5c Deep Blue, Buffalo Balloon, with John B. Lillard Letter (CL1). Original gum, h.r., manuscript "X" mark, large margins to huge at bottom, deep shade and clear impression, couple small thins, accompanied by original Feb. 9, 1894 letter from stamp designer John B. Lillard regarding the stamps, letter with one split fold

VERY FINE APPEARING STAMP AND AN IMPORTANT HISTORICAL ARTIFACT OF THE BUFFALO BALLOON MAIL.

The booklet Buffalo Balloon Mail 1873-1877 by Schoendorf discusses and quotes this letter. It was sent from New York by stamp designer John B. Lillard to Jno. Skinner in Albany and reads "Dear Sir, I enclose you the sheet of Balloon stamps they were issued by myself in June 1877 and used in the trip I made in the Balloon Buffalo with Prof. King only 300 were issued and 23 used. Very best, J.H.B. Lillard." It is from this letter that the information on how many stamps were used originates. The Schoendorf booklet states that the letter was sent with only one stamp but it does not cite its source for that information. We sold an example in the Jeanette Rudy collection in 2004 with a manuscript "X" marking nearly identical to this one and with similar margins.

Scott Retail for unused No. CL1 $7,500.00

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