15c Brown & Blue, Ty. I (118). Two singles affixed slightly overlapping, rich colors, used with 1c Buff (112) and 3c Ultramarine (114), tied by four bold strikes of circle of V's cancel on cover to Lima, Peru, from the Davis correspondence, red "24" credit handstamp, perfect clear strike of "Panama AU 30, 69" transit datestamp, Lima receiving backstamp (Sep. 8), receipt docketing at left, faint staining

VERY FINE. A SPECTACULAR THREE-COLOR 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE FRANKING WITH THE SCARCE 15-CENT TYPE I PAYING THE 34-CENT RATE TO PERU BY AMERICAN AND BRITISH PACKET.

The Davis correspondence, also known as the famous Portchester find (named for the New York town where many of the covers originated), provided a large number of high-value 1869 Pictorial Issue covers addressed to Lima, Peru. While a number of Davis covers are known with 15c Type II stamps, the Type I is extremely rare used to any foreign destination other than France. The PRA Census book records only two used to Peru, including the example offered here.

Illustrated in 1982 PRA Register (p. 75) and in Rose book (p. 112).

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