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
√ Click here for the census user’s guide as a PDF
Skip to main content




| Scott Number | 1 |
|---|---|
| Date | February 5, 1850 |
| From City | Quebec |
| From State | Canada |
| To City | New York |
| To State | NY |
| Addressee | D. S. Kennedy |
| Cert Author | |
| Cert # | |
| Fake | |
| Quantity 1 | 2 |
| Quantity 2 | 0 |
| Bisect | |
| Others |
Notes
Lot 289 5c Red Brown (1). Two, bright reddish shade, each with mostly full margins to just barely in at bottom, tied by two strikes of red "10" in circle handstamp on blue part-printed "Office of Quebec and Lake Superior Mining Association" letterhead dated February 5, 1850, from Quebec, Canada, to D. S. Kennedy in New York City, marked "Pd to lines" by sender, mostly clear strikes of red "Paid at Quebec. L.C." crowned-circle handstamp and matching "Quebec L.C. FE 5 1850" circular datestamp, red manuscript "11-1/2" for Canadian postage, Montreal Feb. 7 backstamp, the 5c stamps were cancelled on arrival at New York City, vertical file fold thru lefthand stamp
VERY FINE. ONE OF ONLY SIX COVERS KNOWN WITH THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE AND "PAID AT QUEBEC" CROWNED-CIRCLE HANDSTAMP.
The two 5c stamps were applied in Canada but were cancelled on arrival in New York. The "Paid at Quebec" crowned-circle handstamp was used at British colonial post offices as acknowledgement of cash payment for postage. Quebec was the only Canadian city to use this marking, because the main branch of the colonial post office was located there.
The Alexander census records only six covers with the "Paid at Quebec" marking used with the 5c 1847 Issue (none is known with the 10c). Five bear two stamps and are from the Kennedy correspondence. A sixth is known with a single 5c used to Boston. Similar covers from the Kennedy correspondence are illustrated in Boggs The Postage Stamps and Postal History of Canada (pp. 72-73). This cover is accompanied by a stampless cover from the Kennedy correspondence with identical markings.
Signed Ashbrook. Ex Gibson, Rust and Boker.
Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. sale1041 realized 3250
Alexander listed as 2/5/50
The fourth ˜paid to the lines" cover with an 1847 stamp cancelled by handstamp is seen as Photo #199 in Ashbrook's Special Service, discussed on pages 389-390, figure 10. This is also a Kennedy correspondence item, but not one that has the Canadian rate prepaid by ˜charge box". Ashbrook noted this cover bears two single 5¢ U.S. stamps tied by a red encircled 10 rate. There is a red crown PAID/AT/QUEBEC circle as well as a red Quebec postmark of February 5, 1850.
This Kennedy correspondence letter also has a red backstamp of Montreal, dated February 7. There is a manuscript 4½d Canadian rate in red, 4½ pence currency (not sterling), according to Ashbrook. This is an improper rate as Quebec to the border is 11½d. Although it is almost certainly true that the manuscript would be in a different color than the address, it would appear Mr. Ashbrook was using a photo for analysis and confused a portion of the word ˜Esq." as part of the manuscript rate. If the red rate is really 4½ then this cover is very dubious. Another problem connected with it is the fact that it is addressed to New York, C.W. (Canada West)”the C.W. certainly is improper and may have been added, which raises questions about other possible changes.
C. Hahn ( http://www.nystamp.org/1847CrossBorderCoversPart3.html)
Ashbrook Special Services cover 199
Philip Ward Jr sale 12 June 14, 1944 (Henry C. Gibson) lot 17 realized 260
Robert A. Siegel sale 1284 (Yellowstone) lot 602 realized 6250 with stampless cover shown at bottom (images)
VERY FINE. ONE OF ONLY SIX COVERS KNOWN WITH THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE AND "PAID AT QUEBEC" CROWNED-CIRCLE HANDSTAMP.
The two 5c stamps were applied in Canada but were cancelled on arrival in New York. The "Paid at Quebec" crowned-circle handstamp was used at British colonial post offices as acknowledgement of cash payment for postage. Quebec was the only Canadian city to use this marking, because the main branch of the colonial post office was located there.
The Alexander census records only six covers with the "Paid at Quebec" marking used with the 5c 1847 Issue (none is known with the 10c). Five bear two stamps and are from the Kennedy correspondence. A sixth is known with a single 5c used to Boston. Similar covers from the Kennedy correspondence are illustrated in Boggs The Postage Stamps and Postal History of Canada (pp. 72-73). This cover is accompanied by a stampless cover from the Kennedy correspondence with identical markings.
Signed Ashbrook. Ex Gibson, Rust and Boker.
Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. sale1041 realized 3250
Alexander listed as 2/5/50
The fourth ˜paid to the lines" cover with an 1847 stamp cancelled by handstamp is seen as Photo #199 in Ashbrook's Special Service, discussed on pages 389-390, figure 10. This is also a Kennedy correspondence item, but not one that has the Canadian rate prepaid by ˜charge box". Ashbrook noted this cover bears two single 5¢ U.S. stamps tied by a red encircled 10 rate. There is a red crown PAID/AT/QUEBEC circle as well as a red Quebec postmark of February 5, 1850.
This Kennedy correspondence letter also has a red backstamp of Montreal, dated February 7. There is a manuscript 4½d Canadian rate in red, 4½ pence currency (not sterling), according to Ashbrook. This is an improper rate as Quebec to the border is 11½d. Although it is almost certainly true that the manuscript would be in a different color than the address, it would appear Mr. Ashbrook was using a photo for analysis and confused a portion of the word ˜Esq." as part of the manuscript rate. If the red rate is really 4½ then this cover is very dubious. Another problem connected with it is the fact that it is addressed to New York, C.W. (Canada West)”the C.W. certainly is improper and may have been added, which raises questions about other possible changes.
C. Hahn ( http://www.nystamp.org/1847CrossBorderCoversPart3.html)
Ashbrook Special Services cover 199
Philip Ward Jr sale 12 June 14, 1944 (Henry C. Gibson) lot 17 realized 260
Robert A. Siegel sale 1284 (Yellowstone) lot 602 realized 6250 with stampless cover shown at bottom (images)

