Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

The Jeanette C. Rudy Collection of Tennessee Postal History continued...

**Buffalo Balloon Mail**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description	Est/Cat	Realized
53		"The Aeronaut", Manchester N.H., Oct. 2, 1873. 16-page newspaper with large masthead depicting hot air balloon in flight over city, issued for the New Hampshire state fair, lengthy article on Samuel Archer King, promoter of the Buffalo Balloon, in-depth story of King and previous flights, excellent condition, a rare contemporary newspaper (Image)	E. 500-750	1,050.00
54		5c Deep Blue, Buffalo Balloon (CL1). Schoendorf Type II, barest trace of hinge, large margins, deep shade and clear impression EXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB LIGHTLY-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE RARE BUFFALO BALLOON AIR POST ISSUE. Dealer's green backstamp and signed in pencil. (Image)	7,500.00	7,500.00
55		5c Deep Blue, Buffalo Balloon (CL1). Schoendorf Type II, manuscript "X" mark, stamp also has original gum, h.r., large margins, deep shade and clear impression, two deep thins, Very Fine appearance, extremely rare -- evidently a "sample" and possibly the same one sent by designer J. H. B. Lillard to J. N. Skinner, which was pen-cancelled and attached to a transmittal letter dated Feb. 9, 1894 (see Schoendorf booklet) -- Scott Retail as unused (Image)	7,500.00	5,750.00
56		1877, 5c Deep Blue, Buffalo Balloon Air Post Semi-Official, Tete-Beche Pair (CL1a). Schoendorf Types I (light shade) and II (dark shade), original gum, lightly hinged, large even margins all around EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST KNOWN TETE-BECHE PAIRS OF THE BUFFALO BALLOON STAMP. The Buffalo Balloon stamp, designed by John F. B. Lillard and engraved by John H. Snively, was printed by Wheeler Brothers Printers in Nashville, Tennessee. Only 300 were printed in tete-beche arrangement from a single die. The stamps were intended for use on a balloon flight from Nashville to Gallatin, Tennessee, which took place on June 18, 1877. Of the 300 that were printed, only 23 were used. Ex Louise Hoffman. Backstamped by Kessler, Charlat and Spencer Anderson (Image)	21,500.00	19,000.00
57		1877, 5c Deep Blue, Buffalo Balloon Air Post Semi-Official, Tete-Beche Pair (CL1a). Both Schoendorf Type II, large margins all around, full original gum, one stamp lightly hinged (small ink spot on face), other has h.r. and thin spot EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. AN ATTRACTIVE AND FRESH TETE-BECHE PAIR OF THE BUFFALO BALLOON POST ISSUE. Sanabria backstamps (Image)	21,500.00	13,000.00
58		5c Deep Blue, Buffalo Balloon (CL1). Schoendorf Type II, large margins, tiny crease at tip of lower left corner, pinkish-red cancel, used with slightly overlapping 1c Ultramarine (156) and 2c Vermilion (178), tied by cork cancels, "Gallatin Tenn. Jun. 18" (1877) circular datestamp and part of same cork cancel at lower left of cover to E. F. Gambs in St. Louis Mo., corner card of Dr. Blackie's School for Girls and Young Ladies in Nashville, blue "St. Louis, Mo. Received Jun. 19 9 P.M." backstamp, diagonal manufacturing foldover in cover (partially split at bottom), small opening opening tear at top, faint waterstain at bottom right VERY FINE. ONE OF THREE RECORDED COVERS FLOWN BY THE BUFFALO BALLOON AND POSTED WITH UNITED STATES STAMPS, OF WHICH ONLY TWO ARE AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED COVER WITH ONE AND TWO-CENT DENOMINATIONS. The three recorded covers carried on the June 18, 1877, flight of the Buffalo Balloon are as follows: 1) Addressed to E. F. Gambs, St. Louis, with Dr. Blackie's School for Girls and Yound Ladies corner card, 1c & 2c Nos. 156 and 178, Gallatin Tenn. Jun. 18 datestamp, ex Schoendorf, the cover offered here, 2) Addressed to Mrs. Leonora Daviess, Harrodsburg Ky., 3c No. 158, instructions "Any one finding this letter will please put it in the nearest Post Office", Gallatin Tenn. Jun. 18 datestamp, part of the National Postal Museum collection, and 3) Addressed to Mr. C. Thomas, Shohola Pa., uncancelled 3c No. 158, no postal markings, instructions "Please whoever finds this carey it to C. Thomas's Store and oblige W. V. Ross", ex Schoendorf. According to the St. Louis Philatelist, June-July 1877, the original letter mailed in this cover, which is no longer present (although a piece of it is adhering to back), stated: "My dear Gambs: I send you this letter by Balloon Postage and my greetings from the clouds. The stamp will be a label of great value in a few years. Very truly, your friend, George S. Blackie". Ex Butzel. Sanabria backstamp. (Image)	E. 75,000-100,000	115,000.00

Buffalo Balloon Mail

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

Est/Cat

Realized

"The Aeronaut", Manchester N.H., Oct. 2, 1873. 16-page newspaper with large masthead depicting hot air balloon in flight over city, issued for the New Hampshire state fair, lengthy article on Samuel Archer King, promoter of the Buffalo Balloon, in-depth story of King and previous flights, excellent condition, a rare contemporary newspaper (Image)

E. 500-750

1,050.00

5c Deep Blue, Buffalo Balloon (CL1). Schoendorf Type II, barest trace of hinge, large margins, deep shade and clear impression

EXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB LIGHTLY-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE RARE BUFFALO BALLOON AIR POST ISSUE.

