UNITED STATES LOCALS Overview

Return To Catalogue - United States Overview - Unidentified locals - Adam's to American Express Company - American Letter Mail to Blizzard Mail - D.O Blood & Co - Boyd City Express and Boyd's Dispatch - Bouton to Brigs - Broadway to Carters - Cheever&Towle to City Letter Express - City Mail Free Stamp to Cummings - Cuttings to Essex - Faunce's to Hall & Mill's - Hampton to Jefferson Market - Jenkins to McMillan - Hussey's local issues - Mason to Mills - Moody to Pomeroy - Price's to Smith - Spaulding to Sullivan's - Swarts - Teese's to Washington Despatch - Wells Fargo and Co - Westervelt to Zieber
Local issues in the Confederate States - Semi-official issues and Carriers - Postmaster issues part 1 - Postmaster issues part 2 - Postmaster issues part 3
Scott forgeries - 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.


ATTENTION: many of the local stamps of the United States are reprints or forgeries! I have never seen an area with more forgeries, reprints and even bogus issues than the locals and carriers of the United States in even non-existing colors. If I do not specifically state that an item is genuine in this catalogue, then I'm not sure that it is!

Specialist distinguish between postmaster issues (official issues before the general issues of the United States in1847), locals, carriers, express company labels etc. A usefull introduction on locals, carriers etc. can be found on: http://www.pennypost.org/Collecting%20US%20Locals%20by%20Hahn%201976%20Updated.pdf.

The most common locals are those of Blood's, Boyd's, Hussey's and Swart's. Most others are rare to extremely rare. I have decided to list these stamps anyway (even if only a few copies are known), so collectors can be warned against the many forgeries of these stamps.

In the following table I have tried to assemble all the locals, carriers, postmaster and bogus issues known to me.

