Siegel Sale 1000 continued...

First, there is the 1860 campaign, represented by a cover with the famous "split rail fence" design and portrait of a beardless Lincoln, used from Chicago and stamped with 3c postage and the extremely rare Floyd's Penny Post 1c Brown (68L2).

Second, there is the familiar portrait of a bearded Lincoln as president, represented by the only known engraved printing on an envelope, of which this one example is recorded.

Third, from the other side of the war we have the famous Confederate "Hanging Lincoln" cartoon, showing the president hanging upside down from a tree limb, with his symbolic axe and fence rail tied around his neck, of which twelve examples are recorded.

Fourth, there is the envelope distributed in the days immediately following Lincoln's assassination, which shows a portrait of John Wilkes Booth with a caption that begins "Hunt the villain down" -- the only envelope design depicting the assassin Booth, of which just two examples are recorded.

EXTREMELY FINE. THIS "QUARTET" OF LINCOLN COVERS STANDS ON ITS OWN AS THE MOST OUTSTANDING GROUP OF ITS KIND EVER ASSEMBLED, OR IT COULD PROVIDE THE KEYSTONE TO AN EXPANDED COLLECTION OF LINCOLN-RELATED COVERS, WHICH WILL UNDOUBTEDLY HAVE SPECIAL RELEVANCE AS THE NATION COMMEMORATES THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CIVIL WAR IN 2011.

The four covers are described in detail as follows:

Beardless Lincoln Portrait, Split Rail Fence and Riverboat Scene, 1860 Campaign Design. Baker imprint, 3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26), bright color, slightly rounded corner at bottom left, tied by blue "Chicago Ills. Jul. 16" (ca. 1860-61) circular datestamp, used with Floyd's Penny Post, Chicago Ill. (1c) Brown (68L2), large margins to just touched at top, small margin faults, tied by "Floyd's Penny Post" circular handstamp with sunburst at center on buff cover to Lowell Mass., trivial small edge tears in cover

VERY FINE. THE ONLY RECORDED LINCOLN CAMPAIGN COVER WITH A RARE LOCAL POST ADHESIVE, WHICH IN THIS CASE IS THE VERY RARE FLOYD'S PENNY POST BROWN STAMP. A FABULOUS POSTAL HISTORY RARITY.

John R. Floyd advertised the start of his Penny Post in July 1860. In June 1861, after the outbreak of the Civil War, Floyd sold the firm to Charles W. Mappa, but continued to assist in managing the post for several months before leaving for war in January 1862. Mappa in turn sold out to Kimball & Waterman in May 1862, and the post continued at least until November 1862 and then closed.

The Brown and Blue stamps were the first issued, and the Blue continued to be issued from 1860 through 1862. The Green stamps are known used only in October and November 1862, thus they appear to be the last printing, probably by Kimball & Waterman before the post was closed. The Blue is the most common, and the Brown is extremely scarce. The Green is by far the rarest.

Ex Rohloff and Risvold. With 2010 P.F. certificate

Engraved Three-Quarter Portrait of Bearded Lincoln in Black with Bronze Frame of Acanthus Ornaments, Shields and Stars. A superb impression which shows the deeply recessed lines on back and edge of the plate across flaps, there are traces of bronze ink along the edge of the oval, which indicate that both inks might have been applied to the plate and impressed on the envelope in one step, envelope of fine-quality manufacture addressed to Emil Winter at the merchants firm of Loeschigk, Wesendonck & Co. in New York City, 3c Rose (65), deep shade, slight crease at short perfs at left, tied by "Old Point Comfort Va. Mar. 24" double-circle datestamp, opened along the top

EXTREMELY FINE. THIS IS BELIEVED TO BE THE ONLY EXTANT EXAMPLE OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY ENGRAVED LINCOLN PORTRAIT ENVELOPE.

