Gordon's City Express, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Vermilion (72L1). Large margin at left, full at top and bottom, just touched at right, bright shade, bottom edge has touched-up fault, small sealed tear at top left, uncancelled as usual and used on small cover to local street address, red "New York Hotel J. B. Monnot" oval hotel forwarder's handstamp, red "New-York 2cts. Sep. 11" drop-rate circular datestamp, red wax seal

EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF FOUR RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE GORDON'S CITY EXPRESS VERMILION STAMP. THREE ARE KNOWN ON COVERS.

Ownership of this post is attributed through city directories to Samuel B. Gordon at 302 Rivington Street in New York City. Gordon is listed as a "letter carrier" in 1848-49 and 1849-50, and his name appears in 1850-51 as a "despatch post", all at the same address. The dates of known covers fit into this 1848 to 1850 time frame. (Source: Patton book, p. 177).

The Gordon's stamp on Green paper (glazed or unglazed) is scarce, but the same design on Vermilion glazed paper is a great rarity. Patton stated that he knew of six examples, including three on covers. We have located three covers and one piece: 1) uncancelled, on cover to Daniel Ross, W. 22nd St., with New York Hotel oval and New York 2c drop-rate Sep. 11 datestamp, the cover offered here, ex Caspary, Lilly, Golden, Kuphal and Geisler; 2) faulty upper left corner, uncancelled, used on cover to C. P. Fasby, P.O. Box 1886, with red New York 2c Oct. 30 drop rate datestamp, ex Earl of Crawford, Needham, Middendorf; 3) uncancelled, small black "Paid" handstamp on Feb. 2, 1849 folded letter to Mess. Sparkman & Truslau, ex Caspary and Hall (Sale 830, lot 655); and 4) tied by red New York datestamp on small piece of lady's embossed cover, ex Hollowbush and Golden (Sale 817, lot 1095).

Ex Caspary, Lilly, Golden, Kuphal and Geisler. With 1999 and 2008 P.F. certificates. Scott Retail $15,000.00

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