red octagon (Clarke 528a) on folded letter to Charles Toppan in Paris, France, red "New York Br. Pkt. Jun 29" exchange datestamp, carried aboard Cunard's Asia, London and Paris transits, forwarded to Bale, Switzerland, fine, the firm of Toppan, Carpenter & Co. held the contract to print United States postage stamps from 1851 to 1861