Baltimore, Maryland, 5c Red on Manila entire (3XU2). Better than usual strikes of signature, "Paid" and "5" in oval provisional handstamps, which are usually very faint when struck in red, light matching "Baltimore Md. Apr. 29" (1846) circular datestamp on cover to Miss Susan Julia Mayer, care of Mrs. Margaret Wetherall, 461 Arch St., Philadelphia, light wax seal mark at center

VERY FINE. ONE OF NINE EXAMPLES OF THE BALTIMORE 5-CENT PROVISIONAL ENVELOPE IN RED RECORDED IN THE SHEARER CENSUS.

The unpublished census by Don Shearer (1996) lists nine 5c envelopes struck in red ink, dated from March to May 1846, plus four 10c red-handstamp envelopes with dates from June to September 1846. The quality of the red strikes is generally poor. The envelope offered here has relatively clear strikes.

Hayes Census No. 13. Ex Ferrary (with his purple trefoil handstamp at lower right). Small "W.H.C." (Warren H. Colson) handstamp at lower right and illustrated in his Colson of Boston promotional booklet (page 22). Ex Frelinghuysen (probably acquired from the Lapham collection)

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