Lot
2952 
Confederacy, Nashville, Tenn., 1861, 5¢ carmine, margins large to just in at upper left, tied by faint blue "Postage Paid" handstamp and bold strike of "Adams Ex. Co., Louisville, Ky., Aug. 4, 1861" cds on cover from Joseph Knowles in Nashville, Tenn. to his daughter Annie Knowles in Warren R.I., cover with fancy script "The Adams Express Company" imprint at top, in combination U.S. 1857, 3¢ dull red (26) tied by blue Louisville, Ky., Aug 5, 1861 cds and grid duplex, with franking placed over blue oval "Adams Express Co. Nashville Aug. 3" origin date stamp, pencil "2" bit rating at center for the 25¢ express fee; 5¢ stamp with vertical pre-use tear and 3¢ flaws at top right corner, F.-V.F.Scott No. 61X2 Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
THIS IS ONE OF SIX RECORDED 1861 5¢ CARMINE NASHVILLE PROVISIONALS USED IN COMBINATION WITH UNITED STATES POSTAGE.
Adams Express Company was required to ensure the prepayment of government postage (Federal and Confederate), although the letter was carried outside the regular mails. The letters never actually entered the mails at Nashville, and instead, the blue "Postage Paid" marking was used to indicate prepayment. Very few covers are recorded with Confederate provisional stamps or markings used in conjunction with thru-the-lines express service.
Of the Nashville provisional express combination covers, seven are known with the 5¢ and three with the 10¢.
Realized: $3,250