Early US postal cards from Constellation Collection set for auction

The superb Constellation Collection of US Advertising Postal Cards is set to star at Daniel F Kelleher Auctions on September 11 in Connecticut.

US postal cards
The Fifth Cincinnati Industrial Exposition was the largest held in the US, yet postcards are extremely rare


The highlight of the collection is a fantastic example from the Fifth Cincinnati Industrial Exposition of 1874, which was the largest event of its kind ever held in the US. The scarcest sub-type of this postcard, showing the illustration with all four corner squares of the vignette, it is estimated at $2,000-3,000.


The illustrations chart early American advertising history


The postcards are particularly prized for the wonderful vintage illustrations. A superb example of this is the American Coffee, Drug and Spice Mills chromolithic advertisement, which is a rare multicoloured card and is valued at $1,000-1,500.

The collection also incorporates fancy cancels and rare usages of the postcards, led by an example sent from Bloomington on October 10, 1874, which features a blue circular datestamp and fancy "laughing man in circle" cancel.

Thought to be unique, it is expected to sell for $750-1,000.

Also potentially unique is a 1876 postcard cancelled with "HAYES", a presidential campaign cancel for Rutherford B Hayes, later the 19th president of the United States. It is also estimated at $750-1,000.

Paul Fraser Collectibles has an impressive selection of rare stamps for sale.


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