Lot
4051 
Confederacy, SouthN. Letter Unpaid, bold strike of two-line handstamp ties 3¢ dull red, type III (26), natural s.e. at right with corner flaw and additional manuscript cancel, on small cover to Richfield Springs N.Y., matching bold strike of blue "DUE 3" straightline and Louisville Ky. duplex on backflap (part of which is torn away), originated in C.S.A. with clear strike of "Murfreesborough N.C. Jul. 6" cds with matching sharp "Paid" and "10" rate handstamps; light waterstains at bottom, Very Fine, Special Routes Census No. SLU-24, ex-MacBride, Nunnelley, Walske. Scott No. 26 Estimate $10,000 - 15,000.
A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE "SOUTHERN LETTER UNPAID" HANDSTAMP USED TO CANCEL THE U.S. 3¢ 1857 ISSUE.
United States postage stamps affixed in the South (and entires used from the South) were regarded as contraband and were refused as prepayment. On June 24, Dr. J. J. Speed, the postmaster at Louisville, was advised to forward letters from the South to the loyal states after removing postage. With approximately 5,000 such letters accumulating at Louisville by this date, Postmaster Speed employed a more practical means of invalidating postage by creating the "Southern Letter Unpaid" handstamp. According to the census in Special Routes, there are 29 "Southn. Letter Unpaid" covers recorded in the Special Routes book (No. 25 has been deleted as a fake since publication). Only 13 of these covers have the 3¢ U.S. adhesive stamp used to pay the U.S. domestic rate.
Realized: $9,500
Lot
4052
Confederacy, SouthN. Letter Unpaid, neat strike of blue two-line handstamp ties U.S. 1857, 3¢ dull red, on 1861 cover addressed to Princeton, N.J., matching blue "Louisville Ky. Jul 10" cds and large "Due 3" straightline handstamp, stamp also tied by indistinct "Morristown Ten. Jul 6" cds; most of flap missing and small edge faults, perf flaws and tiny scissor cut at left, Fine, Special Routes Census No. SLU-21, ex-Warm, Walske; with clear 1988 P.F. certificate. Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.
A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE "SOUTHERN LETTER UNPAID" HANDSTAMP USED TO CANCEL THE UNITED STATES 3¢ 1857 ISSUE.
Steven C. Walske's recently published analysis of mail service at the onset of the Civil War provides new information about circumstances surrounding the use of the coveted "Southern Letter Unpaid" marking. Postmaster General Blair's May 27 suspension order prohibited post offices from forwarding southbound mail to disloyal Southern states. However, northbound mail continued to be sent via Louisville. Through June 6, northbound mails were forwarded to Louisville from Memphis or Nashville. From June 7 through 12, only the Nashville post office forwarded mail to Louisville, and Louisville continued to forward mail north. With the resignation of W. D. McNish as Nashville's Federal postmaster on June 12, "Louisville held the mails still being sent north by the discontinued post office at Nashville. This held mail later became the well-known 'Southern Letter Unpaid' mail" (Walske).
United States postage stamps affixed in the South (and entires used from the South) were regarded as contraband and were refused as prepayment. On June 24, Dr. J. J. Speed, the postmaster at Louisville, was advised to forward letters from the South to the loyal states after removing postage. With approximately 5,000 such letters accumulating at Louisville by this date, Postmaster Speed employed a more practical means of invalidating postage by creating the "Southern Letter Unpaid" handstamp.
Immediately after receiving instructions from Washington to forward the held mail, the Louisville post office began marking letters. Some of these have circular datestamps (June 27, 28 and 29 being the most common dates), while others have no Louisville datestamp. The Louisville office continued to use the June 29 datestamp until the end of the Southern Letter Unpaid period on July 12.
Realized: $7,500
Lot
4053
Confederacy, (Southern Letter Unpaid) "Farnham Va. June 13th 1861", manuscript postmark and matching "Paid 5cts" CSA rating with "10" re-rate on 3¢ red on buff Nesbitt entire(U10) entire to Louisville, matching manuscript cancelling indicia, entered U.S. mails at Louisville with blue grid cancel and matching "DUE" straightline with manuscript "3" U.S. rating; light vertical fold and backflap slightly trimmed, Very Fine, ex-Walske. Scott No. US #U10 Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
AN EXCEPTIONAL "SOUTHERN LETTER UNPAID" USE TO LOUISVILLE AFTER SUSPENSION OF THE NASHVILLE-LOUISVILLE MAIL ROUTE.
The U.S. May 27 suspension order prohibited post offices from forwarding southbound mail to disloyal Southern states. However, northbound mail continued to be sent via Louisville. Through June 6, northbound mails were forwarded to Louisville from Memphis or Nashville. From June 7 through 12, only the Nashville post office forwarded mail to Louisville, and Louisville continued to forward mail north. On June 15, after the U.S. mail agent had been withdrawn from the Nashville-Louisville route (the last trip was on June 12), the Nashville postmaster, W. D. McNish, started to forward mail to Louisville by using the American Letter Express Company, who brought the mails across the lines and deposited them in the Louisville post office. This letter was in one of the daily mails forwarded by express under this unusual arrangement, arriving in Louisville on or about June 18.
United States postage stamps and stamped envelopes used from the South were regarded as contraband and were refused as prepayment. The familiar "Southn. Letter Unpaid" handstamp was used by the Louisville post office on mail sent north, but letters addressed locally were marked "Due" for unpaid postage. Examples of "Southern Letter Unpaid" mail delivered in Louisville are exceedingly rare.
References: Pictured in new C.S.A. Handbook on page 481.
Realized: $2,700