position 15, margins large to clear at bottom, portion of adjacent stamp at top, cancelled by red "Paid" in arc and small framed "US" of the US City Despatch, "Paid" repeated at left, red "Washington City D.C. Dec 5" datestamp and "5" rate, on 1845 incoming folded letter to New York City street address (for carrier delivery), repaired spindle hole, very fine, one of three recorded usages of the New York provisional from Washington, illustrated in the Piller book (page 83), USPCS Census #20415, 2022 Philatelic Foundation certificate
Provenance: Alfred H. Caspary (H.R. Harmer, Sale 967, 1955)
Ambassador J. William Middendorf II (Richard C. Frajola, 1990)