The Alan Geisler Collection of U.S. Carriers and Locals continued...

**Local and Private Posts (Bicycle Mail Route thru Blood)**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description
1081		Bicycle Mail Route, Cal., 25c Green, Retouched Die (12L2). Large margins, tied by purple bars cancel, 2c Carmine (220) tied by oval grid with duplex "Fresno Cal. Jul. 12 8:30PM 1894" circular datestamp on blue cover to Fresno Cal., backstamped with Jul. 12, 1894 "Victor Bicycle Messenger Service" Fresno office datestamp with bicycle illustration, slightly reduced at left, small tear at top left, Very Fine, this inter-city service was established during the railroad union strike in 1894 by the Fresno agent for Victor bicycles, Arthur C. Banta -- service commenced on July 6 and was discontinued on July 18 when the strike ended -- only 380 letters were carried during the brief period of operation -- with 1988 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail $2,000.00 (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. 1,500-2,000 SOLD for $1,500.00 Will close during Public Auction
1082		Bicycle Mail Route, Cal., 25c Brown Entire (12LU1). On 2c Green (U311) entire to Fresno Cal., Overman Wheel Co. handstamp, "Fresno Cal. Jul. 15 4:30PM 1894" datestamp and duplex oval grid cancel, backstamped with purple Jul. 15, 1894 "Victor Bicycle Messenger Service" Fresno office datestamp with bicycle illustration, vertical fold, otherwise Extremely Fine, immaculate condition, Scott Retail $1,850.00 (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. 1,500-2,000 SOLD for $1,100.00 Will close during Public Auction
1083		Philadelphia Despatch Post, Philadelphia Pa., 3c Red (15L1). Octagonal margins just barely into letters "IL", bright white paper and remarkably clear impression of "Phila. Despatch Post P.M." handstamp, ms. "R & Co." control mark, perfectly clear strike of small red outline "3" cancel (not tied), used on folded letter addressed in blue to the local printing firm of Carter & Scattergood, dated Nov. 1, 1843, from a former employee telling them he has obtained financial backing and started a new venture of his own, red "Phila. Despatch Post -- P.M." circular timestamp A VERY FINE, COLORFUL AND REMARKABLY FRESH COVER. ONE OF THE FINEST OF THE FOURTEEN RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE PHILADELPHIA DESPATCH POST RED 15L1 STAMP. A WONDERFUL "PRIMITIVE" AMONG PHILATELIC RARITIES. A census of Philadelphia Despatch 15L2 stamps may be found in Sale 830, page 167, or at our website: www.siegelauctions.com/2000/830/y83082.htm. Ex Schwartz and Gordon N. John. With 1983 P.F. certificate. (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. 10,000-15,000 SOLD for $7,500.00 Will close during Public Auction
1084		Philadelphia Despatch Post, Philadelphia Pa., 3c Black (15L2). Cut to shape clear of circle almost all around, every letter of "Phila. Despatch Post" unusually well-defined, black "Paid" handstamp struck clearly and "R & Co." ms. control, affixed with wax seal, cancelled by red "3" handstamp on large part of folded cover front only to Mr. Shrack & Co. at local address, datelined "Philadelphia 4/20" VERY FINE. ONE OF ONLY FIVE RECORDED COVERS BEARING THE PHILADELPHIA DESPATCH POST CIRCULAR BLACK STAMP. The Philadelphia Despatch Post is documented in an advertisement in the Philadelphia Public Ledger (Dec. 8, 1842) and in an expanded version with some differences (see Sale 825, p. 293, or go to www.siegelauctions.com/enc/carriers/robertson.jpg for an image of the revised ad). In the later ad, the stamps are priced at 3c individually, 31c per dozen and $2 per hundred. Valuable-letter registration for 6-1/4c and a 6c rate on letters beyond two miles are quoted (no examples of either special service are known). The firm's address is 93 Chesnut Street, not 83 South Second Street as in the earlier advertisement. The five recorded examples of the Black circular stamps 15L2, which was actually the first issued, are as follows in chronological order: 1) 1842 folded letter (docketed "1842" on back, must be December) to Treasurer American Sunday School Union, ex Caspary (lot 561), Hollowbush, Schwartz, Gordon N. John (Siegel Sale 868, lot 2046, realized $29,000 hammer), 2) Jan. 13, 1843 folded letter to Rev. George Boyd, stamp cancelled by red "T"-shaped handstamp, red "Paid" and "Phila. Despatch Post 10 A.M." timestamp (on flap), ex Hall (Siegel Sale 830, lot 428, realized $10,500 hammer), 3) Mar. 20 (1843) folded letter to N. R. Potts, stamp cancelled by dots in small circle, red "Phila. Despatch Post 3 P.M." timestamp (ms. "20" below time) and "Paid", ex Hall (Siegel Sale 830, lot 427, realized $22,000 hammer), 4) Apr. 20, 1843 folded letter to Shrack & Co., stamp cancelled by small red outline "3", no timestamp or postmark, ex Gibson, Middendorf, the cover offered here (Siegel Sale 927, lot 1058, realized $9,000 hammer), and 5) May 19, 1843 folded letter to Booth, stamp cancelled by large red "3", red "Phila. Despatch Post 10 A.M." timestamp, discovery example (1889), ex Caspary, Boker. Ex Gibson and Middendorf. This is the stamp illustrated in the Scott U.S. Specialized Catalogue. With 1997 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail $15,000.00 (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. 7,500-10,000 SOLD for $6,000.00 Will close during Public Auction
1085		Philadelphia Despatch Post, Philadelphia Pa., (3c) Black on Grayish, "R & Co." Initials (15L3). Ample to large margins incl. left sheet margin, touched at top left, tied by ms. "#" cancel on folded cover to local addressee VERY FINE. A RARE TIED EXAMPLE OF THE ROBERTSON & CO. STRIDING MESSENGER STAMP ON COVER. ISSUED IN 1843, THIS IS THE WORLD'S FIRST PICTORIAL STAMP. The first Striding Messenger issue (15L3) is very scarce on cover, and only a few tied examples are known. Scott Retail $5,000.00 (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. 2,000-3,000 SOLD for $1,600.00 Will close during Public Auction
1086		Philadelphia Despatch Post, Philadelphia Pa., (3c) Black on Grayish , "R & Co." Initials (15L3). Thin paper showing clear background lines, two full margins to slightly in, tied by ms. "X" cancel on 1845 folded letter to Huntington Pa., blue "Philadelphia Pa. Jan. 2" circular datestamp, red ms. "6" rate crossed out and re-rated "18-3/4", stamp has small fault at lower right corner, otherwise Fine, outbound covers with the Striding Messenger 15L3 stamp are rare (approximately eight located in our records), ex Hollowbush, Schwartz and Gordon N. John, Scott Retail $5,000.00 (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. 1,000-1,500 SOLD for $900.00 Will close during Public Auction
1087		D. O. Blood & Co., Philadelphia Pa., (2c) Black (15L5). Uncancelled and used on cover to Providence R.I., blue "Philada. Pa. 5cts. May 7" integral-rate circular datestamp, Very Fine, ex Hyzen (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. 300-400 SOLD for $325.00 Will close during Public Auction
1088		D. O. Blood & Co., Philadelphia Pa., (2c) Black (15L6). Cancelled by neat strike of 7-bar grid on folded letter datelined "Tuckahoe June 1st 1848" to Philadelphia, ms. "Paid 5" at top left, light vertical file fold does not affect stamp, the stamp with light corner creases, Very Fine appearance (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. 400-500 SOLD for $350.00 Will close during Public Auction
1089		D. O. Blood & Co., Philadelphia Pa., (1c) Black, "For the Post Office" (15L7). Large margins to in and showing part of adjoining stamp at left, cancelled by large ms. "X" on blue folded letter to Howard P.O. Penn., blue "Philada. Pa. 5cts. Dec. 7" integral-rate circular datestamp, stamp with few toned spots not mentioned on accompanying certificate, otherwise Fine, with 1981 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail $750.00 (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. 300-400 SOLD for $800.00 Will close during Public Auction
1090		D. O. Blood & Co., Philadelphia Pa., (1c) Black, "For the Post Office" (15L7). Cut to shape except in at top right, tied by blue "Philadelphia Pa. Jun. 22" circular datestamp with matching "10" handstamp on folded letter datelined "Clermont June 20th 1846" to Milton Hill Mass., Fine, Scott Retail $1,100.00 (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. 200-300 SOLD for $120.00 Will close during Public Auction
1091		D. O. Blood & Co., Philadelphia Pa., (1c) Black, "For the Post Office" (15L8). Cut to shape and just touched in spots, tied by blue "Philad. Pa. 5cts. Oct. 14" integral-rate circular datestamp to Germantown, Very Fine, ex Duckworth, Scott Retail $950.00 (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. 300-400 SOLD for $325.00 Will close during Public Auction

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