Spring 2022 Sale

30X1, Gonzales, Texas 5c Gold on Dark blue, vertical pair tied by light strikes of Gonzales postmarks on large part of buff cover with military address in Corinth, Mississippi, manuscript "Paid 10" at top right, pair with vertical crease prior to use, cover roughly opened at bottom, just three covers are known with the 5c Gold on blue Gonzales Provisional, each with a pair and to the same addressee, these three covers were first announced and illustrated in Mekeel's Weekly Stamp News in February of 1898, a great Confederate rarity, 2022 Philatelic Foundation certificate (Scott $15,000)
In his 2012 book, The Great Texas Stamp Collection, Charlie Deaton describes the history of the Gonzales Provisionals in detail. Gonzales, Texas used advertising labels from the firm of Coleman & Law as provisional stamps twice during the Civil War (first in 1861 and later in 1864-65). John V. Law, co-owner of the firm, also served as the town's postmaster. As these labels were also attached to the insides of books (and perhaps medicine bottles) there have been counterfeit covers produced over the years, and genuine uses on cover remain exceedingly scarce.