COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION ISSUES

Copyright John N. Lupia 2011-2026

The 400th anniversary is called a Quadricentennial or a Quatercentenary, both Latin-derived terms meaning four times a hundred years, referring to the 400th year or its celebration, as seen in the American commemorative stamps celebrating Christopher Columbus and the events surrounding his voyage and landing in North America and environs. Sixteen denominations and designs of United States postage stamps were chosen and issued from January 1, 1893 until March 24th. These included 1¢ #230, 2¢ #231, 3¢ #232, 4¢ #233, 5¢ #234, 6¢ #235, 8¢ #236, 10¢ #237, 15¢ #238, 30¢ #239, 50¢ #240, $1 #241, $2 #242 $3 #243, $4 #244, and $5 #245.

There were no 7¢ , 9¢, 20¢, or 25¢ postage stamps of the Columbian Exposition issued for redundancy and economic reasons.

On January 1, 1893, the following eight postage stamps were issued 1¢ #230, 2¢ #231, 3¢ #232, 4¢ #233, 5¢ #234, 6¢ #235, 10¢ #237, and $2 #242.

On January 6,  $5 #245 Note : one plate block of eight is known to have survived.

On January 10, 30¢ #239

On January 11, $1 #241

On January 26, 15¢ #238

On February 8, 50¢ #240

On March 18, 8¢ #236

On March 24,  $3 #243, $4 #244.

The Columbian Exposition Series had its lowest number of printed stamps in the $4 #244 Crimson Lake with 26,350 issued, whereas the 2¢ #231 Brown Violet: had 1,464,588,750 issued. Scott #65 also had over 1 billion stamps issued at 1,782,000,000.

Columbian Exposition Postal Stationery 1¢ #U348, 2¢, #U349, 5¢ #U350, 10¢ #U351

Well Fargo had Columbian postal stationery 2¢ #U349 imprinted for them. Above :  Wells Fargo San Francisco hand stamp Leutzinger #16-12 with stars too weak except right side. Postmarked September 1, no year visible to grocery chain Goldberg, Bowen & Lebenbaum's mail order department, San Francisco, California. L. Rosenthal -R in red ink stamped diagonally azcross the indicia. $275

The Columbian Exposition Series found a receptive audience of tens of thousands of collectors eager to acquire all sixteen postage stamps to complete the series in their collections. Acquiring new stamps directly from the Post Office was not always a feasible option for the average stamp collector’s budget, especially 50¢ to $5 were not financially accessible. Consequently, these higher denominations were typically collectible in used condition, acquired at a fraction of their face value from other collectors and dealers. Regrettably, this factor led to the removal of these higher denominations from old canceled letters to be sold to collectors who desired to fill the space on their stamp album pages. The outcome of this craze has resulted in the loss of many rare cover gems of philately to posterity, and a significant amount of historical information has been lost due to this phenomenon.

Three years after the World's Fair Expo these same stamps were selling at 10% mark up over face value in sheets by stamp dealer John Calvert, Philadelphia. See below his postal card to famous philatelist, dealer and publisher of the New York Philatelist, L. Beringer, New York, New York, March 25, 1896.

Collecting Columbian Exposition Series covers can be a captivating and exciting niche or specialty in these five area niches : 1) higher denominations covers, 2) multiple stamps on a single cover, 3) transatlantic/pacific covers to foreign countries, 4) Columbian Exposition cachets, and 5) covers postmarked in January 1893, encompassing all thirty-one days of the month.  

Bibliography :

Harvey M. Karlen, Chicago's Great White City: a Postal History Panaroma of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition (Oak Park, Illinois, Berk-Hill Publishers, 2003)

Stamp dealer John Calvert, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Beringer & Herbst published the New York Philatelist. L. Beringer then began to publish in February 1898, the Philatelic Courier. A special biography of John Calvert was published in the American Journal of Philately, November (1890) : 426-430. Calvert was  a renown figure in the 1890's and was the owner of several Blue Mauritius 2-penny stamps (Two Pence Blue). 

Dear Sir

I can let you have 1 to 5 sheets Col (Columbian) 50¢ stamps unused o. g. (original gum) @ 55¢ each sent by Express C.O.D.

Kindly let me knowas soon as you can how many you want.

Yours truly,

J Calvert

$350

Columbian Exposition Series Postage Stamps

1¢. #230 Deep Blue: 440,195,550 issued

From an old Danish stamp album Columbus Exhibition (Columbusudstillingen). $15

1¢ #230 blue

1¢ #230 blue

1¢ #230 blue

1¢ #230 blue

1¢ #230 blue

1¢ #230 blue

1¢ #230 blue

1¢ #230 blue

1¢ #230 blue

2¢  #231 Brown Violet:  1,464,588,750 issued

2¢ #231 brown violet

2¢ #231 brown violet

2¢ #231 brown violet

2¢ #231 brown violet

2¢ #231 brown violet

2¢ #231 brown violet

2¢ #231 brown violet

2¢ #231 brown violet

2¢ #231 brown violet

2¢ #231 brown violet

2¢ #231 brown violet

2¢ #231 brown violet

2¢ #231 brown violet

2¢ #231 brown violet

2¢ #231 brown violet

3¢. #232 Green: 11,051,250 issued

3¢ #232 Green Mint Never Hinged Original glue with selvage and imprint. $75

3¢ #232 Green 

3¢ #232 Green 

3¢ #232 Green 

4¢# 233 Ultramarine:  19,181,550 issued                                                     

Unused O.G. hinged 4¢ #233 ultramarine

Used 4¢ #233 ultramarine

4¢ #233 ultramarine

4¢ #233 ultramarine straight top. Only 10 per sheet of 100 had this top straight cut from the pane or 10% total issued = 1,918,155. Among the scarcest of the #233's.

