"The Hunt Collection" 1835-1875

The black horizontal pencil mark running through the Sep 22 Providence stamp is a control mark, and of special interest to the author of the below article. Do you have any more of those?

http://www.uspcs.org/resource-cente...7-adhesives/

Great article.

Sweet Gravy Marie! What an incredible collection.

Hi CC,

Excellent catch! What an interesting link. Boy did
I have high hopes when I read about the rejoined pair.
Looking through the covers, unfortunately I did not see
another.

In reference to an earlier subject. Since the majority
of the covers are between husband and wife over many years,
what is the possibility of George Hunt buying multiples of
certain stamps and applying them later.

I know you stated:

"Do you mean the same sheets? Same plates--Likely; same sheets--highly unlikely.

Back then most letters were carried to the post office and handed to a postal clerk, who cut a stamp from a sheet at the counter and affixed it to the letter. Most people didn't go to the post office, buy a bunch of stamps, and take them home to use later like we have in
the last 100 years."

I looked twice and could not find someone else's response.
I recall someone stating in an earlier thread that
it could be possible. I understand you also left room for that possibility. Thought the subject may be of interest.

I have not posted in any chronological order. It is an
interesting concept to look for. I wish I had the knowledge
to do so. I do not see that happening anytime soon.

To stampcrow, I agree, what an interesting link!

To jamesw, Thank you for your compliment.

A seventh group of covers;

An eighth group of covers;

A ninth group of covers;

Bob,

My first point is not a point of any major importance, but more of a clarification. The link that CC gave at the top of this page to the Chronicle article points to a true "collection." Items in a collection are selected to fit specific criteria, and organized to demonstrate something. The covers you are showing us have the commonality of having been archived by someone first involved in creating them for the purpose of conveying messages. The philatelic details, as much as we revel in those today, were incidental to the larger purpose the originator had for the letters. The term philatelists use for an assemblage like that is not "collection" but "correspondence."

Now let me get to a suggestion of greater substance:
You are giving us first hand exposure to the unstudied and so far unpublished "Hunt correspondence" from the 1850s and later. It is a rare treat to see this unfold, and I thank you for the honor of letting us see this. But let me encourage you to take it to the next level, and that is to tell the story this correspondence tells, and consider publishing that story in the American Philatelist. Not only will that contribute to our store of knowledge about a slice of Americana in Providence and other places, through the eyes of an attorney and his wife in the late 1850s, but it will also greatly magnify the significance of the items you eventually wish to sell. How much? That depends on how the story is told.

Let me also suggest that you search on the word "correspondence" at the USPCS Chronicle website and in the APRL listings at the APS website. This is sure to provide you with examples of how a correspondence may be made historically or philatelically interesting.

Please recognize that for now you have something that ought not be broken up until it has been examined for its potential content by people who understand this more than you do at present. If you have the interest and ambition, you yourself could make an interesting contribution to the annals of philately, and I encourage you to look into it.

Hi essayk,
Thank you for your all of your thoughts.
Now I understand why this should be
called a "correspondence".

Honestly my jaw is still on the floor.
Humbled by your considering this correspondence
worthy of even possibly being published.

Thought I was boring everyone.
It had been quiet in between some of my posts.

I have been to a number of stamp shows. Each time
seeing dealers with boxes and boxes of covers. Thought
those boxes were filled with many of the same things that
I have. If I thought it was special, we would not have sold 24
on ebay.

Hate to even bring up the issue of my # 500 block. However, if I didn't come to SCF for a second opinion. I would not have been side-tracked. I would have continued on course. Selling many items including all of these covers and letters. For that I am thankful.

Looked at the USPCS site. Saw they have 647 correspondences.
Would love to explore the possibility. Not sure what it would take. Like my Dad did before me, I love to tell stories.

I have read so many of your threads and posts.
It is admirable how freely you share and teach others. Maybe with guidance I can try. "Try to take it to my highest ground".

I will continue on course tomorrow.

I think it is good to keep correspondences together so that the value of that unit, monetary or otherwise, is preserved. I disagree that "publishing" the correspondence is a way to turn lead into gold. There has to be something compelling about the story.

Hi sinclair2010;

Thanks again for your support in getting this
thread started. I plan to take a closer look at the content.
Maybe transcribing the letters will help.

I will never expect this group to turn into gold.
If just to a shinier or more polished lead, that would
be fine with me.


