(Genuine, reduced size on letter, image obtained from a Siegel auction)
Return To Catalogue - Locals, carriers, postmasters and bogus issues; overview - United States Overview - Boyd local issues - Blood's local issues - Hussey's local issues - Wells Fargo and Co local issues - More local issues - And more - And more - And more - And more - And more - Local issues in the Confederate States - Semi-official issues and Carriers - Postmaster issues - bogus issues and forgeries of S.Allan Taylor
Note: on my website many of the
pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the cd's;
contact me if you want to purchase them: evert@klaseboer.com.
(Genuine, reduced size on letter, image obtained from a Siegel
auction)
Four different types (compare distance of letters from frame,
letter type and dot or not behind "Phila".)
"To the Post Office Every 2 hours from Johnson's Box 7 N. 10th St. Phila." in a shield. This stamp is listed in the 'Standard Guide to Postage Stamp Collecting' (by Bellars and Davie, 1864). Originally this seems to have been a label, it has been reprinted by Hussey (forgeries also exist, by the way, I don't know which of the above pictures is a genuine stamp, a reprint or forgery, except for the one on cover, which is genuine). In total 7 types exist (including forgeries, original and reprint).
(Johnsons' Free P.O. Box Philadelphia)
This is a bogus issue, the text reads "JOHNSON's Free P.O. Box U.S. Pres't. No.7 N.10th St. Philad'a, 1865 Printer, Publisher And Stationer.", with the portrait of Lincoln in the center. There are three types of this bogus stamp: one with narrower "JOHNSON'S" text and no comma behind "publisher". The other two types have a similar "JOHNSON'S" inscription, but with slightly different letter types. This stamp exists in black on green or black on red.
(School postage Business Practice and College Postage)
Cut from an envelope? 'MESSENGER SERVICE' head of Mercury:
(Sold on a Siegel auction)
('EASTERN EXPRESS CO. 35 COURT SQUARE BOSTON', label from an
express company in Boston, apparently issued labels from 1857 to
1879)
'HARNDEN'S EXPRESS BOSTON NEW ORLEANS', I've also seen this label
in violet. Even different types exist (see images above).
The Harnden's express operated a messenger service (by steamship?) from Boston to New York starting from 23th March 1840. Some labels issued by this company can be found at: http://alphabetilately.com/Mosher-2.html.
I have been able to find the stamps below in an old catalogue of 1864, but they are probably all bogus issues.
(Arthurs' City Express, reduced sizes)
Bogus Arthur's City Post of S.Allan Taylor,
the type is different from the stamps above. This type also
exists in black on red color.
(Chesuncook Lake Tourist Despatch, moose head 3 c brown)
Seems to have been used to carry mail from Chesuncook Lake to the nearest post office (around 1890?). According to Wikipedia, the Chesuncook Lake was only made in 1903 however..... A 1 c green also exists.
'International Letter Express Two Cents.' and 'International Express 2 Cents'. Both types are listed in the 'Standard Guide to Postage Stamp Collecting' (by Bellars and Davie, 1864). They must have been issued before 1864.
(I've been told that this stamp in a slightly different type was
made by Allan Taylor)
With dot behind "POST".
Internal rectangle is rounded.
(Reduced sizes)
"2" curved
Different type
Winan's City Post: A bomb(?) with wings surrounded by stars. I have also seen the values: 2 c black, 5 c black on yellow, 10 c black on green and 20 c black on red. This stamp is listed in the 'Standard Guide to Postage Stamp Collecting' (by Bellars and Davie, 1864) and is supposed to be issued in New York.
Utica Express Co. bogus issue, reduced size, appeared about 1860
(or 1878?)
I've seen a reprint made in 1978, consisting of a block of 9 stamps (3 x 3), with inscription 'UTICA STAMP CLUB' on top and 'Utica Express-co. Centennial 1878-1978 no.', followed by a number at the bottom.
(Utah Postage)
The above stamp with inscription 'Utah Postage' is bogus. They pretend to have been issued in 1852 and have the head of Brigham Young to the left in a circle; 'Utah' on top, 'Postage' below. This stamp also exists in blue and green. I have also seen a 8 c lilac in the same design. Two slightly different types exist, one with a colored cravat and another with a white cravat.
Another bogus 'UTAH PAID' stamp. I've also seen this stamp in the
colors: black on orange and green on blue.
The next stamp with inscription 'UTAH TERR.' is also a bogus stamp.