Name Year of issue City Status Remarks
3rd Ave Post SR     Local  
8th Avenue Post office paid ? New York ? Colour red, see under Russell
Adams & Co Express 1854   Local  
Adam's City Express 1850 New York Local  
Alaska Carrier Pigeon Mail Service Company ?   Bogus? With image of pigeon, issued in many colors
Albany Letter Express     Bogus  
Alexandria 1846 Alexandria Postmaster  
Allen's Dispatch 1882      
Alliance Business College ? ? ? Bogus?
American Express Company 1856 New York Local  
American Letter Mail Co 1844 New York Local  
Annapolis 1846 Annapolis Postmaster Could be bogus
Athens 1861 Athens Ga Confederate  
Auner's Despatch Post     Local Extremely rare
Bakers City Express Post 1849   Local Very rare
Baldwin's Railroad Postage 1865 ? Bogus  
Baltimore       James.M. Buchanan
Barnard's Cariboo Express     Local  
Barnard's City Letter Express 1845   Local  
Barr's Penny Dispatch 1855      
Baton Rouge 1861 Baton Rouge Confederate  
Bayonne City Dispatch 1883   Local  
Beaumont 1861 Beaumont Tex Confederate  
Beckman's City Post 1860 Charleston Semi-official Extremely rare
Bentley's Dispatch 1857 New York Local  
Berford & Co 1851   Local  
Bicycle Mail Route 1894 Fresno and San Francisco Local  
Bishop's City Post 1854 Cleveland Carrier  
Blizzard Mail to N.Y.P.O 1888 New York Local  
Blood 1843 Philadelphia Local  
Boscawen stamp 1846 Boscawen Postmaster Only one copy known to exist
Bouton Manhattan Express 1848   Local  
Bouton City Dispatch Post 1848   Local  
Bowery Post Office ? ? Bogus Made by S.Allan Taylor
Boyce's City Express Post     Local  
Boyd's City Express   New York Local  
F. Bradley PM Paid ? - Bogus Bogus confederate stamp
Bradway Despatch   Millville Local  
Brady & Co 1857 New York Local  
Brady & Co Penny Post   Chicago Local  
Brainard & Co   New York Local  
Brattleboro 1846 Brattleboro Postmaster  
Bridge Despatch ? Columbia and Wrightsville ? Bronze on orange or bronze on yellow
Bridgeville 1861 Bridgeville Ala Confederate Extremely rare
Brigg's Despatch     Local  
Broadway Post-office 1849(?) New York Local  
Bronson & Forbes 1856-57   Local  
Brooklyn City Express 1853 Brooklyn Local  
Brown(e) & Co 1852   Local  
Brown(e) & Mc Gills 1857 Louisville Carrier  
Brown's City Post     ? Made for stamp collectors
Browne's Easton Despatch Post 1857   Local  
B.S & Co Boston     Bogus  
Buchanan (James M.) 1846 Baltimore Postmaster  
Buck's Express Richmond ? - Bogus Bogus confederate stamp
Buffalo City Despatch Post     Bogus No image available
Bury's City Post     Local  
Bush's Brooklyn City Express 1848-50 Brooklyn Local Extremely rare
C.&W. Bridge Despatch ? ? Bogus?  
California City Letter Express     Local  
California Penny Post Co     Local  
Mc Callaway 1861 Memphis Tenn Confederate  
Carnes 1864 San Francisco Local Bear
Carrier's Dispatch 1856 Baltimore Carrier 'Eye' stamp, actually a 1 c coin
Carter's Despatch     Local  
Central Post Office Bef. 1864 ? Bogus? 1 c black on yellow
Charleston 1861 Charleston SC Confederate  
Charleston P.O Paid ? - Bogus Picture of fort
Cheever & Towle   Boston Local  
Charlton (C.H.) 1861 Knoxville Tenn Confederate  
Chicago Penny Post 1862 Chicago Local  
Cie Franco Americaine       Steamship to right in oval, listed in Cd 2
Cincinnati City Delivery   Cincinnati Local  
City Despatch 1841 New York    
City Dispatch 1851 St.Louis Local Only two copies known
City Dispatch Post Office 1847 New Orleans    
City Dispatch Delivery 1860 Philadelphia Local Figure of justice in oval
City Express Post   New York ? Numeral of value in octagon
City Express Post   Philadelphia Local Extremely rare
City Express Post   New York Local  
City Express Messenger ? Australia - Issued in Australia
City Letter Express 1850   Local As Carnes design
City Letter Express 1856 Newark Local Extremely rare
City Mail Free Stamp 1845 New York Local Extremely rare
City Post 1854 Charleston Semi-official Extremely rare
Clark & Co 1857 New York Local  
Clark & Hall 1851 St.Louis Local Extremely rare
Clarke's Express 1865(?) New York Local Extremely rare
Clinton's Penny Post 185? Philadelphia Local Only two genuine stamps, many forgeries
Cole's City Post ? Charleston Bogus No image available
Coleman W.D. 1861 Danville Va Confederate Extremely rare
Colman & Law 1861 Gonzales Tex Confederate Extremely rare
Columbia P.O. Postage Paid ? - Bogus  
Cook's Dispatch 1853 Baltimore Local Only 5 stamps known
Cornwell Post Office Madison Square 1856 New York Local  
Crawford PM 1861 Athens Ga Confederate  
Cressman & Co's Penny Post 1856 Philadelphia Local  
Crosby's City Post 1870 New York Local Not very rare in unused condition
Cumming's City Post 1844 New York Local  
Cutting's Despatch Post 1847 Buffalo NY Local Only 1 copy (maybe 2) known

 

 

Name Year of issue City Status Remarks
Davis (R.E.) 1861 Pleasant Shade Va Confederate  
Davis Penny Post 1847 Baltimore Local Extremely rare
De Ming's Penny Post 1854 Frankford, Pa Local  
Donaldson's Despatch ? ? Bogus Made by S. Allan Taylor
Douglas City Dispatch 1879 New York Local  
Down's Dispatch     Bogus  
Dupuy & Schenck 1846 New York Local  
Dutch Flat Express ? ? Bogus Made by S.Allan Taylor (after a similar envelope)
Eagle City Post 1847 Philadelphia ? Adam's Express 80 Chestnut st.
Eagle Post Paid   Phildelphia Local at Adam's Express 48 So. 3rd.
East River P.O. 18 Ave D.   Philadelphia Local Steamship
Emory 1861 Emory Va Confederate  
Empire City Dispatch 1881 New York Local Not rare
Essex Letter Express ? Essex Local  
Excelsior E.B.C. Postage     Bogus? Excelsior Business College;
3 c red, man with flag
F.B.S (Friend's Boarding School) 1877 Barnesville, Ohio Label?  
Faunce's Penny Post 1885 Atlantic City Local  
Florida Express ? - Bogus Bogus confederate stamp
Floyd's Penny Post 1860 Chicago Local  
Flynn's Penny Post     Bogus  
Franklin City Despatch Post 1847 New York Local Bogus designs exist
Frazer & Co 1845 Cincinnati Local  
Fredericksb'g 1861 Fredericksburg Va Confederate  
Freeman & Co 1855? New York Local  
G.&H. City Express or 'G.&H City Delivery 1849 San Francisco Local  
Galatin 1861 Galatin Tenn Confederate  
Galveston ? - Bogus Bogus confederate stamp
Gauthier Freres & Co Cie Franco-Americaine       See Cd #2
Glen Haven Daily Mail 1848 Glen Haven N.Y Local  
Goliad 1861 Goliad Tex Confederate  
Gordon's City Express 1848 New York Local Rare
Government City Dispatch 1851 Baltimore Carrier Man on horseback
Grafflin's Despatch 1856 Baltimore Local  
Grand Trunk Railway     Bogus  
Mc Greeley Express 1898 Alaska Local?  
Greenville 1861 Greenville Ala Confederate Extremely rare
Grove Hill 1861 Grove Hill Ala Confederate Extremely rare
Gumm's Despatch Paid     ?  
Gunn's Despatch     Bogus Resembles Hamburger Booten bogus issue (Germany)
Guy's City Despatch 1879 Philadelphia Local  
H&B (Hackney & Bolte) 1886 Atlantic City Local  
Hacketts City Post     Bogus Exists in three totally different types.
Hale & Co 1844 Boston Local  
Hall & Mill's Free Despatch Post 1847 New York Local  
Hall & Neill's Free Despatch Post ?   Bogus  
Hampton T.A. 1847 Philadelphia Local  
Hanford's Pony Express 1845 New York Local  
Hanley's Express Post Letter Stamps     Bogus  
Harris G.S 1847 Philadelphia Local Extremely rare
Hartford 1844 Hartford Conn Local Man walking with bag of mail
Hartford Daily Mail - - Bogus Made by S.Allan Taylor
Helena 1861 Helena Tex Confederate Extremely rare
Hill's post 1849 Boston Local Very rare
Hinkleys Express Co 1855 New York Local Never put into use
Homan's Empire Express PAID 1852 New York Local Extremely rare
Honour's City Post 1849 Charleston Carrier  
Hopedale Penny Post 1849 Milford, Mass Local very rare
Hourly Express Post Letter Stamp Before 1864 - Bogus Made by S.Allan Taylor
Houston Tex Post Office ? - Bogus Bogus confederate stamp
J.A.Howell's City Despatch 184? Philadelphia Local Extremely rare
Hoogs & Madison Dispatch Post ? - Bogus issue  
Hoyt's Letter Express 1844 Rochester Local Very rare
Humboldt Express 1863 Nevada Local  
Hussey's   New York Local  
Hunt's Despatch     Bogus Two types, one made by Taylor
Independance 1861 Independance Tex Confederate  
International Letter Express Before 1864 - Bogus  
International Express Before 1864 - Bogus  
Mc Intires City Express 1859 New York Local  
Jabez Feary & Co     Local  
Jay's Despatch     Bogus?  
Jefferson Market Post Office 1850 New York Local Extremely rare
Jenkin's Camden Dispatch 1853 Camden N.J. Local  
Johnson (J.P.) 1861 Pittsylvania CH Va Confederate Extremely rare
Johnson (M.F.) 1861 Tellico Plains Tenn Confederate  
Johnson Box Before 1864 Philadelphia Label 'To the Post Office Every 2 Hours'
Johnson & Co 1848 Baltimore Local Extremely rare
Jones City Express 1845 Brooklyn Local  
Kellogg's Penny Post & City Despatch 1853 Cleveland Local  
Kers City Post Before 1864 Supposed to be in Canada Bogus Made by S. Allan Taylor
Kidder's City Express Post 1847 New York Local  
Kingman's City Post ? ? Bogus issue With image of train
Kingman's City Post 1851 Charleston Semi-official Extremely rare
Kingston 1861 Kingston Tenn Bogus Confederate  
Knoxville 1861 Knoxville Tenn Confederate  
Kurz E.H.L. Union Despatch 1853 New York Local Extremely rare
Langton's Pioneer Express 1863   Label  
Langton & Co Money Package ? - Bogus With image of ship
Mt Lebanon 1861 Mt Lebanon La Confederate  
Le Beau City Post ? ? Bogus Made by S. Allan Taylor
Ledger Dispatch 1882 Brooklyn Local  
Lee's Dispatch     Bogus  
Letter Express Free 1844 - Local  
Lenoir 1861 Lenoir NC Confederate  
Limestone Springs 1861 Limestone Springs S.C. Confederate  
Livingston 1861 Livingston Ala Confederate  
Lynchburg 1861 Lynchburg Va Confederate  
Lynchburg VA Paid ? - Bogus Bogus confederate stamp
Lockport 1846 Lockport NY Postmaster  
Locomotive Express Post 1847 New York Local Extremely rare
Macon 1861 Macon Ca Confederate  
Magic Letter Express 1865 Richmond Va Local Extremely rare
Marion 1861 Marion Va Confederate  
Martin's City Post        
Mason's 1850 New Orleans Local  
McCallaway 1861 Memphis Confederate  
McIntire City Express 1859 New York Local  
McMillan's Dispatch 1855 New York Local Extremely rare
Mearis M.W. 1846 Baltimore Local Rare
Memphis 1861 Memphis Tenn Confederate  
Menant & Co ? New Orleans Local  
Mercantile Library Delivery Stamp 1870 New York Local  
Messenkopes 1849 New York Local  
Metropolitan Express 1855 New York Local  
Metropolitan PO 1852 New York Local  
Millbury 1846 Millbury Postmaster Head of Washington
Mill's (G.A.) Free Despatch Post 1847 New York Local  
De Ming's Penny Post   Philadelphia Local  
Mobile 1861 Mobile Ala Confederate  
Moodie's City Dispatch Post - - Bogus?  
Moody (J.A.) 1861 Victoria Tex Confederate  
Moody Penny Despatch 1856 Chicago Local  
Morton Postage   Philadelphia Local  
Murr's Express Utah ? ? Bogus  

 

Name Year of issue City Status Remarks
Newburgh American Express ? Newburgh ? Crossed American flags in circle (blue on red)
New Haven 1845 New Haven Postmaster Envelopes only
New Haven and N.Y. Exp. Post ? - Bogus Taylor forgery
New Jersey Express ? New Jersey ? Envelopes?
New Smyrna 1861 New Smyrna Fla Confederate Extremely rare
New York City Express Post 1847 New York Local  
New York Post Office 1845 New York Postmaster  
NY City Post ? - Bogus Made by Taylor
Mc Nish 1861 Nashville Tenn Confederate  
Overton & Co Letter Express 1844 New York and Boston Local  
Page & Keyes, City Letter Express ? ? Bogus? 2 c black on lilac, 2 c black on blue, 2 c green
Pence D. 1861 Rheatown Tenn Confederate  
Penny Post 1850 Boston Carrier  
Penny Post ? ? Bogus With portrait of Washington
Penny Express Company 1866 ? ?  
Petersburg 1861 Petersburg Va Confederate  
Pinkney's Express Post 1851 New York Local Extremely rare
Pips Daily Mail ? New York Local  
Pomeroys Letter Express 1844 New York Local  
Post Office 1845 New York Postmaster  
Post Office Paid 1846 Millbury Postmaster  
Post Office Despatch 1852 Baltimore Carrier  
Prices City Express 1857 New York Local  
Price's Post Office 1854 New York Local Very rare
Priest Despatch 1851 Chicago Local  
Prince J.H. Letter Dispatch 1861 Portland (Maine) Local Steamship
Prince E.D. Letter Dispatch ? - Bogus Steamship
Providence 1846 Providence Postmaster 'Post Office Prov. R.I.' in an ellipse
Providence Despatch 1849 Providence Local  
Publishers PAID STAMP W.F. & Co's Express 1876 San Diego? Local  
Red River Post     Bogus  
Reed's City-Despatch Post 1853 San Fransisco Local Extremely rare
Richmond City Post ? - Bogus Bougs confederate stamp
Richmond Postage ? - Bogus Bogus confederate stamp
Richwood Despatch     Bogus?  
Ricketts & Hall 1857 Baltimore Local Extremely rare
Riddell (J.L.) 1861 New Orleans Confederate  
Roadman's Penny Post     Bogus Surrounded by a chain or flower border
Robison & Co 1855 New York Local  
Roche's City Dispatch 1850 Wilmington Del Local Extremely rare
Rogers' Penny Post 1856 Newark Local Only one stamp known to exist
Russell Post Office 1854 New York Local  
St.Louis bears 1845 St.Louis Postmaster  
St.Louis City Delivery 1883 St.Louis Local  
Salem 1861 Salem Va Confederate Extremely rare
Selma Ala PO CS Postage ? - Bogus Bogus confederate stamp
Smith's City Express Before 1864 New York   Also several bogus labels
Smith's Mountain Express ? ? Bogus?  
Souter and Co City Letter Express     ? Head to right in oval
Sparta Alabama W.Beard P.M ? - Bogus Bogus confederate stamp
Spartanburg 1861 Spartanburg SC Confederate Extremely rare
Spaulding's Penny Post 1847 Buffalo Local Extremely rare
Spence & Brown Express 1848(?) Philadelphia Local Extremely rare
Springside Post Office     Bogus  
Squier & Co 1859 St. Louis Local  
Squire's City Express Post ? - Bogus (Taylor) Star in ellipse
Stait W. of the City Despatch ? New York (?) ? '48 S 3rd St. will call for contributions, by authority of the cheap postage committee'
Stait's Despatch ? ? ? 'STAIT'S DEPATCH S.Third Street PAID'
Staten Island Express Post 1849 New York Local  
Statesville N.C. Prepaid ? - Bogus Bogus confederate stamp
Steinmeyer's City Post 1858 Charleston Carrier  
Stringer & Morton's City Despatch 1850 Baltimore Local  
Sullivan's Dispatch Post 1853 Cincinnati Local  
Swarts 1849 New York Local  
Tabernacle Fair ? - Bogus Made by the forger Taylor
Teese & Co 1852 Philadelphia Local  
Telegraph Despatch 1848 Philadelphia Local Rare
Thompson and Co ? Albany ? American Express, no value
Tuscumbia 1858 Tuscumbia Ala Postmaster Envelope
U.States Letter Express     Bogus With portrait of Washington
United States City Despatch Post 1841 New York    
Uniontown 1861 Uniontown Ala Confederate  
Union Despatch ? Chicago Local Many forgeries exist
Union Square   New York Local  
US Mail Prepaid 1846 New York Carrier  
US Penny Post 1849 St.Louis Carrier  
U.S.P.O 1849 Philadelphia Carrier  
W.F.&Co's Express 1876 ? Local See under Publishers' Paid Stamp
Walker's Penny Post       Bogus issue made by Casey
Walton&Co City Express 1846 Brooklyn NY Local  
Wand & Davis' Express ? ? Bogus?  
Warwick City Dispatch Post ? ? Bogus Made by Taylor?
Washington Despatch 1856 Washington and Baltimore Local Also exists with 'Washington City' erased to be used in Baltimore
Weldon ? - Bogus Bogus confederate stamp
Wells Fargo and Co 1861   Local  
West Town   Philadelphia Local (Boarding School)
Westervelt's Post   Chester NY Local  
Whartons 1857 Louisville Local  
Whittelseys Express 1857   Local  
Wilmington Paid ? - Bogus Bogus confederate stamp
Winan's City Post Before 1864 ? Bogus  
Wood&Co 1856 Baltimore Local Extremely rare
Wyman W. 1844 Boston to New York Local Train with carriage
Zieber's Dispatch 1851 Pittsburgh Local Extremely rare

Sanitary fair stamps and Bazaar post

Sanitairy fair stamps are unofficial stamps issued by the Sanitary Fair Commission in order to raise funds for the Union troops (sometimes these stamps are considered as a forerunner of a red cross issue). The first sanitary fair stamp was issued in 1863 with inscription 'Young Ladies of Brooklyn Bazaar'. Examples:


Images obtained from a Rumsey auction

I have seen forgeries of this stamp
Brooklyn Sanitary Fair postage; green. A black stamp also seems to exist. Image obtained from a Rumsey auction. A first forgery doesn't have shading in the letters of 'FAIR'. A second forgery is described in the Scott catalogue ('T' and second 'A' of 'SANITARY' different)..

