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| Lot | Sym. | Lot Description | Est/Cat | Realized |
| 1227° |  |
 (Mead's) Post Office City
Despatch, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Green Glazed (40L2). Position 8,
full to large margins, couple tiny corner creases, red "Free" in frame
cancel, impression ties thru paper, matching "City Despatch Post P.O. Feb.
15 -- O'Clock" circular datestamp on silver and blue decorative
Valentine cover to local street address, beautiful design on front and
back, sealed with a small label (opened for display)EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLES OF MEAD'S 2-CENT GREEN STAMP ON COVER, USED IN FEBRUARY 1847, THE FIRST VALENTINE SEASON OF MEAD'S POST. Abraham B. Mead, a New York City postal clerk, took control of the U.S. City Despatch Post carrier operation after it was discontinued. Mead announced the start of his "Post Office City Despatch" on November 30, 1846. Evidence indicates that Mead turned the post over to Alfred H. Cummings and Robert Wright, two New York City local post operators, as early as March 1847. Mead had the old City Despatch Post plate (used by Grieg to print 40L1) modified by changing "Three" to "Two" cents. Stamps were printed by Rawdon, Wright & Hatch on Green and Pink enameled paper. Ex Kapiloff (realized $3,500 hammer in our 1992 Rarities sale). (Image) |
E. 3,000-4,000 | 5,750.00 |
| 1228° | |
 (Cole's) Post Office City
Despatch, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Green Glazed, "CC" at Sides
(40L4). Position 5, Big Pupil variety at left, ample to large
margins, bright paper, neat ms. cancel, red "New -York 5 cts. 12 Dec."
(1849) integral-rate circular datestamp on small cover to Springfield
Mass., Extremely Fine, only two positions on the reworked "CC" plate have
the Big Pupil retouch (Positions 5 and 6), during the period from October
1849 until June 1850, the Post Office City Despatch stamps are found only
on to-the-mails covers, all cancelled by hand in pen or pencil, ex Kapiloff
(Image) |
E. 1,000-1,500 | 800.00 |
| 1229° | |
 (Cole's) Post Office City
Despatch, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Green Glazed, "C" at Left Sideways
(40L4b). Position 25, hand-etched "C" at left, cancelled by one
of three strikes of "Free" in frame in black (one on front, two on back
with stamp), red "P.O. City Despatch Post Feb. 14 -- O'Clock" circular
datestamp also on back of embossed Valentine cover to local street
address, with Valentine enclosure which may have originated, back cut open
for display, faults on front, stamp has creases and chipped enamel, still
Fine and exhibit-worthy, the black "Free" cancel was applied by Cole during
the early stages of his operation of the post after Cummings and Wright,
all but this example of the "Free" in black on a "CC" stamp are
to-the-mails usages (see The City Despatch Post 1842-1852 Issues,
page 17, this cover was not known to the author), only seven positions on
the reworked "CC" plate have the hand-etched "C" at left (Scott-listed "C
at Left Sideways), examples are very rare on or off cover (Image) |
E. 1,000-1,500 | 800.00 |
| 1230° | |
 (Cole's) Post Office City
Despatch, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Grayish, "CC" at Sides (40L5).
Position 38, strong impression and slightly doubled, cancelled by "Paid"
with second strike and bold "P.O. City Despatch Post Sep. 2 -- O'Clock"
(1848) circular datestamp on blue folded cover to local street
addressEXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB STAMP ON A VERY ATTRACTIVE COVER. ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES OF THE "CC" ISSUE ON COVER. The use of the black circular datestamp and black "Paid" indicates 1848 usage. Beginning in September 1848, the Post Office City Despatch stopped using the "Paid" handstamp on mail brought to the post office, probably by order of the New York postmaster who may have received complaints about the word "Paid" appearing on letters which had no prepaid U.S. postage. From September 1848 on, only city-delivery covers have the "Paid" handstamp, as this example demonstrates. Ex Kapiloff. With 1983 P.F. certificate (Image) |
E. 2,000-3,000 | 3,750.00 |
| 1231° | |
 (Cole's) Post Office City
Despatch, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Grayish, "CC" at Sides (40L5).
Position 42, large even margins, slightly toned from gum, red "Paid"
cancel, matching strike and "Cole's City Despatch P.O. Jul. 22"
double-circle datestamp on blue printed folded cover to local street
address (a circular dated Jun. 12, 1848, from a liquor dealer describing
"persecution" by the inspector's office, is no longer with the
cover)VERY FINE. A CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE "CC" STAMP ON COVER WITH THE RED COLE DOUBLE-CIRCLE DATESTAMP AND "PAID" CANCEL. Ex Caspary and Middendorf. With 1991 P.F. certificate (Image) |
E. 2,000-3,000 | 3,000.00 |
| 1232° | |
 (Cole's) Post Office City
Despatch, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Vermilion Glazed, "CC" at Sides
(40L6). Position 32, large margins, oxidized and slightly creased,
cancelled by four-bar rectangular grid, red "New-York 5 cts. 18 Nov."
integral-rate circular datestamp on 1848 folded letter to Boston, Very Fine
appearance, scarce, ex Kapiloff (Image) |
E. 500-750 | 475.00 |
| 1233° |
 (Cole's) Post Office City
Despatch, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Buff Glazed, "CC" at Sides (40L8).
Position 11, repaired, affixed to folded letter and "tied" by fake four-bar
grid cancel, genuine red "P.O. City Despatch Post Jan. 6, 1 O'Clock"
circular datestamp and matching "Paid" handstamps (the presence of a time
slug in datestamp indicates use by Mead or Cummings & Wright), the stamp is
extremely rare with approximately 15 examples recorded on or off cover,
signed Sloane, ex Hollowbush (Image) |
E. 1,000-1,500 | 1,500.00 |