around, ...more 1861 W.D. McNish, 3c carmine, unused without gum, margins all around, v.f., with 2022 Ceremuga certificate, (Catalog value $400)
Camden, South Carolina, 10c rose, 1862, large to huge margins on three sides, showing portion of adjoining stamp at top and bottom, just touching outer frameline at right, the adhesive having been tied to cover by red "Camden / SC / Apr / 21" c.d.s., lifted and lowered to show the Camden Postmaster's Provisional rate handstamp PAID 10, to Collingsburgh, Louisiana, reduced at right, fine and most unusual; with 2023 Civil War Philatelic Society certificate.
sides, ...more
Lexington, Virginia, 1862, 5c blue, large margins on three sides, close at left, tied to cover with neatly-struck "Lexington / Va. / Jul / 29" c.d.s., adjacent "PAID / 5" Postmasters' Provisional rate handstamp of Lexington, paying the 10 cent uniform letter rate to Greenville, Augusta County, Virginia, tear to back flap, else a remarkably fresh and choice cover, rare with this combination, being the only known example of this provisional used with a postage stamp, providing further evidence that the handstaped PAID 5 covers were pre-sold at the post office and taken away by the eventual sender; with 2023 Civil War Philatelic Society certificate.
Austin, Texas, 10c black handstamped envelope, "State of Texas / Adjustant and Inspector General's Office / Official Business" cover, to Brigadier General Robert Beahem, Commander, 31st Brigade [Texas Troops], New Braunfels, Texas, with "AUSTIN / TEX / PAID 10" Postmasters' Provisional, corresponding Austin c.d.s. beside (Sep 16, 1862), slightly reduced at left, else fresh and very fine; ex-Walcott, Camina.
border, ...more
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 5c green & carmine, Maltese Cross border, margins clear on three sides, into at foot, tied by partial Baton Rouge c.d.s. to cover with GEORGE A. PIKE corner card in blue, to Mount Lebanon, Louisiana, a few opening tears at top and some adhesion repairs to reverse, a rare usage, one of only six recorded examples in the Crown census showing the Pike advertisement, ex Meroni.
Beaumont, Texas, 10c black on pink, four large to very large margins, on cover to Mrs. C. Saml. Watson in Galveston, Texas, endorsed "care of Mrs. C.M Seymour" at lower left, without postal markings, cover with significant restoration, piece on which stamp has been affixed torn off and subsequently replaced, despite the cover's repairs, a lovely and rare stamp, quite fresh, and with exceptional provenance; ex Caspary, Lilly.
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 5c black entire, neatly-struck provisional handstamp on 1862 10-star Confederate Flag patriotic cover to Fort Defiance, Alabama, handstamped PAID and postmarked with "Chapel Hill N.C. / Jan / 24" c.d.s., a rare and attractive cover, one of only eight recorded Chapel Hill provisional examples in the Crown census, three of which are patriotic covers.
PAID ...more
Danville, Virginia, 10c black entire, showing both types of the PAID 10 in Danville circle provisional, further handstruck PAID 10 in black for the over 500 mile rate to Greenwood, South Carolina, toning spots at right, piece cut from back flap and the odd repaired tear, but a rare entire, with only seven examples of any Danville 10c handstamped envelope listed in the Crown census, this being the unique example bearing both types; 1982 Confederate Stamp Alliance certificate no longer accompanies.
rare ...more 1861 5c blue, unused with gum, creases, little toning, fine and rare stamp, (Catalog value $ 1,200)
foot, ...more
Goliad, Texas, 5c black on white, large margins at right and foot, just touching at top and lower left, signed “Clarke – PM” in red and cancelled with black “PAID” handstamp, central repaired thin and some light aging, a fine-appearing Postmaster Provisional rarity, one of only two off-cover examples recorded by Crown; ex Kirkland.
clear ...more
Goliad, Texas, 5c black on rose, large margins on three sides, clear at top, signed “Clarke – PM” in black, cancelled with black PAID handstamp, pressed crease at top, repaired tear at right extending to "M" of "PM", else a fine-appearing example of this Confederate rarity, the sole off-cover example recorded by Crown; ex Steves, Caspary, Kirkland.
margin ...more
Goliad, Texas, 10c black on rose, signed "Clarke / PM" large
margin at right, else lightly touching in places, affixed to
patriotic cover depicting a soldier, tents, and ten-star flag, to
Col. D. Hardeman, Santa Gertrudas, Kings Ranch, Texas, backstamped
"R.H.W. Co" (Raymond H. Weill), cover with some toning and trivial
edge faults, adhesive with vertical crease, yet a Confederate
rarity of great renown, having graced several of the most famed
collections ever formed; the only on-cover example recorded by
Crown, and one of only two examples extant, the other being a used
single. ex Ferrary, Hind, Caspary, and Lilly.
