Lot
3894 
Confederacy, Ligon's Tobacco Warehouse a.ka. "Rockett's #1", a rare Prisoner of War cover from a Southern Prison carried through the lines by Adams's Express prior to the Express routes being shut down in August 1861. It is franked with a U.S. 1857 3¢ dull red tied by neat blue grid with matching "Louisville, Ky Aug 6, 1861" double circle cancel. It bears a clear bold "Adams Ex. Co Louisville, Ky" office cds dated Aug 6, 1861 as well as a "Richmond, Va." cds of the same date with matching handstamped "Paid 10" in circle; docketing "Per Adams Express" at lower left and contemporary notation at right side "Libby Prison, Richmond, April 30-May 8, 1862" probably indicating the letter date range of letters stored in the envelope after original use, Extremely Fine.
Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.
A superb and wonderful cover with everything going for it including pristine condition front and back, unsealed back flap with complete gummed flap intact. Biographical information accompanies.
Chaplain Hiram Eddy of the Second Connecticut Volunteer Infantry was incarcerated at Ligon's after his capture at First Manassas on July 21, 1861 - only six days after his commission. Eddy is shown as paroled on July 26, 1862, place not stated. Libby did not become a prison until 1862. It is well known that almost 1,000 prisoners from First Manassas were incarcerated at Ligon's, which was closed in April 1862. Eddy was first held at the Charleston Jail in South Carolina. The Connecticut Historical Society has a copy of his diary transcript which states that he became separated from his regiment during the battle on 21 July 1861, but was actually captured on July 26. He made his way to a small house occupied by free African-Americans to ask for food. They sold him a hoecake, but could not give him shelter for fear of the Rebel Cavalry nearby. The occupant sent him on his way with "The Lord bless you and prosper you in your cause".
Realized: $19,000
Lot
3724
Confederacy, 1863, 10¢ blue, two singles, both with large to huge margins tied by "Eagle Pass, Tex" cds on 1864 folded letter from Piedras Negras, Mexico to San Antonio, Texas; couple small cover tears, Very Fine, a spectacular land blockade usage from Mexico to San Antonio entering the C.S.A. mails at Eagle Pass. Scott No. 11 Estimate $4,000 - 6,000.
Realized: $17,000
Lot
3612
Confederacy, 1862, 2¢ green, horizontal strip of five, large well balanced margins all around, strong bright color, tied by three strikes of "Richmond, Va., Mar 12" cds's on fresh buff cover to Petersburg, Va., both cover and strip an exceptionally fresh condition; faint vertical crease affecting fourth stamp in strip, otherwise Extremely Fine, a wonderfully pristine cover and wide margin strip prepaying the regular ten cent rate; with 2006 C.S.A. certificate. Scott No. 3 Estimate $10,000 - 15,000.
Realized: $13,500
Lot
3529
Confederacy, Unionville, S.C., 1861, 5¢ black on grayish, adhesive made from lightly lined paper, struck separately by oblong boxed "PAID" and "5", uncanceled and with tiny nick at top, affixed on cover to "Mrs. William McClure, Pacolet Mills, S.C.", original letter (poor condition) enclosed headed "Unionville, S.C. Aug 3d" which says in part "We are expecting news of fighting and rumors on the (railroad) cars yesterday was that Washington was on fire.", flap replaced, cover cleaned & restored, somewhat crudely, which could be easily redone to professional standards, Very rare, Only 4 recorded in Crown/Hart survey. One of the premier CSA provisionals. Scott No. 87X1 $17,500.
Realized: $9,500
Lot
3465
Confederacy, R E Lee, Genl field signature on handcarried blue laid paper commercial cover with small opening tear at the top, addressed by Lee to "Genl Stuart Comdg Cav" (no doubt J.E.B. Stuart) with photocopy of original letter stamped by the Duke University Library where it reposes in their special collections department. The letter is dated "HQ 24 Apl '64" in which he mentioned the Clarks Mt., Signal Corps, Chambliss and Fitz Lee, traditional correspondence hand-delivered by couriers on his staff., Extremely Fine and choice, A wonderful piece of postal history addressed to and from two of the most illustrious general officers in the Confederacy. Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.
Realized: $8,500
Lot
3466
Confederacy, R E Lee, Genl, field signature on handcarried cover addressed to "Genl Lawton Qr. Mr. Gen." Gen. Alexander Lawton was badly wounded at Sharpsburg and subsequently placed in command of the Quartermaster General Department in fall 1863. Gen. R.E. Lee signed almost all his envelopes in the top right hand corner "R. E. Lee, Gen'l." One theory is that as a career officer in the United States Army, he was in the habit of doing so because such endorsements, known as "free franks", permitted him to send mail without paying postage. Even though the postage free privilege was not available to Gen. Lee in the Confederate Army, it is argued that he was a creature of habit. Another theory is that Gen. Lee came to distrust the sometimes undependable Confederate postal system. As a result, he wanted his correspondence hand-delivered by couriers on his staff. Whatever the reason, the vast majority of the known R. E. Lee covers were so delivered., Extremely Fine and choice. Estimate $7,500 - 10,000.
Only 15 have been recorded as actually going through the Confederate postal system. Genl Lee field-endorsed covers are pivotal pieces in Confederate collections. This example is a pristine cover in exceptional condition.
Realized: $8,000
Lot
3495
Confederacy, Hamburgh, S.C., 1861, 5¢ black, handstamped postmaster provisional with incredibly bold clear strikes on neat cover to Atlanta with "Hamburgh, S.C./Aug. 1/Paid" cds at bottom left, light file fold across top & small tear into "Paid" handstamp, Extremely Fine, a great rarity with only two recorded, A photocopy of the other is recorded and this is the far better of the two extant, with 1986 C.S.A. certificate, ex-Parham and Kohn. Scott No. 112XU1 Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
Realized: $8,000
Lot
3481
Confederacy, Bluffton, S.C., 1861, 5¢ black, postmaster provisional handstamp on small cover to Charleston with "Bluffton Oct 5" (1861) cds, cover tears affecting both markings, included is a normal handstamp "Paid 5" on rebacked cover showing the difference between markings, Very Fine, the only recorded example from which the Scott listing was taken; with 1995 C.S.A. certificate. Scott No. 124XU1 Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
Realized: $7,000
Lot
3717 (
)
Confederacy, 1863, 10¢ blue, "frame lines", without gum, wide margins showing full frameline at sides and bottom with small portion of top frameline at left, bold color and crisp impression, vertical crease and a couple tiny edge thins at bottom, Extremely Fine appearance. Scott No. 10 $3,750.
Realized: $6,750
Lot
3254
Confederacy, Dorn's Gold Mines, S.C., 24 Dec. 1862, perfect strike of this rare postmark tying 1862, 5¢ blue pair (large margins, close at right) on cover, Extremely Fine, one of only two such cancels recorded; one of the great South Carolina Postmark Rarities, ex-Kutz; with 1986 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 6 Estimate $4,000 - 6,000.
Realized: $5,250