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| Scott Number | 09Xx |
|---|---|
| Date | May 24, 1847 |
| From City | Hamilton |
| From State | Canada |
| To City | New York |
| To State | NY |
| Addressee | A. Bell & Son |
| Cert Author | |
| Cert # | |
| Fake | destroyed |
| No. of Stamps | 2 |
| Plate Position | 1 |
| Initials | |
| Others |
Notes
Hamilton Canada
At one time there were three covers reported with 5c New York used from Hamilton, Canada. Two of these (Figs 105 & 106) were accidentally destroyed by someone smoking a cigarette in the 1940's. (See pages 208-9, Ashbrook Special Service). The remaining cover is shown in Figure 107. The stamps, positions 1 and 8, are uncancelled on a folded letter to Messrs, A. Bell & Son, 117 Fulton St, New York. The cover has a straight line PAID, manuscript 4 ½ and Hamilton AU 4 1847 CS cancel. It is backstamped Queenston Aug 6, 1847. The cover is ex-Caspary and realized $39,600 in the Christie's Weill stock sale.
Piller, Stanley M., The New York Postmasters' Provisional, Cosmos Press, 1991, p 78
Lewiston May 25, 1847 exchange postmark.
Ashbrook Special Services cover 103
Phtograph 103, is a photograph of a photograph of a cover, a folded letter. used from Canada to New York City with a pair of the.5c New York in May 1847 or a little over a month before our 1847 stamps ware issued. I regret to state that this great rarity is no longer in existence as it was destroyed by fire some 8 years ago, as will be explained later.
The letter originated at Hamilton, C.W. (Canada West) on May 24, 1847 and Canadian postage "to the Line" was prepaid at the rate of 4 1/2 pence, "currency. The exchange was made at Lewiston, N.Y. and the addresser prepaid the U. S. postage from the Line to New York C1ty with the horizontal pair of the 5c New York. The Canadian P.O. hand-stamped the letter with a straight line PAID and with the rate 4 1/2 in manuscript. When the letter reached the Lewiston, N.Y. Post Office, the pair of New Yorks were disregarded, and the Canadian PAID was crossed out and a due of "10" was handstanped. Upon arrival at New York, the stamps were recognized. and the pair was canceled with the well-known "square N.Y., grid" and the letter was marked. PAID with the familiar curved PAID of that office.
The firm of A. Bell & Son was a large New York firm of commission merchants and they evidently furnished their Canadian correspondents with supplies of adhesive postage stamps in order to facilitate the payment of postage in full to New York City.
Lewiston is on the Niagara River, a short distance directly north or Niagara Falls. Hamilton, Ontario is on the extreme southwestern shore of Lake Ontario, a short distance west of Lewiston.
The story goes to the effect that this cover was once the property or the late Dr. Louis L. Roford of Toronto, Canada, and that it was housed along with some other very valuable covers in some celluloid envelopes. and in some inexplicable manner the batch came in contact with a lighted match and the whole lot were reduced to ashes before anything could be done.
Dr. Roford passed away in 1949 and his holdings of Canadian stamps and covers were sold at auction in 1951 at New York.
How fortunate a photograph exists to show this vary rare use which is not mentioned in the S.U.S.
At one time there were three covers reported with 5c New York used from Hamilton, Canada. Two of these (Figs 105 & 106) were accidentally destroyed by someone smoking a cigarette in the 1940's. (See pages 208-9, Ashbrook Special Service). The remaining cover is shown in Figure 107. The stamps, positions 1 and 8, are uncancelled on a folded letter to Messrs, A. Bell & Son, 117 Fulton St, New York. The cover has a straight line PAID, manuscript 4 ½ and Hamilton AU 4 1847 CS cancel. It is backstamped Queenston Aug 6, 1847. The cover is ex-Caspary and realized $39,600 in the Christie's Weill stock sale.
Piller, Stanley M., The New York Postmasters' Provisional, Cosmos Press, 1991, p 78
Lewiston May 25, 1847 exchange postmark.
Ashbrook Special Services cover 103
Phtograph 103, is a photograph of a photograph of a cover, a folded letter. used from Canada to New York City with a pair of the.5c New York in May 1847 or a little over a month before our 1847 stamps ware issued. I regret to state that this great rarity is no longer in existence as it was destroyed by fire some 8 years ago, as will be explained later.
The letter originated at Hamilton, C.W. (Canada West) on May 24, 1847 and Canadian postage "to the Line" was prepaid at the rate of 4 1/2 pence, "currency. The exchange was made at Lewiston, N.Y. and the addresser prepaid the U. S. postage from the Line to New York C1ty with the horizontal pair of the 5c New York. The Canadian P.O. hand-stamped the letter with a straight line PAID and with the rate 4 1/2 in manuscript. When the letter reached the Lewiston, N.Y. Post Office, the pair of New Yorks were disregarded, and the Canadian PAID was crossed out and a due of "10" was handstanped. Upon arrival at New York, the stamps were recognized. and the pair was canceled with the well-known "square N.Y., grid" and the letter was marked. PAID with the familiar curved PAID of that office.
The firm of A. Bell & Son was a large New York firm of commission merchants and they evidently furnished their Canadian correspondents with supplies of adhesive postage stamps in order to facilitate the payment of postage in full to New York City.
Lewiston is on the Niagara River, a short distance directly north or Niagara Falls. Hamilton, Ontario is on the extreme southwestern shore of Lake Ontario, a short distance west of Lewiston.
The story goes to the effect that this cover was once the property or the late Dr. Louis L. Roford of Toronto, Canada, and that it was housed along with some other very valuable covers in some celluloid envelopes. and in some inexplicable manner the batch came in contact with a lighted match and the whole lot were reduced to ashes before anything could be done.
Dr. Roford passed away in 1949 and his holdings of Canadian stamps and covers were sold at auction in 1951 at New York.
How fortunate a photograph exists to show this vary rare use which is not mentioned in the S.U.S.
