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| Scott Number | 1 |
|---|---|
| Date | May 15, 1851 |
| From City | US Express New York |
| From State | RR |
| To City | Newport |
| To State | RI |
| Addressee | Benjamin Newton |
| Cert Author | |
| Cert # | |
| Fake | |
| Quantity 1 | 1 |
| Quantity 2 | 0 |
| Bisect | |
| Others |
Notes
1851, May 15, New York, N.Y. to Newport, R.I. 8" x 10" ten-page (plus covers) Auction Catalogue for Teas franked on back cover with an 1847 5c Red Brown (1), four margins except nicked lower right corner, tied by red grids with matching "U.S. Express Mail, N. York" c.d.s. alongside, two red wax seals (and a spot where a third would have been) indicate that the catalogue was rolled into a tube shape so that it would have been open on both ends as required by postal regulations; multiple file folds and small flaws, front cover reattached, still Fine and a remarkable record of early U.S. Post Office handling of printed matter.
Estimate $7,500-$10,000
THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF ANY 1847 ISSUE STAMP PAYING THE CORRECT RATE ON A PIECE OF PRINTED MATTER AND, AS SUCH, A KEY COVER IN ANY SERIOUS COLLECTION OF 1847 POSTAL HISTORY.
The catalogue weighed a little over 1½ ounces. Had it been handled as letter mail, the postage would have been 20¢ and, accordingly, it would have been marked for 15¢ postage due. Since there is no such indication, we conclude that, without question, it was handled by the post office as printed matter. The postage required for this catalogue would have been 2½¢ for the first ounce plus 1¢ for the fraction of the second ounce, for a total of 3½¢ - an overpayment of 1½¢, though there could have been an additional 1¢ charge for a carrier fee. Therefore, because the Post Office accepted the 5¢ stamp as full payment, the catalogue had to have been processed and sent as printed matter.
Several examples of printed circulars weighing under a half ounce and franked with the 1847 stamps are recorded. These, however, as was often the case, a written note of letter could have been included with the circular (now separated), thus requiring the 5¢ letter rate. Further, it would be highly unlikely that printed circulars, which were often mailed in large numbers, would each would have been franked with an overpayment of 3¢ or 150%. For these reasons, none of these other examples are conclusively a printed matter rate, leaving this catalogue as the sole surviving example recorded to date.
Heritage sale 1111 lot 31026
Matthew Bennett International Sale 287 lot 1140 realized 3750
Gordon Eubanks exhibit
Alexander listed as 5/15/51
1847, 5¢ orange brown (No. 1b), large margins except in at bottom right corner, fine late impression, tied by two red grids on large "Catalog of Teas" held on May 15, 1851 at the Wall Street Sales Room, 9 pp with prices realized written in, presumably by the sender, imprint of & Geo. Nesbitt at bottom, reverse with red "U.S. Express Mail N.York, N.Y. May 15" c.d.s. and Newport R.I. address; cover with creases and paper loss at edges. ¨Estimate $2,000-3,000.
AN IMPORTANT EXHIBIT PIECE AND PROBABLY UNIQUE.
The use of the 5¢ stamp most likely represents a slight overpayment of the printed matter rate (2½¢ for the first ounce, 1¢ for each additional ounce).
Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale 645 Lot 23 realized $1,500
Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale 564 Lot 262 realized $1,300
Robert A. Siegel sale 1262 lot 63 realized 1200
Estimate $7,500-$10,000
THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF ANY 1847 ISSUE STAMP PAYING THE CORRECT RATE ON A PIECE OF PRINTED MATTER AND, AS SUCH, A KEY COVER IN ANY SERIOUS COLLECTION OF 1847 POSTAL HISTORY.
The catalogue weighed a little over 1½ ounces. Had it been handled as letter mail, the postage would have been 20¢ and, accordingly, it would have been marked for 15¢ postage due. Since there is no such indication, we conclude that, without question, it was handled by the post office as printed matter. The postage required for this catalogue would have been 2½¢ for the first ounce plus 1¢ for the fraction of the second ounce, for a total of 3½¢ - an overpayment of 1½¢, though there could have been an additional 1¢ charge for a carrier fee. Therefore, because the Post Office accepted the 5¢ stamp as full payment, the catalogue had to have been processed and sent as printed matter.
Several examples of printed circulars weighing under a half ounce and franked with the 1847 stamps are recorded. These, however, as was often the case, a written note of letter could have been included with the circular (now separated), thus requiring the 5¢ letter rate. Further, it would be highly unlikely that printed circulars, which were often mailed in large numbers, would each would have been franked with an overpayment of 3¢ or 150%. For these reasons, none of these other examples are conclusively a printed matter rate, leaving this catalogue as the sole surviving example recorded to date.
Heritage sale 1111 lot 31026
Matthew Bennett International Sale 287 lot 1140 realized 3750
Gordon Eubanks exhibit
Alexander listed as 5/15/51
1847, 5¢ orange brown (No. 1b), large margins except in at bottom right corner, fine late impression, tied by two red grids on large "Catalog of Teas" held on May 15, 1851 at the Wall Street Sales Room, 9 pp with prices realized written in, presumably by the sender, imprint of & Geo. Nesbitt at bottom, reverse with red "U.S. Express Mail N.York, N.Y. May 15" c.d.s. and Newport R.I. address; cover with creases and paper loss at edges. ¨Estimate $2,000-3,000.
AN IMPORTANT EXHIBIT PIECE AND PROBABLY UNIQUE.
The use of the 5¢ stamp most likely represents a slight overpayment of the printed matter rate (2½¢ for the first ounce, 1¢ for each additional ounce).
Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale 645 Lot 23 realized $1,500
Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale 564 Lot 262 realized $1,300
Robert A. Siegel sale 1262 lot 63 realized 1200