4¢ #233 ultramarine

5¢# 234 Chocolate : 35,248,250 issued

Used #234 5¢ chocolate 

Used #234 5¢ chocolate creased

Used #234 5¢ chocolate creased

6¢# 235 Purple:  4,707,550 issued. Low mintage.

#235 6¢ purple, Mint, O.G. hinged, Jumbo margin with chads.

#235 6¢ purple VF 

8¢# 236 Brown Purple: 10,656,550 issued

Used #236 8¢ brown purple crease line along back, postmarked CDS cancel, November 17, 1895, 7 PM, Denver, Colorado. hinge remnant. 

Used #236 8¢ brown purple loaded with chads obscuring perfs, fancy cancel.

Used #236 8¢ brown purple, hinge remnant, New York double oval cancel

10¢# 237 Black Brown: 16,516,950 issued

Used #237 10¢ black brown

Used #237 10¢ black brown

Used #237 10¢ black brown

Used #237 10¢ black brown lower right corner chipped.

15¢# 238 Dark Green: 1,576,950 issued

Used #238 15¢ dark green VF $65

Used #238 15¢ dark green $60

30¢# 239 Orange Brown: 617,250 issued. Very Low Number Issued.

Used #239  no cancel visible since it was never postally used but was soaked off probably an album page. 

Used #239 formerly hinged and catty-corner crease top left. 

50¢# 240 Slate Blue: 243,750 issued. Very Low Number Issued.

Mint O. G. formerly hinged. $200

Used #240  Boston, Massachusetts cancel. Only 243,750 of this stamp were issued. Only 10 stamps per sheet of 100 had a top straight edge, or 10% of the total issued = 24,375 top straight edges ever existed. A fraction of these remain extant. This is one of the scarcest of the entire series $175.

Columbian Exposition Series Dollar Value Postage Stamps

$1 #241 Dark Salmon: 55,050 issued. Scarce as issued.

Fifth Lowest Number Issued in the Series.

Used #241 formerly hinged. $400

On January 11, $1 #241. These are limited series reproduction sheets of 18 stamps per sheet purchased from a stamp dealer in  Romania. Consequently the word COPY or FACSIMILE is not imprinted according to the Hobby Protection Act of 1973. 

The "

Hobby Act 1973 refers to the implementation of the Hobby Protection Act of 1973, specifically the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) rules that became effective in February 1975, establishing permanent marking requirements for imitation numismatic items (must say "COPY") and imitation political items (must show the year of manufacture) to protect collectors from deceptive reproductions. This act, signed in 1973, mandates clear and permanent markings, detailed in FTC regulations (16 CFR Part 304), specifying font size, placement, and method for these collectibles.  Stamp dealers and stampm collectors still continue to 2026 to break this law and sell stamps as a COPY! If they tell you they're selling you a copy odds are it probably is just that a facsimile or reproduction.

Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library,  $180 per sheet.Write john@numismaticmall.com 

$2 #242 Brown Red: 45,550 issued. Scarce as issued.

Fourth Lowest Number Issued in the Series.

Used #242 horizonal crease in paper. $325

On January 1, 1893, $2 #242. These are limited series reproduction sheets of 18 stamps per sheet purchased from a stamp dealer in  Romania. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library,  $180 per sheet.Write john@numismaticmall.com 

$3 #243 Yellow Green: 27,650 issued. Scarce as issued. 

Third lowest number issued in the series.

On March 24, 1893 $3 #243. $180 per sheet.These are limited series reproduction sheets of 18 stamps per sheet purchased from a stamp dealer in  Romania. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library,  $180 per sheet.Write john@numismaticmall.com 

$4 #244 Crimson Lake: 26,350 issued. Very sarce as issued. 

Lowest number issued of the series.

On March 24,  1893 $4 #244. $180 per sheet.These are limited series reproduction sheets of 18 stamps per sheet purchased from a stamp dealer in  Romania. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library,  $180 per sheet.Write john@numismaticmall.com 

$5 #245 Black: 27,350 issued. Scarce as issued. 

Second lowest number issued in the series.

1. Higher Denominations Covers

Michael Ludeman, is the philatelic author and researcher who has been keeping “Columbian Dollar-Value Cover Census” current.

Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Inc., William H. Gross Collection, lot 544

2. Multiple Stamps on a Single Cover

Siegel Auctions sale of Constantine Witt Columbian covers.

American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame, John Murray Bartles, Alexandria, Virgina to stamp dealer Henry Keller, Bern, Switzerland $450

3. Transatlantic/Pacific Covers to Foreign Countries

There are 

Photographer, postmarked St. Louis, Missouri, February 13, 1893,  #238 15¢ green, to Marie Kaese, Hanover, Germany. $300

4. Columbian Exposition Cachets

The Envelope and Stamp Machine Company of Chicago secured an exclusive contract to sell envelopes and letterhead through their vending machines installed at the Columbian Exposition that dispensed Golsmith's souvenir cards, and their Columbian cacheted covers.

