The William H. Gross Collection: United States Postal History continued...

10¢ Black, Diagonal Half Used as 5¢ (2a), bottom right diagonal half, large margins other two sides, tied by large manuscript "X" cancel with blue "Lake Champlain S.B. Nov. 2" (ca. 1849) route agent's circular datestamp (Ryterband Type 2A, used by route agent Turner at this time), matching "PAID" and "5" handstamps on undated folded cover to New York City

Very Fine; some slight negligible toning.

This is an extremely rare use of a 10¢ 1847 bisect with a route agent's marking, and it is the only recorded example with the Lake Champlain Steamboat datestamp. The USPCS census lists only two 1847 covers with the Lake Champlain Steamboat circular datestamp--the other bearing a full 10¢ stamp, datelined Montreal in June 1850 (Sale 1041, lot 235). Among all route agent handstamped 1847 covers, the census lists only a handful of others with a 10¢ bisect, including railroad uses.

Pencil note indicating this was bought from Warren H. Colson in April 1926. Ex Dr. Ralph Poriss, Marc Haas, Guido Craveri, Joseph Hackmey, and from our 1992 Rarities of the World sale. Illustrated in The United States 1847 Issue: A Cover Census (p. 808). With 1971 P.F. Certificate. (Image)

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10¢ Black (2), large margins to just clear at bottom left, sharp impression, tied by beautifully struck red "STEAMER 10" oval handstamp with second perfect strike to right on September 1, 1847, bluish folded letter datelined at Boston, Massachusetts (only part of letter is present), addressed to Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania

Extremely Fine. A superb cover with the 10¢ 1847 Issue tied by the red "Steamer 10" oval. This is the only recorded genuine example of a 10¢ 1847 cover with this marking, and it is by far the finer of only two covers bearing 1847 Issue stamps.

The USPCS census illustrates approximately 17 covers bearing the red "Steamer 10" (or "Steamer 5") handstamp, but 15 are John A. Fox fakes addressed to Gardiner in Sag Harbor, Long Island, and identified as such in the census. The only genuine covers are this 10¢ cover and a stained cover addressed to New York City with two 5¢ stamps and weak strikes of the marking. It is not definitely known where this marking was struck, but Ashbrook surmised it was on a steamer plying the Long Island Sound. Prior to the 1847 Issue, this marking had the word "Oregon" below the rate designation.

Ex Robert S. Emerson, Edward S. Knapp, William West, Henry C. Gibson, Sr., Mortimer L. Neinken, Marc Haas, Duane B. Garrett and John R. Boker, Jr. Discussed in Ashbrook's Special Service, #44, p. 343. Illustrated in an article by Creighton C. Hart (Chronicle 100, pp. 252-253). With 1971 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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5¢ Dark Brown (1a), with left sheet margin, other sides large margins, tied by perfectly struck blue "TROY & NEW YORK/STEAM BOAT" framed handstamp, matching bold "2 cts." in double-line circle handstamp on blue folded cover to Albany, New York, lightly cleaned, Extremely Fine Gem stamp on a beautiful cover, the framed marking was used on letters received at Troy from non-contract steamboats carrying mail on the Hudson River, the 2¢ marking indicates the amount charged by the Troy postmaster, but as recently explained by Daniel J. Ryterband (Chronicle 263), there was no official justification for assessing this fee, ex Matthies, Haas, Garrett, Dr. Kapiloff and Boker, with 1969 P.F. certificate (Image)

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5¢ Red Brown (1), two singles, originally forming a vertical pair, one showing top sheet margin, other margins huge to irregularly in on one stamp, affixed tête-bêche and tied by bold blue grid cancels with matching "Louisville & Cincinnati Mail Line Jun. 27" (1851) balloon-style circular datestamp on blue folded letter to Philadelphia, tiny break in file fold, Very Fine cover and a superb strike of this distinctive marking, which is very rare on an 1847 cover--only four complete covers recorded in the USPCS census with the circular or rectangular handstamp, this is easily the finest of the circular style marking, it is also a late use of the 1847 Issue, just four days before July 1, 1851, demonetization, ex Rohloff, Dr. Kapiloff and Boker (Image)

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5¢ Red Brown (1), horizontal pair, ample margins to just touched at top left, tied by three bold strikes of red grid cancel, matching "New Orleans La. Jan. 28" circular datestamp and clear strike of "STEAMER HECLA" name-of-boat oval handstamp, "STEAM" straightline struck at top on buff cover to Stratford, Connecticut, some slight oily stains as usual for these covers, Very Fine strike of this rare handstamp, which is usually found weakly struck, very few 1847 Issue covers exist with name-of-boat packetboat markings, the Hecla was built in 1847 and ran from New Orleans on the Mississippi and Red Rivers, ex West, Klein and Boker, with 1985 P.F. certificate (Image)

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5¢ Red Brown (1), horizontal pair, large margins to just in at bottom, tied by two bold strikes of red grid cancel, matching clear strike of "STEAMER FASHION" name-of-boat oval handstamp, "STEAM" straightline struck at top on brown cover to Stratford, Connecticut, no town datestamp but originated in New Orleans, faint crease in margin between stamps, some slight oily stains as usual for these covers, Very Fine strike, this is the only recorded example of this Mississippi and Red River steamboat marking on an 1847 cover in the USPCS census, the Fashion was a 149-ton steamer built in 1848 and captained by J. Martin, ex Dick, Matthies and Boker, illustrated in Milgram book (p. 273) (Image)

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