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| Lot | Sym. | Lot Description | Est/Cat | Realized |
| 154 |  |
 5c Red Brown (1). Large
margins to clear at lower left, tied by faint pencil cancel on Vermont &
Boston Telegraph Line illustrated advertising cover to Springfield
Mass., "Office at Cheney & Co's Express" corner card, some light wrinkling
and toning, stamp has faint diagonal creaseA FINE AND EXTREMELY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE USED ON THE DISTINCTIVE VERMONT & BOSTON TELEGRAPH LINE ILLUSTRATED ENVELOPE. This well-known telegraph company design illustrates ships, a train, post rider, postman and turtle, above which is a telegraphic lightning bolt connected to a hand and quill, the obvious implication being that the telegraph beats all other forms of communication. The better-known example of this envelope with the 1847 Issue is the cover sold in our auction of the Leonard Kapiloff collection (Sale 742, lot 90, realized $13,000 hammer). Both covers are addressed to Miss Sophia H. Ring at Springfield, Massachusetts. The ex-Kapiloff cover is postmarked at Middlebury, Vermont (Dec. 18), and the 5c stamp is tied by criss-crossed blue grids. It is not known why this previously unrecorded cover was not also postmarked at Middlebury, but the use of pencil to cancel (and tie) the 5c stamp suggests it may have been carried outside the mails (by express) or by railroad. (Image) |
E. 4,000-5,000 | 4,500.00 |
| 155 | |
 5c Red Brown (1). Large
even margins all around, beautiful "chocolate" shade and clear impression,
cancelled by Rectangular Grid of Squares cancel, "Wilkes Barre Pa.
Sep. 26" circular datestamp on brown cover to Tunkhannock Pa., horizontal
fold clear of stamp and markings, slight wear and tiny spindle hole at
centerEXTREMELY FINE GEM STAMP TIED BY THE DISTINCTIVE WILKES BARRE RECTANGULAR GRID OF SQUARES. ONE OF TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE 1847 ISSUE WITH THIS CANCELLATION (PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT TO BE UNIQUE ON COVER). The other cover with the same markings is dated September 29 and comes from the same correspondence (ex Rohloff, Haas, Garrett and Kapiloff, last sold in our Sale 743, where it realized $2,600 hammer). An off-cover stamp with the Wilkes Barre Grid of Squares cancel realized $4,950 in a Christie's Sep. 1991 auction. This cover has not seen the light of day for more than sixty years. The "YS" source code on the back indicates it was bought from Y. Souren. (Image) |
E. 5,000-7,500 | 7,000.00 |
| 156 | |
 5c Blackish Brown (1a
var). Extraordinary color on deeply blued paper -- the true Blackish
Brown shade -- enormous margins all around incl. part of adjoining stamp at
top and sheet margin at left, cancelled by red grid but tied by bold
strike of matching red "Pittsburgh Pa. Apr. 8" circular datestamp on blue
1851 folded letter to Cadiz O., lightly toned vertical file fold well clear
of stamp, Extremely Fine Gem stamp, the Black Brown is a great rarity in
this condition, ex Knapp as "Black Brown, marvelous shade & impression,
superb" (lot label affixed) (Image) |
E. 1,500-2,000 | 3,000.00 |
| 157 | |
 5c Blackish Brown (1a
var). Intense shade and impression, tied by red square grid, matching
"New-York Oct. 5" circular datestamp on light green 1847 folded cover to
Poultney Vt., ms. "Paid 5" at top left, vertical file folds do not affect
stamp, Extremely Fine, ex Knapp as "Black Brown, very striking shade, grand
early impression" (lot label affixed) (Image) |
675.00 | 1,600.00 |
| 158 | |
 5c Blackish Brown (1a
var). Large margins to clear incl. significant portion of adjoining
stamp at top, extraordinary pitch-black shade, tied by blue-black "Paid"
and pointing hand handstamp, matching "5" rate handstamp and
indistinct "Hartford Ct. Aug. 21" circular datestamp on 1850 folded letter
to Norwich Conn., vertical file fold does not affect stamp, Very Fine, the
Black Brown is very scarce, another rarity factor is the Hartford Pointing
Hand tying the stamp, notation on back indicates ex Knapp (Image) |
E. 1,000-1,500 | 900.00 |
| 159 | |
 5c Red Brown (1). Large to
huge margins incl. part of adjoining stamp at right, tied by magenta
grid, matching "Hartford Ct. 5 Dec. ?" circular datestamp and "Paid"
with pointing hand on blue 1848 folded letter to New York, horizontal
file fold well away from stamp, Extremely Fine, a magnificent stamp and
unusually clear strike of the scarce Hartford Pointing Hand, ex Ackerman (Image) |
925.00 | 1,100.00 |
| 160 | |
 5c Red Brown (1). Large
margins to clear incl. part of adjoining stamp at bottom, small scissors
cut in upper left margin still leaves a large margin, beautiful rich color
in a shade that was described as "Orange Brown" in the Knapp sale (but we
think is just a rich Red Brown), tied by magenta "Hartford Ct. 5
Nov. 26" circular datestamp with matching "Paid" and pointing hand
on buff cover to Simsbury Conn., 1849 docketing on back, fresh and
Extremely Fine, an immaculate cover which is especially desirable with the
magenta markings and clearly struck Hartford Pointing Hand, ex Knapp (lot
label affixed) (Image) |
925.00 | 600.00 |
| 161 | |
 5c Dark Brown (1a).
Intense shade and proof-like impression, large to huge margins incl. part
of adjoining stamp at top, cancelled by blue "Paid" handstamp,
matching "Baltimore Md. Jan. 27" circular datestamp on folded 1848 folded
letter to Clarksburg Va., vertical file fold well away from stamp,
Extremely Fine Gem stamp and lovely cover, ex Knapp (lot label affixed) (Image) |
760.00 | 1,800.00 |
| 162 | |
 5c Dark Red Brown, Double
Transfer Ty. A (1-A). Position 80R1, huge to ample margins incl.
right sheet margin, gorgeous deep rich color and proof-like
impression from an early printing, cancelled by well-struck "5"
numeral handstamp, matching "Warren O. Jan. 11" circular datestamp on
blue 1848 folded letter to Painesville O., age stains along vertical file
fold, the stamp is Very Fine and choice, ex Knapp (lot label affixed),
Scott Retail as off cover (Image) |
860.00 | 1,300.00 |
| 163 | |
 5c Red Brown (1). Large to
huge margins incl. sheet margin at top, tied by blue "10" in
circle handstamp, matching "Baltimore Md. Nov. 1" circular datestamp on
1848 folded letter to Clarksburg Va., minor wear incl. light bend in sheet
margin, Very Fine, scarce, the distance between these points is less than
300 miles and so the "10" was likely applied indiscriminately, ex Knapp
(lot label affixed) (Image) |
810.00 | 750.00 |
| 164 | |
 5c Red Brown (1). Full
margins to clear, tied by blue "5" numeral handstamp struck twice,
matching "Baltimore Md. Dec. 17" circular datestamp on 1849 folded letter
to Philadelphia, vertical file fold well away from stamp, trivial age
spotting, Very Fine (Image) |
810.00 | 425.00 |