Stamp Auction Reference Site?

Is there a website where one can track a postal history item (cover) through auctions over the years? I have a cover that was in the H. R Harmer auction of FDR's collection, and I would love to see, if possible, where it was sold at auction, if at all, after the original Harmer auction. I guess what I am seeking is an auction database of some sort. Any thoughts?

Can you post a scan? There were literally thousands of covers from the FDR collection sold by H.R. Harmer (none were particularly valuable), mostly in large lots to stamp dealers, so unless a cover was exceptional, it would not be listed as a separate item.

More info here: https://goscf.com/t/48422

I don't know of any auction database of the type you are looking for. Some of the better known auction houses have their past auctions online, and those can be accessed. But unless this is an unusual item, it is not likely to have ever been sold as a single item by such auction houses. As Jenny2U noted, Harmer covers from FDRs collection have only nominal value.

This link will list some Harmer FDR covers that have sold on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Covers-/471...045573.m1684

Trusting Jenny2U & blcjr, I don't think you will find it, but the only auction price consolidator I know is at:

http://www.usphila.com/ ... stamp auction price consolidator

http://www.usphila.com/us/stamp/pri...t-220-page-1 ... Scott 220, including one used on cover

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

The only auctioneer that has anything like comprehensive data on their past sales is the Robert A. Siegel site. Scott Trepel has gone to extraordinary lengths to preserve the information concernring their sales. .

Hi Hanover.

As was mentioned by blcjr, items from the FDR collection have a very minimal value over the same item that is not marked as being from his collection, unless they are things like proofs of stamps and such that would otherwise have very high values on their own without the connection. Auction houses would not normally bother to sell FDR items individually if they are the typical minimal value items as it is not worth their bother to catalog and auction such an item individually given the cost to the auction house for each item they list and auction. Part of the reason that the FDR collection items have such minimal value above the same item that is not from the FDR collection is that the vast bulk of them were never seen or handled by FDR. Everyone and their cousin was sending him items "for his collection" to the point that there is no way he could have known of even a small fraction of what was sent to him. Think about how much fan mail the biggest celebrities of the day were getting - FDR was getting more because his collecting interest was made public.

As for the valuable items such as proofs of US stamps that came to him for his personal approval, there is controversy as to whether his estate had the right to sell those as technically they still belong to the US government. One takes a risk in buying such items in that in theory they could be seized at any time without compensation to the current owners.

Thanks for the informed replies. I tried to upload a pic of the cover but couldn't upload directly from my computer.

I'm not so much interested in the value of the cover, but where it might have been since the original auction - was it auctioned at other times?

I collect US Special Delivery postal history, and I bought this cover because it was addressed to FDR on board the cruiser USS Indianapolis in Rio de Janiero during his "Goodwill Tour" of South America in 1934. It is franked with E14 and 571, the $1 Lincoln Memorial stamp and was sent special delivery/airmail, a total of $1.20 in postage. The back of the envelope is marked that it was in the Harmer auction of FDR's collection. The Indianapolis later delivered the atom bomb to Tinian Island and was sunk by a Japanese submarine on its return trip to the West Coast, with much loss of life some due to shark attacks. So, the cover has appeal for several reasons. I am curious about how it would have reached FDR's ship from Detroit or if it may have been diverted to the White House - there are no receiving/backstamps.

In any case, I appreciate the comments you all have provided.