Pony Express
284 C Wells, Fargo & Co., Pony Express, $1.00 Blue, Garter
(143L6). Huge margins all around, tied by "Pony Express,
The Central Overland California & Pikes Peak Express
Company, St. Joseph, Mo., Aug. 29" large oval within
circle datestamp, used with 10c Green, Ty. V (35), tied by
"New-York Aug. 24, 1861" cds and grid on 10c Green Nesbitt
entire with red printed frank and "Agent of Pony Express,
St. Joseph, Mo." routing, addressed to Alex Forbes at San
Francisco, opening faults along the top edge have been
skillfully restored, including a small sealed tear in 10c,
but the $1.00 stamp is sound and unaffected, at one time
part of the address was crossed out, but has been expertly
restored FINE APPEARANCE. THE EARLIEST OF THE FOUR
RECORDED COVERS BEARING THE PONY EXPRESS GARTER STAMP AND
THE ONLY EXAMPLE USED WITH THE 1857 ISSUE. There are four
recorded covers with the $1.00 Garter stamp, listed here
by St. Joseph date (all sent from East to West in 1861):
1) August 29th (ex H. J. Crocker), 2) October 24th (ex
Caspary, Haas, Kapiloff - the finest known), 3) October
27th (ex Wm. H. Crocker, Knapp, Moody), and 4) Undated (c.
October 16th) with strip of four $1.00 and four 10c 1861
for two-ounce quadruple rate (Kramer collection - the only
recorded multiple). The Nathan book lists an October 31st
"last kick of the Pony" cover with an untied Garter stamp,
but this cover cannot be verified - the U.S. postage is
only 10c for the single rate, making the presence of the
$1.00 Garter suspect. The $1.00 Garter was required on
letters weighing over the half-ounce limit for a single
rate. It is found only on mail originating in the East and
is presumed not to have been distributed to the California
offices before termination of the Pony Express service.
Because the 1857 Issue was superceded by the 1861 Issue in
late August and September, the combination of the Garter
stamp and 1857 Issue was possible for a brief time only.
Therefore, considering the Garter stamp's limited
function, brief period of use, and the exceedingly narrow
opportunity for combined use with the 1857 issue, this
franking is quite remarkable and necessarily
rare. Illustrated in Nathan's The Pony Express, p. 51. Ex
Henry J. Crocker..............................................$150,000
Revenue Stamps
297 Proprietary, 3c Green & Black, Inverted Center (RB3d).
Well-centered, blue handstamped cancel, rich color and
fine impression, top left corner perf missing, otherwise
Very Fine, a beautiful example of this extremely rare
Proprietary Invert, with 1984 P.F. certificate.................$12,000
298 1867, 12-1/2c Orange, -1/8 Bbl. (REA7). Unused, square
cut, beautiful color, few minor flaws, Very Fine and
scarce, only four or five are known.............................$1,200
300 P $1.00 1936 Hunting Permit, Large Die Proof (RW3P1). Die
sunk on 8 x 6 in. card, backstamped "ENGRAVER'S STOCK
PROOF/AUTHORIZED BY" with initials, control number
722517A, semi-circle punch in left denomination tablet,
Very Fine, extremely rare.......................................$5,000
301 P $1.00 1937 Hunting Permit, Large Die Proof (RW3P1). Die
sunk on 8 x 6 in. card, ms. "Stock J. Lowe" and control
number 526793 on back, Very Fine and extremely rare.............$5,000
303 SSB $1.00 1941 Hunting Permit (RW8). Mint N.H. bottom right
corner margin plate no. 146282 block of six, usual light
natural gum bends, Fine-Very Fine.................................$850
Confederate States
305 C Knoxville Tenn., 10c Green (47X3). Large margins, fresh
color, tied by double-struck Knoxville large circular
datestamp on homemade bluish green cover to Mrs. Jane M.
Tiller, Ashland Va., one side flap removed, stamp has been
lifted to check laid lines of paper and hinged in
place EXTREMELY FINE. THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE
10-CENT KNOXVILLE POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL, ON OR OFF
COVER, AND ONE OF THE CELEBRATED ITEMS OF CONFEDERATE
PHILATELY. This famous Confederate provisional stamp on
cover was discovered by O. D. Walbridge in 1886 and sold
to J. S. Smith in 1892. Smith sold the cover to F. T. Hoyt
in the same year, and it soon passed to Count Philippe la
Renotiere von Ferrary. The cover was sold as lot 11 in the
June 15-16, 1922, Gilbert auction of Ferrary's collection.
