Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

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The Frelinghuysen Collection, Part One: United States Postmasters' Provisionals continued...

Baltimore, Maryland (Scott 3X2, 3X1, 3XU1-3XU2)

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

Baltimore, Maryland, 10c Black on White (3X2). Position 11 from the bottom left corner of the sheet (according to Hayes plating) with complete framelines at left and bottom, intense impression on bright white paper, cancelled by criss-crossing pen strokes, affixed with two small red wax seals at each end causing slight wrinkling and two tiny internal tears to the left of "10", corner crease at lower left, blue "Baltimore Md. Feb. 27" circular datestamp (no year date, but believed to be 1846), matching "Paid" and "10" in oval handstamps on folded cover to Reverend R. H. Ball, in care of another Reverend ("A. A.", which we believe to be Reverend A. A. Lipscomb) in Montgomery Ala., evidently Reverend Ball had returned to Baltimore, original Montgomery address and "Paid" crossed out, redirected to Baltimore, blue "Montgomery Ala. Mar. 7" circular datestamp and matching "10" due handstamp, addressees' last names obliterated in 19th century ink to create anonymity

VERY FINE. ONE OF FIVE RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, 10-CENT BLACK PROVISIONAL STAMP ON WHITE PAPER, EACH USED ON COVER (TWO OTHERS ON BLUISH PAPER ARE KNOWN). AN IMPORTANT CLASSIC UNITED STATES RARITY.

Census No. 3X2-COV-02. Ex Townsend, Ferrary (with his purple trefoil handstamp at lower right) and Lapham. Small "W.H.C." (Warren H. Colson) handstamp at lower left. With 2011 P.F. certificate. Scott value for 10c on White, No. 3X2 (on cover only), is $70,000.00.

History of the Baltimore provisionals and this cover: http://siegelauctions.com/enc/pdf/Baltimore.pdf

Census of Baltimore 10c provisionals: http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/3X2-3X4/3X2-3X4.pdf (Image)

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E. 30,000-40,000

SOLD for $70,000.00
Will close during Public Auction

Baltimore, Maryland, 5c Black on White (3X1). Positions 3/5, vertical pair, trace of frameline at bottom left, tied by cross-hatched pen strokes, matching manuscript "10" rate, clear strike of blue "Baltimore Md. Mar. 21" (1847) circular datestamp and matching "Paid" handstamp on cover to Miss Mary Floyd in Port Tobacco Md., the pair has a pre-use horizontal crease mostly along the frameline between stamps

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF TWO RECORDED PAIRS OF THE 5-CENT PROVISIONAL ISSUED BY BALTIMORE'S POSTMASTER, JAMES M. BUCHANAN. BOTH PAIRS ARE ON WHITE PAPER, AND THEY ARE THE ONLY MULTIPLES OF A BALTIMORE PROVISIONAL KNOWN ON OR OFF COVER.

Illustrated in the Luff book. Ex Ayer, Worthington, Gibson and Lapham. Small "W.H.C." (Warren H. Colson) handstamp at lower right. With 2011 P.F. certificate. Scott value for a pair on cover is $35,000.00, which does not correspond to the $40,000 1989 auction realization for the other pair on cover.

History of the Baltimore provisionals: http://siegelauctions.com/enc/pdf/Baltimore.pdf

History of this cover: http://siegelauctions.com/enc/pdf/Baltimore_5cPair.pdf (Image)

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E. 15,000-20,000

SOLD for $130,000.00
Will close during Public Auction

Baltimore, Maryland, 5c Black on White (3X1). Position 5, bottom frameline nearly complete, part also showing at left, without pen cancellation and tied by blue "Paid" handstamp, matching "Baltimore Md. Jan. 30" (1847) circular datestamp and "5" in oval handstamp on folded cover to J. P. Phillips (attorney at law) in Warrenton Va., sender's notation "Paid", receipt docketing "Norris & Bro 1847" on inside panel, pressed-out vertical file fold passes thru stamp, lightened stain spots on stamp

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, 5-CENT ON WHITE PAPER WITHOUT PEN CANCELLATION AND TIED BY A HANDSTAMPED MARKING.

