The Alan Geisler Collection of U.S. Carriers and Locals continued...

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VERY FINE. ONE OF ELEVEN RECORDED COVERS WITH JENKINS' CAMDEN DISPATCH LITHOGRAPHED STAMP (89L1), OF WHICH FIVE HAVE TYPE 3 STAMPS.

An overview of the post and different stamp printings is provided in the description of lot 1273 in our Golden sale (www.siegelauctions.com/1999/817/yf817209.htm#222). Our records and information kindly provided by John P. Halstead contain eleven complete covers bearing 89L1 (either Halstead Type 3 or 4). The lithographed stamp was printed by Wagner and McGuigan, a Philadelphia firm, in June 1854 and January 1857.

Ex Ferrary and Hall. With 2001 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail $3,500.00 (Image)

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VERY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST OF THE NINE RECORDED FULL COVERS WITH THE RARE STAMP ISSUED BY JONES' CITY EXPRESS OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

It has been written that Jones' City Express existed from late 1844 through early 1845 (Patton book), but dated covers are known only as early as Jan. 29, 1845, and as late as Nov. 4, 1845. It is supposed that the proprietor was George G. Jones, based on the 1844 Brooklyn directory, listing him as an engraver with residence at Clinton Avenue and Jamaica Road. George G. Jones is listed in later directories as manager of the Metropolitan Errand and Carrier Express Company in New York City (source: Abt notes). Conjunctive usages indicate that Jones linked with Boyd's in Manhattan for local city delivery and with American Letter Mail Co. and Hale & Co. for inter-city service (prior to July 1, 1845).

Our updated records contain nine covers and two fronts (or pieces) with the 91L1 stamp: 1) uncancelled, used on Feb. 17, 1845 folded letter to John Jay, New York City, red Boyd's oval, ex Caspary, Boker, Lilly, Golden (realized $7,500 hammer), 2) uncancelled, used on cover to Junins L. Taylor, local addressee, "Paid" straightline, ex Caspary, the cover offered here, 3) cut to shape, used with American Letter Mail Co. 5L2 cut to shape (tied), on folded cover to Constant Guilleau, Philadelphia, red Am. Letter Mail oval (NYC) and circle (Phila.) handstamps, ex Patton (Robson Lowe sale, Mar. 1, 1973, lot 1604), 4) uncancelled, ms. "Paid" on cover to J.D. & C.S. Pratt, East Chatham, N.Y., ex Boker, 5) uncancelled on Aug. 10, 1845 folded letter to Wm. Danforth, Hartford Conn., red Brooklyn datestamp and "5" rate, Siegel 1995 Rarities sale, 6) described as "Uncancelled on cover pmk. Boyd's Brooklyn City Express. Creased from letter fold and rubbed on face. Rare.", Siegel Sale 164, lot 759, no photo, 7) uncancelled on turned folded cover to Jno. W. Mitchell, New York City, red Brooklyn datestamp and "5" rate, ex Golden (realized $3,000 hammer), 8) part of stamp (torn) on front only to Isaac Wendell, Philadelphia, with red American Letter Mail Co. (Phila.) circle and framed Collect handstamp, ex Golden (Siegel Sale 817, lot 1283, unsold), 9) tied by Hale & Co. oval with Collect box on large piece, Siegel Sale 358, lot 1004, 10) uncancelled on embossed Valentine cover to Miss Jane Case, Siegel Sale 841, lot 1629, and 11) uncancelled on 1845 folded letter to Constant Guilleau, Phila., red Brooklyn Nov. 4 datestamp, "Paid" and "5", Gronowski collection.

Ex Caspary. Signed Sloane. With 1999 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail $3,500.00 (Image)

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VERY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST OF THE SIX RECORDED COVERS WITH THE KELLOGG'S PENNY POST STAMP, OF WHICH ONLY THREE ARE TIED BY A HANDSTAMP.

Kellogg's Penny Post & City Despatch was a relatively short-lived local post in Cleveland. It is believed that the post existed in 1853 and 1854. A cover dated June 28 (1853) and a piece dated April 7 (1854) are the earliest and latest recorded dates of use for the 92L1 stamp. Carrier service in Cleveland began in December 1853, which probably forced Kellogg's out of business by mid-1854.

