Alexandria “Blue Boy”
Icon of American Philately
The “Blue Boy” is much more than just a postage stamp. It is a story of star-crossed lovers. It is an icon of philately that has captivated generation after generation. It is a void that has plagued the albums of all but a handful of collectors. It is, in short, a thread in the fabric of American history, and the opportunity to own such items only rarely arises. We are honored have been the ones to return this remarkable item once again to the philatelic marketplace. The “Blue Boy” was the first lot in our June 22, 2019 auction.
The uniqueness of the “Blue Boy,” combined with the incredibly unlikely and romantic story of its use and eventual preservation, make this a singularly celebrated and desirable cover in all of American philately.
For our full description of this remarkable item, click here.
Provenance: George H. Worthington (Private Transaction, 1915), Henry C. Gibson (Private Transaction, 1922), Alfred H. Caspary (H.R. Harmer Sale 967, 1955), Josiah K. Lilly, Jr. (R.A. Siegel Sale 312, 1967), John R. Boker, Jr. (Private Transaction)
Hammer Price: $1,000,000
Over the coming years, H.R. Harmer will be conducting sales of the ERIVAN Collection of United States Postal History in New York City. Included in the ERIVAN Collection are many of the most celebrated items in all of American philately, including some which have not been on the auction block for decades.
Auction catalogues for future sales will be published approximately every six months, in the spring and in the fall. In the meantime, we invite you to learn more about the items held in this fascinating collection, as well as the man who spent a lifetime putting it together.
The fourth sale of the ERIVAN Collection of United States Postal History will take place on Thursday, December 10, 2020 at 3:30PM Eastern at our offices in Midtown Manhattan. Due to the current global pandemic we will be taking all possible safety precautions and space will be very limited; please contact us as soon as possible if you are interested in attending in person. The catalogue will be released at the beginning of November; in the meantime, we have added a few select images from this forthcoming sale to our Gallery of Iconic Items from the ERIVAN Collection.