Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

United States and Confederate States Postal History continued...

**The "Chrysanthemum" Collection of First Day Covers and Earliest Documented Usages**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description	Est/Cat	Realized
404		3c Orange Brown (10). Pos. 91L1E, large margins to just in at top including sheet margin at left, cancelled by grid on 1851 folded letter with magenta "Hartford Ct. Jul. 1" circular datestamp, stamp tied by embossing of grid, clearly visible through lettersheet, date confirmed by heading VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE FIRST DAY COVER OF THE 3-CENT ORANGE BROWN. ONE OF THREE RECORDED FIRST DAY USAGES FROM HARTFORD. Three new stamps were created for use starting on July 1, 1851, after a change in the postal rates -- 1c, 3c and 12c. The basic rates became 1c for newspapers, circulars and drop letters (with an escalation for distance up until 1852), 3c for domestic letters sent up to 3,000 miles, and 6c for letters sent over 3,000 miles. The 1847 Issue was demonetized after July 1, 1851, when the new rates went into effect. Ex Cabeen and Amonette. With 1969 P.F. certificate. (Image)	12,500.00	10,500.00
405		10c Brown, Grill (139). H. Grill, s.e. at left, tied by cork and red "New York Jun. 2" (1870) circular datestamp on cover to "Hon. Franklin Chase, United States Consul General at Tampico...", 1870 docketing on front and back, carried on the maiden voyage of the City of Merida, sender's routing instructions via Vera Cruz, stamp lifted and hinged in place, Fine, the earliest documented use of the 10c National Grilled Issue, with 1998 A.P.S. certificate (Image)	E. 750-1,000	750.00
406		3c Green (184). Target cancel with "Middletown O. Aug. 3" (1878) circular datestamp on cover to Defiance O., 1878 docketing and original enclosure datelined "Cincinnati Aug. 3, 1878", Very Fine, the earliest documented use of the 3c on Soft Paper (Scott 184) -- as there is no difference between Continental and American designs, paper is used to classify stamps by printer, however, American's contract took effect Feb. 4, 1879, and Scott states that any stamp, regardless of paper, with a dated cancel prior Feb. 4, 1879, is classified as a Continental, and anything after Feb. 4 is an American printing (based on the premise that Continental used soft paper at the end of its contract period), Scott still lists EDU's for several stamps on soft paper prior to Feb. 4 -- the controversy over Hard vs. Soft and Continental vs. American culminated in Eliot Landau and James Kloetzel exchanging viewpoints in a recent Chronicle -- with 2000 A.P.S. certificate as EDU of Scott 184 (Image)	E. 500-750	350.00
407		5c Blue (185). Tied by duplex cancel on cover to Rome, Italy, backstamped "New York Feb. 12 6:30PM E 79" duplex datestamp and oval grid, Rome receiving backstamp also confirming year, Very Fine, this is the earliest documented use of the 5c on soft paper (Scott 185) -- see comments in previous description -- with 2000 A.P.S. certificate (Image)	E. 500-750	900.00
408		2c Red Brown (210). Deep rich color, tied by well-struck "New-York Oct. 1, 1883" duplex on First Day cover to Woonsocket R.I., with original enclosure from law office, docketing at left, opened slightly unevenly at right, Very Fine, with 1989 P.F. certificate (Image)	2,000.00	1,000.00
409		2c Red Brown (210). S.e. at right, rich color and choice centering, tied by "Philadelphia Pa. Oct. 1, 1883 10:30 a.m." duplex cancel on First Day cover with newspaper publisher's return address to Tunckhannock Pa., fresh and Very Fine, with 1981 A.P.S. certificate (Image)	2,000.00	1,000.00
410		2c Red Brown (210). Rich color, cancelled by blue ms. "M", matching "Statedale Pa. 10/1/83" ms. pmk., on blue cover with printed return address to a Philadelphia attorney, "Slatington, Lehigh County Pa. Oct. 1, 1883" and receiving backstamps, slightly reduced at right and some slight edgewear, Very Fine, scarce manuscript First Day cancel from this small town (Image)	2,000.00	750.00
411		5c Chocolate (223). Intense color, cancelled by open grid, "Haddonfield N.J. Jun. 14, 1890" circular datestamp on cover to London, England, Philadelphia and receiving backstamps, fresh and Very Fine, this is the earliest documented use of Scott 223 (Image)	E. 1,500-2,000	5,250.00
412		2c Columbian (231). Intense color, tied by "Philadelphia Pa. Jan. 2, 1893" machine cancel on cover to local address, printed address for Iron, Steel and Nails Co. at left, January 3 receiving backstamp, few trivial toned spots EXTREMELY FINE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT COLUMBIAN USED ON JANUARY 2, 1893, THE SECOND DAY OF ISSUE AND A MONDAY. The 2c Columbian was issued on January 1, 1893, which was a Sunday. Most post offices were closed on the first and so January 2 is the earliest known date from most post offices. (Image)	3,500.00	4,250.00
413		2c Trans-Mississippi (286). Tied by neat "Washington D.C. Jun. 17 9:30 PM '98" machine cancel on First Day cover to Sacramento Cal., June 28 receiving backstamp, some toning around stamp and tiny corner crease at top right VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE FIRST DAY COVER OF THE 2-CENT TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE. A total of seven First Day covers are known of the 2c Trans-Mississippi issue. The last example we offered at auction, one of only two of any denomination cancelled in Nebraska, appeared in our Sale 849 and realized $12,000.00 hammer. With 1990 P.F. certificate (Image)	12,500.00	5,750.00
414		2c Pan-American (295). Tied by "Buffalo N.Y. May 1 6- PM '01" exposition machine cancel on First Day cover to Syracuse N.Y., May 2 receiving backstamp, red boxed Pan-American Exposition printed advertisement on top flap, fresh and Very Fine, one of only three recorded First Day covers on exposition envelopes, with 1982 American First Day Cover Society certificate (Image)	2,750.00	2,000.00