It then realized 6,200 francs plus the 17-1/2% government
surtax, for a total of approximately $650. By comparison,
the Grove Hill provisional cover sold in the same sale for
approximately $735. The next public offering of the
Knoxville 10c cover took place in March 1956 at the
Caspary sale held by H. R. Harmer (lot 167, $2,900). The
cover later became part of the Josiah K. Lilly collection,
selling at our April 1967 Lilly auction as lot 324 for
$8,500. Illustrated in Life (May 3, 1954), "Stamp Album
Worth $1,000,000". Ex Walbridge, Smith, Hoyt, Ferrary,
Caspary and Lilly. With 1993 P.F. certificate..................$52,500
306 S Knoxville Tenn., 5c Brick Red (47X1). Unused vertical
strip of three, the entire vertical row with full sheet
margins at top, bottom and left side, rich color and fine
impression, close to just touching at right, horizontal
creases in center stamp, Very Fine appearance, the unique
strip from which the Scott Catalogue listing was made, ex
Caspary (where it realized $1,400 in 1956)......................$4,000
308 C Knoxville Tenn., 10c on 5c Black entire (47XU6). Clearly
struck 5c rate handstamp overstruck by bold "10" hs on
small cover to Manassas Junction Va., ms. "Missent & For",
backflap removed, minor toning, otherwise Fine and
extremely rare..................................................$1,800
309 C 5c Green, Stone 1 (1). Two large margins, other sides in,
tied by "Gordonsville Va. Mar. 31" cds on orange cover
with red and blue 12-Star Confederate Flag and Verse
patriotic design (stars with six points each), addressed
to Mrs. Jane W. Tiller, Ashland Va., the same addressee on
the famous 10c Knoxville provisional cover, Very Fine,
rare design and excellent association item for the 10c
Knoxville, ex Judd..............................................$1,800
Canal Zone
310 SS 1962, 4c Thatcher Ferry "Missing Bridge" Error, Silver
Omitted (157a). Mint Never Hinged THE UNIQUE PLATE NUMBER
BLOCK OF THE FAMOUS MISSING BRIDGE ERROR. The
Scott-listed plate block of ten from the only sheet of 50
ever found was divided into two blocks, leaving this
unique plate block of six. Scott Retail for six singles is
$42,000.00.....................................................$45,000
Hawaiian Islands
311 S 1851, 5c Blue (2). Type I, unused, repaired with portions
of paper and design added at lower left and along right
side, two tears (one interior) ONE OF TWELVE RECORDED
UNUSED EXAMPLES OF THE 5-CENT MISSIONARY, OF WHICH ONLY
TEN ARE AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS A respectable example of
this rare Missionary, of which there are 61 recorded
copies, including twelve unused (two of which are in the
Tapling collection at the British Library). Ex Burrus,
Ostheimer III and Honolulu Advertiser. Census No.
2-I-UNC-18. Brewster 2-I-Unused-1. With 1963 and 1995 P.F.
certificates...................................................$13,500
312 S 1852, 13c Blue, "H.I. & U.S. Postage" (4). Type II,
unused, framelines show on all four sides, rebacked and
some minor repairs, but the design is complete and
original A FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THIS MISSIONARY, OF
WHICH SEVEN UNUSED COPIES ARE AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS Our
census of 13c "H.I. & U.S. Postage" Missionaries (see Sale
769 - Appendix I) records eight unused examples, including
the stamp in the Tapling collection at the British
Library, which is probably not unused, but unavailable in
any case. This example is relatively attractive without
any repainting of the design. Ex Honolulu Advertiser.
Census No. 4-II-UNC-148. Brewster 4-II-Unused-3. With 1995
P.F. certificate...............................................$14,000
313 S 1857, 5c on 13c Dark Red (7). Type I numeral with long
flag, large part original gum, large margins, vivid color,
faint vertical crease at right ONE OF THE FEW KNOWN
EXAMPLES OF THIS RARITY WITH ORIGINAL GUM Ex Ostheimer.
