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