Postmasters’ Provisionals - Stamp Auctions
 Lot 2 - Postmasters’ Provisionals Baltimore, MD - H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XBaltimore, Maryland, 5c blue on buff cover, with handstamp of "James M. Buchanan" in black, blue "Baltimore Md. / Sep / 23" c.d.s., to Delia M. Black in Washington D.C., small W.H.C. (Warren H. Colson) handstamp on front and back, blue manuscript check, a fresh and very fine cover, with Buchanan handstamps in black being used earlier than the blue, and of greater scarcity; ex Hind, Weill Brothers (Christies, October 12, 1989). (USPCS Census 20028.) H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XPostmasters’ Provisionals Baltimore, MD |
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 Lot 8 - Postmasters’ Provisionals New York, NY - H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XNew York, New York, 5c black, signed ACM connected, very good to large margins all around, cancelled with centrally-struck red square grid and tied to small piece by red PAID, attractive and very fine; with 1973 Philatelic Foundation certificate. H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XPostmasters’ Provisionals New York, NY |
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 Lot 3 - Postmasters’ Provisionals Millbury, MA - H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XMillbury, Massachuetts, 1846, 5c black on bluish paper, margins clear on three sides, barely touching at left, tied to 1846 folded letter by neatly-struck red PAID straight-line, red "5" rate handstamp, postmarked with crisp "Milbury Ms. / Sep / 6" c.d.s., to Boston, two small tears at left of adhesive, unobtrusive filing folds, an iconic rarity, offered at auction for the first time in over forty years. (USPCS Census 20235)Provenance:- Robert S. Emerson (reported acquired circa 1929), recorded as subsequently sold by Ezra Cole upon Emerson’s death. (The Judge Robert S. Emerson Sales, Stanley M. Biermann, The Chronicle, Vol 120, 1983).- H.R. Harmer, New York (4 June, 1980)Literature:- Illustrated in the Stamp Specialist (Vol. I, Part 4)- Illustrated in American Philatelic Miscellany, edited by Susan M McDonald, 1976.- Illustrated in “The Millbury Postmaster's Provisional Stamp - The Unused Copy”, The Chronicle, Vol 121, 1984.Distinctive for its omission of both the name of the issuing postmaster and the corresponding town, the stamp’s primitive yet charming depiction of George Washington has enthralled collectors since its discovery. Philip T. Wall, in an introduction to his analysis of the Millbury Provisional, recounts the early years of the professional career of the man who would become the town’s Postmaster, Asa Holman Waters. Waters had a privileged upbringing, attending both Yale University and Harvard Law School, before embarking on ventures in law, politics, banking, and, eventually, overseeing the family’s armory business. These diverse pursuits meant that, upon his appointment as Postmaster of Millbury on 18 January, 1836, he was kept preoccupied by his many other engagements. Wall notes that Henry Waterman, a local jeweller, ran the post office on Waters’ behalf, and was ultimately responsible for the issuing of the now renowned provisional.The USPCS Census records nine covers, three singles on piece, and five single stamps. Interestingly, the rate markings used on the various on-cover examples are quite diverse. The cover offered here is the unique example with a simple “5”, while others have varying types of “5” or “V” in circle. All are struck in red.An exceptional opportunity to acquire an iconic treasure of United States philately. H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XPostmasters’ Provisionals Millbury, MA |
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 Lot 9 - Postmasters’ Provisionals New York, NY - H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XNew York, New York, 5c black, signed RHM, rejoined vertical pair, large balanced margins on all sides, cancelled with blue manuscript, partially hinge reinforced in margin between stamps, trace of uniform toning, yet a scarce multiple of fine appearance; with 1973 Philatelic Foundation certificate. H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XPostmasters’ Provisionals New York, NY |
