Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

The Hall Collection of Confederate States continued...

**Postmasters' Provisionals continued...**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description	Est/Cat	Realized
65		Livingston Ala., 5c Blue (51X1). Ample even margins all around, lightly struck Nov. 23 circular datestamp, upon careful examination of the thin wove paper we find a tiny sealed tear at top, a few minute scrapes and a slight crease, none of which significantly affect the appearance VERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS STAMP IS ONE OF THE TWO ORIGINAL DISCOVERY COPIES OF THE LIVINGSTON POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL. THERE ARE ONLY ELEVEN RECORDED EXAMPLES, ON OR OFF COVER. Livingston is the county seat of Sumter County, Alabama, lying on the Selma and Meriden Railroad line about 130 miles north of Mobile, near the state's western border. Official records name Stephen W. Murley as the Livingston postmaster in 1861, while other sources attribute the provisional stamp to another postmaster, Robert F. Houston. The Livingston provisional is known used in November-December 1861 and again in March 1862. Our records contain a total of 11 stamps, including the famous and unique pair on cover (Nov. 12, 1861), 6 singles on separate covers (1861--Nov. 15, Nov. 15, Nov. 25, Dec. 10, 1862--Mar. 17 and Mar. 21), and 3 off-cover stamps. One of the single frankings, a corner-margin stamp (Nov. 25 date, ex Caspary, Antrim and Cole), was severely damaged through negligent restoration. Only two Confederate post offices, Livingston and Mobile, issued stamps with a pictorial design. It is almost certain that the same printer was responsible for both, whose imprint "W. R. Robertson Mobile" appears on the Mobile lithographic stones. The composition of the Livingston plate is not known, but a pane of 20 subjects may be reasonably conjectured. This stamp and another single were found in 1869 by a Southern railroad employee. Used together on one cover, they are the first Livingston provisionals discovered by philatelists and were reported in The American Stamp Mercury on page 110 of volume 3 (1869). In the June and July 1869 editions of The American Journal of Philately, J. W. Scott reported the Livingston discovery. The stamp offered here was sold to Dr. Petrie, and its mate was sold to Francis C. Foster. Ex Petrie, Ferrary and Walcott. (Image)	7,000.00	9,500.00
66		Macon Ga., 5c Black on Yellow Wove (53X3). Large to huge margins, uncancelled, "Macon Ga. Aug. 5" (1861) double-circle datestamp on buff cover to Athens Ga., from the Cobb correspondence, slightly reduced at right EXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB MACON PROVISIONAL STAMP ON A FRESH ATTRACTIVE COVER. The mucilage surrounding the stamp indicates that at least some Macon provisionals were issued without gum. (Image)	4,750.00	3,250.00
67		Macon Ga., 5c Black on Yellow Wove (53X4). Large to huge margins, perfectly tied by "Macon Ga. Jun. 8" (1861) double-circle datestamp on blue cover to Butler Ga., reduced one-half inch at left EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE MACON PLAIN-RULED PROVISIONAL. A BEAUTIFUL COVER. The 5c with plain ruled border is the first Macon provisional, and, based on a cover dated June 1st, it is probably the first provisional stamp issued in the Confederacy. Crown records 14 covers (all June 1861 dates). Ex Sir Henry J. Duveen, Walcott and Needham. (Image)	6,000.00	5,000.00
68		Memphis Tenn., 2c Blue (56X1). Eleven singles plus a pair, incl. Cracked Plate and Incomplete varieties, unused (no gum), a few have creases or small faults, otherwise Fine-Very Fine	1,230.00	270.00
69		Memphis Tenn., 2c Blue (56X1). Block of six, unused (no gum), ample to large margins, creases, otherwise Very Fine (Image)	705.00	220.00
70		Memphis Tenn., 2c Blue (56X1). Positions 14-15/19-20, block of four with broken plate at right, unused (no gum), large margins to clear, slight creases, otherwise Very Fine (Image)	E. 200-300	160.00
71		Memphis Tenn., 2c Blue (56X1). Full even margins, cancelled by circular datestamp, Very Fine, rare in sound used condition (Image)	1,250.00	1,150.00
72		Memphis Tenn., 5c Red (56X2). Unused (no gum), large margins to touched at bottom, fresh and Very Fine (Image)	140.00	80.00
73		Memphis Tenn., 5c Red (56X2). Large to huge margins incl. trace of adjoining stamp at right, bold circular datestamp, Extremely Fine, ex Ackerman (Image)	175.00	550.00
74		Memphis Tenn., 5c Red (56X2). Bottom part of design shows plate damage, large margin at bottom, other sides touched to slightly in, tied by circular datestamp on piece, Fine (Image)	175.00	110.00
75		Memphis Tenn., 5c Red (56X2). Ample margins to slightly in, tied by "Memphis Ten." circular datestamp on cotton factor's corner card cover to Scalis Miss., backflap removed and nicked at top, otherwise Very Fine (Image)	1,750.00	400.00

Postmasters' Provisionals continued...