The seven cachets were (1) Ferris Wheel, Administration Building (2) 1¢ #230, 2¢ #231,4¢ #233, $3 #243, $4  #244

GREETINGS FROM THE WHITE CITY was printed below all of the cachets. Variants of this are scarce that show GREETING without the S.

The Ferris Wheel in blue or purple was the first issued cover in August.

The second set of five denominations of the Columbian Series were issued in October.

1¢ #230, In Sight of Land, issued in carmine and purple

2¢ #231, Landing of Columbus,  issued in blue

4¢ #233, Fleet of Columbus,  issued in green and purple

$3 #243, Columbus Describing 3rd Voyage, issued in carmine and purple

$4  #244, Isabella and Columbus, issued in purple.

These are all scarce. Some are very scarce and others rare as indicated below.            

The Charles W. Goldsmith souvenir cards were sold as sets in a printed wrapper. $75

Series 1

Ferris Wheel

Ferris Wheel issued in purple. These are very scarce to rare. The more common is that issued in blue. $350

Ferris Wheel issue in blue, postmarked September 22, 1893, #231, to Freddie C. Garner, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Receiving cancel on back. $250

Ferris Wheel issue in blue, postmarked December 4, 1893, #230 #233, #234, from L. L. Lahn, New York City, New York to C. Ludwig, Metz, Germany. $500

Ferris Wheel issued in blue unused, flap unsealed. $150

Ferris Wheel issued in blue unused, slight stain on front. flap sealed. $125

Adminstration Building

Administration Building issued in blue, RPO South Chicago Station, Chicago, Illinois to Florie Brauman, Valley Forge, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, with Valley Forge receiving cancel in purple with star. Very scare to rare cachet. Note this is issued with a stamp box to affix the postage stamp.  $500

Series 2

1¢ #230, In Sight of Land

1¢ #230, In Sight of Land issued in purple postmarked October 11, 1893 to Lotta Laidlaw, Rossie, St. Lawrence County, New York. These were also issued in carmine. $250

2¢ #231, Landing of Columbus

2¢ #231, Landing of Columbus, issued in blue with World's Fair Station, Chicago, Illinion postmark, October 21, 1893. $300

4¢ #233, Fleet of Columbus

4¢ #233, Fleet of Columbus issued in green postmarked Chicago, September 20, 1893, to L. Braselmann, London, England, franked with ##234. $350

4¢ #233, Fleet of Columbus issued in purple with variant Greeting without the S, 3rd class postmarked to Carl Kahle, Halle, Germany. $400

$3 #243 Columbus Describing 3rd Voyage

$3 #243 Columbus Describing 3rd Voyage issued in carmine and purple, but this is unlisted in slate bluegreen with scarce variant Greeting without the S. to developer and apiarist, William F. Stolley (1831-1911), Grand Island, Nebraska, postmarked Chicago, Illinois, September 20, 1893. 

William Stolley was born in Wardner, Germany, in the Duchy of Holstein. In 1848, just 17 years old he took part in the War of Schleswig-Holstein, and when his term of service expired in 1849 he joined a group of his countrymen in immigrating to America. After a business failure with a fellow immigrant, Wilhelm Hagge, he became interested in a proposed settlement to be established on land near where the transcontinental railroad was expected to pass. Stolley was chosen by the project backers to be the leader of the settlement. The Davenport Company located at what was to become the present city of Grand Island, in Hall County. Stolley remained there throughout his life, engaged in the nursery business, farming, and raising bees. His papers are keept in the Nebraska State Historical Society.

$350

$3 #243 Columbus Describing 3rd Voyage issued in carmine and purple, but this is unlisted in pale slate bluegreen with scarce variant Greeting without the S. to Mrs. Richard Albertson Vail (1851-1921), Riverhead, Suffolk County, New York, postmarked Chicago, Illinois, October 6, 1893. $350

$4 #244 Isabella and Columbus 

$4 #244 Isabella and Columbus issued in purple  with variant Greeting without the S, postmarked Chicago, Illinois, October 25, 1893 to Mrs. A. G. Brooks, Canton, Ponkapoag, Massachusetts.  Apparently the sender and receiver were mineralogists one of the most popular hobbies in America since the 17th century. Annotated back:

World's Fair Cosmopolitan 

Elements of Geology [Joseph] Le Conte, 

Jack prize & paper

C's photo for Mr. Spencer

Bring rock specimens

Return receipt

Look in Byzantine,

$400

$4 #244 Isabella and Columbus issued in purple postmarked Chicago, Illinois, October 21, 1893 to fish warden, Thomas R. Hands, Bridgeport, Connecticut. $400

5. Covers Postmarked in January 1893, Encompassing all Thirty-one Days of the Month.  

Collectors prizes the ealy covers franked with the Columbian Series especially those of the first week. Even these are broken down especially the first four days precisely due to the phenomenon of January 1st having been a Sunday. Since that was so philatelist have agreed that all covers postmarked January 1 and January 2nd are considered FDC's. Consequently those dated to January 3rd are known as Second Day Covers, and January 4th a third day. So that a second day cover is now a first and the third the second, and so on. 

January 6th was the completion of the Great Northern Railway which connected Seattle with the East Coast speeding up the mail. Consequently covers dated then with Seattle or St. Paul addresses are prized celebrating this event.

Covers dated January 14 through the 17th mailed to or from Hawaii have a premium since this was the invasion and deposing of Queen Liliʻuokalani and declaring marshal law of Hawaii by Sanford B. Dole.

