Whitpain Auction December 2 & 3 - Robert Siegel Auction Galleries

Next week some of the greatest rarities from the 1898 revenue series will be put on the block by Robert Siegel in its auction of the Whitpain Bureau Issues collection.  Below are images of a few of the stamps to be auctioned.  Some of these appear very rarely in the open market, as with the Daprix overprint immediately below.  Siegel is also auctioning the Morton Dean Joyce collection of Dr. Kilmer & Company overprints, which was sold to Mr. Whitpain in a private sale by Mr. Joyce.  Joyce literally wrote the book on the Dr. Kilmer overprints in "The Case of Dr. Kilmer's" which was published in 1954 and serialized in The Bureau Specialist (now the US Specialist) in 1957. 

Anyone can view the complete auction of the Whitpain Bureau collection by going here: Siegel Whitpain Auction.  Below are a few examples from this sale. 

Perhaps the greatest rarity of all the 1898 revenues, Scott R158B above was overprinted for the use of P.I. Daprix and Son for use on its steamboats that operated on the Erie Canal.  There are only 3 recorded examples of this stamp.  The stamp catalogs for $32,500 used.  As such this stamp is rarely available in the market.

Scott lists R156 above as nearly an afterthought.  After extensive and detailed listing for the overprinted 1 and 2 cent postage stamps of this series are listed R156 through R158, and only in used condition.  All are priced in the thousands.  R156 above currently catalogs for $5,750. 

In George Sloane's column in Stamps for July 31, 1948, Sloane reported that the Michigan Mutual Life Insurance Co. handstamped copies of the 8c, 10c and 15c regular issues over a period of five days in July 1898.  In the stamp above the manuscript writing (MMLIC + date) was made by Michigan Mutual.  Less clear is the "I.R." surchage in magenta. 

Sloan reported that these provisional revenues were brought to the philatelic market by J.E. Scott, a collector and employee of the company. J.E. Scott reported that the company used 41 copies of the 8c, 66 of the 10c and 28 of the 15c.

What a fabulous plate and imprint strip of R159.  The top stamp is the "ocumentary" variety, as it is missing the D.  And the strikes from E. Smathers & Company are perfect.  The strip is priced at $600 by Siegel but should bring much more. 

This happened on the 2 cent variety as well.  Unfortunately, the right stamp has a large tear, but the pair is probably unique, as the stamp with no overprint on its face is overprinted on the back.  The Scott value for a pair, one without overprint, is $10,000.

Lastly, here is a unlisted variety of R155, with two overprints, including one that is split with the once adjoining stamps. 

I don't have the wallet for most of the stamps above, but its great to see them come to market.  After the sale I will review the prices realized for the stamps above.  Lets see how popular these 1898s are.

Over two years ago, when Siegel conducted the Tolman sale that included 1898 documentaries and battleship proprietaries, they sold intact Tolman's collection of J. Elwood Lee printed cancels and ancillary material.  The collection sold for $4,250, even though Siegel listed the range for the collection as $1,500 to $2,000.  While the economy might get in the way, I expect Joyce's Dr. Kilmer material will sell far above the $10,000 to $15,000 range listed by Siegel.

Cancel for November 23: Norwich Produce Company

NORWICH PRODUCE CO.

NOV

23

1899

Cancel for November 22: F. T. & G. Co.

F.  T.  &  G. Co.

NOV  22  1899

Cancel for November 21: C. L. Millhouse

NOV     21      1899

C. L. MILLHOUSE

================

C.L. Millhouse started the firm McHenry-Millhouse, a manufacturer of roofing materials with factories in South Bend, Indiana, and Fulton New York.

Cancel for November 20: C. A. Jennings

C. A.  JENNINGS,

NOV   20   1900

CHICAGO.

C.A. Jennings appears to have been a health and sanitation expert in Chicago. 

Cancel for November 19: Durfee Embalming Fluid

DURFEE EMBALMING FLUID CO.