Ex Ferrary (with his purple trefoil handstamp at lower right) and probably ex Lapham. Small "W.H.C." (Warren H. Colson) handstamp and illustrated in his Colson of Boston promotional booklet (page 20). Scott value $13,500.00 (footnote states "Stamps on cover tied by handstamps command premium"). (Image)

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E. 4,000-5,000

SOLD for $16,500.00
Will close during Public Auction

Baltimore, Maryland, 5c Black on Bluish (3X3). Position 2, large parts of left and bottom framelines, trace at top left, without pen cancellation and tied by blue "Baltimore Md. Jul. 26" (1846) circular datestamp, two strikes of matching "Paid" handstamp and manuscript "5" rate on light blue folded cover to H. M. Brent (cashier) in Winchester Va., sender's notation "paid", receipt docketing "C. C. Jameson, Cash., July 25, 1846" on inside panel, file folds have been pressed to become nearly invisible, one vertical fold passes thru stamp but is barely noticeable, faint corner crease in stamp at top right

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN ATTRACTIVE COVER BEARING THE BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, 5-CENT ON BLUISH PAPER. EXAMPLES WITHOUT PEN CANCELLATION AND TIED BY A HANDSTAMPED MARKING ARE VERY RARE.

Small "W.H.C." (Warren H. Colson) handstamp at lower left and illustrated in his Colson of Boston promotional booklet (page 21). Probably ex Lapham. Scott value $13,500.00 (footnote states "Stamps on cover tied by handstamps command premium"). (Image)

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E. 4,000-5,000

SOLD for $6,250.00
Will close during Public Auction

Baltimore, Maryland, 5c Blue on Buff entire, Black Signature Handstamp (3XU1 var). Clearly struck provisional markings with "James M. Buchanan" struck in brownish black, "Paid" and double-struck "5" in oval handstamps in blue, matching "Baltimore Md. Sep. 7" (1845) circular datestamp on cover to Miss Delia M. Black, care of Captain F. Black in Washington D.C., blue manuscript check mark, pencil receipt docketing "Sep. 7th, 1845", very faint waterstaining and wax seal mark at center

VERY FINE. THIS IS THE EARLIEST EXAMPLE OF A BALTIMORE POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL HANDSTAMPED ENVELOPE. A RARE COLOR COMBINATION WITH THE "JAMES M. BUCHANAN" SIGNATURE HANDSTAMP STRUCK IN BLACK.

The Baltimore provisional envelopes with the signature handstamp in black and other markings in blue were evidently the earliest of Postmaster Buchanan's issues. This September 7, 1845, envelope is addressed to Miss Delia M. Black, who married Gilbert Roger Jr. on October 6, 1845, after which point letters were addressed to her married name. Both the Hayes published census and the Shearer unpublished census list this envelope as number 1 in the handstamped envelope section. Twelve examples of the 5c Blue/Black combination envelope were recorded by Shearer as of June 1996 (plus the unlisted 5c envelope offered in lot 8 and two 10c Blue/Black envelopes).

Small "W.H.C." (Warren H. Colson) handstamp at lower right. Ex Col. Green. The Scott U.S. Specialized mentions that entires with the black signature handstamp were issued first and "sell for more," but this handstamp color combination is not given its own major listing. Scott value for blue signature handstamp is $6,500.00. (Image)

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E. 5,000-7,500

SOLD for $4,250.00
Will close during Public Auction

Baltimore, Maryland, 5c Blue on Yellowish White entire, Black Signature Handstamp (3XU1 var). Clearly struck provisional markings with "James M. Buchanan" struck in brownish black, "Paid" and "5" in oval handstamps in blue, matching "Baltimore Md. Jan. 2" (1846) circular datestamp on cover to Mrs. Delia M. Rogers, care of Captain F. Black in Washington D.C., blue manuscript check mark, pencil receipt docketing "Jan 1st, 1846", very light soiling

VERY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT BALTIMORE PROVISIONAL ENVELOPE WITH THE "JAMES M. BUCHANAN" SIGNATURE HANDSTAMP STRUCK IN BLACK.

The Baltimore provisional envelopes with the signature handstamp in black and other markings in blue were evidently the earliest of Postmaster Buchanan's issues. Twelve examples of the 5c Blue/Black combination envelope were recorded by Don Shearer as of June 1996 (plus two 10c Blue/Black envelopes). This entire is missing from the Hayes published census and Shearer unpublished census. It is postmarked one day earlier than Hayes No. 11, and both are addressed to Delia M. Rogers. The January 3 envelope was sold in our 2010 Rarities sale (Siegel Sale 989, lot 32) for $11,000 hammer.