First Day Covers (FDC)

Fairmount Station, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, postmarked double impression, January 1, 1893, to Dr. John Franklin Jameson (1859-1937), Providence, Rhode Island receiving cancel Providence, Rhode Island, January 3. 1893. Dr. Jameson was a Professor of History, Brown University. Estimate $20,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

RARE TRANSATLANTIC FDC & TRAIN MAIL IN GERMANY

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF OR EVER SEEN A LETTER SENT FROM AMERICA TO SOMEONE ABOARD A TRAIN IN GERMANY ORCHESTRATED IN TIME TO USE FIRST DAY ISSUES AND  RECEIVE A GERMAN RAILWAY OMEGA CANCEL? 

First Day Cover mailed by E. Fromentz, 111 East 105th Street, New York postmarked January 1, 1893, duplex cancel #230, #231 horizontal pair addressed to Robert Gedies, Berlin Lehrter Bonhof, Eilgut-Expedition 

UNIQUE : First Day Cover (FDC) January 1, 1893 with one stamp (Scott #230, and two Scott #231)  in the Columbia Series issued as commemorative stamps for 400th anniversary of Columbus' voyage discovering America celebrated at the Exposition at Chicago. The 2c stamps are a strip of two contiguous stamps roughly torn from a sheet causing some separation apparent in the top six perforations. An unknown inverted "omega" postmark or private marking is visible above the word Banhof (railway). This may be the letter carriers mark aboard the train with omega signifying the Berlin terminal. The Lehrter Banhof was the Berlin terminal. Eilgut-Expedition was the express train on which Robert Gedies was aboard.

Mail steamships made the transatlantic journey from New York to the Port of Bremen, Germany in 15 days. From Bremen it took two days to be delivered. A common Berlin, German postmark reads Besteldt von Beamte (delivered by postman) with the hour of the delivery on January 18, 1893 between 7:15 a.m. and 8:15 a.m., that is, before noon indicated by the V = Vormittag.

Estimate $60,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Very famous stamp and coin dealer, Ernest Franz Gambs, San Francisco, California docketed January 1, 1893, 15¢ #238 + 1¢ #230, sent to APS Member #3724, W. R. Harrison,  Post Office Department, Pontiac, Michigan. Annotations on back of Harrison purchasing Jamaican stamp and prices as marked in U.S. Stamp Prices Book. Harrison was probably a postal clerk in Pontiac, Michigan.  Estimate $35,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Sent from the office of The California Illustrated Magazine, San Francisco, California to the Postmaster, Sentinel, Maricopa County, Arizona. Annotated by the Postmaster at Sentinel, Arizona "1st 1¢ rec'd Jan'y 8th 1893" The sender did not know Maricopa County misspelling it as Mariposa County which is a county in California, not Arizona. Third class mail could take up to 9 days to be delivered. Considering the mail route from San Francisco to Sentinel 7-8 days appears tenable making this mailed either January 1st or January 2nd. Estimate $15,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Third class commercial bulk mailing to celebrated museum founder, Henry Luther Sheldon (1821-1907), Middlebury, Vermont. Sheldon annotated the front cover "The first 1 cent I received Jan'y 9, 1893." Considering the fact that Sheldon constantly received mail from coin, stamp, curiosity, rare book, dealers odds are many Columbian series were included. Sheldon specifies the 1¢  #230 as the first received since he already had received the 2 or other denominations prior to January 9th, and this bulk mail cover probably took no less than 4 and up to 9 days to be delivered making it most probably sent betwen January 1st to January 5th. So collectors looking to find FDC's must realize some will be in this category of either January 1-2, making it an FDC or January 3-5 making it very early, Estimate $5,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Second Day Covers Are Also FDC'S

Although  postmarked January 2, 1893, specialists acknowledge that all Columbian covers postmarked January 1st or 2nd are considered FDC's, rather than second day cover, postmarked January 2, 1893, Frenchville, Maine on uprated postal stationery #U311 + #230, sent to J. M. Grob & Co., Leipzig-Eutritzsch, Germany. Transatlantic cover with Leipzig-Eutritzsch, Germany receiving cancel January 13, 1893. Estimate $15,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Although  postmarked January 2, 1893, specialists acknowledge that all Columbian covers postmarked January 1st or 2nd are considered FDC's, rather than second day cover, postmarked January 2, 1893, Denver, Colorado, duplex cancel,  sent to Mrs William L. Hamilton, Kansas City, Missouri, receiving cancel on back January 3, 1893, Kansas City, Missouri. William L. Hamilton was a carriagemaker in Kansas City.   Estimate $15,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Third Day Covers Are Also 2nd Day Covers

Sent from Chicago, Illinois, American Postal Machine Company, Hanmer #D2 with Killer #1 variant postmarked January 3, 1893, to Mrs. Barkley Cooper, Wheeling, West Virginia, receiving cancel. The sender pressed very hard with their pencil leaving deep grooves visible from the back. Barkley Cooper was a bookkeeper in the firm of Greer & Laing.  Estimate $5,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

The Lancashire Insurance Company, New York, to The Fire Association Insurance Agency, The Lancashire Insurance Company, Garey & Randall, Agents, Biddeford, Maine. Duplex cancel, backstamp or receiving cancel Biddeford, Maine.  Estimate $5,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Boody House hotel staionery, Toledo, Ohio, postmarked January 3, 1893 to Miss Bessie G. Dawes, Marietta, ohio, duplex cancel, receiving cancel Marietta, ohio. Estimate $5,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Coatesville, Indiana January 3, 1893 to Elvira Hadley, Pecksburg, Indiana #231 duplex cancel with target/bullseye killer. Opened rough on left side, some staining, date enlarged in zoom photo to show it reads Jan 3, 1893,  bumped corners. $3,000. Price reduced in proportion to condition. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Fourth Day Covers Are Also 3rd Day Covers