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 Lot 4 - Postmasters’ Provisionals New Haven, CT - H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XNew Haven, Connecticut, 1845, 5c dull blue on white, with blue "E. Mitchell" signature, manuscript "Due –" with "5" handstamp in red alongside, postmarked with "New Haven Ct / Apr / 17" c.d.s., to Dr. Sowell in Athens, Alabama, in the hand of famed Yale chemist Benjamin Silliman Jr., small piece torn from back from removal of seal, cover has been professionally cleaned to remove staining, a fine-appearing example of this rare Postmasters’ Provisional, one of only a handful believed extant; Philatelic Foundation certificate no longer accompanies. H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XPostmasters’ Provisionals New Haven, CT |
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 Lot 10 - Postmasters’ Provisionals New York, NY - H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XNew York, New York, 5c black, signed A.C.M., four large margins, tied to folded cover by "New York 5cts. / Jul / 31" c.d.s. , to Hemer, p/Iserlohn, Germany, rated 1/8 (20p) in manuscript for routing via England and Rotterdam, (endorsed "p. Steamer Brittania, backstamped "England / over Rotterdam", red English c.d.s. (16 Aug), and Emmerich transits, blue oval backstamp of the forwarding agents A. Rolker & Mollmann of New York, light filing folds and traces of discoloration around edges, a rare transatlantic usage, with 1987 Philatelic Foundation certificate; ex-Consul Klep van Velthoven, Krug, Sweet. H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XPostmasters’ Provisionals New York, NY |
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 Lot 5 - Postmasters’ Provisionals New Haven, CT - H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XNew Haven Connecticut, 1874, 5c carmine on hard white paper, signed "E. Mitchell" in blue ink, reprint for Chief Clerk for Mitchell Cyrus B. Peets, trivial thin spot on lower margin, else very fine and scarce reprint, one of only thirty made, offered with 5c red and dull blue on hard white paper, two examples from the reprints of the New Haven Philatelic Society, with stamped signature of E. Mitchell and with "1932 FINAL RE-STRIKE" and numbered on reverse, 260 restrikes were made on this occasion before the handstamp was defaced, fresh and very fine, alongsisde a concocted cover purportedly with the 5c dull blue impression, to famed dealer Warren H. Colsen in Boston, a charming creation. H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XPostmasters’ Provisionals New Haven, CT |
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 Lot 11 - Postmasters’ Provisionals Providence, RI - H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XProvidence, Rhode Island, 5c gray black, four large to very large margins, cancelled in pen and tied to folded cover by neatly-struck "Providence R.I. / May / 29" c.d.s., handtamped "PAID" and "5c" in matching red, to New York, horizontal filing folds and two pressed vertical folds, all clear of adhesive, lightly cleaned at bottom, a rare tied example of this Postmasters’ Provisional, of which very few such are recorded; ex-Ferrary, with his trefoil at lower right, Caspary (H.R. Harmer, New York,November, 1955, lot 120). H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XPostmasters’ Provisionals Providence, RI |
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 Lot 6 - Postmasters’ Provisionals New York, NY - H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XNew York, New York, 5c black, signed ACM, reconstructed plate of forty used examples (5 x 8), showing all positions, almost all with four ample to large margins all around, each stamp with a red cancellation, positions 2 and 7 showing the double transfer, positions 31 and 36 with doubled framelines at bottom and top respectively, the odd small flaw to be expected, a wonderful reconstruction of carefully-chosen examples, which would be an exceptional challenge to duplicate, chiefly very fine; ex Farrington. H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XPostmasters’ Provisionals New York, NY |
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 Lot 1 - Postmasters’ Provisionals Annapolis, MD - H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XAnnapolis, Maryland, Eagle Handstamp, struck in blue on beautiful gold-design Valentine cover, with enclosure, cover further struck PAID 2 in blue, sent locally, as are all recorded uses of this handstamp in blue, light edge wear and the odd toning spot mentioned for strict accuracy, an exceptionally attractive example of this rare marking, which served as a model for the carmine Annapolis Postmaster Provisional of Martin Revell. H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XPostmasters’ Provisionals Annapolis, MD |
