Lot
4191 
Confederacy, SouthN. Letter Unpaid, bold strike of two-line handstamp cancels 3¢ star die entire (U26) addressed to Messrs. Tobias Hendricks & Co. at New York N.Y., "Charleston S.C. Jun 11" cds with matching "Paid 10" circled rating handstamp, matching blue "Louisville Ky. Jun 26" cds and bold "Due 3" overstriking the paid marking; some repaired opening tears at top, otherwise Very Fine, Census No. SLU-10; 1974 C.S.A. and 1975 P.F. certificates. Estimate $10,000 - 15,000.
A RARE AND ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THE "SOUTHERN LETTER UNPAID" HANDSTAMP USED TO CANCEL A U.S. 3¢ STAR DIE ENTIRE.
ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED FROM CHARLESTON S.C.
United States postal entires used from the South (and postage stamps affixed in 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).
Realized: $14,000
Lot
4173
Charleston, S.C., Kingman's City Post, 1851-58, 2¢ black on bluish, three margins, slightly in at right, uncancelled, used with 3¢ dull red (11A), margins, nick at right, tied by blue "Charleston S.C. 'Paid' Jan 28" cds on 1853 folded letter to Stateburg S.C., Very Fine. Scott No. 4LB15 Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
ONE OF ONLY FIVE ON COVER USAGES OF THE KINGMAN 2¢ BLACK ON BLUISH CARRIER STAMP.
We note the following three cover usages of this stamp:
1. (no date) Valentine cover with uncancelled vertical strip of three (Pos. 5/7/9), ex Caspary, Boker, Golden, D.K. collection
2. (no date) cover with pen cancelled horizontal pair (Pos. 3-4), ex Hall, D.K. collection
3. (no date) cover with pen cancelled single (Pos.
4. 1853-01-28, uncancelled single (Pos. 1) used with #11A on folded letter to Stateburg S.C.
Lot
4154
Charleston, S.C., Honour's City Express, 1851-58, 2¢ black on bluish, Position 5, large margins except just clear at left, tied by manuscript "X" cancel, red "Charleston S.C. Jun 15" cds and matching "Paid" rating handstamp with red manuscript "48" cent rating on folded cover to Dorking, England, New York red "6" cent credit rating for double the 3¢ American packet credit, carried by Collins Line Pacific departing New York Jun. 21st to Liverpool arriving Jul. 1st, red Liverpool Paid (7.1) arrival cds, forwarded upon arrival to London, Very Fine, Ex-Hind. Scott No. 4LB8 Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
A REMARKABLE TRANSATLANTIC USE OF THE HONOUR'S CARRIER STAMP.
Realized: $16,000
Lot
4384
Confederacy, Andersonville Ga. (Camp Sumter), 1864 cover from a prisoner-of-war to Perry, N.Y., manuscript "Exd. H.W" by Camp Commandant Capt. Henry Wirz, endorsed "Prisoners of War Letter / Via Charleston Flag of Truce", mixed franking with C.S.A. postage to Richmond paid by uncancelled 10¢ blue (11), light horiz. crease, and U.S. postage paid with 3¢ rose (65), tied by quartered cork, "Old Point Comfort Va. Jun 18" cds, Very Fine. Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
A WONDERFUL MIXED-FRANKING PRISONER-OF-WAR COVER FROM ANDERSONVILLE, CENSORED BY INFAMOUS CAMP COMMANDANT HENRY WIRZ.
Henry H. Wirz took command of Andersonville (Camp Sumter) beginning in March 1864. After the war, Wirz was charged with conspiracy and murder by Federal authorities. His trial was held in the Capitol building in Washington and was presided over by Union General Lew Wallace. A number of former prisoners testified on conditions at Andersonville, many accusing Wirz of specific acts of cruelty (some of these accounts were later called into question by historians as exaggerated or false). The court also heard from Confederate officers and considered official correspondence from captured Confederate records. Wirz presented evidence that he pleaded to Confederate authorities to try to get more food and maintained that he tried to improve the conditions for the prisoners. Wirz was found guilty of murder and was sentenced to death. On November 10, 1865, he was hanged in Washington at the site of the current Supreme Court building -- the only Confederate official to be tried, convicted and executed for war crimes resulting from the Civil War.
The prisoner, Union soldier Merrill, was captured at Plymouth N.C. and later died at the Andersonville Camp later in Summer 1864.
Realized: $4,750
Lot
4005
1775 (Mar. 20) Charles Town S.C. to Savannah Ga., folded letter carried privately to Charlestown and forwarded with "recd. Charles Town March 8th - forwarded 13th." notation on reverse, entered mails with remarkable bold strikes of "Charles / Town" two-line postmark and matching "MR 20" Franklin mark on flap, manuscript "1N4" rating, local currency rating of "17/" shillings, Very Fine and choice. Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
A REMARKABLE COMPLETE STRIKE OF THE BRITISH COLONIAL "CHARLES TOWN" POSTMARK.
