From the Stamp Specialist: (From the Stamp Specialist Red Book, Published in 1942) (Additional Illustrations Start on Page 14.)

From the Stamp Specialist: (From The Stamp Specialist Red Book, published in 1942) (Additional illustrations start on page 14.)

Issue 20 - August 3, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net If you enjoy this article, and are not already a subscriber, for $12 a year you can enjoy 60+ pages a month. To subscribe, email [email protected] 1

1. See Figure 1, page 14

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2. See Figure 2, page 15 3. See Figure 3, page 15

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4. See Figure 4, page 15 5. See Figure 5, page 16 6. See Figures 6 & 7, page 16 13. See Figure 14, page 20

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7. See also, Figure 8, page 17

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10 8. See also, Figure 9, page 17 9. See Figure 10, page 18 10. See also, Figure 11, page 18

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11. See also Figure 5, page 16

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12. See also color illustration, Figure 6, page 16

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13. See Figure 12, page 19

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14. See Figure 13, page 19

Issue 20 - August 3, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net 13 Figure 1. 1804 entire from Edenton, North Caroli- na to Philadelphia dated November 18, 1804 with the writer asking his brother to send enclosed package to Bordeaux. The packet was handed to the Master of “The Andrew”, The Andrew’s Bag being taken from the MERCHANTS COFFEE HOUSE, Second Street, Philadelphia, December 9, 1804.

Issue 20 - August 3, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net 14 Figure 2. 1989 cover and cancel commemorating the 350th Anniver- sary of the “Founding of the first American Post Office”

Figure 3. Thomas Neale

Figure 4. Folded letter sheet to London, England, with Philadelphia, September 30, 1749 manuscript docketing inside, addressed “To be left at the Pennsylvania Coffee-House in Birchin Lane”, with manuscript “1/” rate and “pr the Dolphin, Capt LeGros, QDC” ship endorsement; also with “2 DE” Bishop mark on reverse. (The instructions on this cover are identical to those attributed to Franklin on page 4, but there is no evidence that this letter was intended to be turned over to him.)

Issue 20 - August 3, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net 15 Figure 5. An undated etch- ing with the Merchants Cof- fee House at the left, at the southeast corner of Wall and Water Streets. Before the Revolution it was one of the meeting places of New Yorkers opposed to British imperial policy. During the 1780s, merchants and others met there to organize the Bank of New York and to reorganize the Chamber of Commerce. During the ratification process, supporters of the Constitution met and celebrated at the coffee house.

Figure 6. A 1797 oil on linen painting by Fran- cis Guy (1760–1820). The building on the left with the American flag on its roof is the Tontine Coffee House. Across the road is the Merchant’s Coffee House, where the brokers of the Buttonwood Agree- ment (which started the New York Stock Exchange) and others did trade before the construc- tion of the Tontine. On the far right is Wall Street, leading down to the East River, visible in the distance.

Figure 7. Letter originating in Philadelphia, datelined September 24, 1809, en- dorsed to go from New York on the Brig Magnet, to Greenock, Scotland. It was left at the Tontine Coffee House, which applied nega- tive handstamp (I. Bryden's Tontine Coffee House, New York, around full rigged ship). The packet weighed 2-1/4 ounces, and was rated 13/6. It was back- stamped “CAMBLETON SHIP:LRE” on arrival, and shows a Glasgow arrival mark for January 28, and London January 31, 1810.

Issue 20 - August 3, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net 16 Figure 8. Backstamps on January 27,1837 folded letter, New York to London: “Forwarded Through Hudson’s News Room & Foreign Ship Letter Office, New York” red oval, “Liverpool/Ship Letter”, and circular receiver.

Figure 9. March 21, 1836 folded letter, New York to Glasgow, Scot- land with “Liverpool/Ship Letter” and “Forwarded through Gilpin’s Exchange, Reading Room and Foreign Letter Office N-York” red oval and two-line “Liverpool Ship Letter” handstamps.

Issue 20 - August 3, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net 17 Figure 10. Letter to Dr. Mc (sic) Whirter, Care Messr J. & S. Learmonth, Gee- long, Port Phillip, with manuscript “2 & 15 July 1850”, per “Gitano”, and blue “FORWARDED FROM/ LONDON/ THE JERUSALEM” double ringed oval handstamp, rated “3” pence. The Jerusalem Coffee Shop was part of the milieu of the East India Company (EIC) in London. The Society of the East India Company’s Commanders met in various London taverns, and in either the late 1700s or early 1800s moved to the Jerusalem Coffee House. The company of Palmer, MacKillop & Dimble used the Jerusalem Coffee House as a drop-off for forwarding Macwhirter’s mail to Geelong.

Figure 11. “Forwarded from Harnden’s Package Express and Foreign Letter Office, No. 8 Court St. Boston” red oval handstamp on folded letter datelined “Boston April 24, 1844” to Paris, France, also with red “Colonies &c Art. 12” framed accountancy handstamp, London backstamp, French due marking, and docketing at top right. The cover is believed to have been forwarded by Harnden’s to their London office, where it entered the mails.

Issue 20 - August 3, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net 18 Figure 12. Currier & Ives print, “The Ruins of the Merchants’ Exchange N.Y.” four days following the destructive Wall Street fire of December 16 & 17, 1835.

Figure 13. Folded letter to Honesdale, Pa., letter Quaker-datelined “Philadelphia 3d Mo. 10th, 1836”, red “Phila. Mar 11” octagon date stamp struck on front and reverse, manuscript “12-1/2” rate. The lower left marking is one of 14 known examples of the Type I North- ern Liberties News Rooms handstamp, “N(orthern) L(iberties) News Rooms, Via Sub Post Office”. The Northern Liberties Sub Post Office was established by Alexander McMackin in late 1835 and operated for a short time until early 1836 in the Northern Liberties News Room. News editorial in the October 10, 1835 edition of the Saturday Courier mentioned the business of a Sub Post Office and “a new and appropri- ate stamp…now imprinted upon all letters deposited at his office.”

Issue 20 - August 3, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net 19 Figure 14. Folded letter from England to Philadelphia, with forwarder’s notation “N. York 31 Octo: 1778 Forwardd by Thy affectiont Kinsman, S. Shoemaker”, “EXETER” straightline handstamp on back and red manuscript “P 1N4” for 1 shilling packet rate and 4p internal Great Britain postage. The cover was received in New York during British occupation and forwarded to Philadelphia (which was not occupied at this time) by Samuel Shoemaker, who was a successful businessman, property-owner and local politician. According to http://www.philaantiques.com/exhibit/2006.html: “Shoemaker…was also loyal to the Crown, which would cost him dearly. When the British army under General Howe occupied Philadel- phia in the winter of 1777-78, Shoemaker and others sent spies behind the American lines to collect information. For this, the Pennsylvania Assembly, in 1778, declared him guilty of treason, and confiscated all of his property, including Laurel Hill. The years that followed were difficult for the family. Samuel Shoemaker fled to New York and later to England, taking Edward with him, and Rebecca spent several years trying to reclaim her house, which was sold in 1782 to Major James Parr.”

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