The Buck Boshwit Collection of Confederate States continued...

VERY FINE. THE ONLY RECORDED CONFEDERATE PATRIOTIC WITH THE RE-RATED NASHVILLE PROVISIONAL MARKINGS.

Ex Rudy (Siegel Sale 874, realized $6,750 hammer). (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST OF THE FIVE RECORDED COVERS BEARING THE RHEATOWN POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL.

The 5c provisional stamps issued by Postmaster D. Pence were printed by the same printer who produced the Tellico Plains Tenn. provisional. The June dates recorded for the Rheatown suggest that it came first, and the postmaster's own recollections place the issue in "midsummer 1861" (see Crown book, p. 307). Although dated examples show usage into April 1862, a relatively long period of time, the issue is extremely rare.

The same basic type form containing three subjects was used for the Rheatown and Tellico Plains Tenn. provisionals. For the Rheatown, all three were 5c denominations. The inside border at the top of each stamp is made up of seven ornaments, the unique arrangement of the ornaments in each subject enables philatelists to identify the position of any stamp.

Our records contain at least a half-dozen off-cover examples the Rheatown 5c, including an unused pair, the only known multiple. The five covers and one dated piece we record are as follows (in chronological order, type identified): 1) Jun. 20 (1861), Ty. II, cover to Lt. D. R. Wilson, ex Kilbourne (Siegel Sale 815, lot 142, realized $15,000 hammer), 2) Jun. 30 (1861), Ty. I, small cover, faint address, Siegel 1984 Rarities sale, 3) Feb. 8 (1862), Ty. III, lady's embossed cover to Eliz. Devault, the only tied example, ex Caspary, Gallagher, 4) Feb. 13 (1862), Ty. II, on piece (upper half of cover), ex Steves, Crown book, 5) Feb. 15 (1862), Ty. I, cover to David Cleage, cds struck twice, ex Caspary, and 6) Apr. 9 (1862), Ty. II, cover to Mrs. Wm. Brown, ex MacBride, Freeland, Siegel 1982 Rarities sale, the cover offered here.

Ex MacBride and Freeland (Image)

VERY FINE. ONE OF THE THREE FINEST OF THE SIX RECORDED SE-TENANT SHEETS OF THE TELLICO PLAINS POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL IN PRIVATE HANDS.

The Rheatown and Tellico Plains provisionals were printed by the same printer, using a typeset form of three subjects. For the Tellico Plains provisional, which probably followed the Rheatown, the post office and postmaster's names were changed, and the third subject at right was reset with a 10c denomination. Only two are known used, including one on cover (both are December 1861 dates).

Our records contain eight se-tenant sheets, including two in the British Library's Tapling collection. Of the six available to collectors, two are completely sound with full margins (one realized $8,000 hammer in our September 1999 Kilbourne sale). This is the third sound sheet. One of the others is repaired, and two have small faults.

Ex Ferrary and Hall (Siegel Sale 823, lot 434, realized $6,250 hammer). (Image)