Nashville Tenn., 3c Carmine
(61X1). Horizontal strip of five and an additional single (Pos. 5),
printed by Postmaster McNish using the old 3c U.S. rate, but never issued,
few tiny thins in strip, single heavily thinned, Very Fine appearance (Image)
Nashville Tenn., 5c Brick Red
(61X3). Intense shade on deeply blued paper, two huge margins showing
part of adjoining stamp at left, other framelines slightly cut into, tied
by blue "Nashville Ten. Jul. 28, 1861" circular datestamp on United
States 3c Red Nesbitt entire with printed address to David Cleage,
Athens Ga., Planter's Bank embossing on flap, Very Fine, attractive and
scarce use of provisional on demonetized U.S. entire, ex Knapp (Image) 
Nashville Tenn., 5c Brick Red
(61X3). Top right corner sheet margin, other sides full to just clear,
bright shade, tied by greenish-blue "Nashville Ten. Sep. 16, 1861" circular
datestamp, matching "Paid" on cover to Shelbyville Tenn. with importer's
illustrated building corner card, large and detailed depiction with
horses and wagons on street, a few lightly toned spots around
edgesEXTREMELY FINE. A SPECTACULAR USE OF THE NASHVILLE PROVISIONAL ON AN ILLUSTRATED BUILDING CORNER CARD COVER.
Illustrated in Crown book (p. 245). Ex Caspary and Wiseman (Image)
Nashville Tenn., 5c Deep
Carmine (61X2). Intense dark shade and fine impression, full margins
all around, tied by blue "Nashville Ten. Aug. 9, 1861" circular datestamp
on United States 3c Red Nesbitt entire with printed address to David
Cleage, Athens Ga., Planter's Bank embossing on flap, docketed across face
of cover, Very Fine stamp and scarce use of provisional on demonetized U.S.
entire, ex Worthington (Image) 
Nashville Tenn., 5c Carmine
(61X2). Horizontal pair, bright shade, large margins to clear, upper
right corner of pair torn and repaired, tied by "Nashville Ten. Sep. 5,
1861" circular datestamp with matching "Paid" on orange cover to Kennedy's
P.O. Va., druggist's oval corner card, reduced at right and part of
side flap missing, Very Fine appearance, an attractive and rare usage
despite repair, ex Muzzy (Image) 
Nashville Tenn., 5c Gray
(61X4). Full margins to just touching at right, beautiful distinctive
shade, tied by blue "Nashville Ten." (date unclear) circular datestamp on
bright white cover to McMinnville Tenn., Extremely Fine, the Nashville 5c
on Gray is by far the rarest of the 5c provisionals and equal in rarity to
the 10c, ex Worthington and Caspary (where acquired by the Kilbournes) (Image) 
Nashville Tenn., 5c Gray
(61X4). Deep Brownish Gray shade, horizontal pair, small faults, tied
by blue "Nashville Ten. Oct. 25, 1861" circular datestamp, matching "Paid"
handstamp on small cover to Lieut. Col. William Preston Johnston, 1st Ky.
Regt., Genl. Jones' Brigade, Camp near Centerville Va., light soiling,
small opening tear at topFINE APPEARANCE. TWO COVERS WITH PAIRS OF THE RARE NASHVILLE 5-CENT GRAY ARE RECORDED -- THIS IS THE ONLY TIED EXAMPLE.
Ex Gallagher (Image)
Nashville Tenn., 5c Violet
Brown (61X5). Full to huge margins showing bit of adjoining stamp's
frameline at left, beautiful deep rich chococate-brown shade on blued
paper, tied by "Nashville Ten. Oct. 3, 1861" circular datestamp with
matching "Paid" on bright buff cover to Athens Ga., Cleage correspondence,
Extremely Fine, ex Brooks (Image) 
Nashville Tenn., 5c Violet
Brown (61X5). Horizontal pair, large margins to just touching at upper
right, rich color, small tear at left, tied by blue "Nashville Ten. Sep.