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

Est/Cat

Realized

Livingston Ala., 5c Blue (51X1). Ample even margins all around, lightly struck Nov. 23 circular datestamp, upon careful examination of the thin wove paper we find a tiny sealed tear at top, a few minute scrapes and a slight crease, none of which significantly affect the appearance

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS STAMP IS ONE OF THE TWO ORIGINAL DISCOVERY COPIES OF THE LIVINGSTON POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL. THERE ARE ONLY ELEVEN RECORDED EXAMPLES, ON OR OFF COVER.

Livingston is the county seat of Sumter County, Alabama, lying on the Selma and Meriden Railroad line about 130 miles north of Mobile, near the state's western border. Official records name Stephen W. Murley as the Livingston postmaster in 1861, while other sources attribute the provisional stamp to another postmaster, Robert F. Houston. The Livingston provisional is known used in November-December 1861 and again in March 1862.

Our records contain a total of 11 stamps, including the famous and unique pair on cover (Nov. 12, 1861), 6 singles on separate covers (1861--Nov. 15, Nov. 15, Nov. 25, Dec. 10, 1862--Mar. 17 and Mar. 21), and 3 off-cover stamps. One of the single frankings, a corner-margin stamp (Nov. 25 date, ex Caspary, Antrim and Cole), was severely damaged through negligent restoration.

Only two Confederate post offices, Livingston and Mobile, issued stamps with a pictorial design. It is almost certain that the same printer was responsible for both, whose imprint "W. R. Robertson Mobile" appears on the Mobile lithographic stones. The composition of the Livingston plate is not known, but a pane of 20 subjects may be reasonably conjectured.

This stamp and another single were found in 1869 by a Southern railroad employee. Used together on one cover, they are the first Livingston provisionals discovered by philatelists and were reported in The American Stamp Mercury on page 110 of volume 3 (1869). In the June and July 1869 editions of The American Journal of Philately, J. W. Scott reported the Livingston discovery. The stamp offered here was sold to Dr. Petrie, and its mate was sold to Francis C. Foster.

Ex Petrie, Ferrary and Walcott. (Image)

7,000.00

9,500.00

Macon Ga., 5c Black on Yellow Wove (53X3). Large to huge margins, uncancelled, "Macon Ga. Aug. 5" (1861) double-circle datestamp on buff cover to Athens Ga., from the Cobb correspondence, slightly reduced at right

EXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB MACON PROVISIONAL STAMP ON A FRESH ATTRACTIVE COVER.

The mucilage surrounding the stamp indicates that at least some Macon provisionals were issued without gum. (Image)

4,750.00

3,250.00

Macon Ga., 5c Black on Yellow Wove (53X4). Large to huge margins, perfectly tied by "Macon Ga. Jun. 8" (1861) double-circle datestamp on blue cover to Butler Ga., reduced one-half inch at left

EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE MACON PLAIN-RULED PROVISIONAL. A BEAUTIFUL COVER.

The 5c with plain ruled border is the first Macon provisional, and, based on a cover dated June 1st, it is probably the first provisional stamp issued in the Confederacy. Crown records 14 covers (all June 1861 dates).

Ex Sir Henry J. Duveen, Walcott and Needham. (Image)

6,000.00

5,000.00

Memphis Tenn., 2c Blue (56X1). Eleven singles plus a pair, incl. Cracked Plate and Incomplete varieties, unused (no gum), a few have creases or small faults, otherwise Fine-Very Fine

1,230.00

270.00

Memphis Tenn., 2c Blue (56X1). Block of six, unused (no gum), ample to large margins, creases, otherwise Very Fine (Image)

705.00

220.00

Memphis Tenn., 2c Blue (56X1). Positions 14-15/19-20, block of four with broken plate at right, unused (no gum), large margins to clear, slight creases, otherwise Very Fine (Image)

E. 200-300

160.00

Memphis Tenn., 2c Blue (56X1). Full even margins, cancelled by circular datestamp, Very Fine, rare in sound used condition (Image)

1,250.00

1,150.00

Memphis Tenn., 5c Red (56X2). Unused (no gum), large margins to touched at bottom, fresh and Very Fine (Image)

140.00

80.00

Memphis Tenn., 5c Red (56X2). Large to huge margins incl. trace of adjoining stamp at right, bold circular datestamp, Extremely Fine, ex Ackerman (Image)

175.00

550.00

Memphis Tenn., 5c Red (56X2). Bottom part of design shows plate damage, large margin at bottom, other sides touched to slightly in, tied by circular datestamp on piece, Fine (Image)

175.00

110.00

Memphis Tenn., 5c Red (56X2). Ample margins to slightly in, tied by "Memphis Ten." circular datestamp on cotton factor's corner card cover to Scalis Miss., backflap removed and nicked at top, otherwise Very Fine (Image)

1,750.00

400.00