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Curran Consignment (#4): Banknote Issues

Off Cover Stamps Early Issues 1861-67 and 1869 Issues Banknote Issues Stationery, Cards, Other Postage Due
Item # Description Price Picture
c350 #147, average, sound, tied by scarce NEW YORK 6 SHIP FEB 17 postmark with second off-stamp strike on VF intact cover to Porsmouth, NH "US America". Cover is docketed "Ship Letter USS Mayfower" at upper right. The ship letter fee for single rate letters to destinations beyond the entry port was 6¢. The red crayon "6" apparently represents a postage due doubling of the 3¢ short pay of the fee. Also struck at upper left in blue is a ticket ribbon double oval hand stamp for "MOSS & WARD NEW YORK FEB 17 1871", the ship broker handling the incoming letter. The USS Mayflower, first commissioned in 1866 and recommissioned in 1870, spent the fall and winter of 1870-71 off of Central America surveying the isthmus for a possible interoceanic canal and gathering valuable data about the area's topography. A very attractive ship letter with scarce markings. $200
c351 #182, fine, sound, tied by an XF strike of bluish-black, serrated oval WILSON. N. Y. ARTHUR BARGER P. M. NOV 3 1881 postmaster name postmark (Doane-Thompson 3006) and star killer on XF and fresh locally addressed drop letter cover. Pretty. SOLD
c352 #184, fine, sound, canceled by XF SOTN strike of 8-segment arrowheads killer (Rohloff B-17) with WATERBURY, CONN. APR 7 postmark on VF intact cover to New York, APR 8 79 receiver on reverse. $60
c353 #213, fine, sound, with XF KATTSKILL BAY N. Y. AUG 5 1888 postmark and grid killer, both in an very scarce turquoise ink on an XF intact all over advertising cover with detailed picture of KATTSKILL HOUSE, LAKE GEORGE. An absolutely gorgeous period hotel advertising cover. $150
c295 #206, 3 fine (pair+1) copies, canceled by three VF+ strikes of negative letters "Mc" killer (Cole ML-215), ST. LOUIS, MO. JAN 24 postmark on artist material corner advertising cover, 7mm reduction at right, sent to Troy, MO. A very scarce St. Louis fancy cancel. $75

$65

c296 #210, fine, sound, tied by an XF strike of scarce RUT. AND TROY R.P.O. JUL 3, MORRISON SOUTH, OK railway combined postmark/killer cancellation on VF Rutland, VT corner advertising envelope, cover barely reduced at left. This is the finest, most complete on cover example of this railway postmark that I have ever encountered. A wonderful and showy 2 cent red brown cover. SOLD
c276 #184, fine, tied by unusual double oval NEW YORK N.Y. MAR 24-80 5-P.M. postmark that is design both to simultaneously date the mailing and kill the stamp. Note the brownish tinge of the postmark. This cover and its killer was first illustrated and discussed in NOV 2009 USCC NEWS 273 (Roger Curran, "Odd to Say the Least", p. 118). In that article it was first speculated that the postmark may have been applied by applied by heat scorching the stamp and cover. A second AUG 2010 NEWS 276 article ("Odd New York Double Oval", p. 37) expanded information about the potential scorching nature of the postmark, also adding two more example covers. Finally, John Donnes presented his research in the NOV 2010 NEWS 277 ('New York City's "Pyro-Canceling Device"', p. 57) discussing patents for heat activated cancellation devices to "brand" a stamp, rather definitively establishing that the subject postmark was for a device produced by A. S. Gear (patent approved May 11, 1880) and apparently tested by the New York post office. John's article also identified two additional example covers bearing this postmark, one of which appears to have been canceled in the more traditional ink application manner. This brought to five the total reported covers, two first class (both heat branded) and three circular rate covers. The cover remnants of this failed experiment are exceedingly rare. The subject cover is unreduced with damage at top, including a tear and a small portion missing behind the stamp where portions of the back flap have been removed. The stamp evidences damage from the scorching postmark. This cover is one of the highlights of Roger's interest in New York City postal markings. SOLD

c258 #158, fine, small corner fault at lower right, tied by an XF strike of large, backward stylized letter "N" killer with BRIDGEPORT CT. JUN 22 postmark on cover to St. Louis, MO (JUN 24 back stamp receiver). Cover is VF, reduced 10mm at left. An extremely eye catching fancy killer, unlisted in major references. $50

