July 2023 General Postal History

manuscript postmark with "8" rate on April 15, 1803 folded letter to Marblehead, light wear, very fine appearance, the earliest recorded postmark from Andover

black two-line fancy boxed postmark with manuscript date on folded letter to Concord, New Hampshire, manuscript "Paid 10", vertical filefold away from marking, extremely fine strike, the unique example of this beautiful early marking from Andover, a gem of Massachusetts postal history

13 covers including Andover "Andr. Ms." datestamp in black (1817), red (1818/31), and brown (1821), 1837 "Andr. Ms." datestamp with fleuron, 1842 orange datestamp, 1845 and 1847 datestamps with numeral "5" and "10"; North Andover 1826 and 1829 manuscript postmarks, 1836 "No. Andover" datestamp, 1838 "North Andover" datestamp; and ca. 1849 Ballardvale blue datestamp (earliest recorded), generally fine to very fine

red straightline postmark with manuscript "Free" on folded letter to "The Hon'ble Samuel Holton Esq'r, Member of Congress" in Philadelphia, very fine, this is the only recorded example of the misspelled "Bevlry" postmark, one of the great rarities of Massachusetts postal history, ex-Thompson

red rimless datestamp with manuscript "18¾" rate on folded letter to Hanover, New Hampshire, light wear, very fine war rate letter

black arced datestamp with matching straightline “Paid” on folded letter to Washington, DC, manuscript “30” war rate, extremely fine and attractive, this marking is only reported from 1816-21 (ASCC $150)

red datestamp ties 1847 5c Red brown (1, margins full to grazing at top) to ladies cover to Vassalboro, Maine, matching "5" rate handstamp alongside, stamp also tied by pen stroke, small tear at top with adhesive tape residue, otherwise very fine, the only recorded cover from Bradford with an 1847 5c (USPCS Census #4060)

17 covers ranging from 1827 to 1887, eight manuscripts including the earliest recorded Byfield postmark (1827), 1851 datestamp with unreported "5" in circle, several 1851/57 3c Issue covers, and 1886/87 South Byfield cover and card, fine to very fine, all neatly written up on exhibit pages

14 covers including Danvers 1844 red datestamp (2), 1845 red datestamp, ca. 1846 blue datestamp with small "2" circular rate handstamp, 1847/48 red and blue datestamps with large "5" rate handstamp; North Danvers 1838 manuscript postmark, 1840/48 blue datestamps with "5" and "10" numeral handstamps; New Mills 1847 manuscript postmark (earliest known); and Tapleyville 1851 red datestamps, one with "Paid" in oval and "5" and one with numeral "...

15 covers from East Gloucester and West Gloucester, Massachusetts, ranging from the late 1850s through the Bank Note era, wide variety of markings, generally fine to very fine, all neatly written up on exhibit pages

manuscript postmark with matching “8 paid” rate on folded letter to Exeter, Massachusetts, very fine, the earliest recorded postmark from Haverhill

manuscript postmark with "18¾" on folded letter to Westbrook, Maine, fine, scarce war rate cover paying postage on a single letter sent 90-150 miles