 Duranoid Manufacturing Company, Newark, New Jersey  to saddlery and trunk dealer, Joseph Erhart, Erie, Pennsylvania, postmarked Newark, New Jersey, January 4, 1893, American Postal Machine Company, Hanmer #D2 with Killer #1 variant, Columbian 2¢ Cinderella made by Duranoid Manufacturing Co., on front as cachet. The Duranoid Manufacturing Co., was world famous as the manufacturers of sound recording records made from pressed clay and shellac, a formula used until about 1950. I have never seen anything like this on a Columbian series cover of 1893. Perhaps unique?   Estimate $3,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

M. A. Nathan of the Manhattan Chess Club, to Walter Michael, Bristol, England, postmarked Registered January 4, 1893, Branch Post Office Station P, etiquette, Bristol receiving cancel January 17, 1893. Multiple franking with #230 X 2, #231, #234, and #237. Transatlantic mail with multiple Columbian series stamps in four denominations. A highly desirable very early Columbian Expo cover.  Estimate $3,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Avraham Yitzchak “Adolph” Edlis (1860-1934), Edlis & Co., Scranton, Pennsylvania  to Cleveland Stone Company, Cleveland, Ohio, postmarked January 4, 1893. Graphic illustrated advertising cover with portrait of Mr. Edlis at age 33. A nice American Judaica cover reflecting the late 19th century American Jewish experience.  Estimate $3,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

American Rubber Company, Boston, Massachusetts, postmarked January 4, 1893 to Middlesex Bleachery, Somerville, Massachusetts. Estimate $3,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Self Addressed Stamped Envelope of the Lloyds Plate Glass Insurance Company, New York, New York mailed from a client in Detroit, Michigan, postmarked January 4, 1893. Estimate $3,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Powell Brothers, Shadeland, Crawford County, Pennsylvania to the Village of Black Creek, Outagamie County,  Wisconsin, Fancy cancel. Estimate $3,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Fifth Day Covers

Rogers, Brown & Merwin, Iron Dealers, Chicago, Illinois to Globe Fur Co., Northville, Michigan, postmarked January 5, 1893, American Postal Machine Company, Hanmer #D2 with Killer #1 variant, Estimate $2,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

The Tenneessee Coal Iron and Railroad Company, Bessemer, Alabama, to M. E. Brigham, Altamonte, Florida, postmark RPO Chattanooga & Meridian Railroads, Train 6, January 5, 1893, on postal stationery #U349. Estimate $2,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Weissel, New Milford, Connecticut to Melchers, Runge & Co., London, England, postmarked January 5, 1893, error with an "5" is inverted in the dial, postal stationery #U311 uprated with #234, transatlantic cover. Estimate $2,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Sixth Day Covers

A. Iselin & Co., New York in return envelope of Hentsch & Co., Geneva, Switzerland, postmarked January 6, 1893, American Postal Machine Company, Hanmer #D2 with Killer #1 variant, Columbian 5¢. Estimate $2,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

F. S. Harmon, Baltimore, Maryland to Globe Furniture Company, Northville, Michigan , postmarked January 6, 1893, #231, American Postal Machine Company, Hanmer #D2 with Killer #1 variant, receiving cancel January 9, 1893. Estimate $2,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Total Abstinence Life Association of America, Chicago, Illinois to M. D. Webber, Hillsborough Bridge, New Hampshire, postmarked January 6, 1893. Estimate $2,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

William Reid, Detroit, Michigan to J. A. De Burr Manufacturing Company, Northville, Michigan , postmarked January 6, 1893, #231, American Postal Machine Company, Hanmer #D2 with Killer #1 variant, receiving cancel January 9, 1893. Estimate $2,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Mourning cover from Brooklyn, New York to Lily Rohrmer, Aachen, Germany. Estimate $2,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Seventh Day Covers

Charles Belding, (1831-1905) Stockton, California to Miss Cornelia Root (1822-1912), Pekin, Cambria, Niagara County, New York, RPO Central Pacific, connecting with the Union Pacific at Ogden, Utah, arrived at Pekin, New York January 17, 1893, a typical 10 day trip. The cover has two closures both original unpublished poems writtenm in the style of Victorian mortality prose. Cornelia Root was the daughter of Elias Root (1781-1832), president of the National Marine Bank of Oswego, Oswego, New York, and Anna "Annie" Belding (1790-1871). Cornelia was a very active member of the American Female Guardian Society (est. 1849),, which published a semi-monthly newpaper The Advocate and Family Guardian. 

The original unpublished poems are as follows :

The Happy Dead - a 50 line poem written on both sides of the sheet.

On the Death of a Sister -a 44 line poem written on both sides of the sheet.

All rights reserved.

