Americana Stamps

Winter 2025

January 3-5

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Found 45 Results
Independent Mail, American Letter Mail Co

Lot #: 4064

American Letter Mail Co, Stampless folded Bill of Landing

Illustrated Ship Bill of Landing

ALMNYC-F07 and ALM-BOS-1 American Letter Mail handstamps on stampless folded Bill of Landing, datelined "PHILAD JUNE 5 1844."

It was carried to New York where it received the straightline "No. 56 Wall St - N.Y." and from there to Boston, where the "Collect 6 1/4 cents' was applied.

The illustrated Bill of Landing documents 200 bags of coffee to be ship by "DELAWARE" to Boston.

Opening: $120
Estimate: $200 - $300
Category: Independent Mail, American Letter Mail Co

Lot #: 4071

American Letter Mail Co. 5c Black on Grey, on 1845 Folded Letter

Datelined Only 12 Days after the Postal Act of March 3, 1845

New York City to Boston folded letter. Datelined 15 March 1845, only 12 days after Congress enacted the Postal Act of March 3 1845, which put the independent mail companies out of business.

With PF Cert which states, "SINGLE, GEOMETRIC PEN SQUIGGLE, ON 1845 FOLDED LETTER FROM NEW YORK TO BOSTON, RED COMPANY OVAL AT LEFT. AND WE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT IT IS A GENUINE USAGE."

Opening: $150
Estimate: $250 - $500
Category: Independent Mail, American Letter Mail Co
Catalogue: Scott 5L2
Catalog Value: $500
Certificate:
PF 554098
Provenance:

Ex C.J. Alexander

Lot #: 4072

American Letter Mail Co, 5L3, 5c Blue on Gray, manuscript "#" cancel

Very Fine and Rare

Ample margins to barely in at top, manuscript "#" cancel with a PF Certificate which reads "USED, PEN CANCEL. AND WE ARE OF THE OPINON THAT: IT IS GENUINE WITH A SMALL THIN SPOT AT THE BOTTOM LEFT AND A SMALL CORNER CREASE AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT."

Opening: $150
Estimate: $1,250 - $1,750
Category: Independent Mail, American Letter Mail Co
Certificate:
PF 046992
Provenance:

Ex. Gordon N. John

Independent Mail, Brainard & Co

Lot #: 4073

Brainard & Co, Red Oval Company Handstamp with Matching "6"

Red "FORWARDED BY BRAINARD & COMPANY/ALBANY" and red "6" handstamps on folded letter. Datelined November 5, 1844. Addressed to Rev. Daniel Wells in New York.

Brainard & Company carried mail from Albany and Troy south to New York City using steamboats since there was no railraod connection available at the time. The Hudson River was open to steamboat traffic from March 14, 1844 to December 11, 1844.

Opening: $60
Estimate: $100 - $200
Category: Independent Mail, Brainard & Co

References/Links:

Independent Mail, Hale & Co

Lot #: 4075

Earliest and Only Known F-31 Hale & Co Forwarding Handstamp, and earliest known Hale letter originating in New York City

Illustrated in Gutman's Exhibit and Book

Illustrated in Gutman's exhibit and as Figure 7-235 in Gutman's book.

New York City, New York to Boston, Massachusetts, dated January 10, 1844.

This letter bears the only known strike of the F-31 forwarding handstamp. It is similar to the NY-D foreign letter office Hale handstamp without the word "Foreign". It is different from F-30 as the first and third line of print are slanted to the right. The letter also bears a manuscript "12 ½" indicating that the letter was double weight. This letter is also the earliest known Hale letter originating in New York City.

Opening: $300
Estimate: $500 - $1,000
Category: Independent Mail, Hale & Co
Provenance:

Ex Hall, Gutman, C.J. Alexander

Lot #: 4076

Hale’s Foreign Letter Office, on 1839-42 Coverm New York to London via Romney

1839–42 Stampless cover forwarded by Hale’s Foreign Letter Office, bearing a red 'Hale’s Foreign Letter Office' datestamp, (Gutman Type NY-A). Originating from New York and addressed to London, the cover received a black framed 'ROMSEY/SHIP LETTER' marking upon entering the United Kingdom.

Opening: $240
Estimate: $400 - $500
Category: Independent Mail, Hale & Co

References/Links:

Lot #: 4078

Hale & Co, Red F-42 Handstamp, on 1844 Folded Illustrated Invoice Enclosure

December 6, 1844 illustrated invoice enclosure from Boston to New York for "five hundred fifteen boxes strings" that were shipped on the schooner Splendid. Merchant sent draft for payment on December 14.

Handstamp is type F42. There are 62 recorded in the Gutman database.

Opening: $90
Estimate: $150 - $250
Category: Independent Mail, Hale & Co

Lot #: 4080

Hale & Co., Letter Carried during Frozen Hudson River Period

Only 11 letters are known with Troy as their destination.

Letter datelined "New York Jan 3 1845", carried by Hale & Co with C-3 Troy forwarding handstamp.

The Hudson River was frozen from December 11 1844 to February 24 1845 and therefore closed to navigation. The Housatonic Railroad to Bridgeport was used to get mail to New York during this period.

Opening: $120
Estimate: $200 - $300
Category: Independent Mail, Hale & Co

Lot #: 4082

Hale & Co, 75L1 Horizontal Pair, on 1844 Folded Letter

With a PF Cert which states, "HORIZONTAL PAIR, CUT TO SHAPE, PEN CANCELED, ON 1844 FOLDED LETTER FROM PROVIDENCE TO PHILADELPHIA. AND WE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT IT IS A GENUINE USAGE, THE RIGHT STAMP WITH A VERTICAL FILE CREASE AND TONED SPOTS; THE COVER WITH A STAIN AND EDGE FAULTS AT TOP"

Opening: $240
Estimate: $400 - $800
Category: Independent Mail, Hale & Co
Catalogue: Scott 75L1
Catalog Value: $800
Certificate:
PF 554095

Lot #: 4084

Hale & Co, 75L5, On Cover with Large "R" Initial, Red Forwarded Handstamp

5c Blue Street Address Omitted, cut to shape with mostly large margins, cancelled by bold manuscript large "R" initial, red "Forwarded by Hale & Co. from 37 S. Third Street, Philadelphia" oval handstamp on blue Apr. 14, 1845 folded letter from Philadelphia to New York City street address, Very Fine

Towns where precancels are known to be used include Boston, New York, Norwich, Portsmouth and Providence.

Opening: $120
Estimate: $200 - $300
Category: Independent Mail, Hale & Co
Catalogue: Scott 75L5
Catalog Value: $300
Provenance: ex Schwartz and Dr. Puliafito

Lot #: 4087

Hale & Co, F-29 Forwarding Handstamp and C-3 Handstamp, on Folded Letter

Addressed to Senator Erastus Corning

New York City, New York to Albany, New York dated March 24, 1845. This letter bears a F-29 forwarding handstamp and a C-3 collect handstamp, both in red. Also present is a manuscript “12 4” notation indicating the letter was double weight.

Opening: $120
Estimate: $200 - $300
Category: Independent Mail, Hale & Co
Independent Mail, Hartford Conn. Mail Route

Lot #: 4088

Hartford Conn. Mail Route, 80L1, 5c Black on Yellow

Manuscript "South" Precancel

1844 5c black on yellow with manuscript "South" precancel (agent "B") applied before use.

Opening: $900
Estimate: $1,500 - $2,000
Category: Independent Mail, Hartford Conn. Mail Route
Catalogue: Scott 80L1
Catalog Value: $2,000
Provenance:

Ex C.J. Alexander