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

New York, N.Y., 5¢ Black, "A.C.M." Initials (9X1b), large margins, tied by blue penstroke cancels, red "New-York Paid 5 Jul. 31" (1845) first month of use integral-rate circular datestamp on folded letter to Sheffield, England, sender's ship-name directive "Pr Britannia"--carried on that Cunard steamer, departing from Boston on August 1, 1845, and arriving at Liverpool August 15--"America Liverpool AU 15, 1845" datestamp on back, blue Sheffield receiving backstamp is partly struck, British "1/-" one-shilling due handstamp, part of address rewritten, otherwise Very Fine, early use of the 5¢ New York provisional on a transatlantic cover--the earliest recorded use to any destination is July 15--ex Grunin, unlisted in USPCS census (Image)

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St. Louis, Missouri, 5¢ Black on Greenish (11X1), Type II, Position 3, large margins all around including trace of adjoining stamp at top, uncancelled, on bluish gray folded letter to Saint Genevieve, Missouri, red "St. Louis Mo. Jan. 19" (1846) circular datestamp with matching "PAID" handstamp and manuscript "5" rate, sender's "Paid" notation

Extremely Fine Gem stamp and exceedingly rare uncancelled example of the 5¢ St. Louis "Bears" provisional on Greenish paper, used on a cover mailed within Missouri--cover with minor toning specks at edges and small bleached spot, which not not affect the superb stamp.

This is the only recorded use of this stamp to St. Genevieve and one of only ten addressed to another Missouri town. The extraordinary condition and uncancelled state of the stamp should be factored into the valuation, but we hope it does not suffer the fate of other superb uncancelled "Bears" stamps and remains on this cover.

Ex Alfred H. Caspary and Josiah K. Lilly, Jr. Date notation in pencil at lower left is in George B. Sloane's neat handwriting. USPCS census no. 21139. With 2002 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail for 11X1 in unused condition (which means uncancelled) is $50,000.00. (Image)

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St. Louis, Missouri, 20¢ Black on Gray Lilac (11X6), Type I, Position 1, three margins are large to clear, just in at bottom, cancelled by manuscript pen squiggle and tied by well-struck red "St. Louis Mo. May 12" (1846) circular datestamp, matching "PAID" handstamp and manuscript "20" rate on blue folded letter to the banking firm of Charnley and Whelen in Philadelphia

Very Fine. A beautiful example of the 20¢ St. Louis postmaster's provisional on Gray Lilac paper, used on a cover from the Charnley & Whelen correspondence. Only 18 covers with Scott 11X6 are recorded in the USPCS census.

Charnley & Whelen was a firm of stock and exchange brokers in Philadelphia. In 1912, a well-known paper dealer named Edward Hemingway purchased the firm's old papers and letters. While sorting through the papers, a large cache of St. Louis "Bears" was found, reported to consist of six 5¢, 79 10¢ and 16 20¢. With the exception of a few which were sold at the time of their discovery, Mr. Hemingway held them until his death. They were bequeathed to the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania. The covers were sold by H. R. Harmer on December 13, 1948. The sale consisted of 42 lots of covers, bearing six copies of the 5¢, 51 of the 10¢ and 14 of the 20¢. The cover offered here was lot 34 in that sale.

Ex T. Cullen Davis ("Texas Collector"), Weill Brothers sale and Dr. Charles E. Test ("Concord" collection). USPCS census no. 21182. With 1989 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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