The "Chrysanthemum" Collection of First Day Covers and Earliest Documented Usages

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

Est/Cat

Realized

404

3c Orange Brown (10). Pos. 91L1E, large margins to just in at top including sheet margin at left, cancelled by grid on 1851 folded letter with magenta "Hartford Ct. Jul. 1" circular datestamp, stamp tied by embossing of grid, clearly visible through lettersheet, date confirmed by heading

VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE FIRST DAY COVER OF THE 3-CENT ORANGE BROWN. ONE OF THREE RECORDED FIRST DAY USAGES FROM HARTFORD.

Three new stamps were created for use starting on July 1, 1851, after a change in the postal rates -- 1c, 3c and 12c. The basic rates became 1c for newspapers, circulars and drop letters (with an escalation for distance up until 1852), 3c for domestic letters sent up to 3,000 miles, and 6c for letters sent over 3,000 miles. The 1847 Issue was demonetized after July 1, 1851, when the new rates went into effect.

Ex Cabeen and Amonette. With 1969 P.F. certificate. (Image)

12,500.00

10,500.00

405

10c Brown, Grill (139). H. Grill, s.e. at left, tied by cork and red "New York Jun. 2" (1870) circular datestamp on cover to "Hon. Franklin Chase, United States Consul General at Tampico...", 1870 docketing on front and back, carried on the maiden voyage of the City of Merida, sender's routing instructions via Vera Cruz, stamp lifted and hinged in place, Fine, the earliest documented use of the 10c National Grilled Issue, with 1998 A.P.S. certificate (Image)