Dealer's green backstamp and signed in pencil. (Image)

7,500.00

5c Deep Blue, Buffalo Balloon (CL1). Schoendorf Type II, manuscript "X" mark, stamp also has original gum, h.r., large margins, deep shade and clear impression, two deep thins, Very Fine appearance, extremely rare -- evidently a "sample" and possibly the same one sent by designer J. H. B. Lillard to J. N. Skinner, which was pen-cancelled and attached to a transmittal letter dated Feb. 9, 1894 (see Schoendorf booklet) -- Scott Retail as unused (Image)

7,500.00

5,750.00

1877, 5c Deep Blue, Buffalo Balloon Air Post Semi-Official, Tete-Beche Pair (CL1a). Schoendorf Types I (light shade) and II (dark shade), original gum, lightly hinged, large even margins all around

EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST KNOWN TETE-BECHE PAIRS OF THE BUFFALO BALLOON STAMP.

The Buffalo Balloon stamp, designed by John F. B. Lillard and engraved by John H. Snively, was printed by Wheeler Brothers Printers in Nashville, Tennessee. Only 300 were printed in tete-beche arrangement from a single die. The stamps were intended for use on a balloon flight from Nashville to Gallatin, Tennessee, which took place on June 18, 1877. Of the 300 that were printed, only 23 were used.

Ex Louise Hoffman. Backstamped by Kessler, Charlat and Spencer Anderson (Image)

21,500.00

19,000.00

1877, 5c Deep Blue, Buffalo Balloon Air Post Semi-Official, Tete-Beche Pair (CL1a). Both Schoendorf Type II, large margins all around, full original gum, one stamp lightly hinged (small ink spot on face), other has h.r. and thin spot

EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. AN ATTRACTIVE AND FRESH TETE-BECHE PAIR OF THE BUFFALO BALLOON POST ISSUE.

Sanabria backstamps (Image)

21,500.00

13,000.00

5c Deep Blue, Buffalo Balloon (CL1). Schoendorf Type II, large margins, tiny crease at tip of lower left corner, pinkish-red cancel, used with slightly overlapping 1c Ultramarine (156) and 2c Vermilion (178), tied by cork cancels, "Gallatin Tenn. Jun. 18" (1877) circular datestamp and part of same cork cancel at lower left of cover to E. F. Gambs in St. Louis Mo., corner card of Dr. Blackie's School for Girls and Young Ladies in Nashville, blue "St. Louis, Mo. Received Jun. 19 9 P.M." backstamp, diagonal manufacturing foldover in cover (partially split at bottom), small opening opening tear at top, faint waterstain at bottom right

VERY FINE. ONE OF THREE RECORDED COVERS FLOWN BY THE BUFFALO BALLOON AND POSTED WITH UNITED STATES STAMPS, OF WHICH ONLY TWO ARE AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED COVER WITH ONE AND TWO-CENT DENOMINATIONS.

The three recorded covers carried on the June 18, 1877, flight of the Buffalo Balloon are as follows: 1) Addressed to E. F. Gambs, St. Louis, with Dr. Blackie's School for Girls and Yound Ladies corner card, 1c & 2c Nos. 156 and 178, Gallatin Tenn. Jun. 18 datestamp, ex Schoendorf, the cover offered here, 2) Addressed to Mrs. Leonora Daviess, Harrodsburg Ky., 3c No. 158, instructions "Any one finding this letter will please put it in the nearest Post Office", Gallatin Tenn. Jun. 18 datestamp, part of the National Postal Museum collection, and 3) Addressed to Mr. C. Thomas, Shohola Pa., uncancelled 3c No. 158, no postal markings, instructions "Please whoever finds this carey it to C. Thomas's Store and oblige W. V. Ross", ex Schoendorf.

According to the St. Louis Philatelist, June-July 1877, the original letter mailed in this cover, which is no longer present (although a piece of it is adhering to back), stated: "My dear Gambs: I send you this letter by Balloon Postage and my greetings from the clouds. The stamp will be a label of great value in a few years. Very truly, your friend, George S. Blackie".

Ex Butzel. Sanabria backstamp. (Image)

E. 75,000-100,000

115,000.00