Illustrated in Dietz "The New Dietz Confederate States Catalog and
Handbook"
Dietz records that " these provisionals were press-printed from
typeset forms in the office of a local newspaper, the Messenger,
owned by the Rev. A.M. Cox, a Methodist minister, who set the time
and did the printing."
Iuka, Mississippi, 5c black handstamped envelope, bold strike of provisional marking, on cover postmarked "Iuka Miss Sep 25 1861", to Autauga(ville) Alabama, one of only ten recorded covers, a choice strike, arguably the clearest extant, and the earliest recorded example of this rare provisional.
Miss., ...more 1861 5c black, amber envelope with "Paid 5 Cents" and Jackson, Miss., July 18, 1861 departure pmk, sent to Vicksburg, with letter originally from Vicksburg and reply from Jackson, minor hinge toning at bottom, fine, (Catalog value $ 900)
Jackson, ...more 1861 5c black, orange brown envelope with "Paid 5 Cents" and Jackson, Miss., Apr 13 departure pmk, addressed to Port Gibson, Miss., minor ageing and tone spots, fine, (Catalog value $ 900)
neatly-struck ...more
Jackson, Mississippi, 5c black handstamped envelope, neatly-struck with "Jackson Miss / Dec / 20" c.d.s. alongside, to Natchez, Mississippi, a clean cover and the latest recorded usage of the Jackson Provisional.
of ...more
Jetersville, Virginia, 5c black, handstamped with "AHA" initials
of Postmaster A.H. Atwood, vertical pair, affixed to cover
postmarked "Jetersville VA / Jul / 25," manuscript "Paid" at upper
right, to Waterproof, Tensas Parish, Louisiana, endorsed "via
Memphis", hinge remnants on reverse and tear through back flap, of
no importance given the exceptional rarity of this Provisional, the
sole example recorded in the Crown census.
The unique example of this Confederate Postmaster’s Provisional
Rarity.
Provenance:
Philip Ferrari de La Renotière (14 June, 1922, lot 8)
Alfred H. Caspary (March 5-7, 1956, lot 152)
Josiah K. Lilly (April 27, 1967, lot 321)
In his census, Crown records that this provisional was
"prepared by handstamping a small "5" in rows or columns on a piece
of paper multiple times, allowing room for the Postmaster,
A.H. Atwood, to write his initials to the right of the numeral."
The first reference to this stamp was in the 29 September, 1894
issue of the American Journal of Philately, in which little detail
is provided other that its noteworthiness as a new discovery.
August Dietz, writing in "the Postal Service of the Confederate
States", notes its similarity in concept to the provisional of
Greenwood, Virginia, remarking "all great minds run in the same
(inventive) channels."
The cover made its way into the Ferrary collection, and was
sold in the June 14, 1922 auction of his material, described only
as "5c black, pair on cover, the only examples known." Its next
appearance was in the 1956 Caspary sale, where August Dietz in his
forward referred to it as "another interesting object that will
arrest your attention." It was described rather more elaborately
than in the Ferrary sale, describe as "remarkably fine for such a
fantastic rarity…" and "one of the great Confederate rarities."
Offered again in the renowned Lilly collection, it realized $6,250;
the May, 1967 edition of the Confederate Philatelist records it as
selling to the Weill Brothers.
Jonesboro, Tennessee, 5c dark blue handstamped envelope, with "Jonesboro Nov 30" c.d.s. overtop, to Kingsport, Tennessee, quite fresh, one of fourteen recorded examples, only six of which are postmarked, scarce and fine; ex-Emerson.
Lenoir, North Carolina, 1861 10c (5c+5c) blue entire, two clear
impressions of the 5c woodcut provisional handstamp struck at the
top center of a Union Patriotic envelope, with embossed "Union
Constitution" with Eagle on backflap, blue target cancel ties both
handstamps adjacent "Lenoir N.C. Nov. 11" (1861) c.d.s., manuscript
"Paid 10c" at upper left, addressed in the hand of Postmaster James
Harper to his son "Lieut. G. W. F. Harper, 58th N.C. Regt., Big
Creek Gap, Knoxville Tenn.", pressed vertical fold at center and
lightly cleaned, a 3c stamp likely removed from upper right, an
exceptional provisional rarity, being the unique 5c+5c double-rate
envelope; 1966 Philatelic Foundation certificate no longer
accompanies.
