Sale 3039: The "ERIVAN" Collection of United and Confederate States Postal History Part IV

51X1, Livingston, Alabama, 5c Blue, horizontal pair with margins all around, tied by crisp strike of "Livingston Ala. Nov 12 [1861]" cds to small homemade cover addressed to "Capt. R. Chapman, Jr./ 11th Regt. Ala. Vol./ Manassas Junction/ Va.," further endorsed "Care of/ Col. Syd. Moore." at lower left, light overall paper aging, still Extremely Fine, a superlative cover in every regard, 1985 Philatelic Foundation certificate #146583 does not accompany (Scott $120,000 is based on a 1989 auction realization and has little bearing on the value of this cover 31 years later)

Provenance: Count Philipp von Ferrary (Gilbert Sale 4, 1922)

Alfred H. Caspary (H.R. Harmer Sale 990, 1956)

Josiah K. Lilly (R.A. Siegel Sale 317, 1967)

John R. Boker, Jr. (Private Transaction)

"A European Lady" (Christie's/Robson Lowe, NY, 1985)

Weill Brothers' Stock (Christie's-NY, 1989)

Illustrated in Life Magazine's "World's Rarest Stamps" (1954), August Dietz, Sr's Confederate States Catalog and Handbook (1959), and many other publications

Described in the 1956 Caspary sale: "This celebrated pair and cover is generally considered to be the most outstanding and most valuable Confederate item in existence."

Described by Earl Antrim in the Confederate Philatelist (April 1960) as "the Aristocrat of all Confederate Covers."

Exhibited at ANPHILEX 1971 in New York City, Aristocrats of Philately, where it was stated: "Becasue of all the qualifications it possesses, it was selected for the Aristocrats section as the most outstanding Confederate States item."

There are numerous factors contributing to the fact that the "Livingston Cover" is widely considered to be the most significant Confederate States item in existence. First is the design of the stamps themselves, which stand apart from all other Confederate provisionals in their beauty. Whereas many Confederate provisionals were produced quickly and inexpensively from whatever materials were on hand (for extreme examples of improvisation see the stamps of Limestone Springs, SC or Plum Creek, TX), the Livingston adhesives were printed by lithography. The only other two municipalities to produce stamps by this method were Charleston, SC and Mobile, AL—whose printer, W.R. Robertson, is believed to have also produced the Livingston stamps due to similarities in design.

The second factor contributing to the cover's fame is the scarcity of Livingston stamps either on- or off-cover. It is believed that only 11 genuine examples exist, including the pair on the cover offered here, six single-franked covers, and three off-cover used stamps (including two which originated as a pair on cover). Although there are Confederate provisionals which are decidedly rarer, the unique combination of beauty and scarcity elevates Livingston above all other issues.

Also important to take into account when considering the repute of the Livingstone Cover is its impeccable provenance, having graced the collections of Count Philipp von Ferrary, Alfred H. Caspary, Josiah K. Lilly, John R. Boker Jr., and now Erivan Haub—all titans of 20th century philately. As the cover changed hands over the years it grew in stature, and its sale price repeatedly made headlines: from $14,000 in the Caspary sale to $19,000 in the Lilly sale, eventually reaching a high-water mark of $160,000 when it was sold by Christie»s in 1985 (the Weill Brothers outbid Lou Robbins in that instance).rnThe history of the Livingston provisional was most thoroughly told in the special catalogue prepared by Christie's/Robson Lowe when this cover was sold in 1985. Additionally, a census prepared by Francis J. Crown, Jr. and available through the Confederate Stamp Alliance provides complete provenance information for all known Livingston provisionals.

In the foreword to the 1956 Caspary sale, August Dietz, Sr. wrote of this cover, "The Livingston has repeatedly been the object of fierce competition in earlier auctions. The chances are that it will remain a coveted prize." We are confident that his words are still true 64 years later.

Confederate States Postmasters' Provisionals