NOV

19

1898

ALLEN DURFEE

Allen Durfee (deceased), the pioneer funeral director and embalming fluid inventor of Grand Rapids, Mich., was born in or near Palmyra, Wayne county, N.Y., January 15, 1829, and lived on the farm on which he was born until 1853, when , on October 5th of that year, he married Miss Phebe B. Thayer, who was born in the same county of highly respected parents. To this union was born one child-a daughter---who died young. On the 8th of October, 1853, Mr. Durfee brought his bride to Michigan and located about four miles below the city of Grand Rapids (if city it might then be called), buying a part of the Bernis farm. While there engaged in agricultural pursuits, Mr. Durfee became very popular with the republican party, whose principles he had imbibed before leaving his native state, although, as a party, republicanism had not then assumed tangible organization. In 1856 he was elected a justice of the peace, and in 1862 and 1863 served as treasurer of Walker township, and in 1866 was again elected justice of the peace, In 1868 he was nominated for supervisor, but failed at the polls, his competitor carrying the day by a meager majority. In September, 1868, Mr. Durfee sold his farm and came to Grand Rapids, purchased a home, and in June, 1869, engaged in the manufacture of funeral goods, with J. H. Farwell as partner. Two years later, or on October 15, 1871, Mr. Durfee engaged in the undertaking business on his sole account, and began the manufacture of a preparation of his own for use in the preservation of the dead, his place of business being in the Ledyard block on Ottawa street. In 1889, A. D. Leavenworth was admitted as a partner in this business, which was pushed still more vigorously than ever. It was through the efforts of Mr. Durfee that the association of Funeral Directors of Michigan was formed, and from and after which sprang similar associations in many other states, which were allied into the National association of Funeral Directors, which in now vigorous association, holding annual meetings in different portions of the Untied States, and of which national organization Mr. Durfee served as president. This brought him in close fellowship with all the funeral directors of the Union, and as he was known to be a "pioneer" embalmer and used a preparation that had perfect operation, his advice was sought, as well as the preparation he manufactured for his own use, and, always being alive to the demands of the trade, he manufactured his embalming fluid on a large scale, and the business grew to such proportions, even without advertising or any efforts on his part, that, about 1886, A. W. Brown, who was then employed as embalmer and assistant undertaker, was put upon the road to introduce the Durfee Embalming Fluid among undertakers who had already learned of its superior qualities through personal contact. From that time on the business was pushed with judgment and vigor, the company employed four traveling men, covering the entire United States. Besides that manner of sales, the company sold its goods through seven commission salesmen and fifty-seven different casket companies in various cities of the country. In 1889, Alvah W. Brown, who had been so successful in sales of the Durfee Embalming Fluid, purchased an interest in the business, and gave his entire time to the manufacture. Up to December, 1893 Mr. Durfee and his partner in the undertaking business, A. D. Leavenworth, were the members of the partnership, and then the company, reorganized and incorporated, removed from the building used by Durfee & Co., undertakers, to more commodious quarters and in its own building on Spring street, and the business thereafter was carried on under the style of the Durfee Embalming Fluid company until the death of Mr. Durfee, which occurred May 25, 1897. In upwards of twenty-eight years in the undertaking business, Mr. Durfee had charge of over 28,000 funerals. He was also very fond of bric-a-brac and was great curiosity hunter, and his widow has still in her possession his cabinet filled with geological and conchological specimens and other curios, including whales’ teeth, horns of wild animals, etc., all of which latter he himself polished or otherwise prepared. He was kind and amiable in disposition and extremely affable and courteous in deportment, and of broad mind, liberal views, and sympathetic instincts. Fraternal with all mankind, he enjoyed the society of his fellowman, and sought his companionship by becoming a member of several societies, among them the Knights of Honor, the Ancient Order of United Workmen the Covenant Mutual association of Galesburg. And of the Old residents association of the Grand river valley. He was charitable and benevolent, and a true Christian in thought and deed, and died a member of the Park Congregational church. His loss was deeply mourned by the community of Grand Rapids, but none more deeply deplored him that his bereaved widow.

-Michigan Geneology website
http://www.migenweb.net/

Cancel for November 19: Chautauqua Steamboat Company

Chautauqua Steamboat Co.

SUPT'S

NOV

19

1900

OFFICE.

Operating on Lake Chautauqua in New York State, the Chautauqua Steamboat Company was primarily a pleasure cruise company.
 

Cancel for November 18: Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company

DETROIT & CLEV'D NAV. CO.

CANCELED

NOV

18

1898

DETROIT, MICH.

The "D&C" plied a route between Detroit and Cleveland at the turn of the century.  Its primary business was passenger transport at a time when lake travel was still a competetive option with land travel.  The company operated from 1868 to 1951.

The D&C operated huge and luxurious steam powered vessels.  The Greater Detroit above was built in 1923 and was powered by side wheels. 

The ship the City of Cleveland III, above, was struck by a Norwegian freighter in 1950 and severely damaged.  The accident along with general declining business conditions for the line forced the D&C to close up operations in 1951.   All of its ships have been scrapped.

Cancel for November 18: The Aultman Company

THE AULTMAN CO.