$45

c262 #210, fine, sound, tied by an XF strike of purple letter "H" in wreath killer (Cole L-6) with matching HULMEVILLE, PENNA. JAN 4 1884 postmark on unreduced cover to Doylestown, PA. with part replacement repair of back flap. A gorgeous example of this member of the town name letter in wreath series of commercial rubber fancy killers. (See item c263.) SOLD
c263 #210, VF, sound, tied by VF letter "H" in double oblong circle commercial rubber killer with HULMEVILLE, PENNA. OCT 21 1886 postmark on unreduced cover to Doylestown, PA, small portion of back flap missing, tear into postmark. The way the killer is struck makes it appear the the circle may be a letter "C" or "G".  Killer unlisted in major references.  (See item c262.) $30

$25

c265 #213, fine, pre-affixing tear at left, tied by an XF strike of purple outline 5-point star in circle with center letters "CG" and matching double ring CASA GRAND, ARIZONA DEC 25 1888 postmark (Pinal County 1880-, population 382 in 1890) on VF cover opened at left. Cover sent to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where a straight line blue green "FORT WAYNE, IND. DEC 31 1888" receiver was applied across cover front. A wonderful territorial usage with very scarce and unusual town initials fancy cancel. SOLD

c266 #213, fine, sound, tied by purple grid and matching triple ring WENDELL DEPOT, MASS. MAY 4 postmark (Franklin County 1848-) on VF intact cover to Stoneham, MA with additional directional notation at lower left, "B. & L. R.R Station". Cover bears a clear strike of blue BOSTON & LOWELL R.R. STONEHAM MAY 5 1888 railroad station name receiving postmark at upper left and Stoneham receiver on back. Attractive and interesting railroad cover. $50

$45

c242 #210, fine, tied by a superb strike of the rare "BERRY" postmaster clerk (Charles Berry) name killer (Cole ML-9) with clear ANN ARBOR MICH. MAR 7 (1885) postmark on intact cover to Salem, WI, forwarded to Chicago (MAR 9 Salem receiver on back, MAR 10 forwarding on front, MAR 10 1885 Chicago receiver on back). The cover has a horizontal crease through the address and a mild central vertical bend. This is an exceptionally scarce on cover example of this wonderful Ann Arbor fancy name killer of which there are almost certainly fewer than half a dozen known. SOLD
c038 #158x2, fine, tiny faults, canceled by two XF strikes of fancy "OK" killer with XF LAW. & BRAD R.R., JUL 18 postmark (Towle & Meyer 26-B-1, Lawrence & Bradford Rail Road) on VF intact cover to Port Hope, Ontario, Canada (Kingston, Ontario, JUY 21, 1874 receiver back stamp). A terrific railroad fancy cancel cover! Cover has 1985 Philatelic Foundation certificate 149934, "genuine usage with the stamps having small faults". SOLD
c067 #179, fine, sound, quartered cork killer and WASHINGTON, D.C., NOV 26 3PM postmark tie to intact cover to Germany, red NEW YORK P.O. exchange hand stamp. SOLD
c006b #210, VF, sound, canceled by a VF+ strike of letters "WF" in circular grid (Cole ML-93) with fine WEST FAIRLEE, VT., JUN 13 postmark (pencil improved) on VF cover to West Newbury, VT, 2 mm reduction at right. A very nice example of this multi-letter town name killer. SOLD
       
       
Off Cover Stamps Early Issues 1861-67 and 1869 Issues Banknote Issues Stationery, Cards, Other Postage Due