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 | October 13, 1848 |
| From City | Boston |
| From State | MA |
| To City | Alfred |
| To State | ME |
| Addressee | Frederic S. Bradbury |
| Cert Author | PF |
| Cert # | 518930 |
| Fake | |
| Quantity 1 | 1 |
| Quantity 2 | 0 |
| Bisect | |
| Others |
Notes
Lot 6 #1, 5c Brown, right sheet-margin single, with ample to huge margins all around, except just touching at the top left corner, small piece of foreign matter adheres to the right frame line, tied by red circular grid to folded letter dateline at Eastport, Maine on 10 October, 1848 and with ms. "Steam boat mail" directive, entered the mails to Alfred, Maine with red "Boston/13 Oct/10cts" datestamp, apparently applied in error and with red "Steam" handstamp applied on arrival in Maine, very fine and unusual usage.An accompanying letter by Creighton Hart explains the usage: "The 5c cover with STEAM is an interesting cover. It kind of puzzles me why the letter would be datelined Eastport, Me and have a Boston postmark. Three days elapsed between the writing at Eastport on Oct. 10th and the Boston postmark of Oct. 13th. My guess is that the writer carried it to Boston and mailed it upon arrival, perhaps thinking it could get faster carriage from Boston to Alfred, Me than from Eastport. Anyway, the STEAM is rarely seen on east coast '47 covers. The STEAM shows the letter was carried by a non-contract coastal steamer from Boston to Alfred. The ship captain collected 2c for doing so. The STEAM postal marking is frequently seen on letters carried on the Hudson River. You have an unusual cover here.
Spink Shreves sale 142 unsold
Alexander listed as 10/13/48
Spink Shreves sale 146 lot 134 realized 600
PF 518930
1a 1847 5¢ dark brown
SINGLE, TIED BY RED GRID, MATCHING "STEAM" AND BOSTON PMK ON 1848 FOLDED LETTER DATELINED EASTPORT, TO ALFRED MAINE, MS "STEAM BOAT MAIL" AT UPPER LEFT.
AND WE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT
AN ADDITIONAL 5¢ STAMP IS MISSING FROM THIS OTHERWISE GENUINE USAGE.
Spink Shreves sale 142 unsold
Alexander listed as 10/13/48
Spink Shreves sale 146 lot 134 realized 600
PF 518930
1a 1847 5¢ dark brown
SINGLE, TIED BY RED GRID, MATCHING "STEAM" AND BOSTON PMK ON 1848 FOLDED LETTER DATELINED EASTPORT, TO ALFRED MAINE, MS "STEAM BOAT MAIL" AT UPPER LEFT.
AND WE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT
AN ADDITIONAL 5¢ STAMP IS MISSING FROM THIS OTHERWISE GENUINE USAGE.