NOV

18

1898

CANTON, O.

***

The Aultman Company of Canton Ohio, formerly known as the C. Aultman Company before financial problems forced a reorganization a few years before this stamp was cancelled, was a major agricultural implement and steam engine manufacturer. The company was part of a family of companies started by Cornelius Aultman, including Aultman, Miller & Company in Akron and Aultman & Taylor Machinery Company in Mansfield. For several decades of the 19th century the Aultman Companies were some of the best known agricultural machinery manufacturers in the United States. In 1860 C. Aultman was the largest reaper manufacturer in the world.

The C. Aultman Company of Canton, however, had a bad product in the 1880s they called the Buckeye Banner Binder. The product failed, Cornelius died in 1884, and the financial panic of 1893 sent C. Aultman into a spiral that led to reorganization and its rebranding to the name The Aultman Company. Even this company did not last long, declaring bankrupty in 1904.

The cover of the Aultman Company catalog for 1900.

The rear cover the 1900 catalog showing the Canton plant.

Cornelius Aultman

1827-1884

Founder of The Aultman Company

***

A New York Times obituary from December 27, 1884 listed Aultman as 50 years of age when he died. The obit is in error. He was 57.

Cancel for November 17: Connelsville and Monongahela Railway

C.   &   M.

NOV   17  1899

RY.  CO.

Cancel for November 16: Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway

L.  S.  &  M.  S.  R'Y  CO.

FREIGHT OFFICE

NOV  16  1898

Youngstown, Ohio

The LS&MS ran a line southeast from Cleveland to Youngstown, Ohio where the stamp above was cancelled. 

Cancel for November 15: Weis Brothers

WEIS BROTHERS

NOV

15

1898

A dry goods business based in Galveston, Texas, Weis Brothers had an office and factory in New York City at 466-8 Broadway. 

From GALVESTON PAST AND PRESENT
Edited by Andrew Morrison for Geo. W. Engelhardt.
1890:

WEIS BROS., leading wholesale dealers
in and importers of staple and fancy dry
goods, boots, shoes, notions, hats, trunks,
etc., in the substantial brick structure at
62 to 70 Strand (old numbers), do a busi-
ness of metropolitan character and pro-
portions. They carry a stock of goods
valued at $500,000 to $600,000, have ten
traveling men selling for them, besides
twenty-five salesmen and clei'ks here, and
dispose of $800,000 to $1,000,000 worth
of goods a year, chiefly in Texas, but con-
siderable also in Louisiana and Arkansas.
They have offices and the various lines of
dry goods on the first floor, notions and
furnishing goods on the second, boots,
shoes and hats on the third and fourth,
and a surplus stock in a warehouse in the
rear.


The successful issue of their venture is
indicated by the number of other concerns
in which the house, or the partners indi-
vidually, are interested. Major Weis,
senior member of the firm, is president of
the Citizens' Loan Company of this city,
president of the Galveston Water Com-
mission, president also of the Galveston
Cotton and Woolen Mills, ex-president of
the Island City Savings Bank, and is a
director of the First National Bank, of the
Texas Land & Loan Co. and Galveston
Canning & Packing Co. Mr. R. Weis
also has interests of this sort that are
valuable. He is the credits and accounts
man of the firm; Major Weis, the mana-
ger of the buying and sales and other out-
side details.


Maj. Weis derives his title from service
upon Gen. Oppenheimer's staff, Texas
contingent Confederate service, he having
abandoned his business in Oakland, Col-
orado county, in this State, to enlist with
.the San Antonio banker and merchant.
In 1865, he returned to Oakland and re-
embarked in business as one of the firm of
Weis & Bock. In 1867, he sold out to
Bock and came here, and was a partner in
Strauss & Co., cotton and merchandising,
for a time, and until he and his brother
bought out Strauss and effected the part-
nership with Halff. His brother had
been with him in Oakland and came with
him here. In fact, their business interests
have been identical, so to speak, ever
since the war.

Cancel for November 14: Pittsburgh Coal Company

PITTSBURGH COAL CO.

NOV

14

1900

The Pittsburgh Coal Company was a bituminous coal mining company, controlled by the Mellon family. It later merged with Consolidation Coal Company, controlled by the Rockefeller family. 

Cancel for November 12: Muller and Schall Company

MULLER, SCHALL & CO.

NOV

12

1900

NEW YORK

           

80 cent documentary hyphen hole block of 6 with Muller Schall oval handstamp cancels. 

