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| Scott Number | 1 |
|---|---|
| Date | June 9, 1848 |
| From City | New York |
| From State | NY |
| To City | Albany |
| To State | NY |
| Addressee | Franklin Townsend & Co. |
| Cert Author | |
| Cert # | |
| Fake | |
| Quantity 1 | 1 |
| Quantity 2 | 0 |
| Bisect | |
| Others |
Notes
Lot 3460 1847, 5¢ dark brown (Scott 1a), four nice margins, tied by a red square grid alongside a matching "New-York, Jun 9" c.d.s. on an 1848 folded letter to Albany, N.Y., Very Fine, signed J.A. Fox.
Scott $625.
Daniel F, Kelleher sale 781 realized 325
Not listed in Alexander
Letter datelined New York June 9 1848 and signed Benj. M. Sherman. The letter text is an order of iron products for Mr. Sherman and George W. Shields & Co.
The 1848 edition of Doggett’s lists Benjamin M. Sherman as a merchant at 76 Broad Street in New York City. There is no mention of a George W, Shields in this directory. The 1851 edition lists Mr. Sherman at 70 Broad Street and no mention of George W, Shields. The 1854 edition of Rode lists Mr. Sherman in the iron business at 79 Water Street and George W. Shields in the iron business at 70 Broad Street. Finally, the 1857 edition of Trow lists Mr. Sherman at 79 Water Street and George Shields as “late hardware” with no address
We can surmise that Benjamin Sherman ran an iron business at 70 Broad Street prior to 1848, sold it to George W. Shields between 1851 and 1854 while he relocated to Water Street and then Mr. Shields died around 1856.
Finally, while Franklin Townsend joined his father’s iron foundry business in 1840, the company was named John Townsend until 1849, then F & T Townsend until 1856 and finally Franklin Townsend & Co. in 1857.
Is this cover a true 1848 usage?
Scott $625.
Daniel F, Kelleher sale 781 realized 325
Not listed in Alexander
Letter datelined New York June 9 1848 and signed Benj. M. Sherman. The letter text is an order of iron products for Mr. Sherman and George W. Shields & Co.
The 1848 edition of Doggett’s lists Benjamin M. Sherman as a merchant at 76 Broad Street in New York City. There is no mention of a George W, Shields in this directory. The 1851 edition lists Mr. Sherman at 70 Broad Street and no mention of George W, Shields. The 1854 edition of Rode lists Mr. Sherman in the iron business at 79 Water Street and George W. Shields in the iron business at 70 Broad Street. Finally, the 1857 edition of Trow lists Mr. Sherman at 79 Water Street and George Shields as “late hardware” with no address
We can surmise that Benjamin Sherman ran an iron business at 70 Broad Street prior to 1848, sold it to George W. Shields between 1851 and 1854 while he relocated to Water Street and then Mr. Shields died around 1856.
Finally, while Franklin Townsend joined his father’s iron foundry business in 1840, the company was named John Townsend until 1849, then F & T Townsend until 1856 and finally Franklin Townsend & Co. in 1857.
Is this cover a true 1848 usage?