20, 1861" circular datestamp with matching "Paid" on yellow cover to
Tredegar Iron Works, Richmond Va., sealed opening tear in cover, otherwise
Very Fine, an exremely rare cover -- only three pairs of the Violet Brown
are recorded in Crown census -- ex Gallagher
(Image) 
Nashville Tenn., 5c Brick Red
(61X3). Ample margins to slightly in, tied by blue "Adams Express Co.
Nashville Aug. 2" oval datestamp on United States 3c Red Star Die
entire to Cleveland Tenn., North-to-South thru-the-lines express
usage, blue "POSTAGE/PAID" rimless handstamp applied by Nashville
office of Adams Express Company, 3c embossed stamp cancelled by black
"Adams Ex. Co. * Louisville, Ky. * Jul. 27, 1861" circular datestamp (month
inverted), small ms. "2" (two bits or 25c), expert restoration to close
opening tears along top, but the provisional is soundFRESH AND VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF FIVE RECORDED COVERS WITH THE 5-CENT NASHVILLE PROVISIONAL USED IN COMBINATION WITH UNITED STATES POSTAGE.
This North-to-South express cover is one of five recorded with the 5c Nashville provisional and U.S. stamps used together (two Nashville 10c provisional combinations are known, see the following lot). Two of the five recorded Adams Express covers with the 5c Nashville are from the Knowles correspondence to Rhode Island. Two other covers have Adams and Louisville post office markings with identical dates (Aug. 21 and 22), one is addressed to Minnesota (our Sale 795, lot 415) and the other to Kentucky.
Adams was required to pay Confederate postage, but letters never actually entered the mails at Nashville. Instead, the blue "Postage Paid" marking was used to indicate prepayment. Judging from recorded covers, it appears that the Adams Nashville office rarely used the provisional stamps to indicate prepayment.
Illustrated and described in detail in Ashbrook's article on the Brooks collection (Stamp Specialist, 1945 Black Book). Ex Emerson, Brooks and Muzzy. (Image)
Nashville Tenn., 10c Green
(61X6). Two huge margins, framelines touched at top and right, deep
shade, scissors-cut at top left, tied by blue "Adams Express Co. Nashville
Aug. 1" oval datestamp with matching "10" handstamp indicating Confederate
postage rate on United States 3c Red Star Die entire to Rev. A. J.
Leavenworth, Petersburg Va., "Adams Ex. Co. * Louisville, Ky. * Jul. 30,
1861" circular datestamp cancels 3c embossed stamp, small red ms. "2"
express charge (two bits, or 25c), receipt docketing "Prof. Agnew &
Sundry others", small part of backflap removed, light soiling and edge
wearVERY FINE. ONE OF THREE RECORDED ADAMS EXPRESS COMPANY COVERS WITH THE NASHVILLE 10-CENT PROVISIONAL, OF WHICH ONLY TWO ARE MIXED FRANKINGS WITH UNITED STATES POSTAGE. AN OUTSTANDING COVER THAT COMBINES THE RAREST ELEMENTS OF PHILATELY AND POSTAL HISTORY.
As explained in the previous description, Adams Express Company was required to ensure the prepayment of government postage (Federal and Confederate), although the letter was carried outside the regular mails. Very few covers are recorded with Confederate provisional stamps or markings used in conjunction with thru-the-lines express service. This group includes the provisionals of Atlanta (handstamp), Houston (handstamp), Lynchburg (press-printed entire), Memphis (adhesive), Mobile (adhesive), Montgomery (handstamp), Nashville (adhesive and handstamp) and New Orleans (adhesive).
Of the Nashville provisional/express covers, five are known with the 5c and three with the 10c, only two of the 10c covers are mixed frankings (the third is used alone). These two Nashville 10c mixed-franking covers carried by Adams, both North-to-South usages, are the only 10c adhesive Confederate provisionals known in combination with United States postage. As such, they are quite significant artifacts of this remarkable period of postal history.
Illustrated in Shenfield book (p. 23). Ex Antrim (acquired by the Kilbournes in 1958). Accompanied by signed Ashbrook photo. (Image)