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| Scott Number | 1 |
|---|---|
| Date | June 10, 1851 |
| From City | Little Miami RR |
| From State | RR |
| To City | Newtown |
| To State | PA |
| Addressee | Maria A. Eastburn |
| Cert Author | PF |
| Cert # | 438654 |
| Fake | |
| Quantity 1 | 2 |
| Quantity 2 | 0 |
| Bisect | |
| Others |
Notes
5c Brown Orange (1d). Horizontal pair, large margins to just in at left, rich shade, slight gum staining and small inclusion in left stamp, cancelled by two clear strikes of red Sunburst fancy cancel with matching "Little Miami R.R. Jun. 10" route agent's circular datestamp on cover to Newtown Pa., couple light gum residue spots on cover
VERY FINE. A NEW DISCOVERY. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE LITTLE MIAMI RAILROAD "SUNBURST" FANCY CANCELLATION ON THE 1847 ISSUE.
According to the Alexander census, two Little Miami R.R. route agents received 1,000 5c and 200 10c 1847 stamps. The Brown Orange shade of the pair on this cover indicates 1851 usage. There are four other Little Miami R.R. cover with 1847 stamps in the Alexander census, including two 5c covers (8/7/1850 and 5/3/18??), a strip of five and single 10c on legal-size cover (6/1/1851, ex Wyer) and a single 10c (3/16/18??). None of these has the Sunburst fancy cancel. According to Remele, the Little Miami R.R. was chartered in 1836 and completed between Cincinnati and Xenia in 1845. It was eventually incorporated into the Philadelphia railroad system.
Fancy "killer" cancels are extremely rare in the 1847-51 period. The term "killer" to describe the cancel was actually used by New York Postmaster Robert H. Morris. Although fancy rate markings from the pre-stamp era were used to cancel 1847 stamps, fancy cancels created for the specific purpose of "killing" stamps did not become popular until the 1850's. Fancy "killer" cancels on 1847's, such as the St. Johnsbury Vt. Scarab, Trenton N.J. Star and Binghampton N.Y. Herringbone, have been known to collectors and highly prized for years. This Little Miami R.R. Sunburst, to the best of our knowledge, has not been recorded before the recent emergence of this cover in an estate.
With 2006 P.F. certificate
Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale 913 Lot 521 realized 18,000
Not listed in Alexander
Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries sale 1211 (William H Gross) lot 74 realized 6000 (image)
Robert A. Siegel sale 1284 (Yellowstone) lot 560 realized 11,000
PF 438654
1d 1847 5c brown orange
HORIZONTAL PAIR, RED SUNBURST FANCY CANCELS, ON COVER TO NEWTOWN PA, MATCHING RED LITTLE MIAMI R.R. ROUTE AGENTS PMK AT BOTTOM LEFT.
AND WE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT
IT IS A GENUINE USAGE, THE STAMPS WITH LIGHT GUM STAINING; THE LEFT STAMP WITH A SMALL INCLUSION; THE COVER WITH A COUPLE OF LIGHTENED GUM RESIDUE SPOTS
Letter to Maria Ann Eastburn ( c 1833-4 to1892), daughter of Samuel and Huldah (Woolley) Eastburn. Maria married Henry Lewis (1826-1893), managing partner of A. D. Bullock & Company, manufacturers of curled hair and dealers in foreign and domestic wools and woolens in Cincinnati, Ohio. Lewis was involved with various railroad interests including president of the street railroad known as Route 10, afterward sold to the Consolidated Street. Railroad Company, and converted into a cable road. He was one of the organizers of and directors in the company which built the John street line, probably the first street railroad in Cincinnati. He was also a director for a number of years in the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton and Kentucky Central railroads.
VERY FINE. A NEW DISCOVERY. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE LITTLE MIAMI RAILROAD "SUNBURST" FANCY CANCELLATION ON THE 1847 ISSUE.
According to the Alexander census, two Little Miami R.R. route agents received 1,000 5c and 200 10c 1847 stamps. The Brown Orange shade of the pair on this cover indicates 1851 usage. There are four other Little Miami R.R. cover with 1847 stamps in the Alexander census, including two 5c covers (8/7/1850 and 5/3/18??), a strip of five and single 10c on legal-size cover (6/1/1851, ex Wyer) and a single 10c (3/16/18??). None of these has the Sunburst fancy cancel. According to Remele, the Little Miami R.R. was chartered in 1836 and completed between Cincinnati and Xenia in 1845. It was eventually incorporated into the Philadelphia railroad system.
Fancy "killer" cancels are extremely rare in the 1847-51 period. The term "killer" to describe the cancel was actually used by New York Postmaster Robert H. Morris. Although fancy rate markings from the pre-stamp era were used to cancel 1847 stamps, fancy cancels created for the specific purpose of "killing" stamps did not become popular until the 1850's. Fancy "killer" cancels on 1847's, such as the St. Johnsbury Vt. Scarab, Trenton N.J. Star and Binghampton N.Y. Herringbone, have been known to collectors and highly prized for years. This Little Miami R.R. Sunburst, to the best of our knowledge, has not been recorded before the recent emergence of this cover in an estate.
With 2006 P.F. certificate
Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale 913 Lot 521 realized 18,000
Not listed in Alexander
Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries sale 1211 (William H Gross) lot 74 realized 6000 (image)
Robert A. Siegel sale 1284 (Yellowstone) lot 560 realized 11,000
PF 438654
1d 1847 5c brown orange
HORIZONTAL PAIR, RED SUNBURST FANCY CANCELS, ON COVER TO NEWTOWN PA, MATCHING RED LITTLE MIAMI R.R. ROUTE AGENTS PMK AT BOTTOM LEFT.
AND WE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT
IT IS A GENUINE USAGE, THE STAMPS WITH LIGHT GUM STAINING; THE LEFT STAMP WITH A SMALL INCLUSION; THE COVER WITH A COUPLE OF LIGHTENED GUM RESIDUE SPOTS
Letter to Maria Ann Eastburn ( c 1833-4 to1892), daughter of Samuel and Huldah (Woolley) Eastburn. Maria married Henry Lewis (1826-1893), managing partner of A. D. Bullock & Company, manufacturers of curled hair and dealers in foreign and domestic wools and woolens in Cincinnati, Ohio. Lewis was involved with various railroad interests including president of the street railroad known as Route 10, afterward sold to the Consolidated Street. Railroad Company, and converted into a cable road. He was one of the organizers of and directors in the company which built the John street line, probably the first street railroad in Cincinnati. He was also a director for a number of years in the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton and Kentucky Central railroads.

