Developed & Supported by Mark Scheuer. Based on the work of Thomas J. Alexander. Dedicated to the memory of Creighton Hart and Susan McDonald. Feedback, additions, and corrections most welcome. Please send to: mscheue1@rochester.rr.com
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| Scott Number | 1 |
|---|---|
| Date | August 14, 1850 |
| From City | Montreal |
| From State | Canada |
| To City | San Francisco |
| To State | CA |
| Addressee | William Phillips |
| Cert Author | PF |
| Cert # | 503618 |
| Fake | |
| Quantity 1 | 4 |
| Quantity 2 | 0 |
| Bisect | |
| Others |
Notes
1847, 5¢ red brown (No. 1), two horizontal pairs originally forming a block of four, margins to cutting, tied together by bold single pen stroke in blue, on buff envelope from Canada to California, addressed to a "Mr. William Phillips of Canada. Post Office San Francisco California", red slanting "Paid" handstamp and matching Montreal Aug 14 1850 postmark, manuscript "4½" due rating, manuscript "p. paid" and "to be kept till called for" written by sender; cover extensively cleaned and repaired, penciled numbers at left, probably non-postal, strengthened, the left stamps with staining removed, their color affected, Very Good appearance. ¨Estimate $3,000-4,000
THE LARGEST RECORDED FRANKING OF THE 1847 5¢ FROM CANADA.
Expertization: 2002 Sismondo Certificate and photocopy of 1988 "no opinion" P.F. Certificate.
The rate from Montreal to the U.S. border was 4½d. The U.S. transcontinental rate was 40¢ with these two 5¢ pairs representing a 20¢ short payment of that rate.
Matthew Bennett International sale 301 Lot 1244 realized 3500
Alexander listed as 8/14/50
Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. sale 743 lot 117 realized 8500
PF 503618
1 1847 5¢ red brown
TWO HALVES OF RIGHT MARGIN BLOCK OF 4, BLUE MANUSCRIPT CANCELS, ON COVER TO SAN FRANCISCO, RED 1850 MONTREAL PMK AT BOTTOM LEFT, MATCHING STRAIGHT LINE RED "PAID" HDSTP AND MS. "4 1/2" AT RIGHT.
AND WE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT
THE SCOTT 1'S ARE GENUINELY USED ON THIS COVER; THE LEFT PAIR CLEANED TO REMOVE STAINING, SLIGHTLY AFFECTING COLOR; THE COVER EXTENSIVELY CLEANED AND REPAIRED; BUT DECLINE OPINION WITH RESPECT TO WHETHER THE COVER ORIGINALLY BORE ADDITIONAL STAMPS OR THE 20¢ SHORTAGE WAS PAID IN CASH
Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale 618 Lot 16 realized $3,500
Matthew Bennett International sale 339 lot 333 realized 4000
Expertization: 2002 Sismondo Certificate.
Provenance: Kapiloff, Kramer.
The rate from Montreal to the U.S. border was 4½d. The U.S. transcontinental rate was 40¢ with these two 5¢ pairs representing a 20¢ short payment of that rate.
Since going to press, we sent this item to the Philatelic Foundation and discovered there was a 1983 Philatelic Foundation certificate for this cover stating that the usage is genuine but that other stamps(there would only be room for two 10 cent stamps), may possibly have fallen off or been removed. The Foundation, following a subsequent submission at that time, offered a "no opinion" ruling as to whether or not there had been additional stamps present at the time of mailing. I was told that a no opinion certificate would probably be issued if it were resubmitted today.
We concur that there is no way to be sure if there had been two 10 cent stamps present at one point, or had the letter been sent short paid. It is certainly possible the letter was a double rate cover and the sender, not being well schooled in US postal rates, thought the rate was the usual 10 cents and put on 20 cents for the double rate. Similarly, an argument could be made that, since there are no known combination uses of the 5¢ and 10¢ 1847s from Montreal, there is certainly a possibility that the cover was sent short paid. However, while we could discuss forever whether other stamps had been present or not, it is imperative not to lose sight of the one critical and unquestioned fact-it is the ONLY known genuine usage from Canada to California, and is therefore an important and unique postal history artifact in its own right.
Illustrated in Arfken, Leggett, Firby & Steinhart, p. 175.
THE LARGEST RECORDED FRANKING OF THE 1847 5¢ FROM CANADA.
Expertization: 2002 Sismondo Certificate and photocopy of 1988 "no opinion" P.F. Certificate.
The rate from Montreal to the U.S. border was 4½d. The U.S. transcontinental rate was 40¢ with these two 5¢ pairs representing a 20¢ short payment of that rate.
Matthew Bennett International sale 301 Lot 1244 realized 3500
Alexander listed as 8/14/50
Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. sale 743 lot 117 realized 8500
PF 503618
1 1847 5¢ red brown
TWO HALVES OF RIGHT MARGIN BLOCK OF 4, BLUE MANUSCRIPT CANCELS, ON COVER TO SAN FRANCISCO, RED 1850 MONTREAL PMK AT BOTTOM LEFT, MATCHING STRAIGHT LINE RED "PAID" HDSTP AND MS. "4 1/2" AT RIGHT.
AND WE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT
THE SCOTT 1'S ARE GENUINELY USED ON THIS COVER; THE LEFT PAIR CLEANED TO REMOVE STAINING, SLIGHTLY AFFECTING COLOR; THE COVER EXTENSIVELY CLEANED AND REPAIRED; BUT DECLINE OPINION WITH RESPECT TO WHETHER THE COVER ORIGINALLY BORE ADDITIONAL STAMPS OR THE 20¢ SHORTAGE WAS PAID IN CASH
Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale 618 Lot 16 realized $3,500
Matthew Bennett International sale 339 lot 333 realized 4000
Expertization: 2002 Sismondo Certificate.
Provenance: Kapiloff, Kramer.
The rate from Montreal to the U.S. border was 4½d. The U.S. transcontinental rate was 40¢ with these two 5¢ pairs representing a 20¢ short payment of that rate.
Since going to press, we sent this item to the Philatelic Foundation and discovered there was a 1983 Philatelic Foundation certificate for this cover stating that the usage is genuine but that other stamps(there would only be room for two 10 cent stamps), may possibly have fallen off or been removed. The Foundation, following a subsequent submission at that time, offered a "no opinion" ruling as to whether or not there had been additional stamps present at the time of mailing. I was told that a no opinion certificate would probably be issued if it were resubmitted today.
We concur that there is no way to be sure if there had been two 10 cent stamps present at one point, or had the letter been sent short paid. It is certainly possible the letter was a double rate cover and the sender, not being well schooled in US postal rates, thought the rate was the usual 10 cents and put on 20 cents for the double rate. Similarly, an argument could be made that, since there are no known combination uses of the 5¢ and 10¢ 1847s from Montreal, there is certainly a possibility that the cover was sent short paid. However, while we could discuss forever whether other stamps had been present or not, it is imperative not to lose sight of the one critical and unquestioned fact-it is the ONLY known genuine usage from Canada to California, and is therefore an important and unique postal history artifact in its own right.
Illustrated in Arfken, Leggett, Firby & Steinhart, p. 175.
