Sale 55: United States Postal History

Lot 1665    

Post Office Announcement of Official Stamps, a two-page circular to all postmasters dated May 15, 1873 advising of the abolishment of the franking privilege as of July 1, 1873 and that "the Postmaster General is required by law to provide postage stamps and stamped envelopes of special design for each of the several Executive Departments of the Government, for the pre-payment of postage on official matter passing through the mails." The circular goes on to describe the stamps and colors including that the War Department stamps will be "cochineal red"; Very Fine.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

AN IMPORTANT HISTORICAL DOCUMENT FOR BOTH FREE FRANK AND OFFICIAL ISSUE COLLECTORS.

Realized: $525

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Lot 1666    

1873, 3¢ Executive Dept., tied by circular geometric duplexed with "Washington D.C. Apr 1" cds on printed "Executive Mansion" official cover addressed to Louisville Ky., original enclosed datelined "Executive Mansion, Washington D.C. Mch 31st 1874" signed by "Levi P. Luckey" as President's secretary; some edge wear, small edge tear, Very Fine.
Scott No. O12    Estimate $500 - 750.

Realized: $1,250

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Lot 1667    

1873, 6¢ State Dept., small corner nick, tied by cork handstamp on legal size cover to Schoharie C.H., N.Y. with allover shaded "Department of State, Official Business" imprint cover, Washington D.C. cds alongside; some cover tears, F.-V.F. appearance.
Scott No. O60    $800.

Realized: $190

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Lot 1668    

1873, 1¢ War Dept., tied by split cork duplexed with bold "Vancouver Wash. Dec 16" cds on Headquarters Dept. of the Columbia cover to the Army & Navy Journal in New York City, New York Rec'd Dec. 31 '79 backstamp; reduced at right, a Very Fine territorial use at the 1c printed matter rate, Vancouver W.T. was the post office for Vancouver Barracks, headquarters of the Dept. of the Columbia., ex-Lobdell.
Scott No. O83    Estimate $150 - 200.

Realized: $200

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Lot 1669    

1873, 3¢ War Dept., light horizontal pre-use crease, cancelled by split cork duplexed with "Fort Union N. Mex. 23 Sep" cds on yellow cover front to Washington D.C., manuscript "O.B." corner card, Very Fine, a rare Fort Union usage, ex-Lobdell.
Scott No. O85    Estimate $400 - 600.

Realized: $210

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Lot 1670    

1873, 3¢ War Dept., tied by segmented cork duplexed with "Washington D.C." cds on 3c War (UO20) entire addressed to Hon. J.H. Seely, M.C. at Amherst Mass., Very Fine, a scarce combination franking, ex-Lobdell.
Scott No. O85    Estimate $300 - 400.

Julius Hawley Seely was a member of the House of Congress from Massachusetts for one terms, 1875-77. He left to become President of Amherst College.

Realized: $180

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Lot 1671    

1873, 3¢ War Dept., strong color, tied by quartered cork duplexed with "Washington D.C. Dec 6" cds on Moore correspondence cover to Clarksburg W.V., fancy "Office of Chief Signal Officer" corner card; reduced at left and cover tears, Fine, ex-Lobdell.
Scott No. O85    Estimate $300 - 400.

This is the earliest known use of the 3c War. Time dated Washington D.C. postmarks were introduced in the Winter of 1874, dating this cover to 1873.

Realized: $300

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Lot 1672    

1873, 3¢ War Dept., horizontal pair, tied by "New York 'A' Jun 28 '79" station A duplex on Army Medical Board cover to Columbus Barracks, Ohio, Fine and rare use with an unusual penalty imprint, ex-Lobdell.
Scott No. O85    Estimate $200 - 300.

In 1879, the penalty frank use was extended to mail between all government offices. This was a very early use from a field office.

Realized: $250

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Lot 1673    

1873, 12¢ War Dept., horizontal pair, tied by "Knoxville Mar. 10 '84" duplex cancel on large-size cover to Congressman Leonidas Campbell Houk in Washington, manuscript. "Personal" at bottom, Washington D.C. receiving backstamp; some wear and feew shorts perfs, cover reduced at right, Fine and scarce 12¢ pair on cover, ex-Burrus, Lobdell.
Scott No. O89    Estimate $400 - 600.

Houk was a Union Army colonel and a prominent representative from Tennessee, serving from 1879-91, he accidentally drank a bottle of arsenic on May 21, 1891 and died the next day.

Realized: $240

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Lot 1674    

1873, 12¢ War Dept., tied by geometric duplexed with partial "Washington D.C. Apr 14" cds on cover to Rahway N.J., purple "Received, Rahway, N.J. Apr 15 1879" cds, manuscript "O.B." endorsement; small edge tear and some wear, Fine, a scarce quadruple rate use, ex-Lobdell.
Scott No. O89    $450.

Realized: $190

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