Cancel for November 11: G.S.B. Company

G.  S.  B.  CO.

NOV

11

1898

Unknown company, great "gear" style cds.  Top guideline and arrow.

Cancel for November 11: De'Coppet & Doremus

DE'COPPET & DOREMUS

NOV

11

1898

NEW YORK

This Wall Street firm was headed by Edward J. De Coppet at the time these stamps were cancelled. 

Mr. De Coppet was well known in New York as a patron of the arts.  He organized and sponsored the Flonzaley Quartet which had become one of the finest of its kind in the United States.  It played for Mr. De Coppet on the night of his death.

De Coppet and Doremus was founded by Edward De Coppet in 1891. 

Cancel for November 10: Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa Railroad

THE I. I. & I. R. R. CO.

NOV

10

1899

CHICAGO.

The Indiana, Illinois and Iowa RR was a shortline railroad that ran from South Bend to Churchill Indiana.  The road ran south of Chicago giving it great advantages in moving through-freight that did not need to be transfered in the busy Chicago train yards.  The 3 "Is" was purchased by the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad in 1901.

Cancel for November 9: B.D.W.

B.  D.  W.

NOV

9

1898

BOSTON

Cancel for November 8: Union Pacific Railroad

UNION PACIFIC R. R. CO.

NOV

8

1898

Today the Union Pacific is the largest railroad in North America.  The UP is also one of North America's most famous railroads for its work building west from Nebraska to create the first transcontinental railroad,  completing the most track before it met up with the Central Pacific which was being built east from a start in Sacramento, California. 

By 1898 when this stamp was cancelled the UP had expanded its operations, come under the control of the Goulds, and would soon purchase a controlling interest in the Southern Pacific. 

Cancel for November 7: J. W.

J.  W.

11-7-1900

Cancel for November 6: Detroit and Lima Northern Railway

D. & L. N. Ry. Co.

NOV

6

1900

CANCELED

Detroit and Lima Northern #7

Cancel for November 5: C. O'H.

C.  O'H.

NOV  5  1898

CANCELLED.

Cancel for November 4: Central of Georgia Railway

CENTRAL of GA. RY. CO.

NOV

4

1899

One of the great southern railroads.  The Central of Georgia Railway controlled major routes through the heart of the deep south at the time of this cancel.   The railroad was started in 1833 as the Central Rail Road and Canal Company.

Update April 12, 2010:

R155 with Central of Georgia Railway cancel sent in by Dave Thompson

Cancel for November 3: Pennsylvania Railroad

P.  R.  R.

NOV    3   1898

During the early 20th century the PRR was the most highly valued corporation in the world.  By the 1970s it would suffer an inglorious collapse with its merger to its greatest competitor, the New York Central, to create the Penn Central.  The Penn Central in turn would suffer one of the most high profile collapses in American corporate history.  But in its day the PRR was a great company, and possessed a huge fleet of steam and electric locomotives.  Today you can see examples of these locomotives at the Strasbourg Railroad Museum in Pennsylvania.

The Pennsy's T1 locomotive, an advanced and sophisticated steam locomotive developed during World War II.  Development was expensive as was its operation, and the investment in steam while other railroads switched to diesel presaged the decline of the railroad. 

Cancel for November 2: Cincinnati, Hamilton, and Dayton Railway

C.  H.  &  D. RY

NOV  2   1899

The Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railway was based in the Ohio and was incorporated in 1846.  It was bought out by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1917.  Chartered to build a line from Cincinnati to Hamilton, Ohio and then to Dayton, it continued to build and expand throughout its life, and ran sleeping car services throughout the central midwest.  See the poster below promoting its Pullman Car services.

In the early years of the railroad it had the nickname "Charge High and Damn Rough Ride."  The purchase of Pullman cars and the upgrading of its tracks must have eased this reputation.

Cancel for November 2: St. Anthony Falls Bank

ST. ANTHONY FALLS BANK

NOV

2

1898

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN

The stamp was likely used on a bank check. St. Anthony Falls Bank was taken over by the First National Bank of Minneapolis in 1922, which in turn would be taken over by a bank holding company that also controlled the First National Bank of St. Paul. That holding company would be called First Bank System, which later would change its name to U.S. Bancorp, which exists as a major national bank today.

Notes on St. Anthony Falls: Above is an aerial view of what St. Anthony Falls currently looks like. The natural falls are long gone and there is now a man-made structure in place. St. Anthony was once an independent town but joined Minneapolis in 1872.

***

The site is more recently famous for the St. Anthony Falls Bridge which was built to replace the I-35W bridge that collapsed during rush hour on August 1, 2007.