Ex Worthington (Worthington's source information written in pencil on back "9/29/09 New Eng UDN") and probably ex Lapham. Small "W.H.C." (Warren H. Colson) handstamp at lower right. The Scott U.S. Specialized mentions that entires with the black signature handstamp were issued first and "sell for more," but this handstamp color combination is not given its own major listing. Scott value for blue signature handstamp is $6,500.00. (Image)

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E. 5,000-7,500

SOLD for $6,000.00
Will close during Public Auction

Baltimore, Maryland, 5c Blue on Salmon entire (3XU1). Clear strikes of signature, "Paid" and "5" in oval provisional handstamps, blue "Baltimore Md. Sep. 16" (1846) circular datestamp on cover to Messr. N. Trotter & Co. in Philadelphia, receipt docketing "Baltimore Sept. 16, 1846, Wm. Spear 9/17/46"

EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THREE OR FOUR KNOWN BALTIMORE PROVISIONAL ENVELOPES ON SALMON-COLORED PAPER.

The published census by Hayes (1970) and later unpublished census by Shearer (1996) do not list this 5c Salmon-colored provisional envelope dated September 16. They do list one 5c and one 10c on Salmon, both dated October 10, 1846. The H. R. Harmer April 24-26, 1950, sale, containing 14 provisional envelopes from the Mayer correspondence, listed another 5c on Salmon (lot 13, dated January 24), but that envelope is described by Hayes and Shearer as Buff paper.

Prior to 1972 the Scott Catalogue assigned major numbers to the different colored Baltimore handstamped envelopes, but John R. Boker Jr. successfully argued that such a distinction between paper colors was confusing and irrelevant, and the listings were consolidated into four numbers. Specialists who regard envelope colors as distinctive varieties assign a premium to the rare salmon-colored Baltimore provisional envelopes.

Unlisted in either the Hayes published census or the Shearer unpublished census. Small "W.H.C." (Warren H. Colson) handstamp. Probably ex Lapham. Scott value $6,500.00 for the more common Manila or Buff envelopes. (Image)

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E. 4,000-5,000

SOLD for $12,500.00
Will close during Public Auction

Baltimore, Maryland, 5c Blue on Manila entire (3XU1). Clear strikes of signature, "Paid" and "5" in oval provisional handstamps, lightly struck "Baltimore Md. (Jul. ?)" (1846) circular datestamp and "5" in oval handstamp on cover to Miss Susan Julia Mayer, care of Gen. Geo. M. Keim in Reading Pa., wax seal mark at center

A FINE AND ATTRACTIVE BALTIMORE 5-CENT HANDSTAMPED PROVISIONAL ENTIRE.

Hayes Census No. 35. Small "W.H.C." (Warren H. Colson) handstamp and illustrated in his Colson of Boston promotional booklet (page 23). Ex Ferrary (with his purple trefoil handstamp at lower right) and probably ex Lapham. Scott value $6,500.00. (Image)

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E. 2,000-3,000

SOLD for $2,400.00
Will close during Public Auction

Baltimore, Maryland, 5c Red on Manila entire (3XU2). Better than usual strikes of signature, "Paid" and "5" in oval provisional handstamps, which are usually very faint when struck in red, light matching "Baltimore Md. Apr. 29" (1846) circular datestamp on cover to Miss Susan Julia Mayer, care of Mrs. Margaret Wetherall, 461 Arch St., Philadelphia, light wax seal mark at center

VERY FINE. ONE OF NINE EXAMPLES OF THE BALTIMORE 5-CENT PROVISIONAL ENVELOPE IN RED RECORDED IN THE SHEARER CENSUS.

The unpublished census by Don Shearer (1996) lists nine 5c envelopes struck in red ink, dated from March to May 1846, plus four 10c red-handstamp envelopes with dates from June to September 1846. The quality of the red strikes is generally poor. The envelope offered here has relatively clear strikes.

Hayes Census No. 13. Ex Ferrary (with his purple trefoil handstamp at lower right). Small "W.H.C." (Warren H. Colson) handstamp at lower right and illustrated in his Colson of Boston promotional booklet (page 22). Probably ex Lapham. (Image)

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E. 3,000-4,000

SOLD for $4,500.00
Will close during Public Auction

James M. Buchanan. Free frank "James M. Buchanan" almost exactly as it appears on the provisionals, "On P. Office Business" and address in another hand on folded cover to postmaster of Sandy Spring Md., blue "Baltimore Md. Oct. 19" circular datestamp and "Free" handstamp, small "W.H.C." (Warren H. Colson) handstamp at lower right, accompanied by folded letter from the Beatty correspondence with large red "Paid" in double-line frame handstamp, blue "Baltimore Md. Feb. 2" (1846) circular datestamp, "Paid" and "5" in oval, both Extremely Fine, these stampless covers fall within the Buchanan provisional period and make excellent collateral items in a provisional display (Image)

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E. 400-500

SOLD for $3,250.00
Will close during Public Auction