$2,000 

F. C. Ferris, Columbus, Ohio in S.A.S.E. of Dr. A. G. Miller, South Bend, Indiana. Estimate $2,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

A. Harvey's Sons Manufacturing Company, Detroit, Michigan to J. A. Dubar Manufacturing Company, Northville, Michigan. Estimate $2,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

S. Spencer Chapman and Francis Chapman, Attorneys-At-Law, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Hall & Hayes, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. Estimate $2,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

W. A. Bingham & Company, New York, New York to W. H. Posten, Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey.Estimate $2,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Eighth Day Covers

National Hotel, Rochester, New York to Globe Furniture Co., Northville, Michiogan. . Estimate $1,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Windsor?, Pennsylvania to the celebrated Pabst Brewing, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Estimate $1,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com. 

Ninth Day Covers

Valley, Nebraska sent a S.A. S. E. of P.B. & C.C. Miles, Grain Commission Merchants, Peoria, Illinois.  Estimate $500 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Newark, New Jersey to Frederick Hope, Red Bank, New Jersey .  Estimate $ 500 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

O. Schimansky, Cooperage and Lumber, Sandusky, Ohio to R. L. French, Wellington, Ohio.  Estimate $700 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Charles Van Sterson, Denver, Colorado to J. A. Van Sterson, Rhenen, Holland, received New York, January 12, 1893, Rhenen Hoplland received January 24, 1893. Estimate $500 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Chicago, Illinois to Miss Clara L. Nachtrieb, Minneapolis, Minnesota.Estimate $500 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Henry Wood's Sons Company, Newton, Massachusetts to Freeman A. Smith, Jersey city, New Jersey. Estimate $500 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Sender from Albany, New York to Mrs. Charles C. Lathrop, Albany, New York.Charles C. Lathrop (1872-1895), was a traveling salesman who died at age 23. Estimate $500 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Farmers Deposit National Bank, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Alexander & Co., Monogahela City, Pennsylvania. Estimate $500 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Tenth Day Covers

G. E. Jefferson, Norwalk, Ohio to Miss Bertha Ruggles, Milan, ohio  with 2-page letter. George E. Jefferson taught evening bible classes to women of the First Baptist Church and was Financial Secretary for Benevolence. Apparently, Miss Ruggles was a supporter. Jefferson Elementary School is named after him.

"Norwalk, January 10, 92

Dear Miss Ruggles,

Your recent favor with enclosed P. O.  order received for which accept thanks. Don't mention the kindness for you know my mission on earth is to help people. (!) 

I am sorry to hear of your father's ill health and your consequent retirement from the pleasures of the season. 

I have just been thinking of appearing in the public square of the city of Milan inviting the past mistress of that fair village to take a sleighride.

I can say from experience that it is no enviable position to place behind frozen window to listen to the noise of the bells (I mean the sleigh bells) and know that your not "in it."

Thanking you again for your custom and prompt remittance, I remain,

Your truly,

G. E. Jefferson."

Note the error in the year in the letter as Jan/10/92, a common mistake usually made in the first half of January of any given new year.

Estimate $300 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Sender from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Miss M. H. le Gauland?, New York, New York $100

Hotel Iraquois, Buffalo, New York to Mrs. J. J. Paulding, New Bedford, Massachusetts $200

Charles W. Walker, Parke, Davis & Co., Pharmaceuticals, New York, New York to druggist, William P. Rich, Verona, Essex County, New  Jersey with sympathy and condolence letter regarding the death of Mrs. Rich. $200

P. Goldmann, Hat Manufacturer, New York, New York to Messrs. Frederick, Victor & Achilles, New York, New York. $150

Eleventh Day Covers

Betterton & Company, Knoxville, Tennessee to Messrs. Hazen, Lotspeich & Thomas, Knoxville, Tennessee. "Our Golden Springs Whiskey Can't be beat. Try it!"  $150

Evans Bothers, Globe Shoe Store, Scranton, Pennsylvania to Hosmer, Codding & Company, Boston, Massachusetts $150

Jurgen Christoph Bothmann (1825-1895), New York to E. Jessen, Altona, Germany. Transatlantic 15¢ rate. $250

Sender from The Churchill Hotel, Alpena, Michigan to Tonquist Mortgage Company, Northville, Michigan. $150

Carroll W. Clark, School Supplies, Boston, Massachusetts to Globe Furniture Company, Northville, Michigan. $150

Twelfth Day Covers

A. Melzer & Co., "Pretty Soap" Evansville, Indiana to Vickery Brothers, Evansville, Indiana. Front. $125

United Law and Collection Association, Baltimore, Maryland to John M. Orr, Leesburg, Virginia $100

Barbour, Stockwell & Company, Cambridge, Massachusetts to Gilmore & Haigh, Somerville, Massachusetts DPO (Discontinued Post Office) $125

Harold A. Hayes, M.D., Buffalo, New York to F. W. Morgan, Dublin Ireland. In 1888, P. Harold Hayes founded the Asthmatics' Institute in Buffalo, New York and Harold A. Hayes was a staff physicians.  $300

Eugene Reilly, Collector Town of Lake, Chicago, Illinois to Z. Lindstrom, Lockport, Illinois $100

E. A. Mahon, Hotel Perkins, Portland, Oregon to M. H. Wilson, Albany, Oregon $100

Thirteenth Day Covers

Cooke & Cobb Company, Stationer Manufacturers, New York, New York to Van Doorn & Tilson, Rutland, Vermont. Graphic illustrated advertisement for pens. All-Over-Advertising back, $150

N. K. Fairbank & Co., St. Louis, Missouri to Messrs. Hazen, Lotspeich & Thomas, Knoxville, Tennessee. The postal date might actually be January 3, 1893 since the mark after JAN might not be a 1 but rather from the N slug in the CDS dial making this a second day cover. $300

