Auction Detail

15L1, Philadelphia Despatch Post, 1842 3c Red, octagonal margins, red "Paid" and large "3" with manuscript "R&Co", tied by red "Philadelphia Pa. Apr 20" datestamp on 1843 folded letter to New York, mansucript "12½" rate, extremely fine and especially desirable with the stamp tied by such a crisp datestamp, just 14 covers recorded by Dr. Vernon Morris with this being the second earliest example, in reviewing the photographic census we believe this to be the finest cover with this stamp in existence, made even more appealing by the fact that it has never appeared at public auction, 2022 Philatelic Foundation certificate (Scott $5,000 for untied on cover, not priced tied) A 2013 Penny Post article Dr. Vernon R. Morris, Jr. (Vol. 21, No. 2) records 14 covers with 15L1, all used between February 15 and November 8, 1843 (R.A. Siegel reports 15 covers). The cover offered here is #2 in Morris's census. Following the British "Penny Black" and Greig's City Despatch Post in New York City, the Philadelphia Despatch Post was only the third entity in the world to issue stamps for the prepayment of postage (15L1, 3c red on bluish, and the earlier 15L2, 3c Black), both of which are extremely scarce. To this end, Morris states that "15L1 participated in the advancement of written communication through specialization and innovation of postal service dedicated and restricted solely to local service in one city." Although primitive in design, the Philadelphia Despatch Post stamps represent an important step in the develpment of the American postal system.

15L5, D.O. Blood & Co., Philadelphia, PA, 1845 (2c) Black, tied by manuscript "X" on local folded cover, "City Despatch D.O. Blood & Co. 2 Cts." double circle handstamp at left, stamp with small margin nick at top from manuscript cancel and cover quite wrinkled, not listed in Dr. Vernon Morris's census of the issue (Penny Post Vol. 22, No. 1) which records only four covers with the stamp tied amongst 54 known examples, fine and rare thus, 2022 Philatelic Foundation certificate erroneously calling the stamp 15L3 (Scott $800 for untied)

18L2, Bouton's City Dispatch Post, New York, NY, 1848 2c Black on Gray blue, full-margined single tied by "Paid Bouton" handstamp in red, matching "Bouton's City Dispatch Post" oval alongside, on locally-addressed cover, very fine and attractive, 2022 Philatelic Foundation certificate (Scott $800)

31L2, Brown's City Post, New York, NY, 1877 1c Black on yellow, single tied by "Brown's Despatch Paid" handstamp to local cover, Wm. P. Brown label at upper left, 1877 pencil docketing, stamp with small crease at top right, very fine and scarce, 2022 Philatelic Foundation certificate (Scott $1,000)

31L5, Brown's City Post, New York, NY, 1877 1c Black on Vermilion, single tied by "Brown's Despatch Paid" handstamp to local cover, handstamped Wm. P. Brown cornercard, very fine and scarce, 2022 Philatelic Foundation certificate (Scott $500)