Our records contain the following six Kellogg's covers, arranged by date (including assumed year dates): 1) Jun. 28 (ca. 1853) Cleveland datestamp ties 3c 1851, 92L1 cancelled by pencil on New England Hotel corner card cover to West Fairlee Vt., ex Caspary, Schenck, Skove, Golden (sold after the auction), 2) Jul. 11 (1853 content) Cleveland datestamp with "24" in circle tying 92L1 on folded letter to Mrs. Cowell, Dorset, England, from Harmer Rooke sale, Jul. 7-8, 1960, 3) Jul. 29 (1853 contents) Cleveland datestamp, tied by ms. cancel on folded letter originating in Cincinnati to New Orleans, carried to Cleveland and given to Kellogg's, ex Boker, 4) Sep. 1 (ca. 1853) Cleveland datestamp on cover to Newark O., one 92L1 remains from strip of three (other two torn off), ms. "Charge Johnson House" hotel notation, ex Knapp, Middendorf, 5) Sep. 27 (ca. 1853) Cleveland datestamp and grid tie 92L1 and 3c 1851 on Waverly House corner card cover to Canton O., discovered in 1997, Siegel 1997 Rarities sale, and 6) Jan. 21 (ca. 1854) Cleveland datestamp with black grid tying 92L1 to Painesville O., ex Hall and D.K. Collection, the cover offered here. In addition to the six covers, there are at least six 92L1 stamps known off cover.

All of the surviving Kellogg's covers were delivered to the post office (three from hotels), no city-delivery covers are known. We wonder if it is possible that Kellogg's post was incorporated into the Cleveland carrier department started by Henry S. Bishop on December 21, 1853? Bishop left the carrier department on July 1, 1854, to become an employee of the Cleveland post office (source: Elliott Perry). Bishop's move roughly coincides with the end of Kellogg's post, however, no official records are known to us that confirm Kellogg's involvement as a carrier. The use of the black grid to cancel the stamp on this cover strongly suggests an official link to the post office.

Ex Hall and D.K. Collection. With 2001 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail $9,000.00. (Image)

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VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE TIED EXAMPLE OF THE KIDDER'S HORSE & RIDER STAMP ON COVER.

John T. Boyd discontinued his Brooklyn post on June 30, 1845, when the new postal laws made it illegal for private companies to carry mail along postal routes -- in Boyd's case, between Brooklyn and New York City. Elliott Perry suggested that Boyd's Brooklyn agent was Wellington Walton, who is listed in the 1846 city directory as an "express proprietor" at 195 Gold Street in Brooklyn. Walton & Co. City Express covers are dated as early as February 14, 1846, leaving a seven-month gap between Boyd's discontinuance and Walton's successor post -- possibly Walton did not start up until the next Valentine season. In early 1847, Walton sold out to Henry Kidder, whose "Kidder's Brooklyn City Express Post" oval handstamp is recorded as early as Mar. 11, 1847 (reference: Calvet M. Hahn, "Brooklyn City Post 1850's"). Kidder operated the post with the help of Isaac and George Snedeker, who were brothers. Kidder sold out to the Snedeckers in 1851, and the post continued under their ownership until 1854 when it was sold to others.

The Kidder's 93L1 stamp was issued during Kidder's ownership and used after the Snedekers acquired ownership. It is believed that the first Brooklyn City Express Post stamp (28L5) was issued by the Snedekers. Beginning about 1850, the Kidder's stamps were initialed "IS" (sometimes "YS") for Isaac Snedeker. The initials were applied to sheets before use and are not cancellations. (Reference: Donald S. Patton, The Private Posts of the United States, pp. 265-268).

Scott Retail $6,000.00 (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THREE RECORDED COVERS BEARING INTACT EXAMPLES OF THE MEARIS' CITY DESPATCH POST STAMPS. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED 2-CENT COVER AND THE ONLY MEARIS VALENTINE USAGE. AN ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING COMBINATION OF QUALITY AND RARITY.

A letter given to Mearis for delivery within the city was charged 2c. This is the only recorded example of the city-delivery rate, in this case paid by a single 2c stamp, Type G, which we have assigned to Position 1 in our plating analysis (see Golden sale catalogue Siegel Sale 817, p. 301, or go to http://www.siegelauctions.com/enc/carriers/mearis.htm). It is identical to Type F (Position 3), with the same type fonts used for each of the four lines, and the diamond ornaments in each corner. The differences between Types F and G are more apparent when one is overlayed on the other.

This beautiful Valentine cover was donated by the Garrett family to the Princeton University Library and was deaccessioned through our firm in 1981. We wish to make one observation, which may be pure coincidence, but the stamp on this Valentine was left uncancelled, just as the Davis's Penny Post stamp on the Valentine offered in the Golden sale (lot 1020) was left uncancelled, in contrast with other known examples. In both cases, it is possible that a cancellation was considered an impolite and aesthetic detraction from the beauty of the Valentine.

Illustrated in Kelly's CCP series (Vol. 50, No. 3, p. 150). Ex Princeton University Library, Golden and Kuphal. With 1999 and 2007 P.F. certificates. Scott Retail $16,500.00 (Image)

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