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania sender to Mrs. J. B. Bruse, Trenton, New Jersey, RPO 18th & Chestnut Street car mail postmark on a Ladies note cover. $100

Fourteenth Day Covers

Famous stamp and coin dealer, Charles Steigerwalt , Lancaster, Pennsylvania to British stamp and coin dealer, Daniel Howarth Ashton-under-Lyne, England uprated postal card. $400

M. L. Keedy, Attorney-at-Law, Hagerstown, Maryland to Mrs. Eliza Easton, Rohrersvill;e, Pennsylvania $100

Hotel Barker, Omaha, Nebraska to Miss Katie M. Crandall, Baraboo, Mississippi $125

Rogers and Pyatt, Chemists and Manufacturers, New York, New York to E. S. Hunt & Sons, Weymouth, Massachusetts. $175

Chase and Sanborn, Teas & Coffees, Boston, Massachusetts to Star Tea Company, Boston, Massachusetts. $200

Fifteenth Day Covers

Walter B. Sheppard, Penn Yan, New York on postal stationery postmarked Stuart, Nebraska to himself. Uprated postal stationery. $100

RPO cancel to Clarence Stone, Columbia, Pennsylvania $80

Sender from Portland, Oregon to Mrs. Dora Giveen, Weaverville, Trinity County, California $80

Hamilton & Mathews, Hardware, Rochester, New York to Miltin Claark, Rochester, New York $80

Sixteenth Day Covers

Sender from Indianapolis Indiana to Rev. E. I. D. Pepper, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. $80

The Herald, Boston, Massachusetts to Miss Mollie Brooks, Brooks Vale, New Haven County, Connecticut. $150

Famous stamp dealer, Charles Frederick Rothfuchs, Washington, D.C. to French stamp dealer Tiersot & Sons, Paris, France. A very early Rothfuchs cover.  $300.

Famous bottière, Charles Dietle, Chicago, Illinois to glazier and timber merchant, Wilhem Eppensteiner, Stuttgart, Germany. $250

Stub, Dover, New Hampshire to Maggie Bridgeman, Etna, Lebanon, New Hampshire.  + 3 page letter. $75

Druggist, Fred Watkins, Columbus, Ohio to his brother O. L. Watkins, Cambridgeport, Massachusetts + 6 page letter and cadre of newspaper clippings. $150

Seventeenth Day Covers

Fairbank Canning Company, Chicago, Illinois to William G. Irwin & Company, Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands, All-Over-Advertisement on back, graphic illustrated advertisement corner card, franked with #234 as foreign commercial mail. This precious relic of Hawaiian history is postmarked the day of the overthrow of the Hawaiian government by Sanford B. Dole. Dole's pineapple history begins with James Drummond Dole arriving in Hawaii in 1899, founding the Hawaiian Pineapple Company in 1901, and revolutionizing the industry by canning pineapples for U.S. distribution, earning him the "Pineapple King" title. 

• Queen's Goals: Queen Liliuokalani sought to restore power to native Hawaiians and decrease U.S. economic influence by enacting a new constitution.

• Annexationists: A group of wealthy businessmen, primarily American sugar planters, formed the "Committee of Safety" to oppose the Queen and pursue annexation to the United States. 

January 16, 1893: U.S. Military Intervention 

• Queen's Actions: Queen Liliuokalani, Hawaii's last reigning monarch, was attempting to promulgate a new constitution that would restore power to native Hawaiians.

• Committee of Safety: A group of American and European businessmen, fearing loss of power and advocating for annexation, formed the Committee of Safety.

• Troop Landing: U.S. Minister to Hawaii, John Stevens, under the guise of protecting American lives and property, ordered 162 U.S. Marines and sailors from the USS Boston to land in Honolulu.

January 17, 1893: The Overthrow 

• Proclamation: The Committee of Safety issued a proclamation declaring the monarchy overthrown and establishing a Provisional Government, with Sanford B. Dole as president.

• Queen's Surrender: To prevent violence, Queen Liliuokalani yielded her authority, conditionally surrendering her power to the United States government, not the conspirators, and called for U.S. intervention to restore her.

• U.S. Recognition: Minister Stevens recognized the new government and proclaimed Hawaii a U.S. protectorate, an act not sanctioned by the State Department.

• William G. Irwin & Company -

In 1880, William G. Irwin (1843-1914) and Claus Spreckels (1828-1908), formed the firm WG Irwin & Co; for many years it was the leading sugar agency in the kingdom and the one originally used by the West Maui Sugar Association.

In 1884, the firm took over as agent for Olowalu Company. William G. Irwin and Claus Spreckels constituted the partnership in the firm, which maintained offices in Honolulu. The role of the agent had greatly expanded by this time.

William G Irwin and Company acted as a sales agent for Olowalu’s sugar crop as previous agents had done. It also was purchasing agent for plantation equipment and supplies and represented Olowalu with the Hawaiian Board of Immigration to bring in immigrant laborers.

In addition, Irwin and Company acted as an agent for the Spreckels-controlled Oceanic Steamship Company and required, for a time, that Olowalu’s sugar be shipped to the Spreckels-controlled Western Sugar Refinery in San Francisco by the Oceanic Line.

In 1885, Irwin and Spreckels opened the bank of Claus Spreckels & Co., later incorporated under the name of Bank of Honolulu, Ltd., that later merged with the Bank of Bishop & Co.

