Harmer-Schau Auctions

Sale 110


 
Lot 1048



U.S.; Private Vending Coil, Parkhurst Company; 1906, 1¢ Blue Green, Vertical Coil on Unique Cover, #314V, Per certificate, "Parkhurst coil single, Indianapolis in 1908 ("SEP 3 6 PM STA. A") Duplex Cancel on Picture Post Card. …It is a Genuine Usage, With Four Tiny Indentations At The bottom Of The Stamp Made By The 'Pin Perforations' Of The Parkhurst Vending Machine.", it is also docketed in pencil at left "Sept 3-08 4:00 P.M.", noting "Still a Democrat," addressed to Noblesville, Ind. The vending perforation holes can be distinctly seen both at top and bottom. Layton Parkhurst invented the Parkhurst Stamp-Vending Machine in early 1908 in Indianapolis. Parkhurst entered the 1907 Post Office Department (POD) competition to manufacture a practical stamp vending machine to sell postage stamps at post offices after regular business hours. His application was accepted. PF (2015) cert. In February 1908 the POD instructed the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to manufacture and ship vertically coiled, perforated 1¢, 2¢, and 5¢ stamps to the Parkhurst Company, which was done. Those rare government coils were dispensed and properly used, but the pasted joins were so irregular that they caused his vending machine mechanism to jam. Only one or two covers mailed at Indianapolis in 1908 have survived. To solve that problem, Parkhurst built and patented his own stripping machine, with which he manufactured his own coils, both perforated and imperforate, from imperforate sheets supplied by the POD. The stamp on this card is a rare imperforate 1¢ coil stamp dispensed by a Parkhurst vending machine and a unique usage of the Scott #314V. There are a few subsequent Washington-Franklin coils on cover with Parkhurst vending machine marks, but this is the earliest example of a GOVERNMENT issued stamp dispensed by a Parkhurst vending machine .
Estimate $12,000-15,000.

 
Realized $14,950



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Two Pence Blue