Newfoundland 1897 Cover With Railway Postmark

This is a cover (front only) I'd like to know more about. It has a couple of postmarks, both dated MY 8 97. The one on the left says RAILWAY. T.P.O. NEWFD. The other could be HARBOUR GRACE.

Railway TPO was from St John's to Port aux Basques.

I would guess the Harbor Grace is a receiving mark.

I was going to put in a bid on this but have 2nd thoughts ... I think it is a nice Mourning Cover.

jimjung..Any re-entry on that stamp..?

Robert

I have no idea about that one. I didn't bid but I would've thought Tommy would have ...

As for the 3 x 1c cover front, there is no re-entry on those stamps that are on the cover.

Yes..Tommy owns Newfoundland...We should force him to return all his collection to Canada....haha

Robert

wert
what is your definition of a re-entry ? Thanks !
Rene

Renden, try here for re-entries.

https://goscf.com/t/43291&SearchTer...entry,rentry

Also: http://www.re-entries.com/

Renden...here is a re-entry from re-entry.com...Same as my stamp.
Robert

Jimjung,

Just back last week from the BNAPs show in Fredericton (interesting). I missed this posting.

First--the RPO cover you posted. I assume you know the stamp number (the green prince, if not let me know). There is one cancel at Harbour Grace--looks like May 8, 1897. We know this because the letter is addressed there. this is the "backstamp" which sometimes is on the back, and some time on the front--but from the receiving post office.
The other cancel is somewhat unique because it is an RPO or TPO (a post office on a train, or rail...but also there were boats and other traveling locales). Its nice and somewhat unique to have this because it means it was mailed on the train. There are two great resources to identify definitively the cancel : Walsh's Newfoundland Specialized Stamp Catalog (which is a MUST for anyone who has more than 100 NFLD stamps) and also Ludlow's 1982 Catalog of Railway Cancelations. I have both and here are your details: Walsh : this is RY94, with a type 4J cancel. Ludlow : classified as N-81 and used from 1886 to 1898 per Ludlow page 21. According to Ludlow, he classified these based on a huge study he made of examples and assigned "Rarity Factors" or RF. 1 is common and 500 rare. This one he classifies with a RF of 215. As a general rule it is sort of magical and subjective on these RFs, but Ludlow has become the defacto for them and people do pay more or less as a guideline. in my view--it add a little bit of value (25% or so) to the value of the cover just because but 215 is a lower RF.

The mourning cover is VERY interesting. Where did you see it? Did you buy it? As a coincidence, I just acquired one--this is #25 (i'll upload later to share).. and fewer than 50 are cataloged and known to exist. There is a census of all these covers (by a scholar and famous collector Sammy Whaley), with images and details and I have that census. The cover above is NOT listed in there which raises some question on its validity. However, there are several other #25 on near identical covers in March 1868 and in this year from Trinity to St Johns to the same "Walter Smith" ! so it is also possible that it is a legit cover and I would get it and have it certified by VGG. Either do so, or please let me know where you see it and I will buy it. Thanks

Here is a similar brown seal cover that joined my collection.

Tommy; too bad I didn't know you were coming to Fredericton; we could have met. I was there for part of Saturday. Did you find anything of interest?

NB : Dang! Sorry about that, it was sort of a last minute thing but I'm surprised we did not bump into each other, as I was trying to pickpocket or corner everyone to buy NFLD covers. I found about 8 covers, but nothing monumental. I did find a very rare Aniline stamp of a Newfoundland issue. It was a good show, but long way to travel to see dealers and people who can be interacted with via internet. The VGG crew were great and GPortch's presentation was solid. Some of the exhibits were nice too and all the NFLD ones took gold--especially liked JCMichaud's postage due ; Rob Moore's St Johns Cancel and the great John Walsh's exhibit too. Next time or maybe at the Royal in Montreal