In 1886, Mr. Irwin married Mrs. Fannie Holladay. Their only child, Hélène Irwin, was married to industrialist Paul Fagan of San Francisco.

A close friend of King Kalākaua, Irwin was decorated by the King and was a member of the Privy Council of Hawaii in 1887.

He was the largest sugar plantation owner in Hawaii and an Annexationist who was the recipientv of this cover and may have included information about business relations cognizant of the government's overthrow.

$3,000

Sender from Lawrence House, Jackson, Mississippi to Miss Lotta Corp, South Attleboro, Bristol County, Massachusetts, graphic illustrated advertisement corner card, franked with #231, New York RPO receiving cancel. $150

Renowned stamp dealer of Nassau Street fame, Constantin Witt (1843-1910), to Karl Kahle, Halle, Saale, Germany franked with block of 10 #230. $600

Sidway, Bogue & Company, Chicago, Illinois to P. A. Latham, London, England. #231, $233, + #237, receiving cancel London January 31, 1893. Leverett Barker Sidway (1832-) and Hon. George M. Bogue, bankers, corporate magnates and P. A. Latham, secretary of Electricity Supply Company for Spain Ltd., and Electrical Standardization, Testing and Training Institute. $400

Parry Manufacturing Company, Indianapolis, Indiana to H. B. Wilkinson, Armstrong Mills, Ohio, All-Over-Advertisement on back, duplex cancel. 1893, was the final year of horsedrawn carriages when automobiles were invented and largely replaced them.

Brothers Charles and Frank Duryea built and successfully tested America's first gasoline-powered automobile in Springfield, Massachusetts, on September 21, 1893, a modified horse-drawn carriage with a one-cylinder engine, marking the beginning of the American automobile industry. This "Buggyaut" led to the formation of the Duryea Motor Wagon Company, the first American firm to manufacture and sell automobiles, starting in 1896

$150

Sender from Georgetown, Kentucky to Will Carley, Georgetown, Kentucky #230 + piece, corner of adjoining stamp. $80

Winchester Furniture, Boston, Massachusetts to T. C. Keyes, Newbury, Vermont, graphic illustrated advertising front, octagonal receiving cancel. $200

Sender from Summerhill, New York to Colonel Francis Larkin, Jr., Paris, France, redirected to Naples, Italy, #234, anf various receiving cancels on back.  olonel Francis Larkin, Jr., was the Paymaster of the United States National Guard. $250

Herbert Grignon Starr (1855-1947), Druggist, Cumberland Mills, Maine, to well-known photographer, F. M. Hoor, Springfield, Massachusetts. Herbert Grignon Starr was the son of Herbert Grignon Starr, Sr., British Consul. His pharmaceutical bottles are highly prized collector items. $175

G. M. Lord Rubber Stamp Company, Burlington, Vermont to Postmaster, George W. Sayles, Huntington, Vermont, receiving cancel Jamuary 19, 1893. $125.

Sender from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Misss Minnie McKeby, Bolivar, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Bolivar was a bustling industrial town manufacturing firebrick. $80

Eighteenth Day Covers

Felix, Fournier & Knopf, New York, New York to Hosmer, Codding & Company, Boston, Massachusetts, All-Over-Advertising on back. $150

Scarce cancel, Bartow-On-The-Sound, New York to Honorable Alexander Grant Smith Palmer (1806-1894), Stonington,  New London County, Connecticut. $150

The Day

23 Oct 1894, Tue ·Page 5

ENGLAND HONORED HIM 

Death of Capt. Alex. S. Palmer of Stonington-An Interesting Career. 

Capt. Alexander S. Palmer, for a quarter of a century connected with the merchant marine, died at his residence, Pine Point, Stonington, Monday morning, in the eighty-eighth year of his age. 

Captain Palmer's first voyage was in the whaling brig Alabama Packet, Capt. W. A. Fanning, in 1819. After this he made seven voyages to the Spanish Main from New York in the brig Tampico, Capt. N. B. Palmer. 

In 1831 he took command of the ship Charles Adams, on a whaling voyage from Stonington to Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands, returning to Stonington in 1833. He resigned his ship and took command of the packet Louisville, sailing on voyages between New York, New Orleans and Liverpool until 1838. 

In 1838 he took the clipper ship Shakespeare of the Theatrical line (so called) between New York and Liverpool.

After several voyages upon this ship Captain Palmer became commander of the clipper ship Garrick, and while in command of this vessel rescued the crew of the British

ship Eugenia, in acknowledgment of which service he was presented with a gold

medal by the British government. Capt. Palmer's nest command was the clipper ship Hoqua, in 1845, when he made a voyage to China, being the second captain to enter the harbor of Shanghai after that port was opened by Commander Perry,

Captain Palmer's last voyage was in 1847, from New York to Liverpool and return, in the clipper ship Southerner.

Captain Palmer was always a stanch Democrat. He was elected a representative in the Conneeticut legislature from Stonington in 1857, 1858 and 1875 and state senator in 1876 and 1877. He was junior warden of Calvary church, Stonington, from 1868 to 1876 and senior warden from 1876 to the time of his death.

He leaves one daughter, Mrs. Richard F. Loper of Stonington. 

The funeral services will be from his late residence Wednesday afternoon.

Sender to York Chemical Works, York, Pennsylvania $60

Nineteenth Day Covers

Whiting Manufacturing Company, New York, New York  to Mrs. W. Overman, New York, New York  $75