Sale 77: Confederate States of America

Lot 1137 o   

Confederacy, Charleston, S.C., 1861, 5¢ blue, type E, neat "Charleston S.C., Oct 27, 1861" town cancel, large margins with outer frame lines all around, light horizontal creases, Very Fine appearance, very few of the Charleston Provisionals extant are sound.
Scott No. 16X1    $800.

Realized: $550

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Lot 1138    

Confederacy, Charleston, S.C., 1861, 5¢ blue, margins large to just in at lower right and top, tied by neat strike of "Charleston, S.C., Oct 11, 1861" cds on cover to Camden, S.C., with red "Office of the Fire Alarm and Police Telegraph, Main Guard House, Charleston, S.C." imprint; cover with expertly restoration mostly along top edge, Very Fine appearance, illustrated in Calhoun book (page 76).
Scott No. 16X1    Estimate $4,000 - 6,000.

A WONDERFUL CHARLESTON POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL USAGE ON COVER WITH A FIRE ALARM AND POLICE TELEGRAPH IMPRINT.

The Fire Alarm and Police Telegraph system was installed in Charleston by John Nelson Gamewell, a Camden S.C. postmaster and telegraph operator who purchased rights to the system in 1855 (the Gamewell Fire Alarm Company still exists). The first city to use a telegraph system to transmit fire and police alarms was Boston in 1852, followed by Philadelphia in 1855, and St. Louis, Baltimore and New Orleans between 1858 and 1860. The city of Charleston started discussions about using Gamewell's system as early as 1855, but apparently decided against it. In August 1860, the Charleston Courier reported that Gamewell was visiting the city again to demonstrate his product. On September 4th, the city council reviewed a detailed proposal from Gamewell, specifying the locations of the telegraph alarms (Charleston Courier, September 6, 1860), and shortly thereafter the city entered into a contract with him. Then in April 3, 1861, Charleston Courier reported that the system was operational. Exactly two months after this cover was mailed to Camden S.C., a fire broke out at a window blind and sash factory located at East Bay and Hasell Streets. It was reported to have been caused by a group of slaves who were gathered around a campfire. The fire quickly spread southwest and destroyed about 15% of the city before it was finally extinguished. Some sources say that efforts to control the fire were impeded by the fact that so many firemen had left to fight in the Confederate army. Robert E. Lee was in Charleston that night and observed the conflagration from the balcony of the Mills House hotel before its proximity forced him to leave.

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Lot 1139    

Confederacy, Charleston, S.C., 1861, 5¢ blue, group of three, one unused and two used, later with one cancelled by part of cds and other by double-circle datestamp, unused large margins, used with large margins to touched, each with faults, Fine and scarce trio.
Scott No. 16X1    $3,000.

Realized: $700

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Lot 1140    

Confederacy, Columbia, S.C., 1861, 5¢ blue, clear bold strike of provisional oval handstamp and matching "Columbus, S.C., 18 Oct" cds and "Paid" straightline on orange cover addressed to Concord N.C., Very Fine.
Scott No. 18XU1    $900.

Realized: $625

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Lot 1141    

Confederacy, Columbia, S.C., 1861, 5¢ blue, seal on back, on fresh cover to Greensboro, N.C., with matching "Paid" in circle, "5" rate handstamp and "Columbia, S.C., Jul 15" cds, Extremely Fine, an exceptional handstamp provisional entire, ex-Cantey.
Scott No. 18XU4a; $1,250    Estimate $750 - 1,000.

Realized: $525

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Lot 1142    

Confederacy, Columbia, S.C., 1861, 5¢ blue, seal on back, on bottom backflap on ladies embossed cover to a member of Palmetto Guards in Richmond, Va., with matching "Columbia, S.C., Aug 15" cds, "Paid" and "5" rate handstamp (Dietz type IF); backflap added and some edge mends, Fine appearance.
Scott No. 18XU4a    $1,250.

Realized: $100

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Lot 1143    

Confederacy, Dalton, Ga., 1861, 5¢ black, applied in error tying 5¢ green, Stone A/B (1c) horizontal pair, large margins to touched at left, on light buff cover to Richmond, Va., matching "Dalton, Ga., Nov 27, 1861" cds at left and struck over provisional handstamp; small stamp and cover defects at top, Very Fine; with 2009 C.S.A. certificate.
Scott No. 20XU1    Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.

AN UNUSUAL USE OF THE DALTON GA. "PAID 5" PROVISIONAL HANDSTAMP USED IN ERROR AS CANCELLATION.

Realized: $1,500

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Lot 1144 ()   

Confederacy, Greenville, Ala., 1861, 5¢ red & blue, unused, ample margins to touched, rich colors and strong impressions of the blue ornamental border and red town name and denomination, without gum as usual, trivial small corner creases at top and bottom left, Very Fine, ex-Brandon; with 1952 and 2006 P.F. certificates.
Scott No. 33X1    $25,000.

ONE OF ONLY SIX RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE 5¢ GREENVILLE PROVISIONAL. ONE OF THE FIRST BI-COLORED POSTAGE STAMPS TO APPEAR IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE.

There are only four off-cover stamps and two covers recorded. The two covers bear uncancelled singles.

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Realized: $22,000

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Lot 1145    

Confederacy, Iuka, Miss., 1861, 5¢ black, provisional handstamp on cover with Jefferson Davis Medallion patriotic design with verse below (JD-1C, verse 28), addressed to Artesia, Mississippi; cover soiling and fly specking, Fine, very rare with only two other patriotic usage recorded by Crown, ex-Judd.
Scott No. 42XU1    $4,000.

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Lot 1146 ()   

Confederacy, Knoxville, Tenn., 1861, 5¢ brick red, Die 1, Pos. 1, top sheet margin single with clear margins on other sides, strong color, without gum, Very Fine and rare position piece.
Scott No. 47X1    $1,750.

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Realized: $850

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