A tenth group;

Thought we would put out a second group today.

An eleventh group;

This interesting thread inspired me to finally light from my perch as a reader for several years and to register here!

As a lifelong resident and student of Rhode Island history, I am very familiar with the addresses on much of the mail. They are all within the shadow of Brown University. Benefit St. was the first street laid out by the town 'for the benefit of ye People' around the time of the Revolution, and 49 Benefit is still a owner occupied home--a huge wood frame Colonial dating to before 1800. If I owned that house, I would be happy to own a letter which had been mailed to that house a hundred fifty years ago! Just the steep up hill walk two blocks, 45 and 62 Prospect are multi-million dollar 19th century brick mansions set diagonally opposite each other one owned by Brown U. and one by R. I. School of Design. All three houses bear plaques as National Historic Register properties.

These few blocks of land between Brown and RISD and Nprth Main Street, Providence are one of the most historic areas of Colonial America. When you walk there, it just oozes out of the walls and sidewalks and trees and envelopes you. So, I do know that there was an Eveline or Evelina Metcalf who married a George Hunt. She was a daughter of an early Jesse Metcalf. We know that the Metcalf family owned the Providence Journal Company and also a string of textile mills. This century saw a Jesse Metcalf as U.S. Senator. Your great great grandmother may have been a member of one of the most prestigious families in America.

Based upon this historic information, I would think it would behove you to enquire of the R. I. Historical Society either at 110 Benevolent St.(The Winthrop Aldrich Mansion) or the main library on Hope St. to see if they would have interest in this intact archive. They may be interested in material relating to society, business, commerce, medical news and famous family interrelationships .

To Hoxie454,
Welcome to the fold!

Again I am humbled and close to being speechless.
I am familiar with Benefit and Prospect Streets.
I was unaware that the Metcalf family was the Providence
Journal Metcalf's. I do have a cover to Jessie Metcalf.

To clarify. It was my Great,Great,Grandfather on my
mother's side, Levi Lyman Burdon. I do have the history in regards to him. Some of his inventions are still in the Providence RI Jewelry Museum.
I believe this group of covers may have been given to him by George Hunt.

Providence RI was the jewelry capital of the world during that time.
After a number of years Levi achieved a process in his gold refining,
that the industry tried and deemed impossible. That transported him to the top of the "chain" gold that is. That is another story.
It may be relevant to the compelling story that I am looking for.
I have found three revenue stamps with Levi's initials, LLB on them.

A twelfth group of covers;

I count 6 certs from PSE on the first two pages of this thread, all from Nov 3, 2009. If it's not being too nosy or impertinent, may I ask what was happening back then that prompted the move to get those pieces certified? Please don't respond to that if it's personal. But if someone advised that for those pieces, I'd like to hear the story. Cur alii, alii non?

Hi essayk,

I have mentioned in previous threads my trip to NYC
in 2009 to a stamp show. I was clueless. As stated I
brought 82 items to be certified. Until now I have mostly
complained about the twelve 26's & the twelve 65's that PSE certified
for me.
Ten or so years ago, being an only child, I started to look closer at many things. I had logged onto Robert A. Siegel Auction Gallery and for a short while I thought I may become a philanthropist. Not to be confused with a philatelist. I have five of these and ten of those. When I got my certs back - I woke up. Mostly with grades as low as five, tens, twenties. They have mostly been on the back burner since.

I now find it amazing. Being curious about many things, I made the call to Seigle. Over a number of years, I would call there with questions. Corey Long @ Siegel always took my personal calls. I would enjoy speaking with him. Mostly things I could have learned from SCF. This correspondence was never mentioned. I did not think it was worthy.

Earlier this year I called him regarding a different attorney's early communication (1914). I will save that for another day!

It was completely random how we choose what went and what
didn't go to PSE. No advice. By then my dear late father
had lost one eye completely and his other hemorrhaged with
wet macular degeneration, leaving him virtually blind.
He was my best friend.

When I started on ebay in August of this year,
my first ten items were Duck Stamps. What we chose to put on the market has been trial and error since.

I would love to post some of my Levi L. Burdon story.
Maybe as an intermission on this thread. There is postal history in it.
A letter in cover from Lucretia Garfield. after her husband the President, was assassinated. Two letters from Major General A.E Burnside. And the General's last communication known of, by way of telegraph.