With 1965 P.F. certificate (does not note crease)...............$3,750
315 S 1893, 10c Red Brown, Red Overprint Error (61B). Rich
color, large part original gum, Fine and rare...................$5,500
Foreign
317 SSB CANADA, 1929, 50c Bluenose (158). Mint N.H. top plate
number and imprint block of six, fresh and Extremely Fine,
with 1981 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail $1,800 for Mint
N.H. singles, Unitrade $4,000+ for plate block and N.H.
premium.........................................................$1,700
318 S CANADA, 1959, 5c Seaway Invert (387a, SG 513a). Fresh
colors, barest faint trace of glazing on gum, Very Fine
and rare........................................................$5,000
319 SS CANADA, 1996, $2.00 Normal School, Center Inverted. T.L.
corner margin single, Mint N.H., Extremely Fine and rare,
the first Canadian invert error since the famous Seaway
invert..........................................................$5,000
321 C 1857, 6p Plum, Blued Paper (2, SG 1). Ample margins to
just touched, tied by oval grid on cover to London,
"Colombo Steamer-Letter De 14 1857" backstamp, red London
Paid receiving cds, neatly pressed edge creasing barely
affects stamp, Fine and scarce use of the first Ceylon
stamp (issued prior to Scott No. 1 and listed in Gibbons
as No. 1), ex Adm. Harris.........................................$800
322 C 1857, 6p Plum, Blued Paper (2, SG 1). Two, mostly ample to
large margins, righthand stamp slightly in at left, tied
by oval grids on cover to New York, backstamped "Kandy
Post-Paid De 13 1857" and "Kandy Steamer Letter De 18
1857", red London Paid transit, black "New-York Br. Pkt.
Feb. 8" cds and "42" rate, the cover has been trimmed
around all sides and rejoined to improve appearance, a few
minor edge tears remain, still Fine appearance and an
exceedingly rare use of the Ceylon first issue to the
United States...................................................$4,750
323 C 1857, 1p Blue, 2p Deep Green (3, 4, SG 4, 7). 1p
horizontal strip of three, full margins to just touching,
2p small margins to touching, tied by oval grids on
greenish folded letter to Shanghai, red "Galle
Steamer-Letter Ja 9 1860" cds and Hong Kong transit cds on
back, 1p strip creased, otherwise Fine, scarce franking
for the 5p inter-Asian rate.....................................$2,600
324 C 1857, 1p Blue, 6p Plum (3, 6A, SG 2, 6). Three 1p, varying
margins, used with 6p, clear or touching, tied by oval
grids on folded letter to London via Marseilles, red
"Colombo Post-Paid Ju 27 1861" backstamp, red London Paid
receiving cds, Very Fine and scarce 9p rate.....................$1,000
325 C 1857, 5p Orange Brown (6, SG 5). Ample margins to touched,
tied by criss-crossed oval grid on folded letter to
Bombay, backstamped "Badulla Post-Paid" with ms. Mar. 27,
1860 date, "Colombo Steamer-Letter Mr 29 1858" cds and
Bombay receiving cds also on back, horizontal file crease
thru stamp, otherwise Fine example of the 5p rate to
India, ex Adm. Harris.............................................$750
326 C 1857, 2p Deep Green, 5p Orange Brown, 1sh Violet (4, 6,
11, SG 7, 10, 16). Two 2p with large margins to slightly
in, 5p margins all around, 1sh full margins to touched at
top, tied by oval grids on cover to London via Marseilles,
red "Colombo Post-Paid Jy 13 1860" backstamp, red London
Paid receiving cds, Very Fine, a beautiful three-color
combination for the 1sh9p triple rate...........................$6,750
327 C 1857, 5c Orange Brown, 1sh Violet (6, 11, SG 5, 10). Each
with ample margins to slightly in, tied by oval grids on
blue cover to Fecamp, France, via Suez, red "Galle
Steamer-Letter Sp 17 1860" backstamp, red Marseilles
transit cds, receiving backstamps, lightly struck "9"
decimes due hs, repaired backflap and sealed tear at top,
otherwise Very Fine, extremely rare 1sh5p rate, ex Burrus,
with 1963 B.P.A. certificate....................................$2,500
328 C 1859, 1sh9p Green (12, SG 11). Three ample margins to
touching, slightly in at left, tied by oval grid on blue
folded cover to London via Marseilles, red "Colombo
Post-Paid My 10 1860" backstamp, red London Paid receiving
cds, fresh and Fine, very scarce single use of the 1sh9p
for the -3/4 ounce rate, ex Dale-Lichtenstein, Stanley
Gibbons value £3,200 on cover..................................$10,500
329 C 1863-68, 1p Blue, 6p Chocolate Brown, 1sh Purple, Perf
12-1/2 (53, 57, 61, SG 61, 67, 71). 6p two pairs and
single, used with 1p and 1sh, tied by oval grids on blue
registered folded cover to Scotland via Marseilles, 3sh
rate plus 7p registration fee, red "Colombo Paid Ju 11 70"
cds and matching "Colombo=Registered" oval hs, oval
"Registered London" transit ds, receipt docketing, receipt
docketing, minor wear, Fine, unusual and colorful franking......$2,300
332 DOMINICA (Great Britain Used In), 1856, 1sh Green, "A07"
Cancel. Neat strike of the "A07" cancel on Great Britain
1sh Green (28, SG 72), fresh color, Fine and rare, only
two known examples of the G.B. 1sh stamp cancelled by
"A07" grid of Dominica, with 1960 R.P.S. certificate..............$500
334 DOMINICA, 1886, 1p on 4p Green (14, SG 18). No. 6 of the
setting, tied on small piece by part of numeral cancel,
the piece also shows part of oval "Registered" handstamp,
sound in every respect VERY FINE AND EXTREMELY SCARCE.