Illustrated in Dietz, "The Postal Service of the Confederate States
of America" (1929, pg 69), Crown, "Surveys of the Confederate
Postmasters' Provisionals" (1982 Quarterman reprint, pg 177),
"Confederate Philatelist" (Jan-Feb 1980, pg 6). "W.H.C." handstamp
(Colson) at lower right, ex "Kilbourne" (1999).
The 58th North Carolina Regiment was organized in July, 1862. The
58th participated in the campaigns of the Army of Tennessee from
Chickamauga to Atlanta, guarded prisoners at Columbia, Tennessee,
during Hood's operations, then moved to South Carolina and
skirmished along the Edisto River. Later it returned to North
Carolina and saw action at Bentonville. The unit was included in
the surrender on April 26, 1865.
Lynchburg, Virginia, 5c blue, stereotype on white wove paper, horizontal pair, margins touching at places and into at left, the left stamp showing constant plate variety, tied to cover by "Lynchburg VA Sep 4 1861" c.d.s., to Capt. S.Y. Tupper in Charlestown (sic), South Carolina, some light gum staining, and slightly trimmed along top, top of back flap removed, a scarce franking, one of five recorded covers with a 5c Lynchburg provisional pair; ex Seybold, Hind, Emerson, Brooks, and Everett, with 2002 Confederate Stamp Alliance certificate.
wove ...more
Macon, Georgia, 5c black on yellow, floral border, typeset on wove paper, ample to large margins all around, affixed to embossed 'Wm. S. Williford" cover, postmarked with "Macon Geo." c.d.s. in black, date illegible, to Augusta, Georgia, piece torn from back flap, small pinholes at bottom of cover, a scarce and desirable franking; with 2023 Civil War Philatelic Society certificate.
"Macon ...more
Macon, Georgia, 5c black handstamped envelope, with adjacent "Macon Geo. Oct. 19" c.d.s., embossed colour corner card for Fears & Pritchett (the latter crossed-out), dealers in groceries and staple goods, to Griffin, Georgia, slightly reduced at right, a scarce and attractive example of this Confederate provisional.
Marion, Virginia, 5c black on ruled bluish laid paper, unused,
without gum, margins clear on three sides, touching at right, upper
margin repaired, small bleached dot on right frame, yet a
presentable and fine-appearing example of this rare Confederate
provisional issue; with 2023 Civil War Philatelic Society
certificate.
At the time of the Caspary sale, in which this stamp was
offered, bluish paper was not listed in the Scott catalogue, and
the Philatelic Foundation considered the stamp "genuine, but
whether issued for use on this paper is uncertain." Since that
time, a used example has surfaced which has been recognized as
genuine, proving that stamps on bluish laid were issued for postal
use. A mere eleven 5c Marion provisionals are known on any paper
(four on cover, three each on piece and used, and the stamp offered
here, the sole unused example). A rarity of Confederate
philately.
Provenance: Alfred H. Caspary (H.R. Harmer Sale 990, 1956)
large at ...more
Memphis, Tennessee, 5c red, vertical pair, margins clear to
large at left, showing portions of both adjoining stamps, tied by
Memphis c.d.s. to bi-color red & blue Jefferson Davis Medallion
patriotic cover (G-A-1p, Verse 13), to Mill Landing, North
Carolina, endorsed "Soldiers’ letter / Company A 1st Reg / Ark
Volunteers / P.B.C." on reverse, ironed fold clear of adhesives,
the upper stamp with minor scuff, an exceptional cover of great
rarity, and with tremendous visual appeal.
Provenance:
Rarities of the World, R.A. Siegel, 1983.
Elizabeth Pope, Christies, 1984.
solid ...more 1861 5c blue, three large margins, just in at right, tied by a solid strike Mobile, Ala Nov.5, 1861, addressed to Jackson, Ala, some hinge remnants, fine cover, (Catalog value $ 1,750)
partially ...more
Montgomery, Alabama, "Paid 10 / T. Welsh", clear strike partially obscured by 3c dull red, adhesive tied by blue grid cancel, alongside "Louisville KY / Aug 6" double-circle c.d.s., on clean North-South Express Cover to Northampton, Massachusetts, struck with choice "ADAMS EX. CO / LOUISVILLE KY / AUG / 6 / 1851" c.d.s. in black, manuscript "Paid Adc" in manuscript indicating payment of the Adams fee, cover with small repairs at right, light wrinkles, attractive and rare, a very fine combined Postmaster's Provisional and Express Company usage; ex Haas.