Confederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals - Stamp Auctions
 Lot 215 - Confederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals Montgomery, AL - H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XMontgomery, Alabama, "Paid 10 / T. Welsh", clear strike partially obscured by 3c dull red, adhesive tied by blue grid cancel, alongside "Louisville KY / Aug 6" double-circle c.d.s., on clean North-South Express Cover to Northampton, Massachusetts, struck with choice "ADAMS EX. CO / LOUISVILLE KY / AUG / 6 / 1851" c.d.s. in black, manuscript "Paid Adc" in manuscript indicating payment of the Adams fee, cover with small repairs at right, light wrinkles, attractive and rare, a very fine combined Postmaster's Provisional and Express Company usage; ex Haas. H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XConfederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals Montgomery, AL |
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 Lot 231 - confederate states of america Confederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals - H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XWaxahachie, Texas, circa 1863, “PAID 10” in circle, struck on blue-bordered textured hexagonal label, affixed to cover front postmarked Waxahachie TEX (Jan 12), to Clement R. Johns in Austin, Texas, two horizontal filing folds, two light “W.H.C.” (Warren H. Colson) handstamps at lower right, previous Philatelic Foundation identification number label affixed to reverse, a most unusual and storied item, the only example recorded to date; 1994 Philatelic Foundation certificate no longer accompanies. This example, along with the Wharton, Texas cover offered in the following lot, first made its appearance in the renowned Ferrary collection, where they were sold as part of a larger accumulation, this particular example being described only as a “stamp on piece” and misspelled “Waxahachir” (June, 1922, lot 114). It later found its way to famed dealer Warren H. Colson, confirmed by his two handstamps at the lower right of the piece. The cover made a more public appearance in the 1990s, when it was exhibited as part of the collection of Dallas collector John Hill, who displayed it and the cover in the following lot after they had obtained certificates attesting to their genuineness from the Philatelic Foundation in 1994. It later found its way to dealer Andrew Levitt, this being the first occasion since when it has appeared on the public market.Despite this provenance, this “Provisional” remains a matter of much debate among specialists. It is unlisted in Scott, and was not referenced by Dietz, nor was it among the stamps recorded in the census’ of Phillips, Hart, or Crown. A colourful history of this cover is recounted in “The Great Texas Stamp Collection” by Charles W. Deaton.A storied piece of Confederate philatelic history, still today a matter of much debate and conjecture. H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN Xconfederate states of america Confederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals |
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 Lot 210 - Confederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals Lynchburg, VA - H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XLynchburg, Virginia, 5c blue, stereotype on white wove paper, horizontal pair, margins touching at places and into at left, the left stamp showing constant plate variety, tied to cover by "Lynchburg VA Sep 4 1861" c.d.s., to Capt. S.Y. Tupper in Charlestown (sic), South Carolina, some light gum staining, and slightly trimmed along top, top of back flap removed, a scarce franking, one of five recorded covers with a 5c Lynchburg provisional pair; ex Seybold, Hind, Emerson, Brooks, and Everett, with 2002 Confederate Stamp Alliance certificate. H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XConfederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals Lynchburg, VA |
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 Lot 226 - confederate states of america Confederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals - H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XTuscumbia, Alabama, 5c black handstamped envelope, clear strike at upper right, without postmark, endorsed "Paid 25c" and "please delivery immediately", carried outside of the regular mails by private express to O.F. Prescott in Memphis, Tennessee, light wrinkles and skillfully repaired along top, a scarce provisional, one of seventeen recorded in Crown, but the only such without postal markings and privately carried. H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN Xconfederate states of america Confederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals |
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 Lot 205 - Confederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals Jackson, MS - H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XJackson, Mississippi, 5c black handstamped envelope, neatly-struck with "Jackson Miss / Dec / 20" c.d.s. alongside, to Natchez, Mississippi, a clean cover and the latest recorded usage of the Jackson Provisional. H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XConfederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals Jackson, MS |
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 Lot 221 - Confederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals New Orleans, LA - H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XNew Orleans, Louisiana, 1861, 2c red brown on bluish paper, exceptionally large margins at left and right, with adjacent framelines showing at top and bottom, tied to cover to Baton Rouge by neatly-struck New Orleans LA c.d.s. (3 Sep), docketing on reverse presumably by recipient notes year of 1861, a very early usage thus, some adhesions to reverse and flap mostly removed, but a choice on-cover example, ex Knapp. H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XConfederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals New Orleans, LA |
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 Lot 216 - Confederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals Nashville, TN - H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XNashville, Tennessee, 5c carmine, margins ample to large, tied to cover by blue "Nashville Sep 5 1861" c.d.s., blue PAID handstamp alongside, to Greenville, Tennessee, some staining to adhesive, else a fine example of this difficult provisional franking. H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XConfederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals Nashville, TN |
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 Lot 232 - confederate states of america Confederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals - H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XWharton, Texas, circa 1863, circular “10” in black and PAID struck on lined adhesive with ornate blue border, affixed to cover postmarked with Wharton, Texas c.d.s., to the Hon C.C. Herbert in Richmond, Virginia, endorsed at upper left “If - Herbert has left the city / the Post Master will please / hand this to the Post Master General / as it relates to P.O. Business / A.B. Betts.”, some creasing, but a most unusual cover, to date the unique example of this adhesive; 1994 Philatelic Foundation certificate no longer accompanies. This cover shares a similar history to the Waxahachie front offered in the previous lot. Like its companion, this cover first appeared for sale in the Ferrary auction, offered with the other cover and twenty nine others, it being described merely as “stamp on cover” (June, 1922, lot 114). Warren H. Colson’s small “W.H.C.” handstamp is also faintly visible at the lower right corner of this cover, suggesting that this accompanied the Waxahachie front to his inventory. It also reappeared in the 1990s, displayed with other material belonging to well-known collector John Hill, and also later formed part of Andrew Levitt’s stock.This ultimate status of this cover is also a matter of much debate. It is not listed by Scott, was not referenced by Dietz, and is not found among the stamps recorded in the census’ of Phillips, Hart, or Crown.Regardless, it is a most charming and mysterious cover. H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN Xconfederate states of america Confederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals |
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 Lot 211 - Confederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals Macon, GA - H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XMacon, Georgia, 5c black on yellow, floral border, typeset on wove paper, ample to large margins all around, affixed to embossed 'Wm. S. Williford" cover, postmarked with "Macon Geo." c.d.s. in black, date illegible, to Augusta, Georgia, piece torn from back flap, small pinholes at bottom of cover, a scarce and desirable franking; with 2023 Civil War Philatelic Society certificate. H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XConfederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals Macon, GA |
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 Lot 227 - confederate states of america Confederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals - H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN XTuscumbia, Alabama, 10c black handstamped envelope, crisp strike at upper right, postmarked with "Tuscumbia / ALA / ? / 13" c.d.s., to the Alabama Hospital in Richmond, Virginia, some trivial light stains of little importance given the great rarity of this provisional, being the only recorded example in Crown; ex Walcott. H. R. Harmer Inc 3070 – ERIVAN Xconfederate states of america Confederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals |
