Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Here is an interesting cover in my collection. I first saw the negative numeral 2 cancel from Portland and then saw the addressee’s name and thought it might be connected to H.W. Longfellow. After a little research on the Internet I found out that I was correct.A. (Alexander) W. Longfellow is the nephew of H.W. Longfellow. H.W passed away about six weeks after this envelope was mailed. Alexander was a noted architect of the time. He helped design many famous buildings including The Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh.
The sender of this envelope is H.H. Richardson, another famous architect. He designed buildings in Albany, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago and Pittsburgh. There is a style of architecture named after him, Richardson Romanesque. Along with Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright the three were recognized as the Trinity of American Architecture.
Now for the markings. It looks like Richardson mailed this from Washington DC on February 6, 1882. It was received at the Portland Maine office on the 7th. It had to be forwarded to the correct address on the 8th. It appears an additional stamp was added for that service with the negative numeral 2 cancel.There is a carrier marking on the back with a February 8th date.
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04:41:39pm
Very Nice! 
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Lovely fancy cancel. I also find the Portland, ME "Carrier" cds very interesting.
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Vinman,
Thank you very much for sharing this. I just love postal history that tells a story.
Regards ... Tim.
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Postal Historians are the real stamp collectors-at least according to my wife. My style of collecting (I'm a Magpie you see) garners no respect at all. I also appreciate the story and research that goes into being a cover collector/postal historian, but sadly my DNA doesn't respond to that area of collecting-somehow I just love the hunt, finding a bargain, going the way the wind blows so to speak.
Hats off to you and the other historians-and thanks for the sharing.
Best,
Dan C.
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06:48:13am
Dan,
Sometimes I almost believe that I am your clone.
Bobby the magpie
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OK
so where DOES Longfellow live? We can see where he doesn't live, but there is NO forwarding address. Nor is there an RTS marking.
and why the extra three cents? Was it overweight (not meant pejoratively)? Forwarding is free if the service doesn't change. There's no DUE marking, but it appears the extra 3c iss added in Portland, not Washington.
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10:23:38am
I do not believe the sender is Richardson, and I think that answers David's question of where it went, as well.
As far as I see, there is no return address. It was forwarded to : CARE {of} HH Richardson Brookline Mass. i.e. Longfellow was likely visiting Richardson.
The additional 3c was probably paid for remailing. Either because the re-sender did not know that forwarding was free, or the cover had been opened, which I understand invalidates free forwarding.
Roy
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that makes sense, Roy. In fact, if you are correct that it is NOW going to Richardson, it is not being forwarded at all, but sent to another individual, and that, regardless of the opening, would require a fee.
I love all this detective work, especially when it looks like we're making progress.
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Dan, I am also a magpie collector, that's how I came across this cover.
I don't think this cover ever was in Brookline, MA because there are no markings from Brookline. Now you guys have me researching A W longfellow's address at the time. Fun stuff.
Thanks for the input.
Vince
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Roy,
I think you are correct. From Washington DC to Longfellow in Portland. Forwarded to Richardson in Brookline with an additional three cents added. Still missing a brookline marking though.
Vince
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the absence of a Brookline receiving or transit mark doesn't mean it wasn't there, only that no clerk stamped it.
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Here is an interesting cover in my collection. I first saw the negative numeral 2 cancel from Portland and then saw the addressee’s name and thought it might be connected to H.W. Longfellow. After a little research on the Internet I found out that I was correct.
A. (Alexander) W. Longfellow is the nephew of H.W. Longfellow. H.W passed away about six weeks after this envelope was mailed. Alexander was a noted architect of the time. He helped design many famous buildings including The Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh.
The sender of this envelope is H.H. Richardson, another famous architect. He designed buildings in Albany, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago and Pittsburgh. There is a style of architecture named after him, Richardson Romanesque. Along with Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright the three were recognized as the Trinity of American Architecture.
Now for the markings. It looks like Richardson mailed this from Washington DC on February 6, 1882. It was received at the Portland Maine office on the 7th. It had to be forwarded to the correct address on the 8th. It appears an additional stamp was added for that service with the negative numeral 2 cancel.There is a carrier marking on the back with a February 8th date.
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28 May 2014
04:41:39pm
re: An Interesting Cover In My Collection
Very Nice!
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re: An Interesting Cover In My Collection
Lovely fancy cancel. I also find the Portland, ME "Carrier" cds very interesting.
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re: An Interesting Cover In My Collection
Vinman,
Thank you very much for sharing this. I just love postal history that tells a story.
Regards ... Tim.
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this post
re: An Interesting Cover In My Collection
Postal Historians are the real stamp collectors-at least according to my wife. My style of collecting (I'm a Magpie you see) garners no respect at all. I also appreciate the story and research that goes into being a cover collector/postal historian, but sadly my DNA doesn't respond to that area of collecting-somehow I just love the hunt, finding a bargain, going the way the wind blows so to speak.
Hats off to you and the other historians-and thanks for the sharing.
Best,
Dan C.
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They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin
29 May 2014
06:48:13am
re: An Interesting Cover In My Collection
Dan,
Sometimes I almost believe that I am your clone.
Bobby the magpie
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re: An Interesting Cover In My Collection
OK
so where DOES Longfellow live? We can see where he doesn't live, but there is NO forwarding address. Nor is there an RTS marking.
and why the extra three cents? Was it overweight (not meant pejoratively)? Forwarding is free if the service doesn't change. There's no DUE marking, but it appears the extra 3c iss added in Portland, not Washington.
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29 May 2014
10:23:38am
re: An Interesting Cover In My Collection
I do not believe the sender is Richardson, and I think that answers David's question of where it went, as well.
As far as I see, there is no return address. It was forwarded to : CARE {of} HH Richardson Brookline Mass. i.e. Longfellow was likely visiting Richardson.
The additional 3c was probably paid for remailing. Either because the re-sender did not know that forwarding was free, or the cover had been opened, which I understand invalidates free forwarding.
Roy
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re: An Interesting Cover In My Collection
that makes sense, Roy. In fact, if you are correct that it is NOW going to Richardson, it is not being forwarded at all, but sent to another individual, and that, regardless of the opening, would require a fee.
I love all this detective work, especially when it looks like we're making progress.
Login to Like
this post
re: An Interesting Cover In My Collection
Dan, I am also a magpie collector, that's how I came across this cover.
I don't think this cover ever was in Brookline, MA because there are no markings from Brookline. Now you guys have me researching A W longfellow's address at the time. Fun stuff.
Thanks for the input.
Vince
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re: An Interesting Cover In My Collection
Roy,
I think you are correct. From Washington DC to Longfellow in Portland. Forwarded to Richardson in Brookline with an additional three cents added. Still missing a brookline marking though.
Vince
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re: An Interesting Cover In My Collection
the absence of a Brookline receiving or transit mark doesn't mean it wasn't there, only that no clerk stamped it.
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