Realized: $5,500
Lot
4247
Confederacy, Charleston, S.C., 1861, 5¢ blue, four large margins showing frame lines on all sides, tied by "Charleston S.C. June 20 186" cds on light blue cover to Flat Rock N.C., Extremely Fine and choice. Scott No. 16X1 Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
A REMARKABLE USE OF THE CHARLESTON 5¢ PROVISIONAL STAMP DURING THE TEMPORARY REGULAR ISSUE SHORTAGE OF JUNE 1862.
This late use of the Charleston postmaster provisional stamp was used just ten days prior to the general postage rate increase to a standard 10¢ regardless of distance. Apparently due to a temporary shortage of Confederate stamps in Charleston at this time, Postmaster Huger brought out supplies of the now obsolete provisionals and placed them on sale. Other June 1862 usages are recorded.
Realized: $1,500
Lot
4240
Confederacy, Charleston, S.C., 1861, 5¢ blue, large margins to ample at top, used as forwarding postage, tied by bold "Charleston S.C. Jan. 23, 1862" cds on cover with soldier's endorsement at top, originally mailed with "Tudor Hall Va. Jan 10 1862" cds and "Due 10" handstamp, addressed to Charleston and forwarded from there to St. Stephens S.C.; edge wear and backflap tears, a Very Fine use. Scott No. 16X1 Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
ONE OF FIVE RECORDED COVERS WITH THE CHARLESTON POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL STAMP USED AS FORWARDING POSTAGE.
In an article published in the Jan.-Feb. 1987 Confederate Philatelist, Richard L. Calhoun listed four covers known to him that showed use of the Charleston stamp for forwarding postage. This cover was not among those listed.
Lot
4370
Confederacy, 1864 Inbound Blockade cover to Savannah Ga. via Charleston, legal size orange cover endorsed "p S.S. 'Fox' " at top left and "Official Business, In Hase" at bottom left, carried by Fox from Nassau to Charleston, entered mails with "Charleston S.C. Nov 5" cds and matching "Steam-Ship" oval and circled "22" rating handstamps, additional pencil "22"; small part of flap missing, F.-V.F., Walske No. BI-Ch-72. C.S.A. Catalog $7,500.
THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED AND LISTING EXAMPLE OF THE CHARLESTON "22" CENT DOUBLE RATEMARKER.
Realized: $1,900
Lot
4192
Confederacy, Sent Back To England / Without a Reason / For Non-Delivery, red framed handstamp on cover to Charleston S.C. bearing G.B., 1856, 1sh green (28), bright color, s.e. at right, tied by clearly struck "131" in grid cancel duplexed with "Edinburgh JU 25, 1862" cds, red G.B. credit marking, carried by Allan Line Hibernian from Liverpool departing Jun. 26th to Quebec arriving Jul. 8th, red "Boston Am. Pkt. '24 Paid' Jul 9" exchange cds, held and returned with black "Boston Mass Jul 14" backstamp; expertly repaired, Very Fine appearance, ex-Myers. Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
RARE ATTEMPTED USAGE TO CONFEDERATE SOUTH CAROLINA THRU REGULAR POSTAL CHANNELS, POSTAL RELATIONS BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH WERE SEVERED AFTER MAY 31 AND SO THIS LETTER WAS RETURNED AS UNDELIVERABLE.
Realized: $3,250
Lot
4353
Confederacy, 12-Star and Bars C.S.A. Flag, red white and blue waving flap design with "Under this flag and Davis' command" slogan on cover to Hendersonville N.C., cancelled by indistinct "Charleston S.C. Nov" cds and matching "Paid 5" rating handstamp, original matching 12-Star and Bars C.S.A. Flag patriotic lettersheet datelined "Camp Ripley, Coosawatchie Station, November the 12th 1862"; some soiling and edge wear, light letter staining, Very Fine. C.S.A. Catalog No. F12-4. Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
Excellent war content, "…the yankees atacted our men at fort Royal and they had to give way to the hellfierd yankess our men fought bravely until they were ordered to retreat our loss was supposed to be 30 and we do not know whether we killed any of them or not, the yankees has posesion of Beaufort town in this Dist. If you was here you would think it was a deserted Country the citizens has all left the town and vicinity. we are campt in twenty miles of yankees waiting for them to land. the battle was fought the 7, one day before we got here. they had thirty-six vessels engaged in the fight it was sand battries that our men had but the yankees shot them all to pieces directly our men bursted. the best cannon they had there it was a thirty two pounder fifled canon they bursted it a trying to shoot in to the iron clad steamers but they failed to do it. it is supposed that there was 25 or 30 thousand of the yankees. I heard that our men had taken fort Hatteras back again with 600 prisoners our force about here is said to be about 20 000 if yankees ever undertake to invade this we will try to stop them. Gen. Lee is here from Virginia. there is a South Carolina Redgt campt here close to us and two artilery companys. I epxect we will fight here before many days if we do fight it will be the Manasas of S.C. because we dont intend that they shall ever conqer Dixie until they kill the last one of us…".
Realized: $6,250