The Kilbourne Collection of Confederate Postmaster's Provisionals continued...

EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THREE COVERS IN PRIVATE HANDS BEARING A RECTANGULAR-CUT EXAMPLE OF THE PITTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE PROVISIONAL ON WOVE PAPER. ONLY TEN COPIES IN TOTAL ARE RECORDED, INCLUDING SEVEN COVERS.

The Scott and Dietz listings for the Pittsylvania C.H. provisional, as well as the Crown census, contain erroneous information, which is based on two fakes in the Ferrary collection (4th Sale, lots 75 and 76). The stamps on the two ex-Ferrary covers are counterfeits -- they both show a genuine characteristic, the space between "T" and "S" of "Cents", which is found on three genuine provisionals. However, both also show two typographic features that are not found on any of the genuine stamps and should not exist on any genuine impression. These are illustrated here in detail: A) on the counterfeit, the side points of the trefoil piece at left align with the tips of the curved line -- on the genuine stamps, the trefoil is set inside the curved line, and B) on the counterfeit, the bottom part of the second "O" in "Johnson" is broken off -- on the genuine stamp, the "O" is always complete. There are other minor differences, but these two features are sufficient to distinguish this type of counterfeit from the original. The 1929 Dietz book used the Ferrary counterfeit as its illustration of the 5c Pittsylvania C.H. provisional.

The Ferrary fakes include one rectangular-cut stamp on a cover and another on a Confederate patriotic cover. These should be removed from the record. The Scott and Dietz listings for the provisional used on patriotic cover, which does not genuinely exist, should be dropped. Our record of the remaining genuine examples includes the following (CR = cut rectangular, CS = cut to octagonal shape, Ty. I = No space between "T" and "S" of "Cents", Ty. II = Gap between "T' and "S" of "Cents"): 1) CR Ty. I, previously uncancelled on a Nov. 11 cover to Mrs. Ruth Hairston, Cascade Va., steamed from cover with original gum intact on stamp, ex Deats (as a cover, photo in P.F. files), Caspary, Lilly, 2) CS Ty. II, tied on piece, Nov. 22 cds, ex Caspary, 3) CR Ty. I, cover to Miss Julia Green, Sep. 25, ex Hind, Caspary, 4) CR Ty. I, cover to Abram Fackler, Nov. 5, ex Caspary, 5) CR Ty. I, cover to Lt. R. W. Martin, Sep. 27, the cover offered here, 6) CS Ty. I, cover to John Payne, ex Hessel, 7) CS Ty. I, cover to Sue Henry, Jan. 20 (1862), ex Ferrary, 8) CS Ty. I, cover to Wm. Hunt, Nov. 4, ex Brooks, Klep, 9) CR Ty. I, cover to Clark & Holt, British Library, Tapling collection, and 10) CS Ty. II, tied on piece, Nov. 6, Siegel 1985 Rarities sale. In addition to the ten examples of the 5c on wove paper, there are three 5c provisionals recorded on laid paper (see following lot).

Ex Worthington and Caspary (where acquired by the Kilbournes) (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. THE ONLY RECTANGULAR-CUT EXAMPLE OF THE THREE RECORDED PITTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE 5-CENT PROVISIONAL STAMPS ON LAID PAPER. ONE OF THE RAREST AND MOST OUTSTANDING OF ALL CONFEDERATE PROVISIONALS.

The description of the previous lot provides details of the ten Pittsylvania C.H. provisionals known on wove paper. Only three 5c stamps are recorded on laid paper. These are: 1) CR Ty. I, cover to Secretary of the Commonwealth, Oct. 9, offered here, 2) CS Ty. I, cover to Geo. Rives, Feb. 1862, Siegel 1983 Rarities sale, and 3) CS Ty. II, cover to Wm. T. Law, Dec. 20, Siegel 1982 Rarities sale. The date pattern does not indicate a specific time period for laid paper, and it is likely that the wove and laid papers were used interchangeably during the printing.

Ex Worthington, Caspary, Lilly and Gallagher (Image)