5c Red Brown (12). D Relief, enormous margins on three sides showing parts of the surrounding stamps, full at bottom, wonderful rich color and early impression, tied by "New Orleans La. Sep. 1" (1856) circular datestamp on light manila envelope (unusual -- usually used on folded letters) to St. Malo, France, with sender's geographic directive "Ille et Vilaine", red "New-York Br. Pkt. Sep. 9" circular datestamp, Calais arrival datestamp (Sep. 22) and bold "13" decimes due handstamp, red London backstamp (Sep. 22) and French receiving backstamp, refolded around the edges to improve appearance, about half of top backflap missing

EXTREMELY FINE. A MAGNIFICENT BRITISH PACKET COVER TO FRANCE WITH THE 1856 5-CENT RED BROWN.

Ex Caspary and Lehman. This was the lead-off cover in the celebrated 1956 Caspary auction. Herbert J. Bloch described the stamp as "a glorious copy of beautiful color," and the cover realized $1,500, about three times what the other single 5c 1856 covers brought in the same sale.

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