There are other sanitary fair stamps with inscription 'NATIONAL SAILORS FAIR' (10 c green, issued in 1864, sorry no picture available yet).

Image obtained from a Shreves auction
Bazaar Post Office


Three kinds of forgeries exist (listed in the Scott catalogue). This is probably one of these forgeries, the head of the eagle is very close to the 'T'


Another forgery; I've also seen it in the color blue.

The above stamp was issued in 1864 for a army relief bazaar in Albany, New York. A 10 c red and 10 c black exist. I have seen forgeries in the colours blue, black, green and red.

Stamps with inscription Tabernacle Fair were made by the forger Taylor.


(Image obtained from a Siegel auction)

Some other bazaar stamps with inscription 'Bazaar Post Office' stamp were issued in 1864 with an eagle in the design (value 10 c; colours blue, red or black). See image above.

Again another design with an eagle with the text 'CENTRAL FAIR POSTAGE SANITARY COMMISION' was also issued in 1864 (values 10 c blue, 20 c green and 30 c black); see image above.
Be careful when acquiring cancelled stamps (these stamps are worth about 10 times more in cancelled condition). Even quite recently (October 2002), unused stamps were for sale on E-bay, to show up one month later in cancelled condtion on the same internet auction platform ! (source: http://www.pcug.org.au/~sheryll/Forgeries/Fraud/Forgeries_article_Fraud.htm ). Reprints and proofs seem to exist in relative large quantities (also in bogus colors; source Scott catalogue).

Finally there exist some Soldier Fair stamps:

1) Inscription 'SOLDIERS FAIR Springfield Mass' (value 10 c lilac, 1864)


I'm not sure if this stamp is genuine.


Forgery.


Another forgery without the engraver's name at the bottom right hand side.

2) Inscription 'SOLDIERS FAIR STAMFORD' (value 15 c brown, 1864)

Image obtained from a Shreves auction

Forgeries exist, examples:


Forgeries of the Stamford Soldiers Fair, reduced sizes. When compared to the above image, the soldier is standing much straighter. The 'S' of 'CENTS' is also slanting. I've seen other colours of this forgery: light brown, green, black on light blue, black.


Express company labels

Examples:


(Fiske & Rice's Express, train: express company label, found on http://alphabetilately.com/US-trains-00.html )

At least one forgery is known of the Fiske&Rice label.


'Bigelow's Express', image found on http://alphabetilately.com/US-trains-00.html

Bigelow's Express operated in Boston (1848-51), it then sold its route to Fiske&Rice (see label above). No forgeries are known of this label.


RETURN STAMPS

Inscription 'IF NOT DELIVERED IN 6 DAYS RETURN TO NATIONAL LETTER RETURN ASSOCIATION CHICAGO'.


(Reduced size)


Essays of local stamps


Essay with image of Franklin, inscription 'ALBANY OFFICE POSTAGE' (I've also seen it in the colors black, red and brown) and another essay in a similar design. They were apparently made in Albany.


Later issues

1960, triangular stamp, 'Shrub oak (N.Y.) local post', trees


Army Frank Stamps


(Reduced sizes)

The above stamps with inscription 'ARMY FRANK OFFICIAL BUSINESS ONLY', are bogus issues. They were made in 1898 by a certain Major Brewster Cox Kenyon (1864-?). Remainders were sold in 1903. They only exist in the colours blue, red and brown (as above shown). This person also made the bogus Central American Steamship Co stamps.


College Labels

The next stamp has the inscription 'COLLEGE STAMP', I have no further information about its origins:


Literature

Larry Lyons: 'Identifier for Carriers, Locals, Fakes, Forgeries and Bogus Posts of the United States' (3 volumes)

Donald Scott Patton: 'The Private Local Posts of the United States', (1967)

I have unfortunately not yet been able to read one of the above books myself.

Scott Specialized Catalogue.

The carriers and locals society website: http://www.pennypost.org/


Copyright by Evert Klaseboer