APPROXIMATELY FOURTEEN USED EXAMPLES ARE KNOWN (AND TWO
UNUSED). THIS IS THE ONLY ONE ON A PIECE OF THE ORIGINAL
ENVELOPE. Accompanied by a photocopy of a large part of
the original envelope on which they were used, showing the
placement of seven of the stamps. Ex Isleham, Dallas. With
1952 R.P.S. certificate.........................................$7,500
335 SS EAST GERMANY, 1984, 5pf-25pf Unissued Olympic Set (Michel
I-III). Mint N.H. set of the three unissued stamps, Very
Fine, no more than 50 sets are believed to exist. The set
was originally issued for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los
Angeles. However, due to the boycott of the Games by the
Eastern European Bloc, the stamps were never issued.
Curiously, the same design was used by East Germany for
their stamps for the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul (a set of
these accompanies). Each is signed and with 1990 Zierer
certificate. Unlisted in Scott, Michel catalogue value.........$11,000
336 SBL EGYPT, Suez Canal, 1868, 20c Blue (Yvert 3). Two complete
sheets of 120 each, each showing papermaker's watermark,
full original gum, Mint N.H., usual gum creases, few
trivial natural inclusions, Very Fine and extremely rare
set of sheets...................................................$5,000
337 SS FALKLAND ISLANDS, 1964, 6p "Glasgow" Error of Vignette
(151a, SG 216a). Well-centered, Mint N.H., fresh and
bright colors and paper, Extremely Fine, one of the most
famous and fascinating of modern British Commonwealth
errors, of which only 17 are reported. The Gibbons
catalogue states that it is believed that this error
occurred when a sheet with the center showing the
"Glasgow" was accidentally included among the supply of
the 6p value, where it received the wrong frame. Gibbons
also states that there have been seventeen reported,
although this number may include some duplication in
reporting. Stanley Gibbons value £16,000.......................$12,500
339 C 1850, 25c Blue, 1fr Dark Carmine (6a, 9, Yvert 4, 7).
Horizontal pair of 25c, horizontal strip of three and
single of 1fr, mostly large margins, barely in at places,
tied by diamond grid cancels on cover to Philadelphia,
neat "Paris 22 Mai 51" cds, red boxed "PD", Calais transit
backstamp, New York debit datestamp also ties stamps, Fine
and very scarce triple-rate usage...............................$2,000
340 C 1850, 1fr Dark Carmine (9, Yvert 6). Horizontal strip of
three, large margins to just touched at left, tied by
diamond grid, "New-York Aug 29 5Cts." cds in black on
small cover to Philadelphia, "Paris 11 Aout 51" cds, red
boxed "PD" handstamp, Very Fine and rare double-rate usage......$1,000
343 C 1850, 25c Light Blue, 1fr Dark Carmine (6, 9, Yvert 4, 7).
Vertical pair of 25c, full to large margins showing part
of adjacent stamp at right of 1fr, tied by diamond grid
cancel on mounring cover to Philadelphia, bold "Paris 21
Nov 1851" datestamp, red boxed "PD", Boston Br. Pkt. debit
datestamp with matching "5", Calais transit backstamp, a
Very Fine usage.................................................$1,250
344 C FRENCH BALLON MONTE, "Le Victor Hugo". 30c and 40c
Napoleon tied by large dotted star, Paris Oct. 17, 1870
cds on folded letter to New York, red London Paid transit
cds also ties stamps, matching "PD" in frame, red New York
Paid All receiving cds, 40c slightly oxidised, Very Fine,
extremely attractive and rare Ballon Monte cover to the
United States...................................................$2,000