E. 750-1,000

750.00

406

3c Green (184). Target cancel with "Middletown O. Aug. 3" (1878) circular datestamp on cover to Defiance O., 1878 docketing and original enclosure datelined "Cincinnati Aug. 3, 1878", Very Fine, the earliest documented use of the 3c on Soft Paper (Scott 184) -- as there is no difference between Continental and American designs, paper is used to classify stamps by printer, however, American's contract took effect Feb. 4, 1879, and Scott states that any stamp, regardless of paper, with a dated cancel prior Feb. 4, 1879, is classified as a Continental, and anything after Feb. 4 is an American printing (based on the premise that Continental used soft paper at the end of its contract period), Scott still lists EDU's for several stamps on soft paper prior to Feb. 4 -- the controversy over Hard vs. Soft and Continental vs. American culminated in Eliot Landau and James Kloetzel exchanging viewpoints in a recent Chronicle -- with 2000 A.P.S. certificate as EDU of Scott 184 (Image)

E. 500-750

350.00

407

5c Blue (185). Tied by duplex cancel on cover to Rome, Italy, backstamped "New York Feb. 12 6:30PM E 79" duplex datestamp and oval grid, Rome receiving backstamp also confirming year, Very Fine, this is the earliest documented use of the 5c on soft paper (Scott 185) -- see comments in previous description -- with 2000 A.P.S. certificate (Image)

E. 500-750

900.00

408

2c Red Brown (210). Deep rich color, tied by well-struck "New-York Oct. 1, 1883" duplex on First Day cover to Woonsocket R.I., with original enclosure from law office, docketing at left, opened slightly unevenly at right, Very Fine, with 1989 P.F. certificate (Image)

2,000.00

1,000.00

409

2c Red Brown (210). S.e. at right, rich color and choice centering, tied by "Philadelphia Pa. Oct. 1, 1883 10:30 a.m." duplex cancel on First Day cover with newspaper publisher's return address to Tunckhannock Pa., fresh and Very Fine, with 1981 A.P.S. certificate (Image)

2,000.00

1,000.00

410

2c Red Brown (210). Rich color, cancelled by blue ms. "M", matching "Statedale Pa. 10/1/83" ms. pmk., on blue cover with printed return address to a Philadelphia attorney, "Slatington, Lehigh County Pa. Oct. 1, 1883" and receiving backstamps, slightly reduced at right and some slight edgewear, Very Fine, scarce manuscript First Day cancel from this small town (Image)

2,000.00

750.00

411

5c Chocolate (223). Intense color, cancelled by open grid, "Haddonfield N.J. Jun. 14, 1890" circular datestamp on cover to London, England, Philadelphia and receiving backstamps, fresh and Very Fine, this is the earliest documented use of Scott 223 (Image)

E. 1,500-2,000

5,250.00

412

2c Columbian (231). Intense color, tied by "Philadelphia Pa. Jan. 2, 1893" machine cancel on cover to local address, printed address for Iron, Steel and Nails Co. at left, January 3 receiving backstamp, few trivial toned spots

EXTREMELY FINE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT COLUMBIAN USED ON JANUARY 2, 1893, THE SECOND DAY OF ISSUE AND A MONDAY.

The 2c Columbian was issued on January 1, 1893, which was a Sunday. Most post offices were closed on the first and so January 2 is the earliest known date from most post offices. (Image)

3,500.00

4,250.00

413

2c Trans-Mississippi (286). Tied by neat "Washington D.C. Jun. 17 9:30 PM '98" machine cancel on First Day cover to Sacramento Cal., June 28 receiving backstamp, some toning around stamp and tiny corner crease at top right

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE FIRST DAY COVER OF THE 2-CENT TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE.

A total of seven First Day covers are known of the 2c Trans-Mississippi issue. The last example we offered at auction, one of only two of any denomination cancelled in Nebraska, appeared in our Sale 849 and realized $12,000.00 hammer. With 1990 P.F. certificate (Image)

12,500.00

5,750.00

414

2c Pan-American (295). Tied by "Buffalo N.Y. May 1 6- PM '01" exposition machine cancel on First Day cover to Syracuse N.Y., May 2 receiving backstamp, red boxed Pan-American Exposition printed advertisement on top flap, fresh and Very Fine, one of only three recorded First Day covers on exposition envelopes, with 1982 American First Day Cover Society certificate (Image)

2,750.00

2,000.00