Lot
4318 
Confederacy, Tullahoma, Tenn., 1861, 10¢ black, clear strike of provisional handstamps, on cover with neat "Tullahoma Ten. Mar. 31, 1863" cds to Brandon Miss., fresh and Very Fine, ex-Green, Wilkinson, Myerson, Dr. Agre and Brandon; with 2014 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 111XU1 $6,000.
ONE OF ONLY SEVEN RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE TULLAHOMA POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL AND ARGUABLY THE FINEST KNOWN.
According to Dr. Thomas L. Ray's article in Nov. 1960 Confederate Philatelist, the Army of the Tennessee went into 1862-63 winter quarters in the vicinity of Tullahoma after the Battle of Murfreesboro. The soldiers quickly depleted the stamps on hand and the Tullahoma postmaster prepared provisional envelopes to help relieve the shortage.
The recorded examples:
1. "Paid 10", Mar. 13, 1863 Tullahoma Tenn.
2. "Paid 10", Mar. 28, 1863 Tullahoma Tenn. to Musky Bend, Fla., ex-Kilbourne
3. "Paid 10", Mar. 31, 1863 Tullahoma Tenn. to Brandon Miss., ex-Green, Wilkinson, Myerson, Dr. Agre and Brandon
4. "Paid 10", Mar. 31, 1863 Tullahoma Tenn. adversity cover to Woodlawn, Miss.
5. "Paid 10", Apr. 1, 1863 Tullahoma Tenn.
6. "Paid 10", Apr. 5, 1863 Tullahoma Tenn. to Washington Tenn., repaired, ex-Boshwit
7. "Paid 10", Apr. 7, 1863 Tullahoma Tenn. to Northport Ala., ex-Jeanette C. Rudy.
Realized: $2,000