The unusually fine quality of the stationery and skillfully-executed engraving, as well as the style of the sender's handwriting, strongly suggest that this was produced by a German engraver and publisher and used by someone of German nationality. This cover is illustrated in the Milgram book (p. 79) and was featured on the front cover of our Sale 758 when it was offered on behalf of Morrison Waud. It is generally regarded as one of the greatest of all Lincoln portrait covers.

Ex Waud and Jarrett. With 2009 P.F. certificate

Hanging Lincoln Confederate Cartoon. Remarkably bold strike of "Bowling Green Ky. Nov. 2" (1861) blue circular datestamp with manuscript "Due 5" on cover to Sandy Ridge Ala., soldier's endorsement "Private W. T. Ellis of Capt. Fagg's Co., Col. Wirt Adams Regt.", excellent impression of printed design, negligible opening nick at top left corner just touches design (simply mended)

EXTREMELY FINE. ONLY TWELVE EXAMPLES OF THE CELEBRATED HANGING LINCOLN ENVELOPE ARE RECORDED. THIS IS THE ONLY EXAMPLE POSTMARKED IN KENTUCKY. AN OUTSTANDING AND HISTORIC CONFEDERATE PATRIOTIC.

The Hanging Lincoln design is widely recognized as the most distinctive of all Confederate patriotics. In this extraordinary cartoon, President Lincoln is hanging upside down from a tree limb, with his symbolic axe and fence rail tied around his neck. The caption reads "Abe Lincoln the destroyer. He once split Rails. Now he has split the Union." To the left and right is the caption "The penalty of disregarding the constitution. Impeached, deposed, Tried and convicted" (there is a spelling correction from "diposed" to "deposed"). Standing beside Lincoln is a mustachioed Winfield Scott, labeled "Old Fuss n Feathers", dropping his sword and exclaiming "My glory is gone for ever." On the ground is the Union flag, captioned "The stars and stripes lie in the dust, Never to rise." A star at left has the caption "The southern star is rising" and the Confederate 11-star flag towers above with the caption "The stars and bars shall for ever wave triumphant." Along the bottom is the imprint "Copyright claimed. HM & WC Box 417 Nashville Tenn."

Ex Howard Green and Schwartz

John Wilkes Booth, "Hunt the Villain Down", Wanted Design. Woodcut engraving with "J. D. EHLERS ENG." engraver's imprint, lengthy caption imploring citizens to search for the assassin with final encouragement "It may be by your means that a benignant Government shall mete out justice to one for whom there should be no mercy.", publishers imprint "Sold by C. H. Anderson, Bookseller & Stationer, 458 7th St., near cor. F, Washington, D.C.", addressed to Portland Me., 3c Rose (65), corner crease and sealed tear, tied by quartered cork cancel, "Washington D.C. May 3" (1865) circular datestamp, Portland May 4 receiving backstamp (street address and backstamp indicate carrier delivery)

VERY FINE COVER. ONE OF TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS JOHN WILKES BOOTH DESIGN, WHICH IS THE ONLY PUBLISHED ENVELOPE DEPICTING PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S ASSASSIN.

Prepared by bookseller and stationer C. H. Anderson of Washington, the envelope design carries the simple title "Booth" and a realistic engraved portrait, which was undoubtedly based on a carte-de-visite of John Wilkes Booth, who was a famous actor in his day. The envelope was meant to function as a wanted poster, which Anderson's melodramatic text makes clear: "Hunt the villain down. Scatter this likeness in every section of the country, scan every face, particularly if it shuns you, observe closely the features which cannot change, make due allowance for the beard to grow, the mustache shaved off, and the hair cut. It may be by your means that a benignant Government shall mete out justice to one for whom there should be no mercy." Booth shot Lincoln on April 14, 1865, and was himself killed by Federal forces on April 26.

Illustrated in the Milgram book (p. 175) and the American Philatelist pictorial series on "Great U.S. Covers" by Richard B. Graham. Ex Risvold. With 2010 P.F. certificate (Image)

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