BE149

CSA #11 (AD) Single, CSA #12 (AD), CSA #11 (AD) Horz Pair tied together and to the cover by three partial strikes of the Richmond, Va Powell Type 5f 4 JAN (1864). Interesting combination of stamps (all 4-Margin) with different color shades paying the 40c East-to-West Trans-Mississippi Express rate. Addressed to Mrs. Ross Houston, LaVernia, Wilson County, Texas via Meridian Mississippi. On the cover is a handstamp MISSENT which also ties the fourth stamp to the cover with no indication as to where the cover was missent or what the town of origin of the missent mark is. The cover could have easily been missent to Houston, Texas because of the last name of the addressee. However, there is no record of a handstamp “missent” mark used in Houston, Texas. The only Texas soldier in Virginia named “Houston” was Pvt Russell Houston Co F 4th Tex Inf (Hood’s Brigade) who was discharged in April 1864. This is a cover FRONT ONLY which has some time in the distant past been rebacked. Listed as Item E41 in the Krieger Trans-Mississippi monograph but mistakenly dated as 4 JAN 1865. The Richmond postmark is not compatible with an 1865 use, so the cover must be 1864. Most unusual Trans-Mississippi item which bears further research into the “MISSENT” mark.

SOLD $3,500.00