXAMPLE BEING THE EARLIEST RECORDED TERRITORIAL USE OF THE 1873 1¢ POSTAL CARD.
The June 7th card is featured in "A Contemporary Account of the First United States Postal Card, 1870-1875" by Charles A. Fricke on page 68 as a possible first day usage for Denver. As a matched pair, both of these cards were written by "Jas. Marshall Paul," most likely a relative of the addressee, and indicate that Paul may have carried the pre-addressed cards in his travels from Philadelphia to Colorado Territory. The Jun. 7th Denver card notes his arrival, then states "No shipment from mine this week - Will shut down probably for repairs - Will write from Fairplay.".
Realized: $240
Lot
2650
1873, 1¢ Brown on Buff, clear large U.S.P.O.D. watermark, mint card, crisp corners, Very Fine and choice. Scott No. UX1 $400.
Realized: $230
Lot
2651
1873, 1¢ Brown on Buff, clear large U.S.P.O.D. watermark, cancelled by "New York May 14, 4.P.M." duplex second day cancel, reverse with part printed First National Bank form datelined New York "5/14, 1873", Very Fine. Scott No. UX1 Estimate $200 - 300.
The first postal cards were delivered to New York City on May 13, 1873, when this was probably purchased.
Realized: $250
Lot
2652
1875, 1¢ Black on Buff, small U.S.P.O.D. watermark, mint, strong shade on remarkably clean card, Very Fine. Scott No. UX4 $3,500.
A RARE MINT EXAMPLE OF THE SMALL WATERMARKED UX4 POSTAL CARD.
The Morgan Envelope Company retained on hand 36 cases of dark buff card stock left over from the previous issue. A telegram found in the official files applied for permission on September 4, 1875 to use up the old watermarked cardstock because "it is of no use for other purposes". A limited printing of the new black Liberty design on the old cardstock occurred in late 1876 based on used examples.
Realized: $1,600
Lot
2653
1875, 1¢ Black on Buff, small U.S.P.O.D. watermark, cancelled by neat "New-York Mar 15" duplex and addressed to Jamaica Vt., sharp corners, Extremely Fine. Scott No. UX4 $350.
Realized: $280
Lot
2654
1875, 1¢ Black on Buff, small U.S.P.O.D. watermark, cancelled by "Albany N.Y. Jun 30" duplex and addressed to Mohawk N.Y., clean and Very Fine. Scott No. UX4 $350.
Realized: $110
Lot 2655
"United States Postal Card Manufacturers, Woolworth & Graham, New York, October 7th 1881", heading and dateline on 2 page letter originally in Post Office Department files addressed to the Third Assistant Postmaster General A.D. Hazen,"Sir, Your telegram of this date is at hand. Our postal card machinery at Castleton is running and we expect to produce from a million to a million and a half per day. This last quantity should carry us with a surplus of from five to eight million after the October deliveries are completed.
We have been informed by your postal card agent that he would want to remove his clerical force from Holyoke to Castleton the 15th or 18th inst and by that time we should have sufficient stock accumulated to meet his wants.
The Postal Card factory is completed. The vault and clerical rooms will probably be finished next week but in any event we will have suitable provision for your clerks as soon as they arrive. We have paper for about ten million cards and about one and a half million daily coming in. This latter can be increased should it be found necessary.
Should our daily report of tomorrow from the mill show any material variation from above we will advise you at once.
We are printing from new plates. Yours Very Truly, Woolworth & Graham, Very Fine.
Scott No. UX7 var. Estimate $400 - 600.
AN EXCELLENT COLLATERAL ITEM FOR THE POSTAL CARD COLLECTOR CONCERNING THE PRINTING OF UX7.
This is the basis for the beginning of production for the UX7 card, referred to in the Essay Proof Journal #57 on page 4.
Realized: $240
Lot 2656
1880s, United States Sealed Postal Card Company Stock Certificate, unissued stock certificate no. 140 out of 50,000 shares issued at $10 each, the company owned the patent, originally issued to L. Rogers, for what resembled a postal card with sealed edges, they also held a variety of patents for reply post cards and sealed lettersheets, and latter held the contract for the 2¢ Grant lettersheet of 1886 that was produced by the American Bank Note Co., Very Fine, Subject of article by Fricke in American Philatelist, July 2000, p. 696., ex-Fricke.Scott No. UX9 var. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $100
Lot
2657 S
Postal Card, 1886, 1¢ black on buff, "Specimen", printed "Essay - 1886." at bottom left and "Black." at lower right, manuscript red "Specimen", Very Fine. Scott No. UX9S Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $190