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

10¢ Green, Type II (14), large margins to just in at top right, tied at left by beautiful strike of circle of 13 wedges cancel, red "Eastport Me. May 12" (1855) circular datestamp on cover to John H. Webster in Stockton, California, pencil "Sophia May/55" docketing at left, missing top and left flaps, minor soiling, Very Fine, the earliest reported use of any 10¢ 1855 Issue stamp, another cover from the same correspondence, with the same cancellation, town marking and docketing, is known used on August 28, 1855, which substantiates the docketing on the cover offered here, ex Jessup, Neinken and Fisher, illustrated in Neinken, The United States Ten Cent Stamps of 1855-1859 (p. 13), with pencil note on back "I am certain this to be the earliest known cover 10¢" and initialled by Edgar B. Jessup, this is the Scott-listed EDU for any 10¢ 1855 stamp (Scott 14-16) and the next earliest date is May 19, 1855, for Type III, Scott 15 (Image)

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10¢ Green, Type II (14), large to huge margins, tied by bold strike of grid cancel, red "New Orleans La. Jun. 1" (1855) circular datestamp on blue folded letter written in French to Mexico, neat "Vera Cruz 4 Junio 1855" oval datestamp, bold "4" reales due handstamp, stamp affixed over red crayon "10" rate, Extremely Fine, a beautiful early use of the 10¢ 1855 paying the direct 10¢ rate to Mexico via American Packet, ex Ishikawa and Hackmey (Image)

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10¢ Green, Type III (15), Positions 23-26L1, horizontal strip of four, large margins to full all around, rich color and detailed impression, tied by "New Orleans La. Nov. 15, 1857" circular datestamps on blue folded cover to Vera Cruz, Mexico, from the Hargous correspondence, bold "5" reales due handstamp at bottom, tiny margin tear touches top right of left stamp (not noted on certificate), still Extremely Fine, a desirable multiple in choice condition paying quadruple 10¢ rate to Mexico, ex Caspary, Rust and Klein, with 1988 P.F. certificate (Image)

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10¢ Green, Types II, III (14, 15), two horizontal and one vertical strip of three--Positions 53-55R1, 73-75R1 and 1/11/21R1--eight stamps are Type II, center stamp in vertical strip is Type III, top stamp in vertical strip is the "misplaced relief", one horizontal strip large margins all around, other large margins to just in and one stamp (Position 75) small tear and scuff, vertical strip large margins to just in at bottom including left sheet margin, vertical strip lightly toned and top and bottom stamps light creases, tied by multiple strikes of "Washington City D.C. Oct. 28, 1857" circular datestamp on legal-size "Treasury Department, First Comptroller's Office" imprint cover to Buenos Aires, Argentina, signed by W. Medill and addressed to James A. Peden as minister of the Argentine Republic, manuscript magenta "48" credit, red "New-York Oct. 31, 1857" circular datestamp on back, red "London Paid" transit datestamp (November 14), cover slightly reduced at right, skillfully restored by pressing folds (certificate only notes cover creases and reduction), Very Fine appearance, a truly remarkable usage and one of the largest multiple frankings of the 10¢ 1855, ex Rust, Dr. LeBow, Dr. Robertson and Hackmey, with 2005 P.F. certificate (Image)

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10¢ Green, Type III (15), three huge margins, in at bottom, tied by well-struck "Toronto C.W. Sep. 28" circular datestamp on small cover to Superior, Wisconsin, neat "CANADA 10 Cts" straightline handstamp, red "Canada 10 Cents" in oval and matching "PAID" handstamp, with original 1856-dated enclosure, trivial cover edge tear at top, Fine, an exceedingly rare example of the 10¢ 1855 Issue used from Canada, only three such covers are reported, including one from Nova Scotia--the stamp was cancelled at the originating office in Toronto, but it was not accepted as prepayment by the Canadian postmaster, who applied the black straightline, however, on arrival at the U.S.-Canada exchange office, the clerk stamped it "Paid" and "10 cents", thus accepting the stamp as prepayment of U.S. postage, ex Krug, J. David Baker, Wilkinson and Hackmey (Image)

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10¢ Green, Type III (15), three large margins, just in at right, tied by brownish-black 7-ring Canadian target cancel, matching "St. Vincent de Paul, L.C." double-circle datestamp with manuscript "3 Novembre 1856" date on cover to Albany, New York, manuscript rate mark at center but this appears to have been accepted as fully prepaid, "Montreal U.C. NO 3, 1856" circular datestamp on back, cover with small edge tears, some toning also affects stamp, otherwise Fine, one of three recorded covers with the 10¢ 1855 Issue originating in Canada, ex Dr. Kapiloff, with 1969 P.F. certificate (Image)

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10¢ Green, Type II (14), large margins to clear, used with two 1¢ Blue, Type IV (9) and 3¢ Dull Red, Type I (11), the 3¢ and one 1¢ small corner creases, large margins to in, tied by "Sacramento City Cal. May 19" (1856) circular datestamps on cover to Bedique, Prince Edward Island, one 1¢ also tied by red "United States" in oval handstamp, found to be overweight so manuscript "30" due marking applied which is converted into "1/6" (1sh6p) due from recipient, "St. John's, New Brunswick JU 17, 1856" and "Prince Edward Island JU 23, 1856" circular datestamps on back, missing top flap, edge tears, overall wear, otherwise Fine, an unusual use from California to Prince Edward Island, found to be overweight and so treated as unpaid, ex Hackmey (Image)

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10¢ Green, Type III (15), horizontal pair, three ample to large margins, large to just in at left, used with 1¢ Blue, Type V (24), straight edge at left, pulled perfs at bottom, minor wrinkles, and 3¢ Dull Red, Type III (26), both perforated stamps some toned perfs from gum, tied by "Carlyle Ills. Mar. 4" (1858) circular datestamps on cover to Chelmsford, England, red "19" credit handstamp-- carried on the Cunarder America, departing Boston March 10, 1858, arriving Liverpool March 22--red "America Liverpool Paid MR 22 58" circular datestamp, London (March 23) and Chelmsford (March 23) circular datestamps on back, some edgewear, still Very Fine, unusual combination of imperforate and perforated stamps to pay the 24¢ treaty rate, ex Hackmey (Image)

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10¢ Green, Type II (14), two singles, large margins except right stamp just in at bottom and small corner crease at bottom left, used with 1¢ Blue, Type IV (9), recut once at top and bottom, large margins to clear, light vertical crease at right from file fold, and 3¢ Dull Red, Type II (11A), large margins to just in, barely affected from placement near edge, cancelled by grids, manuscript "Glasgow Mo.", neat strike of "Glasgow Mo. Aug. 2" (1855) circular datestamp on folded letter to Liverpool, England, red "3" credit handstamp ties 1¢ stamp--carried on the Ocean Line Washington, departing New York August 11, 1855, arriving Southampton August 24--red London transit datestamp (August 25), Liverpool circular datestamp on back (August 27), Very Fine appearance and very unusual, the Cunarder Asia did not depart from New York until August 15, four days after this was sent, but it arrived at Liverpool on August 25, so would have gotten to the recipient faster on a British steamer, ex Giamporcaro and Hackmey (Image)

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10¢ Green, Type III (15), horizontal strip of four, three large margins, clear to just barely in at left, left stamp barely affected from placement at edge of cover, rich color, used with horizontal pair of 1¢ Blue, Type II (7), intense shade and impression, large margins to just in, tied by three perfect strikes of "New Orleans La. Jan. 23" (1856) balloon-style circular datestamp on grayish blue folded letter to Chalon sur Saone, France, pencil "42" rate, red "New-York Am. Pkt. Feb. 2" circular datestamp, sender's generic "pr Steamship" directive--carried on the Collins Line Baltic, departing New York on February 2, 1856, and arriving at Liverpool February 13--red London backstamp (February 14), Calais arrival datestamp (February 14) also ties strip, French railroad and receiving backstamps (February 15), manuscript "16" for grams in weight and "24" decimes due markings

Very Fine--a rare strip of four of the 1855 10¢ Imperforate on cover to France, and especially rare as part of a double 21¢ rate franking.

The 42¢ postage pays the double 21¢ British Open Mail rate by American Packet. The double rate was calculated in New York, but the 24 decimes due--three times the 8 decimes per 7.5 grams--was based on the weight calculated in France and noted as 16 grams at left.

Ex Joseph Hackmey. Signed Baudot and Calves handstamp. (Image)

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10¢ Green, Type III (15), horizontal strip of five, huge margins to ample, used with 1¢ Blue, Type IV (9), recut once at top, large margins to just in, and horizontal pair and single of 3¢ Dull Red, Type II (11A), large margins to in, tied by "Bucyrus O. May 28, 1857" circular datestamps on refolded buff cover front (with part of back) to Wurttemberg, Germany, red "N. York Am. Pkt. 14 Paid May 30" 14¢ credit datestamp struck twice--carried on Havre Line Arago, departing New York May 30, 1857, arriving Havre June 11--red "AACHEN 12/6 FRANCO" (June 12) framed datestamp, German receiving datestamp at lower right also ties 3¢ pair, this was originally a large cover with stamps folded over top and right edges, it has been refolded and reduced to a front (mounted on card), creases through 10¢ strip and 3¢ pair, colorful and attractive, a very rare use of a strip of five of the 10¢ 1855 as part of a three-color franking for the double 30¢ Prussian Closed Mail rate to Germany, ex Ishikawa and Hackmey (Image)

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