This stamp also exist in black on yellow
Turners Dispatch Paid One Cent. This bogus issue appeared first
in 1893, was probably created by a certain mr. Ginnity. It also
can be found on letters (most of them with the address of Edward
Israel, Baltimore).
New Jersey Express Company, horse's head embossed, facing left, the middle stamp is listed in the 'Standard Guide to Postage Stamp Collecting' (by Bellars and Davie, 1864). These cuts(?) are issued in 1849.
Presumably genuine "LANGTON" labels on genuine
envelopes. Clearly two different types.
'LANGTON'S PIONEER EXPRESS PAID', I've seen this label in black,
blue and red
Labels were issued in 1863 by this company. However, bogus labels also exist (source: http://www.askphil.org/b25l.htm). I do not know if the above label is a genuine one or a bogus. Labels with inscription 'Langton & Co's Express' are bogus (same source).
"G.E. Stechert & Co. (Alfred Hafner) New York"; this is most likely just a label from a bookseller and not a stamp. I've seen it in green color as well.
"Mc Donald Territory Stamp Privat Dispatch from Territoral post Office to the nearest U.S. Post Office", issued in 1961. They exist in different colors.
"Alliance Business College"; "POSTAGE" (left) and "REVENUE" (right)
(Reduced size)
One cent Despatch Washington City, phantasy issue with image of Washington? I have seen the same stamp in the colour red on yellow and green (all 1 c).
"Ship This Order By ADAMS EXPRESS COMPANY" and
"ADAMS EXPRES COMPANY BOSTON MASS."
Carnes & Co. City Package Express 621 Montg. St.
"PAID PACIFIC UNION EXPRESS Co" blue red
New York City Delivery Co. (eagle)
(St.Louis P.O, bogus issue?)
"City and Suburban Post"
This maybe a cut from the USA, but I'm not quite sure
"Adams Express Company", woman with hat of freedom
facing the right. Besides the color green as shown above, I've
also seen this stamp in the color blue.
"For the POST OFFICE CITY DESPATCH POST T. WALTER.",
bogus issue. Next to it another label made by the same forger,
but now with inscription "T.DAVIS".
Stait's Despatch S.Third Street Paid, reduced size. Bogus issue
made by Taylor.
I have seen the above envelope cuts(?) from
Stait's Despatch in the colours black on yellow, black on white,
black on violet and black on blue. They are all forgeries (made
by Taylor). There seem to exist two genuine envelopes with a
similar text issued around 1850 with a different text 'STAIT'S
DESPATCH AT Adams Exp'ss PAID & 48 S. 3d St.' or 'STAITS
DESPATCH 48 So 3rd St PAID' (sorry, no pictures available yet).
I have also seen advertisement labels(?) with the text: 'W.STAIT
Of the City Depatch, 48 S.Sd St, will call for Contributions, by
authority of the Cheap Postage, Committee.':
Advertisement label?; reduced size.
These labels have also been forged by Hussey and others. Note the very strong resemblance with the "EAGLE CITY POST" labels.
("PENNY POST 2 CENTS", with portrait of Washington,
next to it a genuine "Whittelsey's Express" stamp in a
very similar design)
Letter box with inscription 'EXPRESS U.S. POST PAID 5'. I've seen
these labels in teh color brown on orange, brown on yellow and
brown on grey.
For stamps with inscription Baldwin's Railroad Postage or Baldwin R.R. Postage, click here.
Walker's Penny Post: A bogus issue, I have seen this stamp in the colours: black on red, black on yellow, black on lilac, black on green and brown. This forgery was made by Casey (see 'Philatelic forgers, their lives and works' by V.E.Tyler, 1976, for a short review of his life). It should be noted that forgeries of this bogus issue exist made by S.Allan Taylor (the 'R' of 'WALKER' has a straight foot).
'R' with straight foot
S.Allan Taylor was the leader of the 'Boston gang'; a group of forgers located in Boston (see 'Philatelic forgers, their lives and works' by V.E.Tyler, 1976, for a short review of his life). His bogus stamps bear inscriptions such as: Kers City Post, Little Wanderers Aid Society, Bowery Post Office, Warwick City Dispatch Post etc. etc. He also made forgeries of local US stamps.
Other literature: 'Bogus United States Stamps - Produced by S. Allan Taylor' by Judy M. Kersey, published in 1983. This 12 pages. Taylor operated from about 1862 to 1891 and made many forgeries and bogus United States stamps. Many of these exist printed in a variety of papers and in a wide range of colors. I haven't had a chance of reading this book myself.
(Bogus issue made by Taylor: Kers City post, for an imaginary
local post in Canada)