3¢ Dull Red, Chicago Perf 12-1/2 (11 var), Position 88R3 (plated by Richard Celler), choice centering, rich color, slightly rounded corner perf at top left, tied by bold "Chicago Ill. Mar. 10, 1857" circular datestamp on brown cover to Philadelphia with Sherman House blue ornately framed cameo corner card with "W. Eaves" imprint

Extremely Fine. Without question this is one of the finest "Chicago Perf" covers in existence.

Ex Dr. Alfred Martin. With 1981 P.F. certificate.

HISTORY AND COMMENTARY

Dr. Hadley's Perforating Machine

The origin of the Chicago perforation was revealed in an article published by Jerry Wagshal in the Chronicle 130 (May 1986). To briefly summarize his research, the inventor of the machine used to create the Chicago Perf stamps was Dr. Elijah W. Hadley, a Chicago dentist. He probably constructed the machine in 1854. Over a two-year period, beginning in November 1854, Dr. Hadley's device was offered for sale to the Post Office Department through R. K. Swift, a prominent Chicago banker and businessman. The distinctive 12.5-gauge Chicago Perf was applied to sheets of the 1¢ (Plates 1 Late and 2) and 3¢ 1851 Issue, the 1¢ being considerably rarer.

A small number of 3¢ Chicago Perf covers have corner cards from businesses or hotels. Wilson Hulme speculates in his article in Chronicle 175 that R. K. Swift distributed Chicago Perf stamps to various businesses as a trial or to strengthen the possibility of selling the perforating machine to the post office. Many of the businesses were in a straight path between Swift's bank and Elijah Hadley's (inventor of the machine) office. Covers from Chicago hotels with 3¢ Chicago Perf stamps were probably mailed by travelers who obtained the stamps from the hotel concierge.

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